Page 45 of Cade

It was my turn to act shocked and confused.

“Do what Wes?” I breathed, my voice soft in the shared space.

Weston pointed between us. “This. Not control the situation. Not shower you with every expensive toy or piece of clothing you want. Give you whatever it takes to keep you, even if it’s just for a night.”

He turned to look out the window, and I watched his shoulders fall, watched as he hunched himself up and refused to look at me.

My heart broke to see him like this.

Candid, honest.

So desperate for a love that he’d clearly never had.

“Hey,” I said as I reached out and set my hand on his thigh.

He turned slowly, his gaze flicking to where I touched him before he looked back at me.

“I don’t need all the fancy bullshit. I just need you,” I said honestly, my heart thumping so loudly in my chest I thought he could surely hear it.

He smirked before answering. “And a change of clothes. Obviously.”

The words forced themselves out of my mouth without warning. I was running on pure adrenaline, as I’d never felt this emboldened before.

Then again, I’d never had an actual millionaire at my feet begging me to stay the night before either, so I guess that will do wonders for anyone’s self esteem.

“Give me like, a half hour, forty minutes. I’ll head back to my place, grab some clothes, maybe some ice cream? We can hang out all night, eating ice cream and watching some movies to forget all the bullshit, yeah?” I asked. Hoping he would say yes.

I wasn’t entirely sure how to give Weston what he needed, but damned if I didn’t want to try. And the only way I knew how to shove off the stress and strain of life was to curl up on my couch and do just as I was proposing. Except, I usually did it alone.

Some things are better with another person.

Weston seemed to relax at my words, nodding.

“Okay,” he said, clearly nervous.

“I’ll come back, I promise,” I said.

He opened the door. “Text me when you’re back here?” he asked, standing in the open air, the moonlight shining down on him.

I nodded in response. “Of course,” I said as my nerves started to make their way to my heart.

Weston closed the door, and I watched him walk away.

Panic tried to settle in, but I pushed it aside.

I can do this.

It’s not like I’ve never spent the night with anyone, and it doesn’t mean we have to have sex.

Did I want that, though?

The fact I couldn’t answer no made my entire body flush with heat, and I turned the car on, speeding off in the direction of my house.

CHAPTER 25

Cade

I hurriedly packed an overnight bag, probably with more shit than I actually needed, and as I stared at the box of condoms in my bedside table, I felt at a crossroads.

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