He moved his head side to side, considering my words. “That works, as long as your story has a blond stud who fucks like an animal.”
“Well, he’s blond …” His lips covered mine, and all thoughts of anything but Cane vanished.
TWENTY-FIVE
Jada
“I’d liketo show you one more thing if you don’t have to get home,” Cane said as we got back into the SUV. I buckled my seat belt.
Cane laughed as he watched me click the latch in place. “Is that a hint?”
“Maybe.” I winked. “But no, I don’t have to get home. I’d love to see whatever you would like to show me.”
Since the topic of his parents came up, Cane had been a little quieter than usual, and I didn’t push.
Surely, he realized it would come up if he brought me here.
And then it hit me like a ton of bricks.This is his way of telling me who he is. Actions speak louder than words.
I turned my head and watched Cane drive. He was cool, in control, and utterly handsome. Any person looking in wouldn’t have any idea of the flood of memories I knew he was dealing with right now. He was very guarded to the world. But he chose to let me in.
Damien Rice crooned on the radio, and I gazed out the window, finding myself in a contemplative mood as well.
What would it feel like to not have experienced having a mother? How would life be different if you didn’t have memories of your mother tucking you in at night or reading you a bedtime story?The thought made my heart drop.
I watched Cane as he focused on the road and realized how much he had missed. I wondered how that had changed who he was as a man. And then to lose his father on top of it … he must feel incredibly alone in the world.
Before long, we were driving up a winding gravel road at the base of the mountains. There were homes littered around, but few and far between as the elevation rose. We turned up a lane and started up the side of one of the smaller peaks. As we inched higher and higher, it felt like we were leaving the world behind us. I watched the lights grow farther away as we reached the top, and everything flattened. Cane put the Denali in park and turned off the lights.
I was stunned.
We were practically sitting on top of the city, and the twinkling lights lay at our feet like a sea of flashing stars. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen.
It was simply magical.
Cane got out of the SUV and walked to the back. Soon he came around, opening my door. He kissed me gently on the lips before I stepped out, and the magnificence of our surroundings hit me. I was truly in awe.
The constant noise of the city ceased to exist. Silence reigned, and it was like being in another world, looking down on Earth. I inhaled a breath of fresh, cool air as I spun in a circle, taking it all in.
Cane grabbed my hand and led me to the front of the vehicle. He spread a blanket across the granite pieces strewn about the desert floor and sat down, pulling me gently with him. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. I nestled against his chest, my new favorite place to be.
“This is just fabulous. I don’t even know what to say, Cane. This literally takes my breath away,” I whispered. He hugged me tighter. “This may be the most perfect place on Earth.”
“It is more perfect with you here,” he said before kissing my cheek. “I thought maybe you would enjoy it. Or I hoped you would, anyway.”
“I really do. How did you find this place?”
He looked at me for a long moment, and I could tell he was searching for words. Finally, he said, “It’s mine.”
“What do you mean it’s yours?”
His face smoothed out, hiding whatever he was really feeling. “My grandfather owned a lot of this ground back in the day. Practically everything around here. He sold off a lot of it as the years went by, but this is still one chunk out here that we, I mean, I, own.”
“I love that you brought me here. This place is really special. Even before I knew it was yours, I still felt it.”
He pressed his cheek onto my head. “I’ve never brought anyone up here before.”
“Why?” I asked. “It’s amazing. Why wouldn’t you want to share this with someone?”
