Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 25234 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 126(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25234 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 126(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
“Cade, I–”
“Up until now, all I’ve known is work. I grew up with nothing, and it made me want to make something of myself. I wanted to prove to everyone that I could be more than where I came from.”
Sky nods. “I understand that.”
I know she does.
“I wanted to be able to spoil my parents so they could retire early. But one night, a car crash took them from me.”
Sky’s face shifts again, taken over by shock and sympathy, confirming I’ve made the right choice in letting myself love her.
“I…I lost my mom too.”
I feel our bond strengthening. It’s like a steel chain from heart to heart, each link forging stronger and stronger as I stare at her.
“So you know what it’s like.”
“Yes.” She nods.
“Work became my escape. Girls walked in and out of my life, but I never let anyone close. I couldn’t lose someone I cared for again. It would break me for good. But then I met you, Sky. And now I know that I’m staring at my forever-girl.”
Tears are forming in the bottoms of her gorgeous eyes.
“Cade…”
I step close and take her hands in mine.
“I can’t know what life will bring. But I know that I can’t spend any more time locked away from the world. And it was you that made me realize that. So please, angel. Come and live with me.”
Her eyes leave me. They’re moving. She’s thinking. Contemplating.
And I get it. I’ve just dropped a bomb on her.
My heart is pounding. Adrenaline is pumping through me. I feel as though I’m standing on the edge of a precipice, looking up at the stars where Sky and I could soar together, but below me is the roaring sea, just waiting to swallow me up if this goes wrong.
I’ve never put myself out there like this before. Ever.
Then I feel Sky rubbing the back of my hand with her thumb. She’s so delicate and looks up at me with tender eyes as a single tear slips down her cheek.
She nods.
“Of course I’ll come and live with you, Cade.”
9
SKY
I’m watching Misty as she finishes up an enormous piece on a girl’s back. I really should be paying much more attention than I am considering all the work she’s put in, but once again, I’m drowning in thoughts of Cade.
The last couple of days were like being doused in orgasmic lighter fluid and set on fire that turned into pure bliss. He’s the most incredible man in the world, and I have been trying to come up with some rational reason of why I have been so lucky as to have run into him, but I can’t.
Maybe it’s the universe balancing itself out for giving my mom cancer all those years ago and taking her from me. Or maybe it’s because my dad and I have been forced to live under the shadow of my terrible aunt for all these years. Or maybe it’s because I’ve had to live in the poorest part of town while watching my dad slowly kill himself working way too many hours week after week as the years go by.
I guess those would make sense if I believed in some kind of universal scales or a benevolent God looking out for me. But after all these years, I’m pretty sure my faith in those sorts of things has been sucked out of me.
All I know is that I managed to meet Cade, and it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m not going to bother questioning why. I’m just going to accept it and move on.
I’m not a superstitious person either, but I don’t want to spend too long wondering why and then end up having him yanked away from me just like my mom.
“So no baths for two weeks,” I hear Misty say to her client, waking me from my stupor. “Showers are fine. You know the deal.”
I stand and smile and do all the cleanup work as Misty sees her out. When she gets back to her station, I feel her poke me in the back.
“What’s up with you today?” she asks. “You seemed distracted.”
“Yeah, sorry about that–”
“Let me guess.” She fake-ponders. “You and Cade did anal for the first time.”
“What!?” I burst out laughing. “No!”
“Bad first guess,” she chuckles. “My ex always wanted to do that. What’s with guys and anal? I always used to tell him there’s a perfectly good hole right there that was designed for your dick, you know?”
Still laughing, I nod. “Totally. But no, actually Cade asked me to move in with him.”
Misty’s eyes go wide, and she sits, pulling me down in the chair beside her. She grabs a seltzer for both of us and gives me the go-ahead nod.
“Tell me everything.”
I delve right into it, from the waterfall, to the cooking dinner at his house and all the fun we had after, to the way he woke me up in the morning and the time we shared in his amazing walk-in shower. For some reason, I’m feeling a lot more comfortable sharing. Maybe that’s because I’m growing closer with Misty, or maybe it’s a result of Cade’s proposition and how it’s changed me.