Page 45 of Gorgeous

Heart, are you beating?

Did this annoying man’s smile just kill you?

I’m still alive when Cade’s hand snags mine, smothering the finger that itches to flip him off. “Stay here. I’ll go check it out.”

He shakes his head and gives me his back, taking the stairs to the first floor. And because I don’t want him to go alone, I slip on a pair of flip-flops and trail behind him for moral support. Not because I’m scared.

“What are you doing?” he asks when he takes a turn into his office.

“I’m coming with you. You may need backup.”

Cade squats behind his desk and arches a brow, his forehead wrinkling with the motion. “I don’t need backup.”

I shrug like I don’t care either way. I’m still going. Cade rolls his eyes and opens the desk drawer, taking out a handgun. He points it toward the floor and stands, placing the magazine in his hand. Inspecting it, he pushes it into the handle of the gun, the motion making a locking sound.

With a deep inhale, Cade slowly drags his eyes from the gun until they land on me. I blink back at his intent stare and swallow. He’s so sexy with his plaid pajama pants hanging low on his hips, his white t-shirt nearly ripping at the seam of his arms. Messy and sticking up in the back, Cade’s hair is the definition of bedhead. He looks soft and boyish apart from the lethal weapon clutched in his hand, and I want to reach out and hug him.

“Let’s go kill this vamp,Buffy.” Cade cocks the gun and my pussy clenches.

Yeah, it was that fucking sexy.

And he made a joke.

A fucking joke!

I’m falling for this man and it’s not fair.

Why can’t he be emotionally available?

Cade chuckles and pushes past me. “Stay behind me and don’t talk or you can’t come.”

I nod my agreement and follow behind him. He grabs a flashlight from the kitchen and turns it on before opening the back door. The air is still and muggy when we step out onto the patio. Cade points the light above us, centering it on my window. He doesn’t speak but raises his gun and takes quiet steps around the perimeter of the house.

A croaking noise sounds at my feet and I rush Cade, high stepping to prevent whatever lurks in the dark from scampering across the top of my foot. What I didn’t expect was losing my flip-flop and falling into Cade, the only thing preventing my plummet to the ground being his pants.

Yep.

Clumsy strikes again.

Cade jumps and curses, not able to grab his pants as they plunge toward his knees with my momentum. “What the fuck, B?”

Finally, I’m able to right myself, slightly disappointed that Cade has on boxers. Too bad I didn’t get a face full of ass. “I’m sorry,” I wheeze out into the night air. “I thought something ran across my foot.”

Cade gives me a disbelieving look and hands me the flashlight, pulling up his pants. “So, is it a vampire or a mutant frog that’s scaring you tonight?”

I swipe the beam of light around me, hunting for said devil frog, and come up empty. My lips purse, and when Cade has his pants settled, I hand him back the light. “I think you scared off the master vamp with your terrible sense of humor. Maybe he’ll lurk at your window now.”

Cade scoffs like he dares a vampire to lurk at his window and live to tell about it. I hate to admit it, but his confidence turns me the hell on.

“Let’s go. There’s nothing out here.”

I nod reluctantly and head into the house. Cade locks the door behind him, retreating back to his office to secure his weapon. When he returns, he pours a glass of water and offers it to me. Without shaking, I take the glass from his strong hands and flash him a smile in thanks.

“You okay now?” he asks, his butt leaning against the counter. Lucky counter. I bet it sees more ass than the showers around here.

I pick at my hands, the skin dry from all the hand washing I do. “I guess.” I’m not going to say,hell no.Something was scratching at my window and there might be a serial killer lurking in my closet.Cade would think I’ve lost it.

“Want to watch TVfor a little while?” My head snaps up and Cade darts his gaze to the living room and shrugs. “Watching TV works for me sometimes when I have nightmares.”

---