Page 14 of The C Agreement

“You’re an asshole.”

“Maybe.” He chuckled. “But you never answered me.”

“About what?” I’d already forgotten the question.

“Who’s the lucky lady? The one you had plans with tonight? Is she happy to be stuck with you for a month?”

I opened my mouth, ready to tell him no, but then I realized that I couldn’t tell him who I was really going to have sex with.

“Yeah. Sure.” I didn’t know what else to say.

“Wow. You must like her.”

“Something like that,” I muttered.

“Hey, as long as it’s not my fucking wife or sister, I don’t care who you pick.”

I winced. Beau had already warned me away from Rayne. The day she had turned eighteen, he’d told me that if I ever touched her, our friendship would be over. He didn’t trust me not to hurt her.

But I wasn’t going to hurt her. I was going to help her realize that she was better in bed than her lousy ex had led her to believe she was.

It didn’t lessen the guilt eating away at me when I thought about breaking Beau’s trust.

So, I did what any guy did when he didn’t want to feel his feelings.

I made a joke.

“Not your wife or sister. Got it. Does this mean your mom’s fair game?”

“Fuck you, asshole,” Beau said with a laugh. “You wouldn’t touch my mom if I paid you.”

SIX

RAYNE

My leg bouncedas I waited for Cade. I was sitting alone on a bench at the front entrance of the clinic the next morning. It was early spring and normally still chilly outside, but it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and there was little wind. And I was too nervous to go inside to wait. There was a slight crisp in the air that reminded me I was about to do something that was going to change my relationship with Cade forever.

I had woken up early, even without my alarm clock, and couldn’t think about anything else other than what had happened the night before and what was going to happen later today.

Before yesterday, I had planned on relaxing this morning, but instead, I had already cleaned my whole house and changed the sheets on my bed.

Just in case Cade really was planning to sleep with me.

Last night didn’t seem quite real after waking up alcohol-free and with the light of day giving me a new perspective. And while I had gone to sleep, completely relaxed from the orgasm he’d given me, I realized that going any further could complicate our relationship irreparably.

And if my brother found out, it would complicate the relationship with him too. Not only for me, but also for Cade.

Sometime after I had turned eighteen, Beau had told me to stay far away from Cade. He said that Cade would only hurt me if I got involved with him. I was irritated at the time because I had gone to high school with Cade for two years and I had seen him with girls he’d dated. I knew he was a playboy, but it was as if my brother didn’t think I was wise enough to pick up on that.

Besides, I had never shown interest in his best friend anyway. I already knew I eventually wanted to settle down someday after college and law school. I was smart enough to see that Cade was not the settling-down type.

And Cade hadnevershown an interest in me.

Until last night.

But, now, even though I was going into this thing with him for the next month with my eyes wide open and not expecting any strings attached, I didn’t think Beau would give his blessing. I was a fully functioning adult, but he still saw me as the little sister he had to protect.

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and recognized Cade’s vehicle. I wasn’t sure what I felt as I watched him park and get out of his SUV.

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