Page 41 of Rewrite Our Story

“Cade,” she mutters, her breath hitching.

I press my fingers against her lips to stop whatever she’s about to say. I don’t need her to ask me more questions, or for her to say something else that’ll try and convince herself that I’m making things up. “If I ask you one more thing, do you swear to not lie to me again?”

She nods.

“Do you want to kiss me as bad as I want to kiss you?”

“No,” she whispers, the one word feeling like a punch to the fucking gut. “I probably want to kiss you more.”

22

MARE - PRESENT

I couldn’t handle staring backat the hurt in Cade’s eyes any longer. I could’ve lied and told him that I didn’t want to kiss him, but it would’ve been the furthest thing from the truth. From the moment I saw him again, I couldn’t help but wonder if he still tasted the same.

I need to know if he still tastes like mine.

Our lips crash against one another in a wild frenzy. We’re all lips and teeth and tongues as we try to make up for all the lost time between us. He kisses me angrily, as if he’s throwing all his pent up aggression into the kiss.

He still tastes the same. But better.

He must’ve recently had a peppermint because that’s all I can taste when his tongue caresses against mine. My mouth opens wider for him when he pulls on the hair that runs down my back, angling my head in a way that makes the kiss even deeper.

I forget that we’re in the middle of a back parking lot, making out like a bunch of teenagers even though anybody could find us.

It doesn’t matter. I’d kiss him anywhere—in front of anyone—just to experience what it’s like to kiss Cade Jennings again.

I knew I’d missed him. I knew no other man I’ve kissed since leaving Sutten could even compete with the way Cade kisses. Now I’m reminded just how much the others didn’t compare.

Nothing has ever compared to how it feels with him. I’m willing to bet nothing ever will, either.

As if the kiss doesn’t already have me falling in love with him all over again, what he does after breaking our kiss is enough to have me falling fast and hard once again.

He presses a kiss to my hairline. It’s so tender compared to the way he sucked and bit my lips with our previous ones. Before I can try to kiss him all over again, he’s wrapping his arms around my body and pulling me into his chest.

I breathe him in, wishing I could bottle up the scent of pine that clings to everything of his and keep it forever. He presses his cheek to the top of my head. I feel his deep breath as he inhales and exhales. It’s like he’s just allowing himself to relax.

Maybe my touch brings him just as much comfort as his brings me.

The music from the bar wafts around us as we stay clutched in an embrace. If anyone has walked out to find us in this position, I wouldn’t know. I keep my face pressed against the person who's still able to bring me comfort all these years later.

His hands move up and down my back in a soothing motion. “I missed this, Goldie,” he admits, his voice deep and gravelly.

I nuzzle deeper into his chest, trying to forget about all the reasons this moment can’t last forever and instead doing my best to make it last as long as possible.

“Me too,” I respond, my voice muffled as I talk against his chest.

“There’s one more question I wanted to—”

He pushes away from me when the door to the bar creaks open, the music now loud thanks to the open door.

We both look at the open doorway. I think we both let out a sigh of relief when we don’t find Pippa staring back at us.

Everything is complicated between the two of us. I don’t want to have to explain that to Pippa. I’ve always wondered if she knew something happened in the past between Cade and me. She hasn’t ever really questioned me about it. It’s one of the reasons I love her. She’s good at minding her own business, even if it may kill her natural curiosity to do so.

A man I don’t recognize, who has clearly had too much to drink by the way he stumbles around, goes to lean against the building. He pulls out a cigarette, not paying attention to Cade and me.

When I look from the man back to him, I find Cade watching me. His eyes are wide, but I can’t read what’s behind them. I want to ask him what he was about to say, but I don’t. Instead, I’m busy lecturing myself for falling right back into the trap that is him.

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