A Lifetime to Find Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

woman to dance or to buy her a drink, knowing that it could lead to something physically fulfilling, he found himself comparing each woman to Tessa.  The poor women had no chance, not because they weren’t pleasing to the eye, but because not one measured up to his Tess.  None of them smelled like her, or had that same quirky smile, or made his heart skip a beat from just a simple look.   And that thought scared the hell out of him.  He needed to get out of this hormone infested bar, get some fresh air, and clear his head.  He’d never let any woman affect him the way Tessa did and he hadn’t even slept with her yet.  Cade scanned the room for Rowan and found him at a table with a couple nurses from the hospital. 
     
    “I’m gonna call a cab and get out of here,” Cade told Rowan as he leaned in close to his ear.
     
    “No way, you are not bailing on me,” he said, sitting up abruptly.
     
    “Rowan, seriously, I need to get out of here and clear my head.  I’ll call you tomorrow.”
     
    Rowan grabbed Cade’s arm as he started to walk away.  “Call her .”
     
    “Who?” Cade asked trying to at least sound somewhat confused.
     
    “Who do you think?  Tess!  Just call her, Cade, and talk to her.”
     
    With a wave of his hand to dismiss the suggestion, Cade strolled out of the bar.  Standing on the sidewalk, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket to call a cab.  His phone flashed that irritating red light that alerted him to a missed call.  He must have really been out of it tonight because he hadn’t even felt his phone vibrate.  He nearly dropped it when he saw that it was Tessa’s call he had missed.  Suddenly he forgot why he had stepped out of the bar and his focus was only on the message announcing he’d missed her call.  Quickly, he dialed her number before he lost his nerve to do so.  He didn’t even check to see if she’d left a message or what time it was.  Surely it was a sign that he was to call her; that they were supposed to talk.  Rowan was right; he did need to call her.  She had been thinking of him tonight, just as he had been thinking of her.  His heart began to beat faster and faster with the anticipation of her answering.  He decided he would go over tonight; he had to see her and feel her.  His body and heart ached to be with her.  Finally, on the fourth ring she picked up.
     
    “Hello,” Tessa answered, sounding exhausted.
     
    “Hi ,Tess. This is Cade.”
     
    “Cade?  What are you calling me so late for?” 
     
    Tessa heard music blaring in the background.  Great, he was at a bar and probably drunk. On top of that, he was calling her at a God forsaken hour.  None of that ever added up to anything good.
     
    “I just saw that you called and thought I’d return the call.”
     
    “I called you three hours ago, Cade, and I left a message.  Did you not listen to it?”
     
    “Sorry, I didn’t,” he stammered.  “I just saw you called and thought I’d call you back.”
     
    “Are you drunk, Cade?  Is that why you are calling me now?” she asked, then added for good measure, “after weeks of nothing?” Tessa hoped that he heard in her voice how hurt and angry she was that he hadn’t even attempted to make contact with her after what happened between them or what almost happened.  Sure, she’d kicked him out of her house, but damn it, he should have at least called her or something.  Anything.
     
    “No, not at all.”
     
    Cade wasn’t sure where that had come from or why she would even think that and, honestly, he didn’t care at the moment.  He had her on the phone now and planned to have her in bed shortly; just as soon as he could get there.
     
    “Then why are you calling so late, Cade?”
     
    “Like I said…”
     
    “If you would have listened to my message, I said to call Susan and she could schedule you for the photo shoot next week sometime.  I’m not sure what your office hours are, so I didn’t want to just