Page 69 of Unofficial

“No, and I got tired of calling him out on things, and I started thinking that if we stayed together and got married, that would be the rest of my life. A man who doesn't care enough to pay attention to how things come across and never offers to do the dishes. And cannot accept and understand the fact I absolutely hate baseball. Even more now than before, thanks to him."

Narrowing his eyes, he tilts his head. "There's more to it, though, isn't there?"

"I can't get over his spiteful nature. You know that woman we saw out with him when we went to the steakhouse?"

"Yeah. Was it pre-planned?"

She sighs and looks at her hands. "No, it was spur of the moment. He drove by and saw us leaving the house, so he called up someone he knew would jump at the chance to go out with him. He saw where we went and found a way to get a table with her."

"He stalked you."

"Yeah, kind of like you that night you called, and we had a fight."

Sniffling, Kade looks at the seat between them. "Yeah, I guess that's a fair statement."

"Anyway, he drove by again and saw me take you inside when we talked. He assumed we hooked up, so he took the poor girl home. In his words, he didn't want me to be the only one who messed around."

"What?"

"He led that poor girl on out of spite. And then, that night you and I got into the fight, Landry was there to talk about things. It was the first time we'd spoken since the confrontation with you two in my house, and he got so angry. Kade, I wish I could explain to you how scary his anger is. It put me on edge even though I don't think he'd ever hit a woman."

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he looks back up into her eyes. "Are you sure about that?"

"As sure as I am that if you'd stayed stalking me just a little longer, you'd have seen Landry storm out and slam the door behind him when I told him I was done. The plans I had on Friday were for work, which I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't let me."

"I'm such an idiot."

"Yeah, you kind of are," Jess says and smiles at him.

Rather than say anything, he just pulls her over onto his lap and kisses her. Her arms wrap around his neck, and she lets him deepen this kiss. After everything he's shared, she feels like she can take the chance and let him back in. And God, does she want to let him back in. This man who makes her turn into a hormonal teenage girl in the backseat of her boyfriend's car may very well be able to give her exactly what she wants.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Jess feels disappointment when Kade pulls back from their make-out session. It's been a while since she got frisky in a vehicle, and she likes feeling like a kid again.

"As much as I would love to kiss you all night long, your stomach growled four times, and we both have to work in the morning. We should probably get something to eat," Kade says.

Staring into his eyes, she wishes they'd ordered in. With how she feels right now, that sixty-day timeframe won't last another two hours. "I suppose we should."

"Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Looking at me with your bedroom eyes. I'm on probation, and the look you're giving me is the one that says you want to order in a pizza and see whether we can both get off before it arrives. Bad girl."

She hops off his lap and sits in her seat. "You used to like when I was a bad girl."

"Oh, I love it," he says and starts the pickup. "But I haven't earned it yet."

But he has. "Where are we going?"

"We should have probably figured that out before I started driving," he says. "But it's safest to be in a moving vehicle, otherwise you might ravage me. And I do not want to break your convictions."

"Have you eaten at Carrie's?" Jess asks, suddenly craving something unexpected.

Kade's eyebrows shoot up as they stop at a stoplight. "I'd love to eat there, but the waitlist is about four months long."

"I know the owner who also happens to be the executive chef," she says. "I can make a call."

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