Don't Kiss The Heartbreaker (Billionaire Academy YA Romance Book 3) Page 7

I smiled. “I spend a lot of time out here … when it’s not raining.”

  “True.” He smiled, though he was still looking out over the water.

  I caught the scent of his cologne mixed in with the smell of the blossoms, and my stomach did a little flip. I was about to ask him about lacrosse or some other safe topic, when he unexpectedly reached for my hand, causing a pulse of energy up my arm. He turned to face me, reaching for my other hand and lacing his fingers through mine. My heart flew about like a wild thing as he looked into my eyes.

  “What we were talking about before,” he said, running his thumb over my knuckles. “I just want to make something clear—I’m not playing with you, Tia.” His gaze deepened. “I like you … a lot.”

  The air escaped my lungs as my thoughts spun like unbalanced clay on a pottery wheel. I knew I should pull away from him, but I couldn’t. His touch was intoxicating, jumbling my senses. He waited for my answer.

  I swallowed, trying to find my voice. “Cade, I—I don’t know,” I said, biting my lip and glancing away.

  He dropped one of my hands, gently turning my chin to look at him again. “I don’t blame you for being scared. I know it’s asking a lot for you to trust me when this is only our second date … but I promise if you’ll give me a chance, I’ll prove myself to you.”

  My heart climbed into my throat, warring with my mind. The rational part of my brain told me to run, to run away from Cade and any possibility of getting my heart broken. But my heart refused to be rational. I was hypnotized by the brown of his eyes, caught in the tractor beam of his gaze and the magnetic pull I felt toward him.

  “Will you give me that chance, Tia?” he asked softly.

  I held my breath, unable to fight the longing bubbling up inside of me. “Yes.” The word escaped before I could stop it. My heart galloped as Cade’s eyes filled with warmth. The world stilled around us as he bent down, hovering a breath from my lips. When I didn’t pull away, he closed the distance.

  Firecracker heat spread through my chest as Cade kissed me, igniting every nerve cell in my body. I wrapped my arms around his neck, basking in the sensation of being in his arms as he pulled me closer. I could feel his heart pounding, matching the frantic beat of my own as ripples of warmth passed over me like a rising tide. I was free-falling, dizzy with euphoria. The intensity of my reaction scared me, and I pulled away.

  Cade reluctantly let me go, looking slightly dazed as his chest rose and fell with uneven breaths. “Whoa,” he said.

  I could only nod, too breathless to speak.

  He stared at me, running a hand down the back of his neck. “Whoa,” he repeated.

  I laughed, releasing some of the adrenaline still coursing through my body as I shook my head. “Yeah.”

  He gazed at me in wonder, pulling me closer and wrapping me in a hug. I melted into his arms, taking in a deep breath of the laundry detergent mixed with cologne scent that made my stomach flutter. Everything about Cade seemed designed to pull me in.

  “A little warning next time, Radcliffe,” he said, his voice slightly husky. “I don’t know if my heart could handle another kiss like that.”

  I laughed again. “Tell me about it.”

  He paused for a long beat. “… But I’m willing to try if you are.”

  I pulled back, my knees going weak at his coaxing smile as his brown eyes held mine. “Definitely,” I whispered, tilting my face up to meet his.

  Chapter Ten

  The bell rang, and I reluctantly cleaned off my paintbrush and placed it in the holder with the other brushes. The canvas landscape piece I was working on was turning out nicely, and I was sad I couldn’t keep working on it. Art class always went by too fast.

  After tidying my easel, I went to my desk to grab my bag.

  “Tia, can I speak with you for a minute?” Mr. Watts motioned to me from his desk.

  “Sure.” I waved to a few of my classmates as they left the room and then moved to him. Mr. Watts was a brilliant artist—unsurprising, since all of the teachers at RLA were brilliant—but I admired him and always sought his opinions on my work.

  When I reached his desk, he smiled and clasped his hands together. “I want to talk to you about the pieces you submitted for the art fair.”

  My stomach twisted. “I can submit something else if you feel like they aren’t good enough?”

