“Good morning to you, too.” His voice came out gruff, spiking my heart rate.
Mortified, I scrambled off his lap onto a plush mauve rug that ran the entire length of the hallway. I scooted backward and bumped into the wall across from him, struggling to make sense of the situation.
Cade sat on the floor, looking way too comfortable leaning against a hard wall with his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. His shirt was wrinkled, thick hair slightly disheveled, and the shadow of stubble that darkened his jaw was more noticeable.
I glanced between him and Whiskey with a frown. Cade had been out here all night with my cat?
I shot a look at my little furball.Nowhe liked Cade?
“Traitor,” I whispered.
One of those fancy silver domes that room service use for food sat on Cade’s other side, but my eyes darted back to the man himself.
“You slept out here?” I asked, even though the answer was obvious. Of course he had. I’d just woken him up with my butt in his face.
He stretched both arms before working the stiffness out of his neck. “The theatre doesn’t have a lock on the door.”
I stared, too tired to understand what that meant. “So?”
His gaze held mine. “So, I’m not leaving you to sleep alone in a room that doesn’t lock.”
I might’ve melted a little, before crossing my arms to stay strong. “That doesn’t change what you said yesterday.”
“I know,” Cade agreed with a sigh. “My mother’s arrival was unexpected, and it threw me off my game. I’m sorry for not handling it better.”
Well, that was convenient for him to say. I squinted, suspicious. “…You’re not just saying this because you don’t want me backing out of the deal, are you?”
“I’m saying it because I hurt you, Ellie. I didn’t think twice about your feelings yesterday, but you’re not arm candy or a prop or unwelcome. You’re…” He paused, as if searching for words, before his lips quirked. “You’re a unicorn.”
I blinked, not following. “…A unicorn?”
His smile widened. “You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met before. I like that you’re nothing like the others. Maybe I like it a little too much.”
The last part was mostly muttered to himself, but I still heard it, and heat rose up my neck until even my ears burned. I uncrossed my arms and cleared my throat, completely flustered by the warmth infusing my chest. “Oh. Well, that’s good to know.”
Cade’s gaze remained steady. “I should’ve said that yesterday. I wasn’t thinking straight.”
More of the anger drained out of me. “I get it. Your mom is…Well, she’s a lot.”
“She’s also the last person who should be judging my choices.” He cocked his head to the side. “Vivienne Westbrook is far from a shining example for healthy relationships. She’s between husbands right now, but it won’t be long before she finds her next one. There’ve been at least eight so far.”
I let out a long, quiet whistle. “That’s almost impressive. Is your father still in the picture?”
He shook his head. “He died when Harry and I were young.”
A breath whooshed out of me, and I dropped my gaze to where Cade’s feet rested an inch away from mine. Losing a parent was a special kind of pain—one I related to—and I pressed my toes against his in what I hoped was a comforting nudge. “I’m sorry.”
Cade watched our feet for a moment before lifting his shoulder. “My mother didn’t handle it well, and her later choice in husbands left a lot to be desired. Our grandfather stepped in after she tied the knot a third time. He moved us in with him and our grandmother.”
“Wow. They raised you?”
“It’s something I’ll always be grateful for. They’d lost a son, and we’d lost a father. It helped all of us.” Cade’s eyes flicked back up to me. “What about your parents? Are you close with them?”
I couldn’t resist the urge to tease him a little. “Oh, are you saying your security team didn’t already find out all the dirty details from my past?”
Amusement flashed in his gaze. “There wasn’t time for the full vetting process. I know some, but not your family.”
“Lucky me. Well, there’s not much to tell.” I shrugged, dropping my gaze back to our feet. “I never knew my father, and my mom passed when I was in college after being sick for a long time.”