Chapter 3 #2
The spell broke, and Mila found herself staring up into Cade’s face, searching for some explanation for the intensity of her reaction. He seemed equally affected, his jaw tight with what looked like carefully controlled restraint.
“Please.” He gestured toward the table, his hand settling lightly on the small of her back as he guided her forward. The simple touch sent heat spiraling through her body, making her legs unsteady.
Then Cade did something totally unexpected.
He pulled out her chair for her. When had a man ever pulled out her chair?
Never, she realized, as Cade waited for her to settle before taking his own seat beside her.
Close enough that she caught hints of his scent—something clean and woodsy with an underlying wildness that made her pulse quicken.
“Mila, this is my sister Lyra,” Cade said, his voice carrying that same careful control she could see in his posture.
The woman across from them smiled warmly, her green eyes—so similar to Cade’s but dancing with mischief—taking Mila in with obvious approval.
“It’s wonderful to meet you,” Lyra said politely. “Cade’s been—“
“Eager to meet you,” Cade interrupted smoothly, shooting his sister a warning look that only made her grin wider.
He was eager to meet me? The thought sent a flutter of pleasure through Mila.
Gerri settled into the remaining chair, practically vibrating with satisfaction. “How’s your father doing, Cade? Any changes since we last spoke?”
The shift in Cade’s expression was subtle but devastating. The careful mask slipped just enough to reveal the weight of grief and responsibility pressing down on him.
“No improvement,” he said quietly. “The healers estimate we have two months at most.”
Mila’s heart clenched at the pain in his voice. She’d lost her mother young to illness and knew the particular agony of watching a parent fade. Without thinking, she reached over and covered his hand with hers.
“I’m so sorry.”
The simple words seemed to hit him harder than elaborate condolences might have. His fingers turned beneath hers, capturing her hand in a gentle grip that sent fresh waves of warmth through her system.
“Thank you.” His eyes held hers, and for a moment, the future king disappeared, leaving only a man facing loss. “That means more than you know.”
Oh no. The dangerous combination of attraction and empathy was already undermining her defenses. How could she say no to someone carrying such a burden? How could she add to his stress by rejecting this crazy proposition?
“We should probably lighten the mood,” Lyra interjected gently, clearly reading the emotional weight in the air. “Gerri, didn’t you want to hear about Cade’s childhood disasters?”
“Oh, absolutely!” Gerri clapped her hands together. “Embarrassing sibling stories are my favorite.”
“Lyra,” Cade warned, but there was affection beneath the exasperation.
“Remember when you were sixteen and tried to impress that visiting bear king’s daughter by showing off during combat training?” Lyra’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “You ended up flat on your back in the mud, completely covered head to toe.”
Despite himself, Cade’s lips quirked upward. “She laughed for ten minutes straight.”
“And then you tried to play it off like it was intentional,” Lyra continued, grinning at Mila. “Very suave, brother.”
The image of a young Cade covered in mud, trying to maintain his dignity, was so endearing that Mila found herself laughing. Real laughter, the kind that bubbled up from genuine delight rather than politeness.
“At least I didn’t challenge the kitchen staff to a baking contest and nearly burn down the west wing of the castle,” Cade shot back, his own smile becoming more natural.
“That was one time!”
Watching the siblings banter, Mila felt something shift inside her chest. This powerful, intimidating prince had the same kind of relationship with his sister that she had with Riley—loving, teasing, and protective. It made him more real and more accessible.
The conversation flowed naturally after that, touching on Nova Aurora’s beautiful landscapes, the differences between their worlds, even Mila’s work at the law firm.
Cade listened with genuine interest, asking thoughtful questions that proved he wasn’t just being polite.
His attention was so focused and intense, as if everything she said mattered to him.
When had anyone ever looked at her like that? Like she was fascinating rather than merely functional?
“The proposition,” Gerri said eventually, her tone gentle but direct. “Have you given it any more thought?”
The table fell silent. Mila felt three pairs of eyes on her, but it was Cade’s gaze that held her captive. There was hope there, carefully banked but unmistakable, along with something that looked almost like hunger.
He wants this. He wants me.
The realization sent a thrill through her that she tried desperately to suppress.
“I...” Her voice came out too small. She cleared her throat. “I need some more time to think about it. This is all so overwhelming.”
“Of course,” Cade said immediately, though she caught the flash of disappointment in his eyes. “Take all the time you need.”
“I’ll give Gerri an answer before the end of the day,” Mila promised, surprised by her own certainty about the timeline.
The meal wrapped up with lighter conversation, but the undercurrent of tension never fully disappeared.
Every accidental brush of fingers when reaching for water glasses, every shared glance, every moment when Cade’s attention focused on her with that laser intensity—it all built into something that left her feeling breathless and confused.
When they finally stood to leave, Cade helped her with her chair again. The simple courtesy shouldn’t have affected her so strongly, but combined with everything else, it left her feeling cherished in a way she’d never experienced before.
“Thank you for a lovely meal,” she managed as they gathered outside the café.
“The pleasure was entirely mine,” Cade replied, and the formal words carried undertones that made her heart skip.
Lyra hugged her goodbye with surprising warmth, whispering, “I really hope we see you again soon,” in her ear.
Gerri just winked. “You know how to reach me, darling.”
And then they were walking away, leaving Mila standing on the sidewalk watching Cade’s retreating figure. Even from behind, he commanded attention—the confident stride and the subtle power in every movement.
How could I possibly be the kind of woman he needs for his future queen?
The doubt crashed over her as she turned toward the law firm. Back to her ordinary life, her predictable routine, and her safe invisibility.
But her hand still tingled where he’d touched it. Her heart still raced from the memory of his smile. And despite every rational argument her mind could produce, she couldn’t stop thinking about the way he’d looked at her—like she really was extraordinary.
I can’t imagine leaving Earth... and yet... I can’t stop thinking about him. About what meeting him felt like... how alive it made me feel.