He's the One by Jane Beckenham (ready to read books .TXT) 📗

"And out of here?"

"What?"

Taylor pulled herself from his embrace, snatching herself away, hugging her arms around her chest.

That same old action again. He'd come to recognize it as the moment when she shut down, turned away from him.

Damn. Cade sucked in a lungful of oxygen and found his gazed fixed firmly and definitely below her shoulders. The way she folded her arms did sort of squishy, sexy things to her breasts so that they rose above neckline of her vest.

Very enticing. And hell, it made him very horny.

Taylor took a few steps back, eyes scouring the room for her bag. “I can't do this,"

"You keep saying that, then you come back,” Cade countered.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just that you made me realize what my past has done to me, stifled me. So now I want to live, to experience love, marriage and babies and the whole white picket fence thing. You don't want that."

Nope. No way. “It only leads to heartache."

"Hearts ache no matter what, Cade. I might not have much experience in life, but believe me I know that is a definite."

"Yeah, but I've lived it, seen it first hand. People think they love someone, get married, then it falls flat. Lust and love get confused."

"Well, that's something you should know. You sure as hell know lust."

"We both do. That's why we're good together. We understand lust."

"But that's it, Cade. Together for how long? What future is there in that? As you say, lust doesn't last, then where would we be?"

Where?

Cade's gut zinged, and his groin, and every damned part of him ached as he watched Taylor shut herself away from him, the lowering of her lashes as they shadowed her thoughts.

Going away. Leaving. The thought stuck in his throat, his chest tightening. This was it. She was leaving tonight and he'd probably never see her again. She didn't want him anymore. She'd used him for her own needs. That was it.

Just like his ex-girlfriend, Tania, and his mother. See—use and leave.

* * * *

"Damn. Damn. Damn. This wasn't how it was meant to go.” Taylor thought she'd planned for every eventuality, that she could tempt him. Obviously she wasn't woman enough for him, even in less clothing than a Barbie doll. But even as these thoughts crowded her brain, Taylor realized it was she who pulled back. She who'd stopped dancing. She was running scared.

Again.

"Sorry Cade, got to go. Wedding tomorrow,” she offered as an excuse. Gathering up her coat and bag, she quickly shucked it on before he could reach her. She turned to him, willing the fresh tremors that threatened to leave her in a heap at his feet to dissolve.

"I...” she stuttered. “How do I say thank you?"

"You just did,” he said. But there wasn't an inch of humor in his expression.

"It doesn't seem enough. You've given me a new start,” she said. One she now knew she didn't want to go alone, but had to. Cade had to make his own decisions, his own path in life. Taylor swallowed hard, trying to clear a suddenly blocked airway. “Take care, Cade. You'll be a success. Good luck.” And with that, she wrenched the door open, tottering into the dark, lonely night, before she allowed herself to think. Besides, thinking hurt.

With the engine running Taylor sat in the car, staring out blankly at the inky darkness. The sound of the waves were a soft slap against the wharf and from the distance where the Harbor Bridge spanned the isthmus came the incessant hum of vehicles crossing its length.

"Damn you, Cade Harper.” Taylor slammed her hands down on the steering wheel. But it wasn't Cade's fault. “I shouldn't have opened a can of worms. Should have left everything as it was.” The status quo had worked for years, why change, she reasoned into the silent night.

But Taylor knew the answer. Just as she had known from the moment she spied Cade haloed by the rays of the sun beaming through the church's stained window—he was the one. The man for her.

Trouble was, Cade didn't know it, nor did he want to. He didn't trust enough to let the barriers down.

* * * *

"Why does love hurt so much?” Sitting in her office the next morning after zero sleep, Taylor hugged a cushion to her chest. Through eyes that stung, gritty and tear-filled, she looked up at the concerned face of Nita.

"I suppose that's what makes it worth while,” Nita said and replenished Taylor's third cup of straight black coffee. She passed Taylor the mug which she gratefully accepted and took a draught of piping hot liquid, hoping it would fortify her morbidity.

"Maybe a hit of double caffeine will bring me back to life,” she mused, trying to dig herself out of a stupor. “How can it be worthwhile if the other person doesn't figure it out?"

"I don't know, Taylor. I'm sorry."

Taylor blinked back another bout of tears. “Yeah, me, too."

"But at least you can answer those sex questions now."

"Yeah, orgasms, vaginismus, or how big is big?” she said, grinning despite herself. Her eyes lowered as memories of Cade holding her, his fingers exploring and lips kissing her, washed over her. It was too much and, for the umpteenth time in forty-eight hours, tears began.

Nita plunked herself down beside Taylor. “That's right. Cry. Let it all out."

"How long, Nita? How long until it gets better?"

"A while."

Left to her own sadness, Taylor mulled over what Nita had said. A while. She hoped so, but right now it felt like it was forever. It hurt. Deep down inside, where she'd never let anyone in. Until now. ‘Til, Cade Harper.

"Big mistake."

Chapter Fourteen

"You are one fool, Cade."

The pile of accounts Cade had been working on fell from his hands to his already over crowded desk. He stood up and scowled. “Get out of here, Zane."

"Not until I've given you a piece of my mind."

Cade gritted his teeth. “Do I have to listen?"

"If you know what's good