you’re scared of being taken by a shark.’
Given that sharks were just one of the hazards in Australian oceans, her fears were more varied than that, but it would do for the purposes of this explanation.
‘Pretty much.’
‘You know that’s really rare, right? Sharks are much more frightened of us. Statistically very few people worldwide die from shark attacks.’
Callie gave him a bald look. ‘I come from a small country town. It’s a four-hour drive to the nearest beach. Statistically no one’s ever died from a shark attack where I’m from. I’d like to keep it that way.’
Cade laughed. ‘Okay. But you don’t know what you’re missing.’
‘Thanks, but I think I’ll stick to the sand, if you don’t mind.’
Callie’s mobile rang and she fished it out from where she’d stashed it in the cleavage of her strapless bra. Cade lifted an eyebrow at the action. ‘Didn’t want to bring a bag with me,’ she said, as she looked at the display. ‘Hell. It’s my mother. Hold on for a moment—it won’t take me long.’
Cade watched her as she walked away slightly and talked. The wind blew her skirt against her legs, outlining their athletic length, the elastic waist emphasising the curve where his hand had rested the other night as they’d danced, and the strapless top showed off the beautiful curves of her shoulders and collarbones and outlined the thrust of her breasts. Hair had escaped from her ponytail and was blowing across her face, which was free of make-up.
So this was casual Callie. He’d seen her around the apartment building, but only either coming home from or going to work. Other than that he’d seen her in a stunning green dress.
He had to wonder how she’d fill out a pair of blue jeans.
Or his sheets, for that matter.
Callie ended the phone call quickly and he watched as she stuffed the phone back where she’d pulled it from and felt about fifteen years old when his belly clenched at the glimpse of cleavage.
‘What are you doing on Sunday night?’ she asked, as she walked towards him.
Cade blinked at the unexpected question. She looked harried and he had a feeling he knew where this was going. ‘Going on that date with you?’
She nodded grimly. ‘Good answer.’
‘Your mum?’
‘My parents. They’re passing through on their way to visit my uncle up on the cape.’
It wasn’t exactly how Cade had pictured she’d call in her debt, and dinner with the parents had been something he’d spent a lifetime avoiding. But this was purely a business transaction. ‘Where are we going? What should I wear and who do you want me to be?’
Callie stared at him blankly. She loved her parents but they’d never understood why she’d moved away from home or why she hadn’t tried harder to make her marriage work. An evening of recriminations wasn’t her idea of fun. Cade would be a good buffer. And something else for them to talk about other than her and Joe.
‘Don’t know. Don’t care. And just…be yourself. I’ll let you know the details on Sunday.’
Cade nodded. ‘I can do that.’
‘Right, well, I’m going to head home,’ she said. God knew, she could do with that drink now.
‘Sure I can’t tempt you to come in?’ Cade said, nodding at the surf.
Callie was sure he could tempt her to do almost anything but she knew how she dealt with uncertainty and the feeling that her life was spinning out of control.
Sex. And she couldn’t take another rejection right now.
‘Nope. I’m fine.’
‘Suit yourself,’ he said, saluting her as he headed for the water.
‘Wait,’ Callie said. ‘You’re not supposed to swim here,’ she said. ‘You’re supposed to swim between the flags.’
Cade grinned. ‘You’re not much of a rule-breaker, are you?’ he said, before running the rest of the way into the sea and disappearing into a wave.
Callie waited for his head to bob up before she moved on in case her non-rule-breaking self needed to pull him out of the ocean when a rip chewed him up and spat him out.
She still needed that date on Sunday night, after all.
His head bobbed up and she relaxed. ‘You don’t know what you’re missing,’ he called out.
She glanced at his chest. Oh, she knew all right.
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