  He smiled and leaned forward. “Tia, they’re amazing. So good, in fact, that after looking through your portfolio, I met with your advisor, curious which art schools you were applying to after you graduate.” The wrinkles in the corners of his eyes deepened. “Imagine my surprise when I discovered that you plan to pursue a career in technology.” He peered at me with a steady gaze. “Is that really the field you’re passionate about?”

  I shifted my weight, ecstatic by his praise; at the same time, I felt a pit in my stomach. “My dad owns Pivot,” I explained, “and he hopes that I’ll be able to take over the company someday.”

  “I see.” Mr. Watts leaned back in his seat, his brow furrowing in thought before he looked back at me. “But you didn’t answer my question—are you passionate about pursuing a career in technology? Do you want to run your father’s company?”

  I lifted a shoulder. “Life’s not always about getting the thing we want.”

  “That’s true.” He nodded, pressing his fingers beneath his chin. “There are responsibilities we each have, and some that can’t be ignored.” He smiled faintly. “But I think the great Nelson Mandela said it best.” He turned a small plaque on his desk to face me. “I keep this where I can see it every day.”

  I stepped forward and read the scrolling font. “‘There is no passion to be found in playing small—in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living,’” I read aloud, staring at the words that were written just for me. A tightness formed in my chest. I wanted to pursue my art more than anything. I wanted it so bad it ached. But I couldn’t let Dad down. Not after he’d worked so hard to create his empire.

  For the billionth time, I wished I had an older sibling to take over the company, so I could be free to pursue the life I wanted. Preferably an older sister, so she could also satisfy Mom’s pageant needs. If only … but all they had was me.

  “I hope you’ll give this some serious thought,” Mr. Watts said, breaking through the silence. “I would hate for talent like yours to go to waste, and I would be happy to write letters of recommendation or suggest some schools that I think would suit you.”

  “Thank you.” I adjusted the strap of my messenger bag. “I’ll think it over.” Even though I knew I wouldn’t. My path was set.

  “Wonderful.” He smiled. “And I hope you plan to invite your family and friends to the art show. I have a feeling they’re going to have reason to be very proud of you.”

  My heart stung. “Thanks.” I gave him a weak smile in return and left the classroom. Somehow, Mr. Watts validating my art skills made it so much worse than before. Knowing that I was good enough to pursue a career in something I loved made it all the harder to stomach the idea of a life of board meetings and research and development. A life with excessive amounts of money, but no time to enjoy it. A life that was all glass and steel and concrete and void of color. A life I would hate.

  I sighed and moved through the crowded hallway, not seeing Chloe until I was only a few yards away. Thankfully, she had her back to me, and she and Jenny were huddled so close together that they didn’t see me. I did an about-face and took off the other way. I was already feeling down. The last thing I needed was a Chloe encounter.

  I turned the corner down the next hallway, feeling my phone vibrate with a text. I pulled it out of my pocket and smiled as soon as I saw Cade’s number.

  Last night was amazing. My buddies keep asking me why I’m walking around with a goofy grin on my face. When can we make things official so I can start telling people that we’re together?

  My heart stuttered. Last night, after those mind-blowing ki
sses in the moonlight, Cade had asked me if I would be his girlfriend. I’d wanted to say yes, but I was still scared. If I was never “officially” his girlfriend, then if he decided to move on, it wouldn’t be an actual “dumping.” And even better, no one would have to know about it, and maybe I could avoid the drama that always came with breakups.

  Maybe if I wasn’t technically his girlfriend, my heart wouldn’t be as crushed if and when he decided to break it … but I knew that was just wishful thinking. I was in too deep, and whether I was willing to admit it or not, my heart was fully involved. I typed a quick reply.

  I’m not ready to make things official yet. Let’s just keep dating and see where things lead.

  There wasn’t a reply, or even dots indicating one was coming. I held my phone and made it all the way to my next class before his response came through.

