Page 66 of Rewrite Our Story

Her cheeks turn pink. She nods enthusiastically, backing up as she keeps a firm grip on my hand.

When the back of her thighs hit the mattress, I pick her up and toss her onto the bed. She squeals, a bright smile on her face. Quickly, I slip out of my shoes and leave them on the rug. Mare props herself up by her elbows, her hair spilling down her shoulders, as she watches me closely.

I crawl along the bed until my body hovers over hers. Holding myself up, I look down at her, running my fingers along her cheeks. “Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?”

Her teeth dig into her bottom lip as she does her best to fight a smile. It doesn’t work for long. “No one,” she lies. I’ve told her countless times, but I don’t mind telling her again.

“You’re beautiful,” I declare, kissing the new freckles on her face softly. She laughs with each press of my lips to her skin.

I kiss every single inch of her face except for her lips before I pull away. My hair hangs off my forehead, obstructing my perfect view of her. I’m wondering how I’ll ever survive having her leave this town when she smiles up at me with so much affection it makes my heart constrict in my chest.

“Say it again,” she whispers.

What I want to tell her is that I think I’ve fallen in love with her.

“You’re beautiful,” I repeat.

“I’m yours,” she responds.

There goes my heart again, squeezing inside my chest with the terrifying pain of loving her with the knowledge there’s a great chance I don’t get to keep her. She says she’s mine, but I can't help but wonder for how long.

It’ll break my heart to have her anything less than forever.

Mare’s hands drift underneath my jacket and T-shirt. Her hands are cold against my warm skin as she tentatively explores my abdomen.

“Cade?”

“Yes, Goldie?”

“Are you mine?”

I flinch because I don’t understand how she doesn’t know the answer to this already. That photo she has framed should tell her everything she needs to know. I’ve always been hers, before I even knew it. It seems obvious now that Goldie has always been my world. I’d do anything for her. It’s why I opened my bedroom door to comfort her each and every night—even when I knew I shouldn’t.

I separate our bodies enough that I can unzip my jacket. It falls to the ground with a soft thud as I throw it to the side, my T-shirt following in its path. Mare’s eyes go wide as she watches my every move. Her breaths get heavier, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

With the top half of me undressed, I climb on top of her body again. I grab her hand, pressing it against my chest. There’s no way she doesn’t feel the intensity of my rapid heartbeat against her palm. “You feel that?”

She nods. “I do.”

“Ask me again if I’m yours.”

“Are you mine?”

“My heart only beats like that for you.” I press her hand against my chest, proving to her that no one controls my heartbeats like she does. I don’t think anyone will ever be able to, even if she and I don’t work out the way I hope. I don’t see any kind of love that can compare to the love I have for the woman gazing up at me.

Mare pulls her hand from my chest. For a brief moment, I wonder if I’ve said too much, if there’s a chance that I’ve scared her. Before I can try and take back my words, she’s guiding my hands underneath her shirt. My fingers brush the sides of her breasts, bringing my attention to the fact she isn’t wearing any sort of bra.

Our hands, with our fingers interlocked, come to a stop on her chest. Her heartbeat matches mine. It beats strong against my skin, the erratic rhythm in perfect sync with mine.

“For my entire life, my heart has only beat for one person. That’s you, Cade Jennings. Even without knowing if you’d ever be mine, I knew I was yours.”

“I like the sound of that, Goldie.” When she arches into me, I can’t help but let my fingers drift a bit lower. My fingertips trace the swell of her breasts.

“I like being yours and you being mine. I want to be yours in every way.” Her voice is timid but sure as she arches deeper into my touch.

My head comes forward until my forehead presses against hers. I suck in air, unable to come up with reasons why we should wait. I want her in every way possible—physically and emotionally. I just didn’t want to do anything she wasn’t ready for.

“Goldie…”

---