You’re so twitchy you’re making me nervous. Come on, out with it.”
Cade pulled in a breath. He couldn’t tell Adam. The last thing he was supposed to be doing was getting involved with someone this trip. Especially Melo.
The bridesmaid and the best man. It was every corny movie’s cliché. And Melo meant something to Adam, too. They’d kept in touch over the years, and Adam considered her one of his dearest friends.
The sound of voices outside heralded the arrival of the coach, and Adam threw him one last glance. “Cheer up, Mate. It’s my wedding.” He flung the door open, and stood back to allow the guests to enter.
Rosa came first. A vision in silver. Smiling, Cade kissed both cheeks. Then raised his gaze to the woman standing behind her. Melo. Wearing a sort of greeny dress that clung to every curve and dusted the ground. Like a mermaid. A very, very sexy mermaid. Her hair flowed over her shoulders inviting his touch. He clenched his hands at his side as she stepped closer, reaching up to kiss him on both cheeks as her sister had. The silken touch sent a shudder racing through him, and he barely resisted the urge to angle his head so their lips met.
He breathed in her perfume, remembered images of her naked in his arms on the floor of the cabana flooding through him. Before he had a chance to react, she stepped away, and another glamorous Italian took her place. His gaze followed her as she strode into the palazzo, heading for their hostess Signora Bettina, and out of his reach.
For now.
“Aha.”
Cade’s guilty glance flicked to Adam. His friend stared back with knowing eyes that, as usual, saw right through his clumsy attempt at deception. The familiar irritation itched and burned, like sand in a swimsuit.
“Got a little crush, have you?”
Cade’s blood heated to a boil. “None of your business.”
He should be gracious. Shouldn’t snap at his friend, who was only speaking the truth. In fact he had one hell of a crush, but the last thing he wanted was Adam pointing it out. He felt as transparent as the glass of champagne one of the waiters offered from a silver tray. He grabbed it and drank deeply.
Adam’s gaze narrowed. “She’s not for you, Cade.”
Cade clenched his jaw and bit back the words trying to escape. It was Adam’s day. Adam’s week. He had to keep it together. He dragged a smile from somewhere, and slipped it on like a mask. “Melo and I have been friends for years, there’s nothing going on.”
“Yeah, and I was born yesterday,” Adam replied.
Rosa was chatting to her friends, oblivious, and Adam took advantage of the situation to talk to Cade sotto voce. “Melo’s always had a thing for you. I don’t think you’ve ever noticed, but she hung on your every word when we were teenagers. She looks like a woman of the world, but she’s not.” He glanced at Rosa, then back to Cade. “She’s not in your league, Cade. She could get hurt.”
He pressed a hand to Cade’s arm.
“Don’t be angry with me. You know I care about you more than any bloke in the world. But Melo’s going to be my sister. And she has no brothers of her own to warn you off. So if you’re only playing, play with someone else. What about the girl from last night—Sophia?”
Cade’s heart twisted in his chest. Yes, he’d played hard after his broken engagement, what of it? He was known as a man who treated women well, but never stayed the night. But he’d never treated a woman badly. Never . The fact that his best friend thought him capable of toying with Melo’s heart stung.
He squared his shoulders. “I care about her too, Adam. If anything happens between us, I won’t be playing.”
There was surprise in Adam’s eyes. Surprise and respect. “Okay. Say no more.”
Cade’s gaze focused on Melo as she wove through the crowd.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to claim a dance.”
****
Sebastiano Volpi circled the room like a vulture. He must have been invited by
Cade pulled in a breath. He couldn’t tell Adam. The last thing he was supposed to be doing was getting involved with someone this trip. Especially Melo.
The bridesmaid and the best man. It was every corny movie’s cliché. And Melo meant something to Adam, too. They’d kept in touch over the years, and Adam considered her one of his dearest friends.
The sound of voices outside heralded the arrival of the coach, and Adam threw him one last glance. “Cheer up, Mate. It’s my wedding.” He flung the door open, and stood back to allow the guests to enter.
Rosa came first. A vision in silver. Smiling, Cade kissed both cheeks. Then raised his gaze to the woman standing behind her. Melo. Wearing a sort of greeny dress that clung to every curve and dusted the ground. Like a mermaid. A very, very sexy mermaid. Her hair flowed over her shoulders inviting his touch. He clenched his hands at his side as she stepped closer, reaching up to kiss him on both cheeks as her sister had. The silken touch sent a shudder racing through him, and he barely resisted the urge to angle his head so their lips met.
He breathed in her perfume, remembered images of her naked in his arms on the floor of the cabana flooding through him. Before he had a chance to react, she stepped away, and another glamorous Italian took her place. His gaze followed her as she strode into the palazzo, heading for their hostess Signora Bettina, and out of his reach.
For now.
“Aha.”
Cade’s guilty glance flicked to Adam. His friend stared back with knowing eyes that, as usual, saw right through his clumsy attempt at deception. The familiar irritation itched and burned, like sand in a swimsuit.
“Got a little crush, have you?”
Cade’s blood heated to a boil. “None of your business.”
He should be gracious. Shouldn’t snap at his friend, who was only speaking the truth. In fact he had one hell of a crush, but the last thing he wanted was Adam pointing it out. He felt as transparent as the glass of champagne one of the waiters offered from a silver tray. He grabbed it and drank deeply.
Adam’s gaze narrowed. “She’s not for you, Cade.”
Cade clenched his jaw and bit back the words trying to escape. It was Adam’s day. Adam’s week. He had to keep it together. He dragged a smile from somewhere, and slipped it on like a mask. “Melo and I have been friends for years, there’s nothing going on.”
“Yeah, and I was born yesterday,” Adam replied.
Rosa was chatting to her friends, oblivious, and Adam took advantage of the situation to talk to Cade sotto voce. “Melo’s always had a thing for you. I don’t think you’ve ever noticed, but she hung on your every word when we were teenagers. She looks like a woman of the world, but she’s not.” He glanced at Rosa, then back to Cade. “She’s not in your league, Cade. She could get hurt.”
He pressed a hand to Cade’s arm.
“Don’t be angry with me. You know I care about you more than any bloke in the world. But Melo’s going to be my sister. And she has no brothers of her own to warn you off. So if you’re only playing, play with someone else. What about the girl from last night—Sophia?”
Cade’s heart twisted in his chest. Yes, he’d played hard after his broken engagement, what of it? He was known as a man who treated women well, but never stayed the night. But he’d never treated a woman badly. Never . The fact that his best friend thought him capable of toying with Melo’s heart stung.
He squared his shoulders. “I care about her too, Adam. If anything happens between us, I won’t be playing.”
There was surprise in Adam’s eyes. Surprise and respect. “Okay. Say no more.”
Cade’s gaze focused on Melo as she wove through the crowd.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to claim a dance.”
****
Sebastiano Volpi circled the room like a vulture. He must have been invited by
Similar Books
