I think it’s sweet he let you sleep in. Frankly, I don’t know many guys who would leave a girl in their bed the morning after their first time. Most dudes are too insecure or private or weird or something. Just doesn’t happen.”
“So...you think he’ll call me? Ask me out on a real date? Or is this just one of those friends with benefits things?”
“Hmm...” Carrie pursed her lips and stroked her chin in an exaggerated gesture. “Yes.”
Huffing out a breath, Pippa resisted the urge to throw up her hands in frustration. “Yes what? Yes, he’ll—” Her phone rang.
Carrie let out a whoop at the ringtone. “Pip! Jason Aldean’s ‘Burnin’ It Down’? That’s gotta be Kade.” She flicked imaginary tears from her eyes. “You make me so proud.”
Scrambling, Pippa found her phone and winced at her breathless “Hello?” She made a face at Carrie while shushing her.
“Hey, Pippa. Uh...are you busy?” Kade’s voice sounded uncertain.
She glowered at Carrie and made a shut-it motion with her hand. “No. Not busy. I’m just sitting out by the pool.”
“Oh.”
And didn’t that word just drop into a void of uncertain meaning. Pippa suddenly felt the need to defend herself. Or make excuses. She wasn’t sure which. She lived at home because her parents’ Heritage Hills mansion was huge, and also had a separate guesthouse. While she had a trust fund that would pay her expenses, she was putting all her money, time and effort into setting up her riding therapy foundation.
“It’s a nice evening so I thought I’d sit out here and enjoy the weather.” Okay, that was totally inane.
“Are you wearing a bikini?” His voice had gone husky.
She glanced down her body and considered lying. “Um, no. Capris and a camisole.”
“Oh.”
And this time, there was a whole different tone and meaning to that syllable. A giggle bubbled out before she could stop it. “Okay. Guilty. Only it’s not really a bikini. Just a two-piece.”
“Mmm uh.”
Pippa wasn’t sure how to translate that and without thinking, she blurted, “Would you like to come over? We could swim. Maybe grill some burgers or something?”
Carrie gave her big eyes while covering her mouth with both hands as Pippa waited. Kade’s answer finally came.
“Yeah. That’d be cool. Thanks. I’ll be there in about an hour. Okay?”
Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest she was afraid Kade might be able to hear it. She nodded, realized she needed to speak. “That’s great. Yes. Perfect.”
“’Kay. See you then.”
Dead air hummed between them and she panicked. “Oh, crud, Carrie! What am I going to do? I’m not prepared for a cookout.”
“Breathe, babe. I got this. I’ll run to Whole Foods, grab stuff. You go fix your hair and get out of that granny suit and into the hot bikini you bought for our trip to Aruba. The one with the sexy little wrap. And put on makeup.”
“My parents.”
Carrie was already at the door leading into the house. “What about them? They won’t care.” And then she was gone.
Would her parents care? She might live in close proximity but they most often went their own ways, very seldom crossing paths. Her mother always had some event or party and her dad was a workaholic. Pippa glanced at the Cartier watch on her wrist. She didn’t have time to procrastinate.
* * *
Kade smoothed back his hair, feeling a little naked without a hat on his head. Despite being invited to a “pool party,” he wore jeans and boots, and a crisp Western-style shirt over a clean white T-shirt. Pippa’s parents had always seemed staid and traditional whenever he ran into them. While one of the Barrons might have gotten away with showing up in board shorts, he just wasn’t comfortable. Again, he wondered what it would have been like growing up with the kind of money that guaranteed entrance and acceptance no matter where.
Not that he’d trade. Growing up on his grandfather’s homestead outside of Davis had been perfect for a wild kid. He’d had horses to ride, ponds to swim in, trees to climb. He’d learned to hunt and fish and be a good steward of the land. Bill Waite had taught him to take responsibility, to work hard, to be an honorable man. Those lessons were priceless and there wasn’t enough money in the world to get him to change. And that was the core of his dilemma.
The door opened, catching him off guard. Mrs. Duncan stared at him for a moment before saying in an icy voice, “May I help you?”
Offering a smile, he introduced himself. Again. “Evening, Mrs. Duncan. I’m Kaden Waite. Pippa invited me over.”
“I see.”
“Mom! Is that Kade?”
He heard pattering footsteps and then the door opened wider to reveal Pippa wearing... He blinked and tried to work up enough spit in his mouth to swallow. She wore a scrap of a bikini top with some sort of swirly see-through scarf thing tied around her waist. If it was meant to cover her up, it totally failed.
“Mom, you remember Kade.” Pippa reached out and snagged his hand. “I invited him over for a swim and burgers on the grill.”
“I see.” The woman’s tone hadn’t warmed any.
“You and Daddy have that deal tonight at the art museum. You’re gonna be late.” Pippa was all bouncy and sweet as she maneuvered her mother out of the doorway so she could draw Kade into the house.
He wondered, briefly, if his reception would have been so chilly if he’d been introduced as Kaden Barron. The news hadn’t hit the media yet, for which he was grateful and also curious. He wondered how the Barrons were keeping the story quiet.
He watched Mrs. Duncan leave. The woman didn’t walk so much as glide and when she climbed the sweeping curve of stairs, he’d take bets that she could balance a book on her head, her posture was so stiff.
“C’mon out back.” Pippa tugged his hand and glanced down at his clothing. “You did bring a swimsuit, right?”
He nodded, and indicated the small backpack slung over one shoulder. “I figured you had somewhere to change?”
“Of course! You can change at my place.” She continued to hold his hand as she drew him through the house to a set of glass-paned doors leading to a terrace and pool. He caught glimpses of fancy furniture, antiques and artwork that probably cost as much as he made in a year. “What would you like to drink? I have that beer you like in the ice chest.”
“That’d be great, thanks.”
While the big house on the Crown B was expensively furnished with Pendleton rugs, leather furniture and Western art, it was comfortable—looking and feeling lived-in and homey. This house reminded him of a show home—each room decorated in a different
