Page 55 of The 13th Daughter
"Yup."
Before I realized what he was doing, he took the tiny cloth bag and emptied its contents into his hand. He nearly choked. "You can't keep this!"
"The hell I can't." I snatched my necklace and its velvety bag from him. "It was a gift. You seem to forget I really don't like it when people try and tell me what to do. You don't own me, Ethan."
"Cassie, you're my girlfriend," he hissed. "You're not supposed to accept gifts from other guys."
"Jeff is my friend and I've known him since I was born. He isn't just some other boy."
"You're damn right, he's not just some other boy. He's in love with you."
"I know." Ethan sounded like an ass, but I didn't get mad. He was so jealous he couldn't see straight and I loved it.
"You know?" His eyes widened in shock. Then they narrowed angrily.
I nodded. "We sorta talked about it today."
Gray eyes locked onto mine. "And?"
"And I explained to him that I have a boyfriend that I love with all my heart."
He went still. He'd told me he loved me, but I'd never said the words back to him.
"Oh...huh." He scuffed his shoe on the step.
That was his response to my declaration of love? He was a guy, I reminded myself. Did I really expect him to melt at my feet the way I had him? Yeah, but I knew better. Guys just didn't have the same emotional level girls did. Lucky them.
"And I'm not giving this back." I shook the bag at him. "I have wanted a necklace just like this since I saw it in Titanic years ago. Jeff remembered that and had it made for me."
Ethan's lips pursed, but he nodded. Smart boy.
"What are you doing here anyway?" I asked. "You said you'd be busy all day."
"I came to tell you I have to leave for a bit. I need to go home for a couple days."
He was leaving? "You'll be back for my birthday, right?"
He smiled that lazy smile full of devilment that drove me to distraction. "There is nothing in this world or the next, Cassie Jayne Bishop, that could keep me away on your birthday."
What an odd way to phrase it. Ethan said some of the strangest things to me at times, but I really didn't care. At least not just then. He'd be back for my birthday. That's all that mattered. "I'll miss you."
He smiled and pulled me to the porch swing. I snuggled into him. I loved the feel of his arms wrapped around me. He made me feel safe when he held me like this. I could forget my doubts, forget he was lying to me, forget everything. Mr. Melt In Your Mouth Gorgeous pulled me into his lap, turned so that he was stretched out on the swing, and I settled into him. His chest cushioned my head and he stroked my hair in long, gentle glides. His legs wrapped around mine and I was content to just lay and listen to the pounding of his heart in my ear. I'm not sure how long we stayed like that, enjoying the peace and contentment that filled us. It could have been minutes or hours. I really did lose all sense of reality around my M&M.
"Thank you," he whispered.
"For what?"
"For telling me you loved me."
"You're welcome."
"I know you probably think it's too soon to feel like this," he told me softly. "There was a time when people were simpler and didn't over think things. They took time to appreciate what was in front of them and trusted their instincts. I knew you were important to me the moment I saw you dragging Kay from the bonfire. The more time I spent with you, the more I knew you were the missing piece of my heart. It's had a hole for a long time and you filled it, soothed the hurt, and I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you, Cassie Jayne Bishop. Never doubt that...no matter what might happen."
A part of me cringed at his words. He knew what was going to happen, but wouldn't tell me. I hated that. The other part of me didn't care, it only heard the love in his voice and felt it as itwrapped me in a blanket of warmth. He loved me and that's all that mattered.
"I love you too, Ethan Matthew Warren."
"So I don't have to worry about strangling Jeff and dumping his body in the woods when I get back?" he teased.
