A Lifetime to Find Love (9 page)

Cade’s laughter replaced the silence that had been so evident only moments earlier.  Tessa always brought out the fun side of him, which didn’t come out very often.  Years of medical school and then setting up and running his own practice had turned him into a fuddy duddy, as his mother liked to put it.  He wasn’t unhappy, he just let his practice consume him to the point that unless he was hanging out with Rowan, or at The LaunchPad, he didn’t take the time to just laugh. 

Pulling himself together, Cade asked, “Do you know Joe’s Crab Shack on the boardwalk?”

“We are not going to Joe’s dressed up like this, Cade.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the Shack, but we are definitely overdressed for that place.”

Gently caressing her inner thigh, he softly whispered, “You will just have to be patient and trust me to see where we are going.”

Chapter 10

Cade pulled into the parking lot that sat caddy corner to the boardwalk and turned off the car.

“Cade, seriously, we are completely overdressed for Joe’s.  I am not going in there looking like this.”

With that smirk that always got Tessa’s heart pumping, he leaned in to brush a kiss on her cheek.  “Looking like what, Tess? You are absolutely beautiful.”

Cade quickly exited the car and came around to Tessa’s side before she could get out.  He took her hand, as he helped her out he brought her knuckles up to his lips so he could taste her again.  Leaning in close to her ear, he whispered, “Trust me Tess, that’s all I ask.  This night is about you.  Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do.”

“Good. I thought we could take a walk on the boardwalk before we eat.  I want to enjoy the view,” he said with that sexy voice that she was growing to love as his gaze locked on to hers.  His voice always made liquid heat pool between her thighs.

Tessa started to pull her hand free of his as they began to walk, but it only caused Cade to intertwine their fingers and hold on tighter.  She enjoyed the feel of her hand in his.  She felt safe with him.  She never felt that way with anyone.  She’d never been in a relationship with someone that she trusted enough to participate in such an intimate act.  Most people would think nothing of holding hands with someone, but to Tessa, the gesture held more intimacy than the act of sex itself.  Placing her hand in another’s spoke volumes of the trust she had in the person to also be the one holding her heart.  For her, it meant  giving up control and placing everything important to her in his hands, literally.

The night was absolutely beautiful and perfect for a walk.  He led them to the end of the boardwalk and stopped.  Cade turned and leaned his back against the railing and pulled Tessa into the shelter of his arms.  She felt so right in his arms, so secure.  He gently pushed aside a tendril of hair that was caught by the breeze coming off the ocean and tucked it behind her ear.  He felt the goose bumps form on her skin, from just the simple act of  brushing his fingers against her skin. 

Cade misunderstood her reaction to his touch as her being cold and he pulled her tighter to him.  She felt the hardness of his body and reveled in the feel of him against her.  Cade was strong in so many ways.  His body was the physical reflection of what laid inside him and she shivered at the thought of that strength.  He was disciplined, controlled and everything she wasn’t. What a pair they made.  They stood there, for what seemed like a lifetime, just enjoying the night.  The warm ocean breeze was gentle against her skin as the stars above sparkled like diamonds, dancing in the night sky, a dance meant only for lovers.  Cade’s cell phone broke the silence of that amazingly perfect moment.  He quickly answered it before it rang a second time.

“Hello, Patrick.  Great, we’ll be there shortly.  Thank you.” And, with that he hung up and pulled her back into his arms.

Tessa pulled away from him as much as he would allow and glared at him.  Cade was definitely up to something and she grew tired of waiting to find out.  She needed food, which became apparent to all within a five mile radius when her stomach growled. 

Cade laughed. “I guess that means you are ready to eat.”

Not embarrassed at all, Tessa replied, “Cade, seriously, if you don’t feed me soon I might start gnawing at my own arm.”

He smiled and pulled her closer once again to nuzzle her neck.  “Let’s go, everything is ready.”

“Where are we going?  I’m not really one who has a lot of patience. You should know that by now.”

“It’s just a short walk.  Remember, you said you trusted me.”

They walked back toward the car, but when they got to the end of the boardwalk Cade pulled her onto the sand.  Tessa looked at him puzzled.  She knew it was futile to ask him any questions. He’d proven already tonight that he wouldn’t be answering any of them anyway.  Walking in the sand with heels on was not a task that Tessa wanted to embark on, so she quickly shed them.  Just as quickly, Cade grabbed them out of her hands.

“Let me carry those for you.”

“Yes, because they are so heavy,” she teased. “You are my knight in shining armor. The bearer of those things that weigh me down.” She placed the back of her hand to her forehead as if she were going to faint.

“Watch yourself young lady or you’ll be getting a swat on your backside.” 

The thought of his hands on her backside almost made her forget she was hungry.  As they got closer to the water, Tessa could smell the most scrumptious scent she’d ever inhaled .  Her stomach steered her in the direction of the food.  Tessa’s breath caught in her throat and she stood mesmerized.  Under the boardwalk, just below where they had been standing just  a few moments ago, sat a small round table, draped with a white linen tablecloth and beautifully set with two candles lighting the night.  In the center of the candles, were two  beautiful red roses, a reminder of what he’d left  in her home earlier.  Cade made everything absolutely beautiful.  Tessa suddenly felt Cade behind her lightly brushing up against her.  He wrapped his arms around her waist and gently pulled her to him.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

“It’s beautiful, Cade.”  Tessa waited a moment to work out the lump in her throat before she spoke again.  She turned in his arms.  “I can’t believe you went to all this trouble.”

