Jade whipped her head toward the sound. “Tell me that’s cars.”
“On a highway,” he added.
“Then let’s get moving, Flex.”
He let the annoying nickname pass. There were more important matters to deal with now.
Jade took off ahead of him and his gaze landed on her ass. He was human. Besides, she’d checked him out a time or two over the past year she’d been back. Jade had a certain sexiness about her that was hard to find. A great body was one thing, but the confidence that went along with it wasn’t something he often found in a woman.
So he followed those swaying hips and cursed himself for even offering to be her date. What had he been thinking? Jade and him even faking being a couple never would’ve worked. It was better this way.
So why was his ego bruised?
Chapter Three
By the time they reached a small town, finally had cell service, and found a rental car, Jade was about ready to call the whole weekend off. And she would have if it weren’t for her grandmother.
“I’ve never been so happy to see a hotel.” Cash pulled the rental car into the lot. “I’ll walk you in.”
“You don’t need to walk me in,” she told him. “Just pull beneath the canopy and drop me off.”
“Now what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t walk you in? I’ve taken great effort in seeing to your safety today; I’m not going to stop now.”
It was true. From the emergency landing to keeping her sane up until this point, he hadn’t been a bad companion. Maybe the near-death experience had been some strange turning point. Leave it to them not to do things the conventional way.
Cash parked the rental and Jade opened her door as he shut off the engine. Before she could do anything, he was out and had the trunk up, pulling out her suitcase.
“I can get it,” she told him. “You’ve lugged it enough today.”
“You’re dead on your feet.” He gripped the handle and gestured for her to go ahead. “Lead the way.”
Jade wanted to argue, but she was honestly out of steam.
Ah, steam. What she wouldn’t give for a nice, hot shower and fresh clothes. She didn’t need a mirror to know she was an absolute disaster, and she didn’t even want to think how gross she smelled.
“Jade McKenzie, where have you been?”
She cringed and stilled as she reached the front door. It slid open; all she had to do was keep walking on in to the lobby and pretend she didn’t hear the screeching of her cousin behind her.
“Jade.” Footsteps pounded on the pavement. “Good heavens, what happened to you?”
Jade turned around to the perfectly polished, overly exaggerated bride-to-be. Let the miserable weekend family reunion begin.
“Ruthie.” Jade pasted on a smile that she knew full well looked fake. “You look beautiful.”
And that part was true. Her cousin had her raven hair all straight and silky sleek. Her body-hugging, hot-pink dress and nude shoes was a signature Ruthie look. Her diamond rock glittered in the lights of the entrance.
Ruthie’s eyes raked over Jade, and it took everything in her not to come to her own defense. Honestly, though, Ruthie’s thoughts were the least of Jade’s concerns. She was hungry, tired, grouchy, and not in the mood.
Then her cousin turned her attention to Cash, who remained slightly off to the side, still clutching Jade’s suitcase.
“Oh, my.” Ruthie’s perfectly manicured hand went to her chest. “And you are?”
“Cash.”
Ruthie blinked, clearly waiting on a better introduction. Jade chewed the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling, but that was Cash. He was a man of few words.
“What happened to your face?” she asked, then looked to Jade. “And why are you wearing a dress with tennis shoes? Your hair . . . Jade, really. Your mother said you couldn’t be here tonight because there was a last-minute issue with a charity you were working on.”