The boutique wasn’t busy this afternoon. Kade and I were the only customers, and I gave the saleslady my name and Clarice’s. She went in the back to get the dress and seamstress.

Kade looked decidedly uncomfortable, and I couldn’t help a little smile. He was most certainly out of his element, surrounded by mannequins dressed in billowing clouds of white satin and lace. The boutique had plush rose-colored carpet and flower arrangements advertising the florist next door were displayed throughout the shop, perfuming the air with their delicate scent.

“You really don’t have to stay,” I offered again, taking pity on him.

He was looking around, eyeing the wedding gowns as though they were going to gang up and attack him, and his gaze swung to meet mine. He cleared this throat. “I go where you go,” he said simply.

I gave a little sigh, then the saleslady returned and we followed her to the dressing rooms. Kade perched carefully on a delicate-looking chair upholstered in pink velvet. I hid a grin and disappeared into a changing room to try on the dress.

Clarice had great taste and I loved the dress she’d chosen. It was strapless, the hem ending a couple of inches above my knees, and was the palest of pinks. A delicate ruffle ran from the neckline to the hem on one side, and a filmy length of sheer black organza tied around my waist and hung down the other. It was beautiful and very feminine.

I walked out to stand on the dais in front of a three-way mirror so the seamstress could check the alterations she’d made. I’d had to go up a size to accommodate my chest, which had made the rest of the dress too big. Now it fit perfectly and the seamstress agreed. She and I had a quick discussion about when they would steam the dress for pickup, then she was called to the front of the store.

I turned toward Kade. “So?” I prompted. “What do you think?” He hadn’t said anything or even seemed to move much during my discussion with the seamstress, though I’d felt his eyes on me.

“It looks expensive,” he said.

Not the words I’d been hoping to hear. I shrugged, hiding my disappointment. I wasn’t searching for compliments, but a girl liked to hear she looked nice in a dress like this.

“It was, but they have a payment plan here, so…” I turned back to the mirror, admiring the dress. I thought it suited me and, thankfully, I had a tan. If it had been a winter wedding, the color would have washed me out completely. Idly, I twisted my hair into a makeshift updo, turning my face this way and that to see if my hair should be up or down for the wedding. Clarice had said she didn’t have a preference.

In the mirror’s reflection, I saw Kade stand. His expression was somewhat pained and I wondered if he’d had enough and was going to tell me he’d wait outside. To my surprise, he approached, not stopping until he stood behind me on the dais. His hands moved to rest gently on my shoulders, the touch sparking underneath my skin like electricity. I dropped my hair, my arms falling to my sides.

“What I meant to say,” he said in my ear, “is that you’re beautiful, no matter what you’re wearing, and that dress makes me wish I had another man’s soul.”

My eyes widened as I stared in the mirror, our gazes locked. His thumbs brushed my skin as he held me, and my breath caught.

Kade bowed his head, his eyes closing as he pressed his lips to my bare shoulder. My pulse quickened as I watched our reflection, the contrast of Kade all in black stark against my strawberry-blonde hair and fair skin. He was a good head taller than me, maybe more, and broader. I ached to ease into him and have his arms envelop me, but I stayed rooted to the spot.

He brushed my hair to the side, his mouth trailing a heated path toward my neck, and my eyes slipped shut. I tilted my head to give him better access, reaching up to push my fingers into his hair. A shiver ran across my skin under his touch.

“Ahem.”

The sound of someone clearing her throat shattered the spell and I jumped, startled. In the mirror, I could see the seamstress standing behind us, an indulgent smile on her face.

“Pardon me,” she said, “I’m sorry for interrupting, but are you pleased with the alterations?”

“Oh, um, yeah,” I stammered, moving away from Kade. And the Excellence in Bad Timing Award goes to…

Kade stepped off the dais. “I’ll wait outside,” he said, his expression unreadable. Before I could protest, he was gone. I stared after him in dismay.

“Don’t worry,” the seamstress said with a twinkle in her eye as she untied the fabric from around my waist and started the zipper for me. “He’s probably just embarrassed. I’m sure you’ll get him to the altar soon. The way he looked at you, I’m guessing before the year is out.”

I didn’t bother correcting her that, first of all, Kade was impossible to embarrass and, second, he had absolutely no plans to marry me.

When I emerged from the boutique, Kade was leaning against his Mercedes, his ankles crossed and hands casually tucked into the back pockets of his jeans. Shades once again shielded his eyes. I stopped in front of him.

“Any other errands?” he asked, pushing himself off the car and digging the keys out of his pocket.

So we weren’t going to talk about what had happened. Again. I got that he’d changed his mind, that the offer to be with him had been rescinded, but I couldn’t take this. It was bad enough to carry around the secret of what had really happened between us in Vegas, I couldn’t handle his two-steps-forward, three-steps-back behavior any longer.

“You’ve got to stop, Kade,” I said.

He frowned. “Stop what?”

My eyes stung behind my sunglasses but my temper was in my voice. “Stop kissing me. Stop touching me. In short, stop leading me on when your only intention is to leave—” I choked back the me that wanted to end that sentence.

“I’m surprised you noticed,” Kade shot back with unusual venom. “You think I didn’t see what was going on last night? That I don’t know you’re going to go back to Blane? It’s just a matter of time.”

“Isn’t that what you want?” I asked, exasperated.

“It’s for the best,” he said, his voice cold. He turned away from me to open the car door.

Fury and hurt hit in equal measure and I reached out and grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt. He stopped and glanced down at me.

“I’m so sick of everyone thinking they know what’s best for me,” I fumed. “And I’m sick of you playing this game with me. How dare you? You’ve been throwing me at Blane one second and the next you’re kissing me or telling me you—”

I stopped. I’d been about to blurt out that he’d said he loved me. That would be a disaster. I pressed my lips tightly closed.

“Telling you I what?” Kade asked, his tone dangerous. Of course he’d latch on to the one thing I wished he hadn’t heard.

“Nothing,” I said quickly with a wave of my hand. “Forget it. My point is I can’t do this anymore! I don’t know what to think, or feel, or who to trust. And every time you do or say something that makes me think you feel more for me, you take it back!” Exasperated, I turned away, trying to regain my composure. I swiped angrily at my wet cheeks and when Kade didn’t say anything else, I rounded the car and got in.

Kade got in the car after me, slamming his door so hard I jumped. He started the engine, jabbing his finger at the button, while the silence between us grew thick and oppressive. He put the car into gear but then hesitated before slamming it back into park.

I looked at him. Was he going to talk to me? But he just stared straight ahead, his jaw locked tight. I squirmed nervously, plucking imaginary lint from my skirt and smoothing the fabric down my thighs.

“Stop fidgeting,” he said.

I stilled, glancing uneasily his way, but he still stared out the windshield, his hands clenched in fists on the steering wheel.