Cade gently stroked her cheek and sealed his mouth to hers for a quick taste.  He would never get enough of her and he would take every opportunity presented to him to take what she would give him.

“Tess, doing this for you is no trouble at all.  It is my pleasure.  I hoped you would like it.”

“I love it.”  Tessa’s stomach spoke up once again and they both began to laugh. “As beautiful as it is and as much as I would love to stand here thanking you over and over again, I think my stomach is going to win this battle.  The food smells wonderful by the way.”

Cade pulled out Tessa’s chair then sat across from her.  Patrick, one of the doctor’s who helped Cade out with his practice from time to time, helped Cade set everything up for tonight.  Cade was not known to go to such great lengths to impress a woman. So when he asked Patrick for his help, he quickly obliged. 

“Cade, I don’t know how you did it, but this is absolutely wonderful.” 

As Cade poured their wine, Tessa dug in.  She was not shy about her appetite and Cade couldn’t take his eyes off her long enough to eat his own meal.  He had been nervous about the whole night, but mostly about this.  He wasn’t sure how Tessa would react.  She was a simple woman, a no fuss kind of girl.  He knew that she would never want to go to a fancy restaurant, though if he had taken her to one, she would have been polite about being there.  For that very reason, he decided to bring the fancy restaurant to her, so to speak.  Joe’s Crab Shack definitely wasn’t high class, but the food was amazing, better than any restaurant in Long Beach.  Seeing the expression of pure bliss on her face made him glad he chose to set the night up the way he did.  The night was perfect; the sounds of the ocean, the way the moon danced upon the sand, and the company were all mesmerizing.  He couldn’t have asked for things to being going any better.  Tessa’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

“I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head, “what did you say?”

“I said, aren’t you going to eat?  Where were you just now?”

“Sorry, I was just thinking.”  That smile of his rose up again causing her own smile to make an appearance.     “And, yes, I’m going to eat.”

“Care to share those thoughts with me?  I’d love to know what brought that smile to your face.”

“Baby, you bring this smile to my face.”

“You know,” Tessa said quick to pull the attention from her, “Joe’s Crab Shack is my all time favorite restaurant.”

“Nobody does seafood the way Joe does.  Remember when Rowan worked for him?”

“You bet I remember.  He’d always bring me home something after his shift.  I was so mad when he quit.”

“Well, he was offered a job at the hospital, not like he put himself through medical school to work for Joe.”  Cade laughed. He felt so carefree sitting in her presence enjoying their conversation and the sound of her voice. 

Their time during their meal flew by. Just as quickly as they sat down to eat, they were done.  They sat in the quiet, listening to the sounds the night provided.  The sound of the ocean waves lapping the shoreline, the people on the boardwalk talking and walking, yet with the all the sounds surrounding them, the world blurred and left just the two of them there on the sand.  Surprised at how comfortable she was sitting  across from Cade, she couldn’t stop the smile that formed on her lips.  She realized in that moment how much Cade and her fit together.   The security  she felt earlier holding his hand and  how comfortable she felt now with him was proof that they were right for each other.  Cade reached across the table, grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth placing gentle kisses in her palm.  He pulled her up from her chair pulling her into his embrace.

“Let’s take a walk along the shore, if you are up to it.”

“Sure, but what about the table?”

“Don’t worry about it, I’ve got people,” he said, as he winked at her.

“Oh, I should have known that you would have people,” she said, with a gentle tug to the front of his shirt.

Chapter 11

Tessa couldn’t help herself and she laughed at his silliness.  She couldn’t remember the last time she laughed so much or enjoyed someone’s company the way she did with Cade.  He was such a bright light in her life that grew brighter with each moment that passed with him.  She enjoyed every minute of it.  He pulled her up into his arms so that they were eye to eye.  The hunger in his eyes to her he had to feel her close to him.  Slowly, he lowered her until her feet hit the sand once more.  They walked just a short distance when Cade suddenly stopped.  He leaned his head down to Tessa’s and sealed his mouth to hers.  She responded to his kiss just as quickly.  She felt heat coursing through her body, that liquid heat that was becoming an occurrence more often with Cade around.  She had never experienced such a strong reaction to someone so quickly and from something as simple as a kiss.  It felt as though she were on fire from the inside out.  Tessa’s hands, of their own accord, began to gently caress the muscles of his chest then they drifted up to circle his neck. 

Cade wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to the heat of his body.  He needed her and he wanted her right there on the beach, right at that moment.  He didn’t care if anyone would see or hear them.  He was burning up with an ache he never felt for anyone before.  Tessa tended to be a free spirit, but he was certain that freedom to totally give herself up to him right there out in the open would not show itself.  Reluctant, he pulled away from her slightly.  He placed butterfly kisses on her eyes, her cheek, and then drifted to her ear.

“I want you, Tess.  I want all of you and I want you to have all of me.  I want you to want me the way I want, the way I need you.”