Page 40 of A Gift of Time
Chapter Eleven
Two days later, it was December twentieth. Only four days left until Christmas Eve, but I no longer worried about it. Caden and I had become close so fast, and I was happy.
Ever since the night we’d had sex, we’d done it several more times, and each instance had been mind-blowing. Perfect.
When we weren’t having sex, we were talking, and it was no longer just small talk.
He told me more about his ex-boyfriend, Blake, and even explained how they’d met.
A friend of a friend had set them up, and Caden thought it’d been fate. He’d never met a man like Blake before—one so charming, handsome, and attentive—and Caden had quickly fallen for him. After only three months of dating, Caden had moved in with him.
Blake was bisexual, and Caden hadn’t had a problem with that. He believed love was love, and it didn’t matter. Blake, however, was a lowlife, cheating bastard and had cheated on Caden with a girl Blake worked with. Being bisexual had nothing to do with that, of course; he was just an asshole.
I understood Cay’s devastation, even though I couldn’t fully relate. Being betrayed in such a way by someone you loved would leave a permanent scar on your heart. That’s why I knew I never would’ve cheated on Caden in the past, even during the times when we’d been fighting.
Yeah, the thought had crossed my mindonetime, but it had been more out of spite than desire, and I would’ve never gone through with it.
Most of our conversations concerning Caden’s past romances were done as we sat by the fire, drinking wine. No better way to recall past heartbreaks.
My dating history in this version of reality was a blur, so when he asked me questions, I’d told him what I remembered from my old life, leaving out the part with him.
“So you’ve never been in love?” he asked once we were on our second glass of wine.
“Nope,” I lied before taking a drink. “I’m not opposed to love or anything like that. If I find the one, I won’t let him go.”
He smiled and focused on the fireplace. “I’ve loved a few men, but I don’t think I’ve ever beeninlove, either.”
“Do you believe he’s out there?” I asked, not taking my eyes off him.
His hair was styled with a small amount of gel, causing the front to part to the side in a stylish flip, and the blue sweater he wore matched the shade of his eyes. The faint smell of lavender lingered in the air from where he’d placed one of those scented wall plug-ins.
“Maybe,” Caden answered, moving his gaze back to me. “It’s kind of depressing if you think about it too much. Out of all the people in the world, there’s onlyonethat will set your heart on fire. The chance of finding him is slim, don’t you think?”
“Not really,” I said before pondering my next words. “Call it destiny or just dumb luck, but I think two hearts that belong together will always find a way. Maybe it’s like magnets. We each have someone we belong to, and when we’re around that person, the pull is strong, as if giving us a sign that we’re meant to be together.”
Caden’s eyes shone with curiosity. “For a man who claims he’s never loved someone, you sure seem to understand it pretty well.”
I shrugged and looked down at my lap. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” he answered, but his tone was cautious.
Lifting my gaze back to him, I asked, “Why did you change your mind? About me?”
“I didn’t exactly change my mind,” he said as his forehead creased. “I still don’t want to date… not yet. But you make me feel safe. Special. It’s hard to explain.”
“Try.”
Caden sighed before taking a drink, as if needing the liquid courage. His eyes met mine. “When I’m with you, I feel like I’ve known you my whole life, Jack. Your brown eyes watch me like I’m some rare gem, and when you touch me, you’re both gentle and firm, as if you’re afraid to break me, but also afraid of letting go.”
“Youarerare, Cay. There’s not another man like you out there.”
He scoffed, but his cheeks darkened. “You barely know me.”
“Time doesn’t matter,” I said, feeling a weight on my chest. There was no way to describe the depth of my feelings without scaring him off. “I knew you were different from the very first moment I saw you.”
Silence followed my words. He fixated on the fire and seemed so far away. I ached to touch him, but I doubted that’d be a good move, so I kept to myself.
“So, you have the office Christmas party Friday?” he asked after a while, looking back at me.
