Craving a Real Texan--A Western romance Read online

  “I’m trying,” he said, his face pulling taut, and she appreciated his honesty. “Listen, why don’t you stay down here, enjoy the lake and fresh air. I’ll get you those aspirins and tomato juice and be back in a few.”

  “You’re not making me a Bloody Mary, are you? ’Cause I don’t think I could handle any more alcohol right now.”

  “Nope, just tomato juice. I promise.”

  He moved past her and headed toward the house. “Cade,” she called to him. He stopped and turned to her. “Thanks,” she said, giving him a brief smile.

  He nodded, blinking his eyes several times, then took off toward the house.

  Well, she’d sure made a mess of things. So much for being a professional personal chef. So much for keeping her distance. From what she could remember, she’d practically jumped his bones last night. What had started out as a make-out session could’ve easily turned into more if Cade hadn’t been the adult in the room.

  She stared out at the lake, the water looking like smooth glass. It was peaceful here, and she slipped off her shoes, sat down on the edge of the dock and put her feet into the cool water. Lifting her face to the sun, she closed her eyes. In a sense, both she and Cade were seeking refuge in this place. Both were running from something, and both had their own troubles to purge while they were here.

  Cade was back in minutes and immediately handed her the juice along with two aspirins. She took them gratefully and sipped the juice as he rolled up his jeans and sat down beside her. He had a bag in his hand. “What’s that?” she asked.

  “Lunch.” He pulled out a box of crackers and some doughnuts.

  “Oh man.” She put her head down. “I’m awful at my job.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” he said digging into the cracker box. “I love these. And they’re good for you, to settle your stomach.”

  “When did you get this stuff?” she asked, taking a cracker from the box.

  “This morning. I went for a jog.”

  “You got me aspirin and juice and crackers?” She choked up, hardly getting the words out. “That’s...thank you.”

  “Welcome. Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t we say this is your day off? I can’t expect you to work every single day without a break.”

  “You’re being nice again, but you don’t cook and I already feel like I’ve shirked my duties today.”

  Cade splashed his feet in the water. “You can take the day to work on your cookbook. Or nap. Or do whatever you want.”

  All those things sounded good to her, but was he trying to get away from her? Was that what this was all about? “And what about dinner?”

  “Corky’s Bar and Grill in town is pretty good. We can have dinner out for once.”

  “We?”

  “Yeah, we. We both need to eat.”

  “Right now, eating anything but crackers sounds awful.”

  “Trust me, you’ll be hungry by tonight. And the worst thing for you to do is skip that meal.”

  She didn’t want to argue with him, but she worried about going out in public. Would her disguise hold up?

  “I really don’t feel like being out in a crowd. The noise and all. Maybe another time?”

  “Corky’s shouldn’t be busy on a weeknight. And if it gets too much for you, we’ll leave.”

  He was pretty adamant. She couldn’t argue further without rousing suspicion. He was giving her the day off. She could use the time for herself, to rest, to regroup. She was still feeling out of sorts, and a nap and some privacy sounded really good. “What time?”

  “How about seven?”

  She nodded and grabbed another cracker, forcing herself to chew slowly and swallow it down. Cade might be right: the crackers just might ease the pain in her tummy, and the aspirin would help with her headache.

  “Seven it is.”

  He gave her a nod. “It’s a...” Then he stopped himself.

  “It’s a plan,” she offered.

  “Right, it’s a plan.”

  Because it so wasn’t a date.

  * * *

  Corky’s Bar and Grill was crowded, and as Dawn stood at the entrance with Cade, she didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Here in the smoky honky-tonk, she’d either fade into the crowd or risk someone in the place recognizing her. Either way, Corky’s was not what she was expecting. She’d envisioned a small, rustic café with few patrons and menu choices, instead of what seemed to be the hub for Hill Country partygoers.

  Tonight was live-band night and luckily all eyes in the place were on the front stage, where a singing duo were belting out a Gage Tremaine song called “Rough Night.” They harmonized perfectly, and many of the patrons were on the dance floor rocking out to the music.

  “Sorry,” Cade whispered. “It’s usually not this noisy. Didn’t know about the band. How’s your head?”

  She’d rested today, taken a long nap and done some research for her cookbook. “Actually, my headache is gone, and I’d rather it not come back. Maybe we should go? The music’s pretty loud.”

  And she really wished she’d refused him earlier today. Her best form of disguise, after cutting her hair and dying it dark brown, was not to wear any make-up. When she was on the show, she was made up professionally every day. She hoped it was enough.

  “I’ll take care of that.”

  Cade handed the hostess a twenty, whispering something in her ear. She nodded and then led them to a table in the far corner of the room, away from most of the people and away from the loud music. “Is this good, Mr. Tremaine?”

  “What do you think?” he asked Harper.

  She kept her head down, away from the young girl. “It’s great.”

  Cade nodded at the hostess and smiled. “This is fine, Becky. How’re your folks?”

  “Still going strong.”

  “Good to hear. Tell them hello from the family.”

  “I sure will.”