  Whatever you say, Radcliffe. We can take it at your pace until you learn to trust me. Just know that I’m ready whenever you are …

  My heart hitched and I slid my phone back into my pocket, taking a seat at my desk. Cade Carlisle wanted to be my boyfriend … and he was willing to wait until I was ready. Was I crazy to not jump at the chance to make things official between us? I thought of his kisses last night, and shivers tingled all the way down my spine. Probably.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Does my hair look all right?” Mom asked Dad, turning her head so he could get a good look as we stood on the Carlisle’s front porch.

  “You look perfect,” Dad assured her, leaning over to give her a peck on the cheek. “Don’t be nervous, or you’ll give Tia a panic attack. She’s anxious enough for all of us,” he teased, winking at me.

  I rolled my eyes. “Only because this is super weird. I’ve only been on two dates with Cade, and now our parents are meeting? It feels like some kind of archaic betrothal ceremony.”

  Mom laughed. “Don’t be dramatic, honey. The Carlisles simply want to meet the parents of the girl their son is dating. It’s perfectly natural that they would be curious.”

  What she really meant was that the Carlisles wanted to make sure I came from a “good family,” and Mom and Dad wanted to verify the same thing. It was a common practice among wealthy families—a sort of sniffing each other out to make sure the heir was suitably matched. Like I said, archaic. Since I hadn’t dated anyone yet, this was my first experience, and my stomach was a twisted pretzel of nerves.

  “Are we ready?” Dad asked, his hand reaching for the doorbell.

  Mom fluffed her long brunette tresses one more time and adjusted the skirt of her red dinner party dress. She loved the color red, not shying away from the center of attention. She’d picked out a red tie for Dad so that they would match, and I had to admit they were a striking couple. A powerhouse. I stood beside them in the little black dress Mom suggested I wear.

  Just like Lacey, she was constantly creating outfits in her mind, right down to the accessories. And I had to admit, she was good at it. Her talents would be invaluable for the clothing auction. She’d even helped me with my makeup, but at my request, she hadn’t gone over the top. Just a little here and there to enhance my features.

  She blew out a breath and smiled at Dad. “Go ahead. I think we’re ready.”

  He pressed the doorbell and stepped back, taking Mom’s arm. It warmed my heart to see them here, together. Dad had even taken work off tonight to make it, and Mom practically glowed as she held on to him.

  The door opened, and a woman wearing a maid’s uniform smiled at us. “Good evening. You must be the Radcliffes? The Carlisles are in the dining room, if you’ll just follow me.” She bobbed her head and led the way through the house.

  Mom made small exclamations of approval as she took in the rooms and décor. I worked to keep my breathing steady, anxious to see Cade. The maid led us into an elaborate dining room where the Carlisles were waiting.

  They stood as we entered, Cade’s eyes instantly finding mine. I often saw him in his white shirt and tie at school, but the suit he wore tonight added an extra element of hotness. He smiled, giving me a look brimming with admiration as our parents made introductions. He moved to my side, bending to whisper in my ear. “You look stunning, Radcliffe. How am I going to impress your parents when I can’t take my eyes off of you?”

  I blushed, nudging his side, but didn’t have time to answer because our parents zeroed in on us.

  “Tia, it’s so good to see you again,” Valerie said, stepping forward to kiss my cheeks before she took both of my hands, stepping back. “Goodness, Cade, could you have picked a prettier girl? She’s absolutely breathtaking.”

  My blush deepened. “Thanks,” I murmured, uncomfortable with all eyes turned on me.

  Mom beamed. “I know, don’t they make the most dashing couple?”

  I gave her a look and cleared my throat, needing to draw the line somewhere. “Thanks so much for having us,” I said to Valerie. “We’ve been looking forward to it.” That maybe was a bit of a stretch, but it was true for my parents.

  “Not as much as we have,” Valerie said, taking her husband’s arm. It was like she and my mom were in a contest to see who could smile the biggest. “Won’t you all have a seat? Cade told us that Tia likes Italian food, so we hope you’ll enjoy what we’re serving.”

  “We’ll love it,” Dad answered.

