As the band started their rendition of one of my favorite songs, I asked Cade, “Do you dance?”
“I guess.”
“Let’s go.”
I pulled him to the dance floor then turned to him and moved my hips, but he just stared.
“Oh, come on, you have to dance.” I placed my hand on his chest and found my rhythm. I closed my eyes and let the beat echo through my body as I swayed to the music. I raised my hands and started to turn around but Cade’s hands went to my waist, locking me in place.
His body pressed into mine and moved along with me. My eyes popped open. He wasn’t just moving with me, he had rhythm.
“You can dance,” I blurted.
He shrugged, neither confirming nor denying what was clear to me. The boy had moves.
“Is there anything you can’t do?”
His eyes locked on mine. “Not sure yet.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck as we swayed to the song. “You’re on a winning streak so far.”
He reached for one of my hands and brought it to his mouth. “I’m studying up for the final.”
His face had the tiniest bit of stubble. And all I could think about was the way it felt brushing against my thighs. “I enjoyed the pop quiz.”
He chuckled. “Me too. I think I aced it.”
“You scored extra credit.”
The band led into another song; the beat was totally different, but we didn’t stop our slow seductive pace.
“Question.” He wrapped my arm back around his neck, and asked, “You seemed a bit, um, nervous about the quiz. Any reason why?”
Did I answer truthfully? Play it off, and claim he’d just caught me by surprise, or maybe just deny nerves altogether?
He ran his thumb along my jaw. “I don’t want to push things if you aren’t ready. If I’m doing something wrong, I’d rather you tell me than just, you know, shut down. I never want you to close me out.”
“You were the first”—I looked down then quickly added—“to take the quiz.” It seemed easier to talk about using dumb metaphors.
“Oh. I just figured—”
My head snapped up. Figured what? I was a slut who let guys go down on me all the time?
“You were with your boyfriend for three years. You know…” He shrugged. “I can’t even be around you three minutes in this dress without thinking about that.”
I laughed while internally chastising myself for jumping to conclusions…again. For some crazy reason this insanely gorgeous guy not only liked me, but was nonjudgmental. Like he’d said, I had to quit assuming the worse. “I guess I never wore enough dresses back then.”
“Between you and me, it’s not just the dress.” He grinned, then his expression turned more serious. “And I have a hard time believing I was the first one to, uh, attempt the quiz. So thanks.”
I laughed. “You realize your thanking me is kind of backward. I’m pretty sure I should be thanking you.”
“You didn’t shut down, but you did have a hard time at first, didn’t you? You weren’t nervous about what I was doing, you were nervous about how you’d handle it.”
Wow. He’d nailed it. Dead-on.
“Very perceptive.” Too perceptive. If he’d sensed that tiny shift earlier, there was no way I could get away with it during sex. Which meant if things didn’t go the way I’d hoped, I couldn’t even fake it.
“What’s wrong?”
“I—I just can’t believe you picked up on that.”
“That’s a good thing, Fallon.” He pulled me to him and I rested my head against his chest. “A very good thing.”
“If you say so.”
He kissed the top of my head. “Trust me.” But something about the way he’d said it wasn’t a casual follow-up expression, there was more to it. So much more. A request. A plea. A promise.
I slid my arms down and placed my palms on each side of his face, urging him to not just hear my response, but see it. Because behind it was a promise of my own. And hands-down the scariest one. “Okay.”
Cade slipped his arms down my body, gripped my waist and raised me off the ground. My feet dangled as he hugged me, burying his face in my neck. And a crazy happiness settled over me. Like somehow with just that one word everything had changed between us. This relationship, which only an hour ago I would have said couldn’t get any better, just did. And that was the moment I realized, I was falling for the first time in…well, forever. I mean, how hard could I really have fallen at fifteen?
When it was time to go, Brinley offered to give me a ride, which would have made sense since we were going to the same place, and Cade would have to make a special trip to take me home, but I’d spent quite a bit of the night thinking about something and needed to get it off my mind. It scared me a bit, but thrilled me too. But I’d come to a decision and Cade needed to know.
I didn’t want to wait three weeks.
Ryder pushed open the door for us, just as Mason walked in with a group of guys.
Mason smiled. “Hey, didn’t expect to see you here.” He told the friends he’d walked in with that he’d meet them at the bar, then hugged Brinley, said a quick hello to Ryder and glanced at me. “Are you leaving?” His gaze slid to Cade, his expression amused.
I fought back the urge to roll my eyes.
Brinley gave him a look that clearly stated, Keep your mouth shut. “Yep. We’re on our way home.”
“Too bad. I would have loved to get a drink with you.” He gave me a look. “I don’t think I’ve met your friend.” He smiled. “I’m Mason.”
Cade shook his hand and returned the smile. “Cade.”
I held my breath, waiting for the inevitable commentary.
“Nice to meet you. We’ll have to all grab a drink together some other time.”
I exhaled. Mason was actually not going to take advantage of this golden opportunity?
“Catch you later.” He slipped past us and we walked out the door.
I glanced back and found Mason waiting expectantly.
With a grin, he mouthed, “I win.”
