Country Kisses (3:AM Kisses Book #8)(27)
“Oh, hon”—I pull her into a tight embrace—“of course, I’m not going to get hurt. Outside of it being purely sexual, it’s one hundred percent platonic.” I force out a hearty laugh, and my throat rubs raw as if punishing me for the lie. I’m not sure why it feels like a lie, just does at the moment.
“Cassidy—” She shakes her head as the moon casts its light over the back of her head, causing her face to get lost in its own shadow. There he is again, haunting me through his sister’s features. It’s eerie, but, in a strange way, I find it comforting. “You may not think I know much about the heart and how it works, but I’m pretty sure if you’re sleeping with this guy—a lot by the way—you have some feelings for him. The fact you can’t admit it is just a technicality. The quicker you rip that bandage off the better. The sooner you acknowledge your feelings, the sooner you can get this relationship off to a real start.”
“And what if he doesn’t feel the same?” Not once in my entire life has someone else felt the same. I don’t know why in the heck Cade James would be any different. In fact, this entire conversation feels wrong. If it’s one thing I don’t do, it’s take a walk on the vulnerable side. I’m not Caila. I don’t get to point the finger and say you will love me. It would never work.
“If he does, then it’s perfect, right?” Piper glares at me as if it’s anything but. “And if he doesn’t say he feels the same, you’d better do two things.”
“What’s that?” My voice shakes as I say it.
Piper steadies those determined eyes over mine with a pent-up fury. “You dump his ass asap, then give me his address.”
Scarlett gives a little honk. “Speaking of asses, get yours in the car! We’re freezing!”
I glance back to Piper and frown. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
And that, my friend, is what my momma calls a bald-faced lie.
It takes less than an hour for me to shower and change into something a lot less comfortable—a tight red dress that goes down to there and up to here, and a pair of five-inch ruby red stilettos that would make my sister wince with both pain and pride.
My little trusty, dusty Honda sputters all the way over to Cade’s clapboard love shack, and this time, I park boldly across the street. The other night, I nearly froze my tits off trotting back to the car in the early a.m. hours. If I ever get brave enough, I’ll simply pull right into the driveway.
My heels click-clack all the way over as I hum a little ditty. I’ve never been so excited to see anyone in my life. All I can think of is getting inside and getting myself some naughty nibbles of those hot buns he’s gifting me for free.
“Knock, knock!” I sing as I rap my knuckles over the door.
It swings open, and Cade grins back with a single rose held to his lips.
“For you, my love.” He holds it out like an offering as his spicy cologne mingles with the sweet floral scent.
My stomach lurches when he calls me that. Not one hour ago, I was professing to all my besties that we had never once uttered that silly little L word, and here he was using it as a term of endearment.
“Oh my…” I’m dumbfounded is what I am. “I love it!” Crap! I touch my fingers to my lips a moment as he helps me inside. There we go again. My hand curves over his, natural as breathing, and I can’t help but think the air is just a bit sweeter in here. “It’s beautiful.”
“Cassidy Clayton.” His eyes ride heated and heavy over my body as he takes me in. “You are the only thing of beauty in this entire room.”
“Oh, hon, you don’t need to go there—this is a sure thing. You’re already getting laid.” Before I can properly give this rose a run for its sweet smelling money by way of out blushing it, I gasp at the sight behind him. An overgrown vase, the size of Texas, holds a million of these red flowery confections. A giant heart-shaped Mylar balloon floats above the sea of flowers with the words, You Belong to Me. And something in my chest seizes with delight. A very real part of me wishes I belonged to this sweet boy right here.
“Who’s the lucky girl?” I’d better play it coy in the event I’m in for a rude awakening. “Or are you planning on running around campus and passing those out to all the sexy little kittens just dying to land you horizontally?” My fingers walk up his chest until I latch my hand over his shoulder. It’s true. I’ve seen the lust-filled looks the girls in class offer him, and I’d be a big, fat liar if I didn’t admit that it made my stomach twist with jealousy—odd since I’m the one actually doing the dirty deed with him.
Cade’s entire face frowns with disapproval, and I nearly knock him over and run out the door. That was the same look Piper gave me less than an hour ago—carbon copy.
“They’re all for you.” That devilish grins reappears as he brings my hand to his lips and lands a gentle kiss to the back. “Every last one.”
Cade James is a man’s man. Not only is he tall, dark, and handsome, but he’s wise, kind, and sexy as hell. He really is the whole package.
“I love them,” I gush and don’t care if I’ve used the L word twice now. “I’m like seriously in love with them.” A horrible thought comes to mind—I can’t take them! This totally goes against anything platonic I’ve touted to my friends. “I’ll make a point to visit them every single day.” I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him in. “Is that okay with you?”