Page 27

“Oh.” She looked at her phone, still sitting face down on the swinging chair. “I shouldn’t have sent you that ugly picture.”

Kade snorted. “Woman, you are way too deep in your head if you think that’s an ugly picture. Here.” He pulled up his phone and angled it down at them. She caught a glimpse of her crybaby face and squeaked, then turned away from the camera fast.

Kade told her, “I just sent that one to you. Now we’re even.”

“Let me see,” she said softly.

He turned his phone screen and there was a picture of him pulling a goofy face, and her clutching onto his shirt as she turned her face away.

“You are annoying,” she groused. “Even when you try to take an ugly picture, you still look…” She let the words die off in her throat as she realized what she was saying.

“I look what?”

“Nothing.”

“Hot?” he asked.

“You’re full of yourself. Let me go.” She pushed up and off him, and her head wanted to storm off and lock herself away in a dark room where he couldn’t see the tear stains on her shirt, but her heart made her hesitate. Her heart made her turn around and offer him a hand up.

His smile was soft on his lips as he slid his hand against hers and allowed her to pull him to his feet.

“You weren’t supposed to see any of that,” she grumbled.

“See what?”

She gestured in annoyance to her stupid crying face. “Any of that.”

“I didn’t see anything.”

She cocked her head as she took in the innocent look on his face. Oh. He was giving her an out. He was letting her off the hook. He was fixing the awkward moment by telling her he would pretend he hadn’t seen her meltdown.

She liked that.

“Your stomach is growling,” he observed.

“I slept for an eternity and haven’t eaten. What kind of pizza did you get?”

“Meat lovers with sliced tomatoes all over the top, which, by the way is disgusting but I’ll pick the tomatoes off.”

Her heart stuttered inside of her chest. “That’s…that’s my favorite pizza.”

“I know. I remember.” He made his way to the pizza box that sat next to her phone on the glider and handed her a slice. It was still warm.

Jess stood there awkwardly, holding a slice of pizza, wondering what the heck had just happened between them. “I think I need to go clean up and maybe put some make-up on.”

“No thanks. You’re just fine as is.” He twitched his chin at a cushioned chair near the firepit. “Park it. I’ll get you a drink.”

“Um, that’s my job.”

Kade snorted. “Let me guess. To serve males? Sister’s Edge doesn’t exist here. Fuck them rules.”

“Oh.” Confused absolutely, she sat down slowly, just holding her precious pizza slice.

“You don’t have to wait on me to take the first bite either,” he told her. “Eat as fast as you want. I’ll literally clean up every slice you don’t eat, so get on it. I’m starving.”

Was he sure? She hadn’t eaten before the males in so long. That wasn’t allowed. Restraint was showing respect to the higher ranks. Was he testing her? Would he reprimand her if she fell for it?

Carefully, she took a little bite and chewed slowly. God, it was so good.