And there was the Mason I knew and didn’t love. I rolled my eyes and turned back to my friends. “Hang on. I need to tell Mason something.”
Brinley looked nervous, Ryder amused, while Cade just looked between us.
“Be right back.” As I headed back inside, I reached into my wallet and pulled out some cash, marched up to where Mason had just sat down and slammed the money onto the bar. “Totally worth it.”
“I knew you wouldn’t let me down.” He laughed as I walked away. “And, Fallon…”
I turned around, prepared for more teasing.
“Good for you.” He tilted his beer bottle in my direction and smiled.
I smiled back. “Thanks.”
My friends stood where I’d left them outside the door.
“That was quick.” Cade looped his fingers through mine.
I smiled. “Ready to go?”
We said our goodbyes to Brinley and Ryder then Cade led me down the sidewalk toward his car.
“So, I’m guessing Mason is your roommate’s best friend?”
I nodded.
“And whatever that was, you don’t plan on telling me about it?”
I grinned. “Let’s just say, I wouldn’t change a thing. And regardless of what Mason thinks, I totally won this one.”
Cade laughed as we reached his Jeep. “Hmm, okay. I guess that’s a good thing.”
“A great thing.”
Just before I hopped in, he gave me a kiss. “Want to stay at my place tonight? I can give you a ride home in the morning.”
That actually worked well with the discussion I wanted to have. “Sure.”
“Hmm, that was easy. I thought I’d have to do a little persuading.” He walked around to his side of the Jeep and jumped in. “Not that I’m complaining, but I had a whole little speech planned about Scout and the bed. You know, basically, don’t just do it for me. Do it for him.”
“Wow, the big guns.”
“I do what needs to be done.”
When we walked into his apartment, his roommate was on the couch with Scout on the other end.
“Hey,” Sean said as he stretched. “I just took Scout out.”
“Thanks,” Cade said.
Sean glanced back and noticed me. “Hey, Fallon.” He smirked at Cade. “Well, guess I’ll be heading to my room now.”
Scout raised his head and his tail slapped against the couch.
“Three’s a crowd, and all that.” Sean ruffled the fur along Scout’s neck. “Unless, of course, you’re a dog.” He stood and stretched again. “Oh, to be a dog in a crate.”
Cade rolled his eyes at Sean’s fly-on-a-wall reference. “ ’Night, Sean,” he grumbled.
“See you two crazy kids later.” He strolled out of the room but paused and patted the kitchen wall. “Oh, and FYI, the shower in Cade’s room backs to the kitchen.”
God, Sean was like a male version of me. Poor Brinley, always having to put up with my crap. She was a damn good sport.
Cade just shook his head and muttered, “Jealous?”
“Fuck yeah, I am,” Sean called back as he wandered down the hall. “I’m going to start calling you magic hands.”
Though Sean was still fucking around, I sensed Cade losing his patience.
“It’s not just his hands,” I said.
Sean looked over his shoulder at me.
“I mean, call him what you want, but don’t sell him short.”
Sean just stared at me, surprised by either what I’d said or the fact I’d said anything at all.
I smiled in the way that always drove guys crazy, totally fake but filled with flirtation. “Listen close tonight and maybe you can figure out what I like to call him.”
He leaned his head against his door frame and groaned. “Just not even fair.” He picked his head up and glanced at me. “If you get bored, you know I live right down the hall.”
I laughed, though Cade didn’t seem to find quite the humor in it I did.
He slipped his hand in mine. “Not happening, bro.”
Sean raised his hands. “Just throwing it out there.”
“Thanks,” I said sweetly. “But my schedule is pretty full with Cade RSVPing to my fuckfest and all…”
Cade chuckled.
Sean gaped at me then, with a pointed look at Cade, said, “Marry her, dude. Seriously, if you don’t, I will.” He stepped into his room grumbling something about fuckfests.
“My roommate is in love with you now. You’re like this hot female version of him. His dream girl.”
“Hmm.” I backed my way down the hall, tapping my finger on my chin. “Not quite the roommate I was going for.”
Cade cocked a super sexy grin as he let me lead him toward his room. “I don’t mind. He can keep dreaming as long as he remembers you’re my girl.” He pushed his bedroom door shut as our mouths collided, then pulled slightly back and added, “All mine.”
“That I am.” I ran my hands up his chest and sat on the bed, dragging him with me. “All yours and…this girl can’t wait three weeks.”
His body had just settled over me when he stiffened.
“I know what I said before, but I’ve been thinking and we don’t need to wait until my internship is over.”
“Okay.” He stared into my eyes but still didn’t make a move.
“Like, it can be tonight.”
He relaxed a little and kissed me, slowly moving his lips over mine. “That’s a very tempting offer.” He ran his mouth down my jaw and over my throat. “But I think we should wait.”
“I know you’re worried. I am too. But I’ve thought a lot about it and even if it doesn’t go as planned, we can try again. It might just take a while for me to, you know, let go. But I plan on sticking around for a while and I hope you do too.”
His body pushed into mine as he sprinkled kisses over my collarbone. “I’m definitely sticking around. Which is why we have time to make things perfect.” He shifted onto his side and ran his finger down my neckline, tracing the top of my bra. “Right now, I’m enjoying mapping you out.” He licked the soft spot behind my ear. “But there’s just one more part left. After that, it’s going to be perfect.”
