Broken(67)

He grasped the hem of his shirt and lifted it over his head, baring his cut chest. Jocelyn’s mouth went dry, her eyes widening. Cade was thicker than she remembered, his shoulders broader, his stomach more sculpted and defined.

Moving toward her with purposeful stride, Cade captured her gaze with his and held it.

This was it. There was no turning back. Not stopping until their bodies nearly touched, he grazed the side of her face with the back of his hand. Jocelyn willed herself not to flinch away from his touch, desperately trying to suppress the panic building within her. Instead, she concentrated on the calloused hand which felt so familiar and right. Her mind drifted to a time of careless youth when all that mattered was how much she loved this man standing before her. Could she regain the feelings she wasn’t sure she was capable of?

Cade cupped her jaw and lowered his head to brush his lips against hers in a light exploratory kiss. So far so good. She didn’t experience the urge to push him away. In fact, Jocelyn wanted his lips on hers once again. The warmth generating through her body was surely a good sign. Wasn’t it?

Releasing her face, he lowered his gaze to her chest and ran his index finger down the front of her blouse, touching every button. “You have no idea how much I’ve dreamt of this. Tell me you love me.”

She nodded, running her tongue across her lips. “I do. I love you with all my heart.”

The lopsided grin Jocelyn would have killed for tilted Cade’s sensual lips. Unable to resist temptation, she traced those lips with her fingertips. Cade grasped her hand and bit down gently on the tips.

Her breath caught in her throat. He was so tender and gentle, so much so Jocelyn wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold back the tears. She knew how insatiable Cade could be yet he was being so delicate with her, Jocelyn loved him even more for it.

Cade pulled her finger out of his mouth before giving her a light kiss on the back of her hand. Moving with ease, he slowly unbuttoned each button of her blouse with such care, she trembled, not from fear, but a deeper emotion she couldn’t quite name. She gasped as he finished his task and pushed her shirt aside to expose lace-covered breasts. “It’s not too late to change your mind,” he whispered.

Shaking her head with vehemence, Jocelyn touched his arm. “I know, but I don’t want to.”

Cade responded with a nod, his eyes never leaving her breasts, as if they were the most fascinating sight he’d ever seen. He had a way of looking at her that made Jocelyn feel special, like a queen. It reminded her of why she’d fallen in love with him in the first place.

Unclipping the front clasp of her bra, he pushed it aside and rubbed one bare tip with the pad of his thumb. “Jesus Christ, you’re just as beautiful as I remembered—even more so. When I think of what those bastards did to you—”

A whimper tore from her throat and a tremble shimmied up her spine. Thankful for the support of the wall against her back, she rested her head on it and briefly squeezed her lids shut. “Don’t. No reminders from that night, please.”

Molten blue flame blazed within the depths of Cade’s eyes and his mouth thinned to an angry line, but Jocelyn knew his ire wasn’t directed toward her.

Cade grasped her chin and brushed his lips against hers in a gesture of comfort. “I’m not them. I’d never hurt you. You’ve got to trust me.”

Swallowing hard, she managed to nod. “I know you wouldn’t. And I do, Cade…trust you I mean. But deep down, I don’t believe I deserve you. Yet, you’re here with me despite everything you’ve learned. In the back of my mind, I keep thinking you ought to be with someone who doesn’t have so many hang-ups. Someone younger, and who’s not so…damaged.”