Page 13 of Stupid Dirty

Before she walks away, I snag her arm to ask one more question.

“Hey, do you remember what happened to his mom? He said something about her, but I don’t know the story. My parents didn’t exactly subscribe to the PTA newsletter back then.”

Wish almost laughs at that. “Sorry, I never knew him. He was already gone before I started riding. I always thought it was just him and his dad. Maybe she left them?”

Based on the conversation we just had, my money’s on something darker, but Wish doesn’t need to hear that.

“Okay, no worries.”

Chapter Six

Why is it so bright in here? I never open my curtains, ever. I fucking hate the sunlight. What monster would come into my room and open the curtains? Even Dad shows me that basic courtesy.

I peel apart my eyelids and it quickly becomes obvious that this isn’t my room. That’s why the curtains are open. I have no idea whose room this is. My stomach lurches, and between that and the dead possum/cotton ball situation going on in my mouth, I think it’s safe to say I got very, very drunk last night. It also feels like I’m shirtless and wearing what must be someone else’s sweatpants.

When I roll over to take in my surroundings, ignoring the screaming protest of my entire body, it looks like I’m in a normal bed in a normal room. I can handle this. It doesn’t seem that bad until I realize there’s someone else in the bed with me.

That’s enough to make me freeze.

I don’t do the hook up thing. Ever. Literally ever. Between how awkward I am and how overbearing my dad is, no girl hasseemed worth the hassle, and I’ve made my peace with that. So I have absolutely no frame of reference for what I’m supposed to do now, if that’s what this is.

Then the person moves more, and the blanket shifts enough to reveal a broad, muscular back, covered in tattoos. Most are normal, but there’s some shit that’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Scattered all over his back and arms, there are designs that make it look like the skin is torn, revealing something mechanical underneath. It’s incredibly detailed and intricate, and I find myself staring without meaning to.

The contrast with the more normal designs actually works. I think I can see the top of a butterfly wrapping around his ribs, but that seems like a weird tattoo for a dude. I wish the blanket would shift lower so I could see the rest of it.

It takes a minute for me to snap myself out of that distraction. Either way, it’s a guy.

Phew.

Not a hookup.

I still don’t know why I’m sharing a bed with a dude, but the reasons are all less awkward, so I’m fucking relieved until the guy rolls over and happens to be wearing Cade Waters’ face.

Didn’t Cade yell at me last night? My memory is fuzzy as hell, but I’m pretty sure I remember him leaning his weight into me and pinning me between him and a wall hard enough to send a tingling sensation through my body. Unless I dreamed that.

“Cade?”

The word slips out of my mouth before I remember that it’s rude to wake up someone who’s probably also hungover, and potentially wants to murder me.

It takes him a few seconds to wake up. He rubs at his eyes, and I’m kind of surprised by how slender his fingers are. His hands are elegant, like a pianist or something, not a dirt bike rider. Heblinks a few times, just as sluggish to orient himself as I was, but that pulls my focus away from his hands.

When his gaze lands on me, he doesn’t look angry anymore.

“Mornin’,” he mumbles. His voice is raspy with sleep, and his stupid Ozarks accent, the one my dad made me work to shed, is thick. It makes me feel more like I’m at home than I have all week.

“What happened?”

I should probably get up, but I don’t want to. The world feels a little wobbly, and I’m content to lie here for a minute and get my bearings. I’m on my side facing Cade and he mirrors my position, only a foot of space between us. The sheets are warm everywhere I touch them.

“You,” he looks at me pointedly with slate-gray eyes, “got wasted, ya lightweight. And then you wandered out to the quarry and nearly slipped off the edge, until I saved you, because I am a damn hero.”

He closes his eyes as he says this, smiling that big,Cadegrin to himself and snuggling down further into the covers. He looks so content, it almost distracts me from what he’s talking about, until his voice turns serious. Cade keeps his eyes closed as he speaks, and I don’t let myself consider that it’s to preserve my dignity, because that would be the kindest thing anyone’s done for me in a very long time and I’m not sure if I could process it right now.

“Then we talked, and you said some stuff. Y’know how it is sometimes. I didn’t want you to be alone. I was planning on crashing in Braydon’s guest room anyway, so I dragged you in here where I could keep an eye on you and make sure you didn’t do anything stupid.”

He cracks one eye open and peers at me, just a sliver of gray shining through.

“So no more stupid shit, okay? Because I have a job, and I’m only available for heroics part-time.”

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