candlelight.
"I got surf and turf. I figured you might want some of my meat."
She stared at me, her eyes wide. Then she started to laugh. I had to join in.
"Cade Dupree, you certainly have a way with words."
I grinned and started cutting my food.
"Trust me darlin'. You ain't seen nothing yet."
Camille
I leaned back in my chair, pleasantly full. In fact, everything about this evening had been pleasant so far. I sipped the last of my champagne, watching Cade over the candles. He had finished eating and was just smiling in a sort of dreamy way.
He looked almost sweet, for an arrogant, sex-crazed caveman.
I was almost afraid to ask what he was thinking about. I didn't want to spoil the mood. It was odd, but all his efforts were more touching than the most extravagant decadent date I'd been on.
Without a word Cade cleared the table. Then he brought over two tumblers and a bottle of very expensive blanco tequila. He'd remembered my favorite drink, down to the brand and the flavor.
I felt myself melt a little bit more.
He sat down and smiled at me. He poured us each a healthy portion, adding ice and lemon at the end. Then he put a deck of cards in the center of the table and leaned back.
I lifted the glass and looked at the man across from me. He was oozing sex. I had to admit it was working. I was tingling all over in anticipation of what he might try next.
Be smart Camille. Resist. He will only break your heart.
I set the glass down again. I had to be sensible. This was just asking for trouble, and I knew it.
"If I drink this, I'll have to call a cab."
"I highly doubt that."
"I don't drive drunk Cade."
"Oh no darlin', that's not what I meant."
He leaned back in his seat and smiled at me.
"I just don't think you'll be leaving till morning."
My heart started to thud in my chest. There. He'd said it. There was no beating around the bush now.
Cade Dupree thought I was a sure thing. Well, he had another thing coming.
"Is that a bet?"
He shook his head slowly.
"It's more of… a dare."
I reached forward and lifted the glass, holding it aloft.
"A cab it is then."
He raised his glass to me.
"Keep telling yourself that sweetheart."
He sipped his drink and picked up the cards, shuffling them deftly.
"What are the stakes this time?"
"Don't I have anything you want Camille?"
I felt the warmth of the liquor spreading through me. I shook my head, smiling.
"I can't wait to hear what you will come up with next."
"I was thinking we go old school."
"Land? Cattle? Gold nuggets?"
He laughed appreciatively. He got my dry sense of humor. It made me like him even more than I already did.
"No, not that old school."
"What then?"
"How about the shirt off your back?"
"Strip poker? How retro."
He kept shuffling the cards, waiting for my answer. I felt reckless and daring as I decided to see this through. Plus I really wanted to see him without his shirt on.
"Alright Cade. I hope you don't have any embarrassing tattoos."
He grinned and started dealing.
"Does the kitten on my left butt cheek count?"
I took my cards and focused. I realized I wanted to see more than his chest. I wanted to see him nude. And I wanted him to see me. Even if the thought made me deeply unsettled.
Maybe I needed to be unsettled.
"Not at all. I love kittens."
He grinned and tossed his drink back, sucking on his lemon. I did the same. Then he poured us each other round.
It was going to be a long night.
Chapter Twelve
Cade
I didn't really have any kitten tattoos. But if I had, she would be finding out about them real soon. Way before I learned about hers.
Camille was creaming me.
Even worse, she was counting each damn piece of jewelry as a clothing item!
I was sitting there in my pants with no shirt, shoes or socks. And she was still fully clothed! All she'd lost were her shoes and her damn earrings.
I won the next hand. And the next. Her necklace was gone now. And the bracelet.
I was smiling through the next hand when I
"I got surf and turf. I figured you might want some of my meat."
She stared at me, her eyes wide. Then she started to laugh. I had to join in.
"Cade Dupree, you certainly have a way with words."
I grinned and started cutting my food.
"Trust me darlin'. You ain't seen nothing yet."
Camille
I leaned back in my chair, pleasantly full. In fact, everything about this evening had been pleasant so far. I sipped the last of my champagne, watching Cade over the candles. He had finished eating and was just smiling in a sort of dreamy way.
He looked almost sweet, for an arrogant, sex-crazed caveman.
I was almost afraid to ask what he was thinking about. I didn't want to spoil the mood. It was odd, but all his efforts were more touching than the most extravagant decadent date I'd been on.
Without a word Cade cleared the table. Then he brought over two tumblers and a bottle of very expensive blanco tequila. He'd remembered my favorite drink, down to the brand and the flavor.
I felt myself melt a little bit more.
He sat down and smiled at me. He poured us each a healthy portion, adding ice and lemon at the end. Then he put a deck of cards in the center of the table and leaned back.
I lifted the glass and looked at the man across from me. He was oozing sex. I had to admit it was working. I was tingling all over in anticipation of what he might try next.
Be smart Camille. Resist. He will only break your heart.
I set the glass down again. I had to be sensible. This was just asking for trouble, and I knew it.
"If I drink this, I'll have to call a cab."
"I highly doubt that."
"I don't drive drunk Cade."
"Oh no darlin', that's not what I meant."
He leaned back in his seat and smiled at me.
"I just don't think you'll be leaving till morning."
My heart started to thud in my chest. There. He'd said it. There was no beating around the bush now.
Cade Dupree thought I was a sure thing. Well, he had another thing coming.
"Is that a bet?"
He shook his head slowly.
"It's more of… a dare."
I reached forward and lifted the glass, holding it aloft.
"A cab it is then."
He raised his glass to me.
"Keep telling yourself that sweetheart."
He sipped his drink and picked up the cards, shuffling them deftly.
"What are the stakes this time?"
"Don't I have anything you want Camille?"
I felt the warmth of the liquor spreading through me. I shook my head, smiling.
"I can't wait to hear what you will come up with next."
"I was thinking we go old school."
"Land? Cattle? Gold nuggets?"
He laughed appreciatively. He got my dry sense of humor. It made me like him even more than I already did.
"No, not that old school."
"What then?"
"How about the shirt off your back?"
"Strip poker? How retro."
He kept shuffling the cards, waiting for my answer. I felt reckless and daring as I decided to see this through. Plus I really wanted to see him without his shirt on.
"Alright Cade. I hope you don't have any embarrassing tattoos."
He grinned and started dealing.
"Does the kitten on my left butt cheek count?"
I took my cards and focused. I realized I wanted to see more than his chest. I wanted to see him nude. And I wanted him to see me. Even if the thought made me deeply unsettled.
Maybe I needed to be unsettled.
"Not at all. I love kittens."
He grinned and tossed his drink back, sucking on his lemon. I did the same. Then he poured us each other round.
It was going to be a long night.
Chapter Twelve
Cade
I didn't really have any kitten tattoos. But if I had, she would be finding out about them real soon. Way before I learned about hers.
Camille was creaming me.
Even worse, she was counting each damn piece of jewelry as a clothing item!
I was sitting there in my pants with no shirt, shoes or socks. And she was still fully clothed! All she'd lost were her shoes and her damn earrings.
I won the next hand. And the next. Her necklace was gone now. And the bracelet.
I was smiling through the next hand when I
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