Chapter 139. The Taste of Him

ARDEN

Oh.

I was about to politely turn him down when a sharp scent cut through the salty air. It was Cade’s scent mixed with jealousy. It was faint but unmistakable. My eyes flicked to the side, and there he was, standing a few feet away, gaze locked on us.

Before I could call out to him, he started walking toward me. His steps were steady, but his jaw was set, and the way his eyes narrowed ever so slightly told me exactly how he felt about what he’d walked in on.

Charlie glanced between the two of us, probably realizing this wasn’t just a “girl lounging at the beach” situation. Still, Cade didn’t shoo him away immediately. Instead, he came right up to him, extending a hand toward him.

“Do you have anything you need?” Cade’s voice was polite, but even then, he sounded intimidating.

Charlie pursed his lips. His gaze darted to me, then back to Cade, and for a second, I thought he might try to insist. But instead, a deep blush crept up his cheeks, an