“And you?” He gently lifted my face so he could look at me.
“And I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”
A slow smile spread across his lips before he pulled my head back to his chest and kissed my hair. “Same.”
53
***Cass***
“Since you wouldn’t let me keep my end of the bet, do you want to come in?” I stared up at West on the front porch of my house with my stomach full of butterflies.
His smile was warm and soft as he leaned down and kissed my cheek. “I want to.”
“But?” I couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
“But I think you should expect more from the men you’re giving yourself to. I don’t want to be another Cole.” He brushed his knuckle over my cheek. “You deserve to feel special, and like you’re the most important woman to the men you date.”
The oxygen in my lungs froze, refusing to budge even the slightest bit. My heart squeezed painfully and I felt like it was breaking all over again. This time it wasn’t over someone, though. It wasforWest, for the man in front of me telling me that he didn’t want to be another Cole. If I’d been falling for him before he’d just attached weights to my limbs so that falling turned to plummeting.
“Cassidy?” West stepped closer and cupped both sides of my face. “Trust me when I say that I want to come inside more than I want you to stop breaking my truck. I want it more than anything in the fucking world. I wantyoumore than I want anything in the fucking world. I just need to make up some shit to you and I want you to demand better. I want to show you that you’re worth it.”
I’d slammed into love so hard I was pretty sure I’d never be able to dig my way out of it. Still not trusting my voice, I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him tight.
“You okay, Strawberry?”
I grunted into his chest. “I think so.”
“But you aren’t sure?”
Groaning, I leaned back so he could see my face. I kept my own eyes squeezed closed, though. I couldn’t look at him or I was going to word vomit up everything I was feeling. “I’m okay. I’m just trying not to cry or say anything embarrassing.”
His breath was a soft caress before his lips brushed over my eyelids. “Get inside. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I made the mistake of opening my eyes and seeing the soft smile on his lips. Want and need filled me, along with an overwhelming desire to tell him I didn’t need him to prove anything to me and that I just needed him to come inside and touch me.
He laughed at my expression and leaned into me so he could reach the door behind me. He opened it and eased me over the threshold. “Goodnight, Cassidy.”
I reached out and grabbed him before he could back away and kissed him like my life depended on it. Then I pushed him away and slammed the door shut before I could do anything stupid. Like beg him to love me.
I was the main character in an early aughts romcom as I leaned against the closed door and slapped my hand over mymouth to keep him from hearing the giddy scream I wanted to let out. I wasn’t sure I was going to survive the Ford brothers. They were changing me and what I’d learned to expect from life. That was terrifying.
“Good date?”
I screamed and nearly jumped out of my skin when Aunt Jolene just appeared out of nowhere.
She laughed. “You arenotplaying this whole thing cool, honey. I heard what he said, though, and I get it. If I was you, I would’ve lifted my dress right there on the porch and begged him to send the troops home, if you know what I mean.”
“Aunt Jolene!” Still, I laughed and pushed away from the door. “How’d you hear him?”
She wiggled her fingers in the air. “Magic.”
I stared deadpan at her.
“Fine. I had Mid-West Barbie’s husband install a couple cameras with one that just so happens to point at his driveway. Turns out they pick up sound.” She winked. “The husband suspects his wife is cheating on him and did the work for free. All he wants in return is access to the cameras if I see anything weird and a date with me after the divorce is finalized.”
I gawked at her. “No!”
She rolled her eyes. “I told him I don’t date normal guys who don’t play dress up for a living. Or men who plan dates with other women while still married, no matter how unhappily.”