  They scooted into their seats, with Harper sitting facing the wall and not the band. She wore a jean jacket over a dark blue sundress with tiny flowers, the only dress Lily had packed for her. She didn’t know why she’d bothered to dress up, but after she’d seen Cade dressed in a snap-down black Western shirt and crisp jeans, she was glad she’d made the effort. He looked nice. No, nice wasn’t the right word. He looked gorgeous, the stubble on his face groomed, his clothes sharp and his thick hair combed back.

  “Here’s your menus.” Becky handed them out. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.”

  “Will do.”

  After she walked away, Harper asked, “She knows you?”

  “She does. Becky’s a local. She’s been working here for about ten years or so. Her parents manage the cabin for us. They’re the ones who stock the place and fix it up when friends or family use it. Becky is putting herself through online college.”

  Oh, so that explained the big tip.

  She glanced at the menu, using it as a shield to keep her face hidden. She had to admit it was nice being out, listening to music and being served for a change. The menu was ginormous. She couldn’t decide if she wanted steak, fish, tacos, pasta or chili. “What’s good here?”

  Cade put his fingertips on her menu and pulled it down, so he could see her face. “Steak fajitas are my favorite. If they still make them as good as they used to.”

  “How long has it been since you’ve been here?”

  “Oh man. Let me think...must be at least five years or so. Came up here to celebrate my sister Lily’s birthday.”

  Harper pulled up the menu to cover her face again. “That’s nice. You know what, I think I’ll have the fajitas, too, only with chicken.” She couldn’t change the subject fast enough.

  “Want a drink?”

  She glanced at him over the menu, furrowing her brows.

  “A so
ft drink,” he said. “I couldn’t handle anything more.”

  She put the menu down. “What does that mean, Cade?”

  He glanced at her, his eyes roaming over her face and then shifting to the sundress she wore. “Nothing, forget I said that. But you do look very pretty tonight.”

  His compliment went straight to her head, and warmth traveled through her body. They were tiptoeing around each other tonight. It was safer that way, but she wasn’t immune to the charm he probably didn’t realize he had.

  “Lemonade sounds good.”

  “A safe choice.”

  “Funny.”

  “You know what I was thinking? We never finished our rummy challenge.”

  “I suppose you think you were winning?”

  “Actually, I think we were all tied up.”

  “Really? I don’t remember.”

  “Trust me. I do. You trash-talk with the best of them,” he said.

  “I’m competitive.” She frowned, hating that he’d seen her less-than-awesome side. “Sometimes, that’s not such a good thing.”

  “On the contrary, I think it’s a great trait for people who want to get ahead in their lives, their careers.”

  “And you would know this because you’re a big business tycoon and being competitive is part of the game.”

  “I’m just trying to stay one step ahead of the next guy, otherwise the company may not survive.”

  “That’s a little drastic, isn’t it?”

  “Not when you employ thousands of people throughout the country. It’s my obligation to make sure they all have jobs. Don’t you want to be one of the best chefs in the country?”

  “Yeah, but that’s only because...I take pride in my work. I set high standards for myself.”

  “You also don’t give yourself enough credit, Dawn. You’re very good at what you do. You’re very passionate about your work.”

  “So are you, at least from what I can tell.”

  “Guilty as charged. I had two passions in my life, and now Bree is gone.”

  Just the way he spoke his late fiancée’s name said so much about his great love for her. Harper had the urge to reach out and touch his arm. To comfort him for his loss. One day, she wanted to have that same kind of unconditional love in her life. “I’m sorry about that, Cade.”

  “I had to compete for her, too, you know. She was dating some guy,” he said, “who was all wrong for her, and there was, well, a bit of competition between the two of us. She was worth the effort. There was no way I was giving up. And I finally broke her down and made her see I was the only one for her. We’d been so happy, looking forward to the future, until she got sick.”

  “It must’ve been hard for you.”

  “It’s...getting better. I think coming here has helped. I might have to eat crow and thank my mom for pushing me into this.”

  “Well, if you’re glad, then I’m glad.”

  Cade gave her an honest look, one that seared right through her and made her feel more for him than sexual attraction. He was one of the good guys. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m glad you’re here. With me. It helps.”

  She took a deep swallow and nodded, unable to conjure up any words.

  The waitress came by, breaking the tension of the moment, and took their orders. Harper was grateful for the intrusion because she’d taken his words to heart and didn’t know if she could conceal the growing feelings she was having for him. Concealing her identity was one thing—concealing her heart was quite another.

  They made small talk during the meal. It was just as delicious as Cade had mentioned. She was happy to see him gobbling up his food. Maybe he was slowly coming out of his grief.

  When they were almost through, the band leader announced this was their last song before they took a break. “And folks, it’s come to my attention that we have Gage Tremaine’s big brother in the house.”

