But Cade didn’t feel like the same old story.
Which was exactly why I wanted to shove him into one.
Because if I could make this about chemistry, then I could control it. If I could make this about sex, then I could survive it. Physical attraction had rules. Benefits had boundaries. Wanting his hands on me did not have to mean handing him my heart like a loaded gun and trusting him not to fire.
I could have the fun part. The bad-boy part. The reckless, filthy, breath-stealing part that made my whole body feel alive for the first time in years.
I could let myself be the girl who got the guy without becoming the girl who lost herself to him.
That was reasonable.
Probably.
Maybe.
I rolled onto my stomach and groaned into my pillow.
My phone buzzed.
I lifted my head so fast my neck nearly snapped.
CADE: Morning, Pip.
My stomach did that stupid, traitorous flutter that made me want to throw the phone across the room and then crawl after it immediately.
Another message came through before I could respond.
CADE: Still hate me?
I bit the inside of my cheek, trying not to smile and failing like an idiot.
ME: Unfortunately.
CADE: Dramatic already. Good sign.
ME: I’m emotionally unavailable for comment until caffeine.
CADE: I’ll bring coffee.
I stared at the message too long. He made it sound easy, like this was any other Sunday where he showed up with coffee, helped me pretend my dad’s grill wasn’t a public safety issue, and carried potatoes into my family’s chaos like he belonged there. Like last night had not fundamentally altered the wiring between us.
ME: You don’t have to come over before dinner today.
CADE: Oh? I am definitely coming today.
My lips parted around a breath I did not know what to do with.
There he was.
Not soft. Not hesitant. Not backing into the room with a clipboard and a fragile little “how are we feeling?” expression. Cade didn’t play that game. He took in the situation, decided what he was doing, and moved like the world would either adjust or get out of his way.
I hated how much that worked for me.
ME: Bossy before noon is a red flag.
CADE: You like red flags when they are from my carnival.
ME: I like coffee too. Let’s not get delusional.
