Page 24 of Rewrite Our Story

His fingers slightly shake as he cautiously runs his hands up my sides. His fingertips push in slightly harder at my hips as he tries to bring us even closer together.

“God, I’m so fucked up.” His voice shakes as he runs his nose down my cheek. “Why can’t I think of anything other than you right now?”

I can’t give him a response. Something that feels so wrong shouldn’t feel so right. He’s right. He is fucked up. He’s clearly still dealing with the death of his mom. It isn’t a good idea for us to be doing this. But for the first time since he showed up at my door, I’m not afraid of him breaking down in front of me.

And Cade Jennings has always been my weakness. If making this mistake even helps ease the pain for him for a few moments, then I can’t help but give him that.

His hands squeeze the narrow of my hips. Leaning down, he buries his face in the crook of my neck, taking in a deep inhale.

I cradle his face to mine, loving the feel of his weight on me. “Let me take the pain away, Cade.” My tone comes out more begging than I’d meant it to.

My words make him pause. Pulling his head away, he stares down at me with an unreadable look in his eyes. Sighing, he turns my body and pulls my back to his front. I still fit against his body perfectly, a realization that causes a wash of pain.

We could’ve been so perfect.

“I wish it was that simple.”

I grab his hand and pull it over me so our intertwined hands rest against my middle. “Me too, Cade,” I answer sadly.

He presses the softest kiss right below my ear. “This right here.” He completely molds his body to mine. “This takes the pain away—at least for tonight.”

His thumb brushes over mine for a few minutes before it slows and stops all together. When his breathing evens out, I know that he’s finally fallen asleep.

I’d do anything to help heal his heart. Even if it means breaking mine again in the process.

14

MARE - AGE NINETEEN

“I thinkthis might be the best idea I’ve ever had,” Pippa muses, squeezing icing onto a cupcake.

I dip my finger into a bowl of orange frosting. “It might go down as one of my favorite birthdays,” I agree before popping my finger in my mouth and licking the icing off.

Pippa looks up and glares at me. “Get away from the icing! If you eat too much of it I won’t have enough to finish icing your cupcakes.”

I raise my eyebrows at her, my eyes roaming over the various different bowls of icing lining the island. “Something tells me you have enough, Pip.”

The door is pushed open, Cade bounding through. He wears a Jennings Ranch T-shirt that fits him way too well. I swear each summer he gets more and more toned, only fueling the intense crush I’ve had on him for years.

“Enough of what?” he asks, coming to a stop next to me.

I point to the countless bowls of icing. “Pippa got mad at me for taste testing the icing. She’s worried she doesn’t have enough.”

He laughs, fixing the hat on his head. He gives his sister a look. “You definitely have enough to go around.” He looks at the orange bowl I’d just dipped my finger in. “I want a taste.”

Pippa pins him with one of herPippa Stares. I think it’s meant to be terrifying, but Cade and I have received it too many times over the years for it to be intimidating. “Cade. Don’t even think about dipping your muddy finger into my icing.” Her words are leveled and full of venom, but her eyes stay trained on the intricate piping details she’s adding to my cupcake.

Cade looks at me, a mischievous gleam to his eyes. It’s like him and I are on the same wavelength.

"I promise I won’t dip my finger in the icing,” he promises, doing a mock salute. “But Goldie didn’t make any promises.”

His eyes go dark. Pippa’s curses go completely unnoticed as Cade takes me by surprise. He wraps his fingers around my wrist and guides my hand into the tub of icing. He forces me to scoop the icing onto my fingertip before he brings the icing to his mouth. My finger is enveloped in Cade’s warm mouth. His tongue runs along my skin as his cheeks hollow out.

Our eyes stay locked together. This kitchen feels way too hot, despite the open windows letting in the cool, mountain breeze. I attempt to slip my finger out of his mouth, my skin now void of any leftover icing, but he stops me. His front teeth dig into my skin as he keeps me trapped in this moment with him.

His tongue circles the finger before he lets me pull it out. I’m hot and bothered, hormones running rampant through me. He only fuels the burning desire I have for him when his face breaks out in a wide smile—something unusual for him. “The icing isdelicious.”

He winks at me and I think I fall in love with him all over again. If Pippa wasn’t in the room, I might do something stupid like kiss him.

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