"Shush, Juls."
Juliette downed the last of her beer before turning her attention back to her friend. She pushed aside her excitement to spare Cade any more embarrassment and risking anyone hearing about the company's elite client. "Do you even know who he is?" she whispered across the table.
Cade wanted to change the subject but it was too late. There was no turning back as soon as she blurted out what had happened in Jax's office. It had been a mistake to open that Pandora's Box, just as much as it was to talk about it at the moment, but it had been on her mind since it had happened. For the rest of the afternoon, she had busied herself talking to Harley in her bedroom and then familiarizing herself with the condo building's security system and protocols.
"He's technically my boss. And I'm there to protect his daughter."
"Besides that-didn't you do any searches?"
"I didn't have time, Juls."
Juliette grinned at her, reached for the next full bottle, and tilted it toward her friend. "Say 'thank you, Juliette.'"
What was Juliette up to? Then it quickly dawned on Cade. Someone had to do the research on Jax and Harley. It should have been her job, but Mac had other plans for her. "Show me." Cade straightened on her seat.
Juliette pulled out a folio from her large bag then placed it in front of Cade, who wasted no time going through the pages.
As she read through, Juliette said, "Jax Clark has been producing top grossing hits since he signed with Apathy Records. With those good looks and incredible voice, why wouldn't he? He grew up here in BC but moved to LA to pursue his dreams. You know, the usual crap." She paused to take another sip of her lager. "He met Fiona at a friend's party. She was and always will be a B-list actress-slash-socialite. I guess at some point they got careless and boom! Baby Harley! Of course it didn't work out because she is a grade A bitch, but he kept climbing the charts and stayed up there. You should listen to his music some time. Really good shit."
"Better than One Direction?" Cade asked while combing through the file.
Juliette huffed. "Please, don't even joke. No one is better than 1D. However, I bet he can kiss better than them."
Cade raised her chin. She plastered a shy smile on her face. She allowed herself a moment to think of it. His lips had been soft and warm but his kiss was all passion. The instant his lips touched hers, her whole body heated and trembled. She'd whimpered when he pulled away for a few seconds, but only so he could stare directly into her eyes. His second kiss had been fiercer and full of fire. He had pressed not only his lips on her but his entire body against hers. It had been Cade who'd pushed away from him to end it, no matter how much her body had protested. Jax's kiss had blown away everyone else's in her past.
"But it can never happen again," she told Juliette, although the message was meant more for herself.
Chapter Four
Cade and Harley walked briskly into the aquarium to avoid getting soaked by the ever-present Vancouver rain. It was Cade's favourite spot in the city, reminding her of the fun she'd had as a little girl living close to another coast. After the school tour with Harley, and the mundane briefing she had received from the prestigious school's dean, Harley had asked Cade if they could visit the aquarium since she hadn't been to one. Cade was astonished. With all the wealth Harley's parents possessed, neither one of them ever thought of taking their child to any family activities.
Harley was only too happy to walk around with Cade, pausing to take photos with her iPhone every now and then. Since Cade had visited the place at least once a month from the day she had moved to the city, she had familiarized herself with it. She gave Harley a personal tour, imparting knowledge on every form of aquatic life they saw.
"How do you know all that?" Harley asked on their way to the jellyfish tanks.
Cade smiled while she walked beside the girl. "At one point in my life, I wanted to be a marine biologist."
"That's so cool. Have you been to the ocean?"
"Which one? My family travelled a lot when I was younger because of my dad's job in the military. Sometimes we were near the ocean, and when we weren't, my mother would insist we visit my grandmother, who still lives on the Atlantic coast." Cade paused, remembering a specific memory of her mother. "My mom was convinced I was a fish or a mermaid in a previous life."