Stealing Rose (The Fowler Sisters #2)(65)

But maybe every family is that way.

I decide to continue on despite how hard it is to say everything. “In her diary, her last few entries were so … sad. They were so full of hopelessness. I can feel her pain come across the pages, in her handwriting, and it hurt me to read it, but those entries also made me mad. That she gave up so easily on her life. That she gave up on us, on my sisters. On me.” I’m crying. The tears are flowing down my cheeks and the sob that comes from me sounds like it was wrenched from deep inside my soul.

“Baby. Sshh. Come here.” Caden pulls me even closer and I sob all over his shoulder, his neck. My tears won’t stop, my entire body is shaking, and I cling to him as if he can save me from all the horrible truths in the world. He’s stroking my hair and kissing my forehead, whispering sweet words to console me, and I’ve never felt more cherished.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur against his neck long minutes later. “I haven’t told anyone about the diaries yet, not even my sisters. I’ve never even given myself a chance to cry over it, you know?”

“I know. I do.” He squeezes me. “You okay?” Slipping his hand beneath my chin, he tilts my face up so our eyes meet. With his other hand he swipes away the tears from my cheeks. “You need a drink of water or something?”

“I’m fine,” I whisper, my gaze roving over his face, taking in his handsome features. A face that has become dear to me, a man that has begun to mean something to me these last couple of weeks. “I just … thank you.”

He frowns, his beautiful mouth curving downward. “For what?”

I touch his lips, streaking my fingertip across his full lower lip. I love his mouth. I love everything about him. Everything that I know, that is. I wish I knew more. I wish he would be honest with me. Open. Slowly but surely I can make this happen. I know it. “For being there for me. For letting me talk and for listening.”

“I should say the same to you.” He parts his lips, drawing my finger into his mouth, and I feel his teeth graze the tip of my finger.

“Then why don’t you?” I’m teasing him, and it feels good to be light and silly after only moments ago revealing such heavy information.

He smiles and I pull my finger from his mouth. “Thank you, Rose.” His smile fades, his expression going dead serious. “I mean it. It’s been a long time since I’ve talked about my dad with anyone. Even my mom.”

“I’m sure especially your mom. I know my father gets uncomfortable when any of us ask questions about our mother.”

He strokes underneath my chin with his thumb, his gaze thoughtful. “Have I told you lately that I think you’re beautiful?”

“Stop.” I bat at his hand but he doesn’t let go of my chin. He tells me I’m beautiful more than any other man has ever done but when he talks to me like this, I get embarrassed. “Seriously. You’re going to give me a complex.”

“A complex over your beauty? That doesn’t sound like such a bad thing.” He releases his hold on my chin so he can touch my cheek and run his finger down my nose, along my brows. “You’re unnaturally pretty, I swear. Like a little angel face.”

I roll my eyes and grimace. My cheeks are hot and I don’t know if I can take much more of this. “That’s what Violet says and it’s so embarrassing. She claims I look like one of Botticelli’s angels.” I don’t really believe it. Lily’s the beautiful, outrageous one. Violet’s the quiet, smart one, but truly? She’s just as beautiful as Lily.

“I had thoughts of wanting to paint you a few nights ago,” he admits sheepishly, flashing a lopsided smile.

My brows go up as if I have no control over them. “I didn’t know you were a painter.”

“I’m not.” He chuckles. “But you were lying on the bed, naked and spent, your skin all rosy and your hair everywhere. You had this satisfied look on your face, and I totally understood at that moment why artists always want to paint nudes of beautiful women.”

“Please.” I shake my head but he leans in and drops a kiss on my mouth, his lips lingering. “You don’t mean it.”

“I totally mean it,” he whispers, his lips moving against mine. “You make me … feel things I’ve never experienced before, Ro. You’ve changed me.”

I’m speechless. Not that I could say anything anyway. Not with the way Caden’s kissing me, his tongue sneaking into my mouth, sliding against mine. His hands start roaming my body and soon we’re lost in each other.

Not that I’m protesting.

Chapter Nineteen

Caden

“When you coming back, son? I need a firm answer. They’re ready to interview you. Whenever you’re ready, so are they. You’re spending way too much time over there and if you don’t hurry home, your opportunity is going to move on without you.”

I’m out in front of the hotel standing on the sidewalk, having escaped from the room and Rose so I could call Cash. He’s been blowing up my phone the last two days in a variety of ways including missed calls, texts, and voicemails. I had no idea the old man was so savvy with a smart phone. He even tried to Face-Time me.

I’ve avoided him, which is stupid. I’d rather spend time with Rose than face my reality. I need to man the f*ck up and do what’s right.