Chapter 58
Chapter 58 Not My Real Boyfriend
Chapter 58 Not My Real Boyfriend
Lana’s POV
My gaze fell to Kade’s lips, and he licked them, seemingly in response. My breath caught.
Inexplicably, the desire to kiss him was nearly overwhelming.
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He had been so kind to bring me from my misery up to this place of such beauty that I felt like myself again. Up here, all of my problems felt small in comparison to the vast open world around me.
But, the more I wanted to kiss Kade, the more I knew that I shouldn’t. After all, that was probably why he brought me up here in the first place. He had said he came up here to be alone but truly this was the perfect make-out spot. He probably brought all of his dates up here.
I wasn’t Kade’s date, not really. We were only fake dating. While I could admit he certainly had his charms, and was handsome as all hell, I could resist him. I wasn’t going to fall into the trap he’d laid for so many other girls, giving him their hearts just for him to hand it back to them.
So I turned away and pretended I didn’t notice the flash of disappointment that crossed his face.
“No kiss?” he asked.
I rolled my eyes, but it was just for show. Inside, I was burning hot at the idea of pressing my lips to his.
“No. Sorry I’m not like your other girls,” I said. “I’m sure you’ve brought every single one of them up here to wow them with the view before kissing them senseless p>
He grinned. “Ah, so you’ve thought about kissing me p>
I groaned.
He just smiled, teasingly for a moment, but then the smile softened. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t usually bring anyone up here. If I brought them here, they would want to talk, and that’s always been the last thing on my mind with the girls I date p>
Lifted a brow, I looked back at him for explanation.
He shrugged. “It’s no secret that I don’t spend much time outside of the bedroom with the women I date p>
Right. Of course. My cheeks flushed as I hurriedly pulled my gaze away. I didn’t want to think about Kade with those other women. But not because I was jealous! What did I care where he spent his nights. I’d always known he was a playboy.
Granted, he wasn’t acting like a playboy right now, thanks to our contract. But that was a temporary thing. As soon as that contract was void, I had no doubt he would return to his old ways. He’d probably forget all about me, too.
Not that this mattered to me at all. It would be for the best, probably. I’d forget him too….. I hoped.
“But you are different,” Kade said, bringing my thoughts to a screeching halt. “I don’t mind spending time
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Chapter 58 Not My Real Boyfriend
with you. Talking to you, and bringing you to a place like this. Something about you p>
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While every part of me wanted him to continue with what he was saying, he huffed a harsh breath and looked back at the view p>
“There’s a log over here we can sit on,” he said. “Let’s take a load off for a minute p>
He moved around toward the log and I followed him. The log seemed sturdy, despite having fallend it was big enough for us both to sit down onto it comfortably. Though as we did so, our elbows brush against one another. As best I could, I ignored the way my heart fluttered with each brief contact
Silly heart. This means nothing to him, despite what he says. It can’t mean anything to us either.
Kade was a playboy with a lot of practice in seduction. I wouldn’t fall victim to his charms like all the other girls before me, and those that were sure to come afterwards too.
Besides, I had more than enough on my plate right now to be worried about him.
In the distance, an eagle flew through the valley. It screeched, both majestic and terrifying.
“Why did you bring me here, anyway?” I asked. “If this isn’t a place you bring anyone p>
“I wanted you to see it,” Kade said. “This is one of my favorite places in the entire world p>
“It is beautiful,” I said. But I wasn’t sure if I believed him. There had to be more to this. I glanced at him sideways.
He caught me looking and dropped his own gaze. “Also… you were upset, and for good reason, too. I’m not diminishing that. But I thought… I wanted to cheer you up. This is a place I would go to when I was upset, so I thought it might help p>
I blinked, not having expected that. The way he was talking about this… it almost seemed like he cared. When combined with the memory of how he had held me the night before, I was a bundle of warring emotions. My heart ached, unable to decide how I felt.
Whatever else was going on inside of me, though, I couldn’t ignore the fondness that I felt for Kade in this moment, for bringing me here, for trying to help me. Despite whatever motivations he might have for this situation, I still felt grateful.
It chipped at the walls of my heart, left me vulnerable in a way that I would likely regret later. But for now, I didn’t mind so much.
“When Tyler found that information that I might have been adopted, I didn’t know what to believe. But when Dad confirmed it, I don’t know. It hurt more than I thought it would p>
“Your father clearly loves you very much p>
“I know,” I said. “And he’ll always be my dad. But… what about my birth parents? Why would they want me so little that they would leave me in a forest t-to die?” The question made my voice crack. “It hurts more than I can really put into words. I keep thinking maybe they had a good reason, but what reason could they possibly have for something like that? I don’t think I’ll be able to rest until I know the truth. Even if
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it’s
it’s terrible, and if it hurts me worse. I have to know p>
“You want to find them,” Kade said.
“Yes,” I replied. “I want to know what happened. What led them to do this. And if it was just because I’m an omega, I want to know that too p>
“You sure about this p>
“I am. For better or worse. Once Dad is in the clear, I want to start searching p>
Kade hummed, his gaze searching my face. Then he nodded. “Then I’ll help you p>
“You aren’t under any obligation to do that p>
“I don’t need to be p>
“Kade p>
“Don’t start,” Kade said, cutting me off. “You are going to need help, and I’m offering. I’m your boyfriend, remember? A good man would never let his partner face something like this alone p>
“But you’re…” Not my real boyfriend.
Oddly, I couldn’t make myself say the words, even if they were right. It felt like it would ruin this moment somehow, make it less than what it was. I wasn’t ready to do that.
Everything about right now felt fragile.
“I don’t need a reason to do the right thing,” Kade said. “Maybe it’s time you stop assuming the worst about me.” He smiled a little. “Though mostly, assuming the worst is right. Not always, though p>
I was learning that, more and more, and in this moment, my desire to kiss him returned to me so quickly that I nearly shook from it.
“Maybe…” A smile slipped into my voice too, spurred on by his surprising kindness. “Maybe I wouldn’t mind saying thank you now p>
His gaze snapped to mine, his brows lifting, alongside the corners of his mouth.
He knew what I meant. What I was offering.
A kiss.
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