His smile was easy, gorgeous. “I am boring, Kylie. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I’m not exciting. I spend ninety percent of my time working. I don’t hit the town. I don’t date much. I don’t even know what fondue is.”
Her mouth was twitching with the need to burst into another round of laughter. “So you googled?”
“What else can I do? A guy needs to be prepared when he goes out on a date.”
“But . . . you’re a billionaire.” She giggled.
“So?”
That threw her for a loop. Billionaires didn’t do things that normal people did. “So I find it weird that you’re googling things for yourself. Don’t you have an assistant?”
“Yes, but I also have two hands and I’m perfectly capable of using the Internet on my own.” He wiggled his fingers at her. “Can’t I be a normal guy and do things without having to ask for assistance?”
“I guess so?” She thought of Daphne with her poor browbeaten personal assistant and her entourage. Hell, Kylie’s only job was to put makeup on Daphne before performances and press interviews. But to have money at Cade’s level was just inconceivable, so to see him acting like a normal guy . . . ?
It was nice. Surprising, maybe, but nice.
He pressed a button on the door of the limo and the partition glass separating them from the driver went down. “Fondue House,” Cade told the driver, then raised it again so he and Kylie were alone once more.
She studied him. “So what if we both eat fondue and we hate it?”
“Partners in intestinal fortitude once more?” he said with a wicked grin. “If we’re sharing a bowl, we’ll share any food poisoning as well. And like I said, I know every hospital in the area very well.”
“That’s a rather terrible way to view dinner.”
“Yes, but if it gets us in adjoining beds in a hospital room, I’ll take my chances,” he said, taking her hand in his and tracing the veins on it.
“You shouldn’t be thinking about hospitalizing a girl post-date,” Kylie said, amused. “It puts a pall on things.”
His fingers played against her skin, sending shivers through her body. “I thought about you all week, you know. It nearly drove me insane that you canceled on me and I couldn’t figure out the reason why.”
Well, now she felt guilty. “Don’t you read Celebrity! or any of those magazines?”
“Not if I can help it. I don’t have a very positive view of that sort of lifestyle.”
No, she supposed he wouldn’t if he was friends with Daphne. Kylie knew her own experiences with megastars had soured her on them as well. “It’s got an article about you and Daphne being together.”
“Might be publicity from her team,” he said, still tracing the veins on her hand. “It’ll probably quell some of the rumors about her actions if she seems like she’s in a stable relationship. Do you want me to get my people to issue a statement on the situation?”
It was hard for Kylie to concentrate with those featherlight touches on her arms. It took her a moment to process, and then she shook her head. Making a statement would just make things worse, she imagined. Daphne would get upset if Cade publicly declared they weren’t dating. It would draw more attention back to things, and somehow Kylie suspected that would be the last thing anyone wanted. “Nah.”
He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “Just . . . if you hear anything crazy come out of Daphne’s mouth, check with me first, okay? I will always be honest with you.”
Kylie nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t trust you.”
“We don’t know each other well enough yet,” Cade said. “It’s understandable.” He glanced over at her. “But make no mistake, I intend on getting to know you extremely well.”
She shivered at the pulse of heat that flared through her body. “Are you always so forward with women?”
“Just you,” he admitted. “Normally I’m content to let things fall by the wayside, but the more you try to get away from me, the closer I want to pull you.”
“I suppose I should be flattered.” Her voice had a light, fluttery note to it that she wished would go away. She blamed his light caresses of her hand. His fingers were making it so hard for her to concentrate.
“I don’t want you to be flattered,” he murmured, and then lifted her hand to his mouth. “I just want you to say yes.” And he kissed her fingertips.
“Y-yes to what?”
The look in his vivid blue eyes was sultry. “Whatever I ask.”