Page 58 of Stay
What he’s doing feels amazing.
“Hmmm?”
“I don’t think we should take this any further.” I pause, trying to catch my breath along with my scattered thoughts. “I’m sorry.”
This is exactly what he does to me.
Instead of pushing for more, he nibbles his way back up to my mouth before pressing a lingering kiss against my lips.
“I know.” He shrugs as if stopping isn’t a big deal. One corner of his mouth hitches before he presses his forehead against mine. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to force you into something you’re not ready for.”
I step away, searching his whiskey-colored eyes. Sometimes it feels as if I could stumble and fall right into them. I can’t help but wonder what would happen if I did.
If I allowed myself to fall.
If I stopped retreating and took that leap of faith.
A thin shiver snakes its way down my spine as I continue to inch away.
16
COLE
“Hi sweetie,” Mom calls out a greeting as I walk through the front door.
I pause, flooded with memories of what it felt like to walk into Cassidy’s house. The tone and feel of our houses couldn’t be more different. Even with no one there to greet us, the vibe had felt strangely tense.
“Hey, Mom.”
Even though I’m nearly twenty, she wraps her arms around me and pulls me in for a hug. Other guys might fight the intimacy or grumble under their breaths, but I don’t.
Honestly, I don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks.
I know what it feels like to lose a parent.
So, if the woman wants to give me a hug every once in a while, I’m cool with it.
My mind tumbles back to Cassidy and her father. The stilted awkwardness of their interaction had felt like a suffocating blanket. Even though part of me hadn’t wanted to leave her with him, it had been a relief to get the hell out of there.
His demeanor had been so cold and distant.
Angry.
I’m still trying to figure out what’s going on, and Cassidy has remained tight-lipped about the situation.
That’s an understatement. Cassidy is closemouthed about her past in general. Prying even the tiniest details from her is difficult. Other than she grew up playing hockey, I don’t know much else about her.
She’s a puzzle I want to solve.
All right, she’s a puzzle Ineedto solve.
I’m not proud of myself, but I’ve done a little online snooping, hoping to gather a little more intel on this girl. The only thing I’ve been able to uncover is a few newspaper clippings and website pictures of her playing youth hockey.
Championship photos.
You could tell from the set of her jaw and glint in her eyes that she was one hell of a tough player. She wore her confidence as if she knew exactly where she belonged. Even in a group of rough and tumble boys, she’d known she was accepted.
What the hell had happened to change that?
