Deep down he must have known. He came home from school early one day and found his mother crying. She said she’d had some sad news about a friend. She’d lied to cover up…for him. And then his dad had worked a lot of overtime. He was rarely home. There were signs, but as a kid he didn’t recognize them.
He tipped up the bottle again.
Cadde loved his brothers, his aunt and uncle, Dane and the Belle sisters. Those relationships were permanent, solid. They’d never change. Even though there were disagreements at times, the bond still remained.
Marriage was different. He took another swig. How did he make it work without straying? How would he stay faithful to his wife and commitment year after year? So many others had tried and failed. What hope was there for two people who weren’t in love?
He only knew one thing for sure—he wasn’t going to be like his father. Straightforwardness and honesty was his plan. As he raised the bottle again, he wondered what Jessie expected from him…besides a baby. Did she expect him to love her?
Oh, God. His head hurt. Was it the Scotch? Or thoughts of Jessie? Another drink might help.
He should be at Shilah working. Now, the oil business he understood. He set the bottle on the coffee table and reached for the phone on his belt. Being out of contact this long wasn’t like him. He’d turned off his cell because he knew Jessie would get mad if he took calls during dinner.
Reading through his messages he saw he had one from the engineer, the geologist, three from Kid and two from Chance. He closed his cell. They could wait until morning. Right now he couldn’t focus enough to reply.
He grabbed the bottle. Jessie had given him a shock when she’d left the restaurant. He didn’t expect her to do that. He didn’t expect her to do a lot of things. Through the haze of Scotch he realized Jessie had manipulated him and he’d bowed to her every whim. She was in control, as always.
But maybe not.
As he stood, the room seemed to sway. “O-o-oh.” He’d reached his limit. The coffee table was in front of him, but every time he tried to set the bottle on it, the damn thing moved. What the hell, he’d take it with him.
He needed to go to bed.
JESSIE QUICKLY UNDRESSED and slipped on short pajama bottoms and a tank top. After scrubbing her face, she applied moisturizer. Myra had talked on and on and it was past Jessie’s bedtime.
It was ironic that for someone who was a brilliant attorney, Myra’s personal life was a mess. If anyone should be giving out advice on men, it should be Jessie instead of Myra. Jessie knew what she wanted. Myra did not. The fact they were brutally honest with each other was just part of their relationship.
But Jessie hadn’t told Myra everything. Her secret was her own and she planned to keep it that way.
Rinsing her hands, she froze. Someone had opened her door. She tiptoed to the bathroom doorway and peered around the frame.
It was Cadde!
He stumbled to the left side of the bed. He had something in his hand—a bottle, which he tried to set on the nightstand. After the third try, he managed it. He’d been drinking. That was more than evident, but what was he doing in her room?
I’m moving into that big master bedroom.
His words came back to her and she trembled. What did he plan to do?
He sank onto the bed and yanked off his boots and then he stood and unbuttoned his shirt, sending it sailing toward her bay window. He seemed to sway. How drunk was he?
Since the light was on she saw him clearly. Broad, naked shoulders met her eyes, followed by swirls of dark chest hairs that arrowed down his lean stomach into his slacks. She swallowed, but otherwise remained perfectly still, which was difficult because her pulse hammered loudly in her ears. He undid his belt and removed his pants, revealing black Jockey shorts.
By now she was deaf. She couldn’t do anything but stare at the male body in front of her. Where did those gorgeous muscles come from? Cadde sat at a desk all day. Evidently he worked out. When? He spent every waking moment at Shilah. Or so she’d thought. Something else she didn’t know about him.
He staggered for a moment and then threw the top sheet aside, crawling into the bed.
Was he out?
He sighed and she jumped back. Taking a deep breath, she glanced around the corner. He’d maneuvered his long body to the right side. That was her place. She always slept on the right. Damn!
She slid to the floor and pulled up her knees. Mirry hopped into her lap. “Shh,” she whispered into Mirry’s nub of an ear. “We have a man in our room.”
Mirry cocked her head, as if she understood.
Jessie could sleep in a guest room, but her stubborn pride wouldn’t let her. On the other hand, she didn’t want to have drunken sex, either. She peered around the door again. He was out.