The Exception(71)

“No, not really.” I watched him carefully. He totally didn’t believe me. “My friend Heather lives in Chicago. When I got divorced, she wanted me to move there. I probably would have, but I didn’t have a job or anything, so I came here instead. She has been submitting my résumé around.” I shrugged, feeling errant all of a sudden. “Someone asked if it had been updated, I guess.”

“Chicago?” he asked, eyebrows raised, voice cool. “You still thinking about going?”

I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear nervously. “No, not really. I haven’t thought about it in a while.”

“So, there’s a chance you aren’t going to stay here?” His voice was tight.

I thought for a minute and then turned, looking him in the eye. “Do you want me to stay?”

He shook his head, amused. “I always want you to stay.”

I couldn’t wipe the silly grin off of my face. “All right. Then I’ll stay.”

I expected Cane to react, but he didn’t. He just watched me closely.

“Don’t you think you should tell her that?” he asked finally.

I looked up at him as he strummed his fingertips against the marble, waiting to see what I was going to do. “Yeah, I probably should.”

Neither of us moved for a second, both feeling the other out. He was adorable and I was having a little fun watching him sweat.

“There’s no time like the present,” he pointed out, raising his eyebrows again. When I didn’t move, he tilted his head. “I’m pretty sure your phone has a callback feature.”

I couldn’t hide the huge smile that crept across my face. My heart swelled at his display. He really, truly wanted me to stay with him.

I unlocked the phone and hit the reconnect button, my eyes never leaving Cane’s. If he would put it out there so blatantly that he wanted me to stay, I would make sure he knew how certain I was that I wanted to.

“Hey, Jada! Everything okay?” Heather asked when she picked up.

“Yeah, everything is great, actually,” I said, smiling at the man across the room. “I’ve been thinking lately and I really think I should stay here.”

“What? No!” Heather pouted.

“I know. I’m sorry! But I have a workload with Dad now. And it’s really nice being back with him and Kari again. I really missed that, you know?” Cane pointed towards himself and smirked and I couldn’t hide my giggle. “And there’s this thing with Cane now. He’s amazingly hot, Heather. Totally sexy,” I said, as he stalked across the room towards me, his eyes hooded. “And I really just want to see where it goes.”

“He’s standing right there, isn’t he?” Heather asked, knowing me better than almost anyone.

“Yup,” I said with a pop on the ‘p’.

“I totally understand. No worries!” she laughed. “Just come visit me soon, okay? I so want you to meet Brian! Just don’t judge with the mohawk, okay?”

“I won’t. Thanks for being such a good friend, Heather. And I will come visit you soon!”

I clicked the button to end the call. He was smiling this time at least, but still not saying anything.

“Well …” I began, twirling my ring around my finger.

He cocked his head to the side, giving me a half smile. “Now that is taken care of, that just leaves the other thing.”

“I’m not sure what the other thing is.”

“I believe you just told your friend …”

“Heather,” I supplied.

“Yes, Heather, that you don’t know what I am.” He took the last few steps to me quickly, his eyes daring me to move. He stood directly in front of me, looking down. “What am I, Jada?” he asked, his voice caressing my name. The way it rolled off his tongue made me shiver.

I looked down at the ring spinning. “I don’t really know.”

“Stop spinning the fucking ring.” He grabbed my hands and threw them over his shoulders. “There’s nothing to be nervous about. Now, back to what I was saying—you don’t know what I am or what to call what I am? Those are two very, very different things.” He picked me up and carried me to the kitchen, sitting me on the counter.

“I don’t know what to call it,” I said, as his hands ran up my legs. “Boyfriend is so … juvenile,” I said, widening my eyes for effect.

He shook his head, amused, as his fingertips reached the fabric of my swimsuit between my legs. “You can call me whatever you want, as long as it means that this pussy is mine.” His fingers pressed lightly over my opening. My body pressed into his hand, craving the contact.