“If spending an extra hour with me makes you that miserable,” I said. “I’ll stay on the bus.”
The way Cadence’s eyebrows turned down, creating a wrinkle between them, was pretty fucking adorable.“I’m actually surprised you are volunteering to spend more time with me. Considering this is the first time you’ve talked to me instead of freezing me out with the silent treatment.”
“I wasn’t giving you the silent treatment.”
“Ha. And I’m a monkey’s uncle.”
“Wow. I never would have guessed. I couldn’t even tell that you were part of the primate family. Or, that you were a guy for that matter.” I wanted to get a rise out of her. Her facial expressions were so animated, so passionate. Each one a window into her heart.
She rewarded my efforts as she crossedher arms with a huff, her face turning slightly crimson in the streetlights.“I’m definitely not a guy, thank you. It’s just a saying.”
I knew this, of course, just by looking at her captivating curves. And I had done my share of studying and imagining how tightly her legs would wrap around my waist. How her soft mouth would open against mine. How her body would tremble pressed against the nearest wall as I entered her. “I know.”
“So… is it safe to say you are past being a dick?”
Was I? Or the better question—should I be? I didn’t know, but if I let myself be honest, from the moment I met her, I craved our interactions.Even when I knew I shouldn’t.
Bad, bad, bad…
“Yeah.”
She let out a sigh. “I’m glad.”
I cleared my throat. “Thanks for doing this for us.”
“I was strong-armed into it. You can thank Jade. She put me up to it. “
“I’ll make sure to give her a big hug when we get back.”
Cadence frowned again and her body tensed just a little. “She’d like that.”
Something about the way she’d said it didn’t line up with her words. Her voice was tight and clipped, and we fell into an awkward silence.
Thankfully, we were only minutes from the bus, and when I finally pulled into the mechanic shop, I jumped right out.
Filling my lungs with the salty, ocean air, I noticed how accustomed I’d become to her scent while driving her car. She had slowly overwhelmed my senses, and after leaving her cocoon, I missed it.
Okay… enough of that.
Wasting no time, I took care of the trailer. The mechanic promised they’d have the bus fixed by tomorrow afternoon with plenty of time to make it toour next gig.
I walked toward the passenger side of the Jeep to tell Cadence I needed to run onto the bus and grab a few things, mainly a change of clothes.
As I approached, I found those electric amber eyes closed. She had fallen asleep on me.
A strange warmth settled somewhere in my chest as I turned back toward the bus. I changed my clothes quickly and ran some water over my face before heading back out.
It made me a little nervous to leave her alone in a place I wasn’t familiar with, defenseless and vulnerable, and looking like a snack.
But not because it was Cadence. I would have been that way with anyone… I promise.
At least, that’s what I told myself as I did everything in my power to not make a single sound as I climbed back into her Jeep. I shut the door and threw my sweatshirt in the back seat, enveloped in the crisp fruity scent of her world again.
I let my eyes roam her sleeping figure, like a man seeing color for the first time. I was getting to see her when she didn’t have her guard up.
Of course, I noticed the obvious things before, like her petite frame, delicious curves, and those striking eyes. But now I saw much more. Freckles peppered her smooth skin, and she had scars on her knees and elbows, probably from falling as a kid. Her lips were plump and her mouth alluring, and I couldn’t stop my gaze from following the line of her dress, traveling down her neck, her chest, and over the curves of her breasts.
After everything I said earlier about how women don’t deserve to be ogled because of what they wear—here I was, staring at her like a pervert. But I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. The sight of her cleavage and bare thighs alone was enoughfor me to get off.
