Broken(59)

“But even when he kissed me on the cheek goodnight, I nearly had a panic attack. I freaked at the prospect of getting closer and that was with someone I thought I was comfortable with.”

“Maybe you reacted that way because you didn’t love him. You love Cade and that may make all the difference. Stop making excuses and give the poor guy a chance. If I were in your situation, I’d be holding on to that man for dear life. Guys like Cade Devlin don’t come around very often but when they do, the smart move would be to keep them around.”

“I know I sound like a bundle of insecurities, and you’re right, it’s just…after what I went through, I never thought it would be possible for me to be happy again and I’m scared that if I reach out for it, I’ll wake up and this will all be a dream. Does that sound crazy?”

“No. I know how you feel. I, often, feel the same way myself.”

“You’re a wonderful person, Kyla, and I know someone is out there for you as well. There are plenty of men lined up for the job.”

Kyla smiled, a haunted shadow entering her eyes. “I think I’ll lay off the relationships for a while.”

Jocelyn’s heart went out to her friend, who was suffering through her own private hell. She leaned over and gave Kyla a hug. “Thank you so much.”

“For what?”

“For being a good friend to me. And for being you.”

Kyla pulled away, a slight smile on her lips. “You’re going to make me cry and then I’ll have to put a serious hurting on you.” She stood and was all business once again. “Now let’s make you beautiful.”

A couple hours later, Jocelyn sat in Cade’s driveway, debating whether to get out of the truck. Several times she reached for the ignition to restart her vehicle to leave, but something always stopped her. Once she went into his house, there would be no turning back. Her stomach rumbled with nerves.

Taking a deep breath, she finally built up enough courage to slide out of her car and walk to the door. “You can do this. You can do this,” she chanted to herself.

Before she could ring the doorbell, the door flew open. “I was wondering if you were going to get out of your truck. I was going to give you another minute before I came and got you.”

Cade had no right to stand there looking sexy in a pair of jeans so tight she could see the outline of his cock. The button-down shirt he wore had the top two buttons undone, revealing tufts of dark blond hair poking out.

“Come in.” He took her hand and pulled her inside. “You look lovely tonight, but then again, I’m not surprised.” His blue gaze roamed her body in a way that made her feel like a precious, rare gem.

The apparent appreciation in his gaze sent heat to her cheeks and made her aware of the chemistry blazing between them. Seeing how Cade couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from her, she was glad she’d allowed Kyla to talk her into prettying herself up for the evening. She wore one of her favorite sundresses she knew showed off her curves to perfection, and her hair, which she usually wore pinned up in a messy bun, touched her shoulders. When they were younger, Cade used to remark how he liked it when she wore her hair loose. Jocelyn had finished off her look with a clear gloss and silver eye shadow.

“Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.”

He grinned. “This old thing? Can I get you something to drink? I have beer, soda, orange juice, and a bottle of white zinfandel.”

“Actually, I would love a beer.”

“Great. Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll be out here with your drink.”