  Surprised, Harper swiveled her head slightly and caught the lead singer pointing toward them. She immediately spun back around and froze in place. Heads must be turning their way, dozens of eyeballs trying to get a look at Cade. She heard a small round of applause. Oh man, she didn’t expect this. Lucky for her, her back was to them. Cade didn’t seem to enjoy the attention, either, unlike his famous brother, who always seemed to eat it up. “Sorry,” he mumbled to her. “It happens occasionally.”

  She nodded.

  The lead singer went on. “Mr. Cade Tremaine, why don’t you bring your little lady up to the dance floor and join everyone else in one last dance?”

  Cade was too much of a gentleman to shoot the man down. “Do you want to dance?” Cade asked her.

  She shook her head adamantly. “No.”

  Cade told the guy no with a shake of his head.

  “Aw, c’mon,” the guy said good-naturedly. “One turn around the dance floor. We’ll sing a real pretty song for all of you.”

  “I’m afraid if we don’t, there’ll be more of a fuss,” Cade said. Then he rose and put out his hand, giving her no choice. “We’ll make an escape as soon as we can,” he told her.

  She took his hand, keeping her head down, her hair in her face. The band didn’t start up until they reached the dance floor. “I’m a terrible dancer,” she whispered.

  “Then stick close and we’ll melt into the crowd.”

  Which was exactly what she wanted. She couldn’t afford to be singled out on the dance floor. There had to be at least two dozen couples dancing, and hopefully, they’d blend in. She walked into Cade’s arms, and they began moving to the soulful ballad. She caught a few people watching them, and she immediately put her head on his shoulder to hide her face. Cade tightened his hold on her, keeping her within the circle of his strong arms. She’d lied to him once again. She knew how to dance; she’d taken dance lessons all through her childhood and early teens. Her folks had wanted to expose her to all sorts of things to help her find her real passion.

  “You’re not bad at this,” Cade said, his husky voice vibrating through her body. Her cheek brushed his neck, and his delicious male scent wafted to her nostrils.

  “I’m trying,” she whispered.

  Cade moved his hand up to her lower back and tangled his fingers through her hair. The singer’s soulful voice transported her. It was magical, a beautiful moment in time. She swayed when Cade swayed, and they moved as one.

  She rode her hands up his chest and around his neck and smiled when he looked down, his dark eyes gleaming and his expression open for a change, showing her a side of him she hadn’t seen before. “You’re beautiful, Dawn.”

  She batted her eyelashes, not to be melodramatic but because he’d spoken genuinely and she didn’t know what to say to him in return. He was beautiful, too. He was a real gentleman, a man who’d been hurt, scarred probably, and who was just, at least in this moment, opening up a little. Knowing that did things to her she couldn’t name, but it was a good feeling.

  She hated the lies, the cloud of deception she was under. She hated to do that to Cade. He didn’t deserve it. Every time he called her Dawn, she squirmed. Whatever was happening between them—and make no mistake, there was definitely something happening between them now—she remembered the falsity of their relationship. But she’d promised Lily to stay on here and keep her brother from sinking into a deep hole. Now that she’d gotten to know Cade a little bit, she wanted to continue. She wanted to pull him out of his grief and help him recover. Not necessarily because he was Lily’s brother, and not because he was deadly handsome, but because she cared about him from the bottom of her heart. Which was crazy. She’d known him less than a week. But then again, she’d gone on a reality show and had been expected to marry a guy after less than ten weeks. So, she supposed on that premise, it wasn’t altogether that crazy.

  “Cade, I...like you.” That was lame. Was she still in grade sch
ool? But it was honest, and being honest with him now was just what she needed to do.

  He brushed his lips to her hair, just above her ear, in that place that brings tingles. “I like you, too.”

  He pulled her closer, and she immediately understood just how much he did like her. Heaven help her, she was as turned on as he was. No lie.

  “Can we pretend we just met tonight?” he asked.

  She whispered in his ear. “And then what?”

  “Then, I bring you to the cabin and we...”

  “Play cards?”

  He blew out a breath, as if in pain. “After, we can play cards, Dawn. Is that what you want?”

  She did. She really did. They’d been denying their attraction to each other for days now. She brought her mouth to his and kissed him soundly, so there would be no doubt. He was delicious all over, his mouth just one of the places she wanted to taste. She pulled away to see hunger in his eyes and feel the heat emanating from his chest.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he said, taking her hand and leading her to their table. He dropped a hundred-dollar bill down, picked up her purse and handed it to her, and together they made a quick dash out of the place.

  He stopped once they were outside to kiss her again, his mouth devouring hers. She was so swept away that she remained silent in the car on the way home.

  * * *

  In the house, Cade led her up the stairs, her hand clasped in his. She’d only been up here once before, when she’d first gotten here, which seemed like an eon ago now. He stopped at the threshold to his bedroom and took her face lovingly into his hands, searching her eyes for any sign of refusal, before bringing his mouth down on hers again. The kiss was wrought with desire, filled with hunger. She had to steady herself from the impact of his kiss. Thrills ran through her body, her heart fully involved already.

  “I...I didn’t expect this.” He brushed hair away from her face with the tenderest touch.

  “I didn’t, either, Cade,” she whispered.