He softened, and the pad of his thumb slowly traced up and down my hand. “Don’t want you to worry, Daisy. You deserve the world, and I once promised I’d give it to you. I plan on making that happen.”
My breath hitched, remembering the first time he made me that promise.
We stayed like that for the longest time. Drifting closer and closer.
Cash’s eyes on me. His skin hot and mine flushed.
I wanted to sink all the way in.
“My Little Wallflower,” he murmured.
“Heartbreaker,” I whispered back.
I could feel the tweak of his smile. Wistfulness winding through. Ribbons of our hopes and dreams twining through the energy that would forever keep us connected.
Though we both were chained by the regrets and the grief, so heavy they kept us apart.
Cash seemed to have to pry himself away, and he took a lumbering step back, sorrow and something that looked far too close to need on his face. “Think it’s time you go back to your room.”
“I…”
“Go back to your room, Daisy.”
“It’s your room.” Was it wrong I wanted him to share it with me?
As if he knew exactly what I was thinking, he reached out and traced his fingers along my jaw. Tender, though his voice was hard. “Don’t tempt me. You don’t want what I’ve become.”
My mouth parted. Because I realized right then how much I did.
How I wanted it.
Him.
His past and his present.
Somehow, I forced myself back, turning for his door. I paused outside it. I could feel his gaze pelting into my back, and I looked over my shoulder.
At the silhouette of the man.
A vibrating giant in the middle of the room.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Because I knew that Cash would always be the only one who would really take care of me.
NINETEEN
DAISY
SIXTEEN YEARS OLD
Laughter rolled out of her,and Daisy bit down on the inside of her cheek to try to keep it quiet since they were in Cash’s room. The lights bright and the boy sitting with his legs crisscrossed in front of her, the same way as she was sitting.
His warm brown hair curled around his ears and his hazel eyes were alight.
Cash took a big snapping bite from his Red Vine, chewing with that smile on his face that made her belly flip.
They’d been this way for the entire school year. Together constantly. Her in his room as they hung out.
