Page 24 of Caged Heat

“You look gorgeous tonight,” he said a while later, drawing my attention back to him.

“Thank you. It’s nice to dress up. I didn’t realize how little of my wardrobe I wore. It’s like discovering a whole hidden set of clothes.”

He glanced over, his eyes dragging over me before he looked back at the road. I watched as his hands tightened on the wheel before he cleared his throat.

“I’m a fan of the skirts,” he said a few minutes later, his voice more gravelly than before. Heat hit my cheeks, liking his assessment.

August turned down a road a moment later, pulling into a secluded area of trees. When he stopped, nothing but a large gazebo stood before us.

“I hope you don’t mind not going to a restaurant, but I thought having a picnic date here might be nice.”

“Wow. It’s beautiful,” I said as I climbed out of the car. Just past the gazebo was a lake, the setting sun giving it an orange and purple hue. “I never knew this was here,” I admitted as I climbed the gazebo steps. I turned and watched as August approached, a cooler in his hand and a blanket under his arm.

“Most people don’t. It’s private property, but I know the owners and called in a favor.”

“Impressive. I have to say, I never took you for the romantic sort.”

He stopped his movements, his eyes hitting mine with an intensity I felt all the way to my toes.

“There’s a lot more to uncover about me, dove.”

When he dropped my eyes to continue spreading out the blanket, I sucked in a breath, my heart beating hard in my chest. Shit. This man was more dangerous than I’d anticipated.

When he’d told me he’d always wanted to go on a date, I figured it would be an excellent way to put some space between myself and Jackson. But I never expected the swagger or possessive comments August kept hitting me with. My mind was a whirlwind as I tried to make sense of these two men and how they affected me.

Jackson was like lightning in a bottle, lighting me up from the inside and bringing life and fun back to me. August was more like a forest fire, sweeping over me from a tiny spark and then flaring to life into an inferno I couldn’t control. Passion and a feeling of safety permeated the bond between us, making me feel like I could relax and let someone else take care of me for once.

The light and laughter of one man versus the calm reassurance of another were pulling my heart in two different directions.

But I couldn’t be with Jackson now. It just wasn’t meant to be.

Ignoring the pang of sadness I felt at that thought, I focused back on the mysterious man before me. The one I’d known for so long, and yet it was like discovering the bonus features at the end of the book I’d been reading. A whole new world was open to me, and I couldn’t deny I wanted to discover everything there was to know about August.

“Hope you like chicken. I tossed a few things together quickly.”

“I’m not that picky. Sorry for putting the time restraint on it.” A bit of shame infiltrated me at not giving August a full chance.

“Don’t be. This date is happening. That’s all that matters, Nora.”

I nodded, sitting on the pillow he placed down for me. Thankfully, my skirt provided enough coverage so I didn’t have to worry about accidentally flashing him. I watched in amazement as August folded his large body down onto the blanket. He opened the cooler and pulled out food, handing me a plate and then serving me. He’d hold up a container to show me what it was before he placed it on my plate. Once they were both full, he gave me a bottle of water and some silverware.

It was quiet, the sounds of nature around us filling the space as we ate. It was peaceful out here, and I was glad not to be around others. The location helped take away some of the pressure. The chance to ask him anything I wanted pressed into me, and I debated in my head what to ask.

“Just spit it out, dove. I can tell you want to ask something.” He gave a short chuckle as he took a bite.

“Have you ever been married? I don’t remember ever seeing you with anyone at the bar, but as I’m realizing, my perception wasn’t the most accurate.”

He nodded, wiping his hands on a napkin before stretching out his legs. “There haven’t been any women at the bar since you worked there. So, you can ease your mind on that.” He blew out a breath as I watched him. The sun was mostly gone, and fairy lights blinked to life above us, lighting up the space. “I was married once. But it wasn’t a love match.”

“Oh? What was it then? Are you secretly a prince and had an arranged marriage?” I teased.

August let out a loud boom of laughter, his chest heaving up and down as he stared at me. “No, dove. Nothing like that.” He ran his hand through his hair, leaning back on his hands as he gazed at me. “Anna had been married to Brad, my best friend from the Navy.”

“You were in the Navy?” I asked, completely mesmerized by the information I was learning.

“Yep. Right at eighteen until I was twenty-six. I did two terms and then got out. Brad didn’t. He’d met Anna during our first term, and they married quickly. Anna had a rare blood condition, and the medical benefits from the Navy covered everything she needed. During our second term, she’d gotten pregnant, and their perfect life became even better.”

He paused, dropping his head back as he stared up at the ceiling of the gazebo. I realized my question had more to it than a simple yes or no. I stretched out my legs and moved closer, leaning my side against his. He glanced down at me, giving me a soft smile.

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