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"You still hope for the best I know" She felt that ith her nana Every ti that this would be the time Nana would smile when she saw Kylie Would feel real love and affection for her Would view her as a grandchild and someone to love and not just an unhappy burden that costshe’d lost She kne devastating it was to get your hopes up, only to have the hope, Cade" Her fingers brushed through his soft, soft hair "You can be sad you want ry that you hope she’ll change The day we stop hoping is the day we stop caring, I think"

He lifted his head froazed into her eyes "You sound as if you’re speaking froive a halfhearted little shrug He didn’t need to know about her personal sob story Not tonight So it was time for a distraction "Does this leae she’d seen in the janitor’s closet earlier that night "Not a damn chance"

FOURTEEN

Kylie existed in a state of anticipation as the limo pulled up to the sa She’d left hioand she suspected it wasn’t going to happen again

And honestly? She wasn’t sure she wanted it to happen again

Their interlude in the janitor’s closet had pretty much proven to her that all Cade needed to do was snap his fingers and her panties would practically erness for him She wanted him more than anyone she’d ever dated in her life It wasn’t just because the sex was great--and it was fabulous It was that Cade made her feelwell, beautiful He never looked at her with that strangely questioning look that the liiven her He never ly one in the relationship He always made her feel desirable and perfect at his side

Of course, that hat made this off-and-on relationship with him difficult Because the more she tried to push him away, the more she wanted The more she craved

His arh they hadn’t spoken in several minutes He was probably tired, she told herself She knew she was Her head hadn’t stopped throbbing all day, and she’d been drinking water by the gallon in an effort to wash away her hangover The weight of her needding ring was still heavy on her finger, and she couldn’t resist twisting it occasionally, as if to remind herself that yes, it existed, and yes, she was married to Cade, however drunkenly spontaneous the cere Okay, there ht have been flashes ofchapel and Elvis, but that was about it Overall, the canvas was a big blank It probably was for hi that he’d drunk-hooked-up with her twice now It seemed like every hookup they had was buoyed by alcohol, except for the interlude in the closet froer

What did that ht?

Kylie kept the doubts in her head as the driver opened the li purse clutched to her shoulder

Cade got out a moment after her, and pressed a wad of cash into the driver’s hand "Thank you, sir We need you back here at" He looked at Kylie "What tiht We need you back here at eight thirty," he instructed the driver, then looked again at Kylie "It’ll give you time to pack up your hotel room and still be on schedule to leave with the others"

"Thank you," she murmured, and was a little pleased when Cade’s aran to steer her into the hotel

They were silent as they went up to Cade’s suite, and she wondered which Cade he’d be in bed tonight--the ruthlessman he normally was?

But when the door shut behind them, he took Kylie’s purse from her arm and set it down on a nearby chair, then an to kiss her Softly Sweetly Tenderly

It threw Kylie for a loop, and s she couldn’t have

"Please," he ue over whether or not I get to hold you tonight Let me just love you, Kylie Let ht"