“Oh yeah?” I brushed his hair off his forehead. “Which part is that?”
“You’ll see.” He grinned.
“So no sex until you’ve finished mapping me?”
“Yep.” He kissed my forehead.
My phone rang from my purse, which I had dropped by the door on my way in. I groaned. “It’s late so it’s either really important or a drunkass friend.”
I rolled over him and grabbed my purse. The number flashing across the screen made my heart skip and stall.
“Cameron,” I muttered. Which meant either my sister was using his phone or something was wrong with her. “Hello?” My heart threatened to beat out of my chest as I waited to see who was on the other end.
“Hey.” The familiar deep voice twisted my gut.
“Is Amber okay?”
“What? Yeah. She’s fine. Why?” The calm but confused tone relieved me but also stirred up new ones.
I couldn’t hear his voice and not think about the three years we’d spent together. When it came to Cameron, my feelings always resided a little too close to the surface, teetering between disgust and heartbreak. With a quick check of my emotions, I continued, “Because you’re calling. Why else would you be calling?”
“Just to talk.”
I glanced at Cade, who’d sat up and watched me intently. “About?”
“I don’t know, just talk. Sometimes I miss talking to you.”
“You have Amber. Why don’t you just talk to her?”
“Are you jealous?” Why did he sound so happy about that?
“Jealous? Oh my God. No. I’m worried about her and just don’t understand why…” I huffed. “It’s not jealousy. Look, I can’t talk—”
“Maybe it’s because you still have feelings. We still have—”
“Cameron, get over yourself. Look, I don’t know what’s going on between you and Amber, but if this in any way, shape or form has to do with me, stop. Because honestly, you are no longer a part of my life, don’t try to make me a part of yours.”
“Fuck, Fallon, what’s gotten into you?”
This amazing guy sitting across from me. Cameron was nothing more than a high school boyfriend. A relationship that had lasted well beyond its expiration date. He might have been the first guy I slept with, but he wasn’t my first love. Hell, I had more emotion flowing through me at that very moment for Cade than I’d ever had for Cameron.
I sighed. “Nothing’s gotten into me. I’m just not interested in whatever bullshit you’re spouting.” Why was I even doing this when I had something so much better? I smiled over at Cade. “But there is one thing I’m interested in and he’s sitting right in front of me, patiently waiting for me to hang up on your sorry ass.” I clicked “end” and dropped my phone back into my purse.
“Took you long enough.” Cade grinned as I straddled his lap. “Let me guess, he misses you?”
I shrugged. “I can honestly say I don’t even care.”
He tucked my hair back and kissed me. “C’mon.” He leaned back, laying me on the bed next to him. “I have some mapping to do, a little treasure hunt.”
I laughed. “Treasure?”
“This last piece is pretty priceless.” He brought my hand to his mouth and kissed my palm.
“Let me know when you find it.”
He started at my wrist and ran kisses up the inside of my arm, cruising his way to my chest. “Oh, you’ll know.”
With a deep sigh, I relaxed under the familiar feel of his lips grazing my skin in their quest for some invisible X. The missing piece. And the last step before we gave ourselves to one another. Whatever it was, I looked forward to his finding it as well.
Chapter 15
The next da
y at work, I floated around on some sort of Cade-high. Something about him just did it for me. There were no words to explain why or how, it was just attraction at its finest. Sure he was drool-worthy, fucktastic in bed and an all around good guy, but there was more. Like I was drawn to him by the laws of chemistry.
“What’s the deal?” Claudia gestured to me with a slight look of disgust. “You look all dopey, punch-drunk, or something.” She tossed several toys on a tray to air-dry.
“Nothing. Just having a good day.” And even her bitchy-ass attitude wouldn’t bring me down.
She glared. “Did you hear about the paid position or something?”
“What’s to know?” I shrugged and sprayed down the tub of blocks.
“So you haven’t heard?”
“About?”
“They are doing exit interviews next week, which, of course, could determine who gets the job.”
Tyler walked in right then, a few minutes early for shift change and wearing a smile that put mine to shame.
“Is there, like, something in the water? What’s the deal with everyone today?” Claudia closed the cabinet and rolled her eyes.
“I just nailed a reference from Oscar.”
“You did what?” Claudia’s perfect composure faulted and her voice got slightly pitchy.
“A rec. From Oscar. He agrees that we can use more men in this department, likes my work ethic and plans to write me a recommendation. He’s giving it to Victoria before the exit interview.”
“Are we supposed to be getting written recommendations?” Panic flared through me. I was just hoping a little word of mouth would go a long way, but I hadn’t planned to go begging for written approval. Who would even do that for me? Amy? We got along but with all her gossip about my personal life, she may not think I’m the best candidate. And if she could write only one rec, it’d probably go to Lindsey.
“Well, it looks like now we need to.” Claudia swore under her breath. “And now that you hit up Oscar.” She tugged at her lip as her eyebrows pinched together. “Cade,” she said with a smile.
I spun to her. What did she know about Cade and me?
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