“I don’t hate you.Youhateme. But even if I did hate you, I’d still help. I love making people feel better.” I leaned back on the table as he wedged his hips between my thighs. “Weston?”
“I don’t hate you. I might hate me, though.” His touch was gentle as he stroked my cheek. “I’ll never drink again. It’s time I get my shit together so you don’t have to transfer to ASU or somewhere equally not Texas.”
I closed my eyes and did my best to not lean into his touch. I’d just been furious at him. I couldn’t just get over it that quickly. My face sure wasn’t going to just get over it. I could feel myselfmelting, though. Because I got being angry. I got feeling like things were unfair and lashing out. I got being the bad guy.
“I want to stay mad at you.” I opened my eyes and searched his face. “But I think I’ve spent my entire life feeling angry and bitter about the way things worked out. And I let it make me mean at times. So I guess I don’t have a lot of room to withhold forgiveness.”
“Maybe you’ll share that story with me sometime.” He dropped his hands to my thighs and squeezed. “So, youdoforgive me?”
I groaned and shrugged. “Why not? After the things I said to you yesterday, I guess we’re even. My face for your feelings.”
He leaned even closer. “Not even. I have some things to make up to you. And some things to find out more about. I have to say, Cassidy, if I had to be stuck in this mess with anyone, I’m not sorry it’s you. After all, not many people would’ve threatened to have a rabid raccoon eat my dick.”
I pressed my hands to his chest and pushed him back an inch. “Don’t look too closely at me right now. You’ll wish for that rabid raccoon to avoid this mess.”
Weston slid his hands into my hair and held me. “You’re still beautiful.”
I rolled my eyes but he didn’t see because he was already leaning in and brushing his lips over mine. It was gentle and he was careful not to touch any part of my face but my lips. I felt a mix of things but the strongest were relief and hope. It was similar to that first night and it scared me but not enough to pull away.
His fingers tightened on my scalp and then he pulled back. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
I took a deep breath. “Right now? Or…in general?”
He stepped back and pulled his shirt on. “I don’t know.”
I stayed where I was even after he left.
24
***Cash***
“The PR people called and said it was time for another date. Cassidy’s face is healed enough, I guess.” I noticed I was shaking my leg and forced it to still. “Have you talked to her?”
Hayes nodded. “Earlier today. I think she’s so happy that they’re letting her out and about again that she forgot that she hates us. She sounded eager to see us.”
“It was kind of bullshit that she’s the one who got punished in a way. It wasn’t like she elbowed herself in the face.” I scowled at West. “She had you to thank for that.”
To say there was still tension in the house would be an understatement. Cassidy had thrown out some painful truths and we’d been stepping around them like mines. Hayes and I should’ve put a stop to Weston’s drinking. He should’ve put a stop to it himself. All of us should’ve been wallowing in our own bullshit a lot less.
“Yeah, I got it. I fucked up.” West flipped me off and then directed his attention to Hayes. “She’s up for tomorrow night?”
“Yeah. Are you?”
West grunted. “I’m not the one who’s been on lockdown for nearly two weeks while her face healed. She’s not going to lose her shit once we’re in public, is she?”
“Who knows?” Hayes stretched and rubbed his eyes. “Are we all going to be able to act like fucking adults tomorrow night?”
I pointed at my chest. “Me? An adult? Nah.”
He threw his hands up and walked towards the stairs. “I’m passing out.”
West waited a few minutes to speak again. “He seems more uptight than normal.”
Bile rose in my throat. Hayes was more uptight and stressed. West had been drinking himself stupid. And then there was me. Uninjured and absolutely fucking fine. If you didn’t count the crushing guilt that kept trying to smother me. “Yeah, I guess.”
“Hey. I didn’t mention it but I talked to Cassidy before she was quarantined. I apologized.” He stood up and scratched his stomach. “I just wanted to let you know. I fucked up but I didn’t just leave it.”
I was starving for more information about her. “What’d she say?”