  Everyone took their seats, with the Carlisles seated at the head of the table, Mom and Dad on one side of the table, and Cade and I on the other. Cade slipped his hand in mine beneath the table, giving it a reassuring squeeze as the talk between our parents almost instantly turned to business. I did my best to look interested, but all the tech talk made me think of my conversation with Mr. Watts. If I couldn’t even listen to a conversation about Dad’s company without my eyes glazing over, how was I ever going to run it?

  Cade squeezed my hand again, and I turned to him.

  “Are you all right?” he asked quietly as our parents continued talking.

  “Fine,” I said, managing a smile.

  He didn’t look convinced. “Want me to set off the smoke alarm so we can escape during the chaos?”

  I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. “I’ll let you know.”

  “I’ll await the signal.” His brown eyes danced as they met mine.

  Chills bathed my arms. Cade looked like he wanted nothing more than to be alone with me right then, which was exactly what I was thinking too. It had been a long week at school, and since I didn’t want to make things official yet, we’d been careful not to be seen together too much—but FaceTime in my dorm and texts throughout the day weren’t anywhere near as satisfying as seeing him in person.

  “Oh dear, it looks like we’re boring them,” Mom said, pulling my attention away from Cade and back to the existing conversation. “Cade, how are plans for the auction coming along?” she asked.

  He cleared his throat, keeping hold of my hand even as the appetizers were served. “It’s coming along great,” he said. “Tia got me the design for the flyers and posters, so we’re working to get those printed and passed around. Did she show you what she came up with? It’s incredible.”

  Mom looked slightly uncomfortable. “I haven’t seen it yet.”

  “What’s this about Tia’s designs?” Valerie piped in.

  “Here, I’ve got a picture of it on my phone,” Cade said, smiling at me before letting go of my hand so he could pull the picture up. He passed the phone to his mom. “She created the design all by herself. I can’t believe what a talented artist she is.”

  I fought a blush as Valerie exclaimed over the picture, which was a fairly simple design. It had taken me less than an hour from start to finish, but the way the Carlisles gushed over it, you would have thought it was ready for entrance in the Louvre. I was secretly pleased with their praise … waiting anxiously for my parents’ reactions.

  Dad raised an eyebrow when he looked at the screen. “Tia, you drew this?”

  I nodded, twisting my ha
nds in my lap. “Yep.”

  His eyes flicked to mine. “When did you have time? I thought you were pretty swamped with your studies this term.”

  “It didn’t take very long,” I said, biting the inside of my cheek.

  Mom took the phone from him, her brow puckering slightly as she looked at the picture. “That’s really good, honey,” she said, barely glimpsing at it before passing the phone back to Cade. “How soon will you be passing these around?”

  Cade glanced at me, squeezing my knee under the table in support as he accepted the phone back. “We’ll get them out this week,” he said, pausing for a beat. “Did you know that there’s going to be an art show at the academy?” he asked, looking between my parents. “Tia submitted some of her work for it, and I’m sure she’ll be getting some awards.”

  “How wonderful!” Valerie said, and Mr. Carlisle echoed his best wishes, but my parents were noticeably less enthusiastic.

  “When is that?” Dad asked.

  “I think it’s on March 30th. Is that right, Tia?”

  I nodded, already knowing what Mom’s reaction would be. One look at her face confirmed it.

  She frowned. “I’m afraid Tia won’t be able to make it.” She gave an apologetic shrug as she raised her water glass to her lips. “She’s entering a beauty pageant that day.”

  “A beauty pageant?” Valerie exclaimed. “My goodness, Tia, the talent is just oozing out of you!” She clasped her hands together, leaning forward.

  “She really is a talented girl,” Mom said. “She’s won first place several times over the years that she’s been doing pageants.” She steered the conversation toward her favorite topic, and the art show wasn’t brought up again.

  My throat thickened, made worse by the fact that I could feel Cade’s sympathetic stare. I took a sip of water to hide my disappointment. “Excuse me for a moment, please,” I said, pushing myself back from the table. “I need to use the restroom.”

  “It’s down that hall, the sixth door on the left,” Mr. Carlisle said.