Page 7 of The C Agreement

I frowned. “No? What do you mean, no?”

I thought it seemed like the perfect plan, but then he eyed me up and down, assessing me.

And it clicked.

“I get it.” I felt the heat rise to my cheeks once again.

How many times did I have to be mortified in one night? Make that, in the last ten minutes.

He snorted. “You do?”

“Yeah.” And because I was a little pissed off that he wouldn’t even consider my idea, I decided to put him on the spot. It was only fair that he felt awkward too. “You’re not into fat chicks.”

I had done a lot of work on myself and my body, and I’d come to find parts of myself that were attractive. But I sometimes forgot that everyone else in my life still lived by societal standards, and looking back, I had never seen Cade with a fat woman before. Thicker women? Sure. Voluptuous women? Definitely. Fat? No.

He scowled and slowly turned toward me. “What the fuck did you say?” he growled through clenched teeth.

Whoa.

I swallowed. I didn’t see him mad a lot, and I didn’t know what to do. “Uh…” My eyes darted around before coming back to him. “You’re not attracted to me.” I shrugged, trying to show him it was okay even if I felt like a fool for offering myself up for sex. “It’s not a big deal.”

I slumped back in my seat, wishing Beau and Em would come back so this night could end. I wanted to pay my bill and get out of there. It looked like I was the only one who was going to feel any sort of embarrassment tonight because Cade was definitely not.

“Just please don’t say anything to anyone,” I whispered.

I suddenly pictured Cade telling his friends—minus my brother—about my proposition and them all laughing at the fat chick for even thinking she had a chance.

I didn’t cry or feel sorry for myself a lot, but I could feel the unwelcome burning in the backs of my eyes. Just what I needed to complete my night.

“Get out,” I demanded with a lift of my chin.

Cade was still staring at me, so I knew he’d heard me.

“Rayne.” His jaw was hard, and he had the audacity to look mad at me.

I grabbed my purse. “Get. Out.” I wished I were smaller, so I could climb over him to get out of the booth, but even attempting it would just remind us both why he had turned me down.

“I’m not moving until we talk.”

Is he serious?I had lived twenty-nine years, having guys explain to me that they saw me as just a friend. Or that I had a pretty face, but they didn’t like me that way. He didn’t need to feed me all his bullshit. I’d been hearing it my whole life.

I got in his face until we were nose to nose. “Get the fuck out of my way before I scream.”

His eyes narrowed, but surprisingly, he turned away and got out of the booth.

I scrambled out before he could change his mind. “Tell my brother I’ll send him some money for dinner,” I said over my shoulder and bolted out of the restaurant.

I hoped Cade lost the fucking bet.

FOUR

RAYNE

I was nursingmy third glass of wine and ignoring texts from Beau and Em. I didn’t want to talk to anyone right now. Pretending like tonight had never happened seemed like a better use of my time.

I snorted into my glass. That wasn’t possible. At least, not for a long time.

There was a knock at my door, and my eyes flew up to the clock on my wall. It was after eleven. Too late for house calls.

---