One Funeral (No Weddings Book 2) Read Free Page A

left.
    Cade tilted his head as he held the front door open for me. “What’s that for?”
    I shrugged as we stepped outside. Then I turned, closed the door, and locked it. “Something I’ve done ever since I was a little girl. I love to hold rose petals and make snapdragons sing.”
    He laughed. “I can’t wait to hear and see that.”
    As we walked down my short front path to the driveway, my gaze landed on a badass black, four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. The beefy tires looked like they could shred pavement, and its menacing front bumper and winch made me think anyone glancing in their rearview mirror would want to get the hell out of the way.
    “Wow. You’ve been holding out on me, Cade. And here I thought all you had was a bike.”
    His expression turned stricken as we walked to the Jeep. “That bike is a custom-built chopper, which I happen to love.” He leaned down, his voice dropping lower. “But not nearly as much as I love having you wrapped around me on it.”
    His warm breath feathering up the column of my neck made me shiver. I swallowed hard as I turned and glanced up at him. “And this?”
    “Mase and I co-own the Jeep. He drives it most of the time, but I use it whenever I need to.” He opened the passenger door and held out a hand.
    I clasped his offered hand, put the ball of my stiletto on the metal side rail, and slid into the seat.
    As the engine roared to life and he pulled out of the drive onto my street, butterflies rioted in my stomach. So much time had gone by since I’d been on a first date that I couldn’t decide if my nervousness stemmed from being out of practice, or if it had to do with my past and my fears.
    But then I glanced at the man in the driver’s seat and smiled. This was Cade.
    I blew out a deep breath and stared at his profile.
    He glanced at me with raised brows. “Whatcha thinking about?”
    “You. Me. Us out on a date, finally.”
    “And?”
    A rush of memories flew by of all we’d been through to get to this point. His text-message teasing. Dinners with his roommate, Mase, and his best friend, Ben. Parties thrown with Invitation Only, the event-planning business that Cade and his sisters owned and I baked cakes for. Quiet stolen moments during said parties where he and I had bonded. Amazing kisses…
    “And I think you look great driving your Jeep.”
    The corners of his lips twitched. “Not gonna tell me what you were thinking about?”
    “Nope.”
    “It’s okay.” He smirked as he turned into the parking lot of Giuseppe’s. The soft glow from the metal gas lamps flooded into the Jeep, lighting his face. “I can tell it’s good.”
    “Oh? So you’re a mind reader now?”
    He shook his head. Then he parked, unbuckled his seat belt, and glanced at me. “No.” Leaning over the gearshift, he gazed at me, a spark lighting in his eyes. “When that gorgeous blush pinks up your cheeks, I know you’re thinking about me. And I know it’s something good. Or maybe bad…”
    I unbuckled my seatbelt, a small smirk curving my lips as I pulled away. “Maybe.”
    He gave me a penetrating look. “No. I’m revising—definitely.” Then he got out of the car, raced to my side, and opened it, holding a hand out to assist me down. “But I’m escorting you into the restaurant now to show you I can be a gentleman. Even in the face of definite temptation.”
    By the time we entered the restaurant, waited at the podium, and were seated at a table in the center of the dining room with menus, my earlier nervousness had faded somewhat. The sommelier brought us wine glasses, poured a small amount into Cade’s glass, and offered the sample to him. He held the stem, swirled the liquid with a gentle motion, put his nose into the opening, inhaling for a moment, then took a sip. He gave a curt nod, and the man poured us two glasses of the rich burgundy Malbec before leaving the table without another word.
    Cade leaned forward. “I only do that to make them happy. And