Defy Fate (Fated Duet 1)

“You made PB cry,” Asher told him. “Youse mean.”

“What? Me?” Cade pointed at his chest and blew out a big breath. “I’m sorry, PB. You can be the captain, okay?”

Belle sniffled and burrowed into my chest. “I’m not your friend.” She hiccupped, and Cade’s face dropped. If there was one thing that could make him give in, it was a girl crying, especially if said girl was his only sister.

“Ahhh, shit.” He crouched down in front of us with Asher still attached to him. “I’m really sorry, PB. Please stop crying.” Cade wrapped his free arm around Belle and me, and Asher wrapped his small arm around my head.

“Only if you take me somewhere,” Belle said and slowly lifted her head. Her small hands wiped at the tears streaming down her face.

“Anywhere,” Cade said, his large hand cupping the back of her head.

“I want to go to the fair.”

“Okay,” Cade told her, and as soon as the word came out of his mouth, she broke away from us, the tears having vanished. “I’ll go get changed! Come on, Asher!” They both ran out of the room and up the stairs, screaming about all the cotton candy they were going to eat.

“I think…” Cade didn’t move from his crouched position as he looked over at me. “I think I just got played.”

I laughed as I stood, not able to resist moving closer to him and pushing my hand through his soft hair. “You did.”

“Damn.” He dipped his head back and placed his hands on my hips. “Well, guess I’m going to the fair.” His lips quirked on one side. “Want to be my date?”

“Date?” I shook my head, but couldn’t stop my own lips lifting. We hadn’t been on a date, not unless it consisted of being inside his house or out on the track at school.

“Yeah, and we have the perfect cover.” He slowly stood, towering over me with his six-foot-five height. “I promise I’ll win you a stuffed animal.”

I tapped my finger on my chin. “I want a corn dog too.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal.” He planted a kiss on the tip of my nose as footsteps pounded on the stairs and then Asher and Belle appeared, minus their pirate costumes.

“Ready,” Belle declared, ushering Asher toward the door.

Cade strode across the living room. “Come on,” he said, pulling the front door open. “Let’s get you in the car.”

Belle smiled up at him then ran out the door while Asher stayed close to Cade. I followed them out and locked the door behind me, and by the time I made it to the car on the driveway, Cade had strapped them both in.

I went to open the passenger door, but Cade beat me to it. His hand covered mine, and his front pressed against my back. My breath hitched at his closeness, and I shivered when his breath fanned across my neck. He always managed to make me forget who I was.

“Let me get that for you.”

I closed my eyes at his deep voice and leaned against him. We couldn’t do anything here, not with the kids watching, but I was going to soak in every one of his looks and touches while he was with us.

He pulled open the door and grasped my hip with his other hand, squeezed once, and then let me go. My cheeks burned as he walked around the car, and by the time I was slipping into the passenger seat, he was turning the engine on.

It didn’t take us long to get to the fair, but it took nearly thirty minutes to find a parking spot. Everyone was here for the last weekend, and Friday evening made it even busier. Part of me worried we’d be seen, but hopefully, with the kids as a buffer, no one would question it if we were.

“Before we get out of the car,” I said and twirled around in my seat to look at the kids. My lips flattened into a straight line, and I narrowed my eyes, making sure they knew how serious I was. “Belle, you stay with me at all times. Asher, you stay with Cade. You don’t wander off. You don’t get lost in the crowd. You don’t—”

“Aria,” Cade interrupted, and I flicked my gaze to his. “They’ll stay with us.”

“I’m just making sure they know the rules.” I rolled my eyes and pushed out of the car, making out like it wasn’t a big deal, but it was. The last time I’d come to a fair I’d been seven years old. The bright lights and rides had lured me in, but not as much as they had to my dad. He’d been fascinated by them and forgotten all about his daughter. He’d left me alone for hours, only finding me when the fair was almost closed. The day was burned into my brain like so many others that involved my dad.

I took Belle’s hand, and we walked side by side with Cade who had Asher on his shoulders. Belle was talking a mile a minute, but the closer we got to the entrance, the less I could hear what she was saying over the buzzing ringing in my ears.

My breathing picked up, almost coming in pants when Cade bought us tickets, and then we were standing in the middle of the fair, the scent of cotton candy and corn dogs surrounding us. The rhythm of laughter mixed in with the loudness of voices and sounds of the rides, but it was the bright lights flashing that had me closing my eyes and wishing I was anywhere else but here.

“Ow, Aria, you’re hurting my hand.”

I flung my eyes open and blinked down at Belle. “Sorry,” I managed to croak out. Her other hand was encased in Cade’s, so I let go and backed away a step. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.