Page 41 of Quiet Chaos

A face as mysterious as her thoughts, she shimmies off the island, and without a word, walks into the bedroom. I finish the ale, toss the bottle, and stand by the windows, switching on the outside lights before crossing my arms.

I’ve wanted to kiss her, yet I know Sky. She’s probably in there saying an Our Father. The idea makes me laugh when I think of how innocent a kiss is. And intimate. Too intimate for Sky. Too intimate for me. Then again, she had a boyfriend and Gunner. My head rocks from side to side to clear the image and readjust my cock, wanting a hell of a lot more than a kiss. I want to fuck her. I want Hail Mary’s dripping from her mouth with every thrust. The desire to touch, suck, and fuck every part of her. And even though this is what I’m comfortable doing and crave, I could never tarnish her in that way.

A touch to my arm dissolves my perverse thoughts. Sky is next to me and we’re looking at each other through our reflections.

“Cade.” She knots her fingers in front of her and bites her lip. “I’m not mad. I’ve kissed before.” My eyes meet hers through the glass.

“But it wasn’t you.” My arms fall to the sides, confused by what she’s saying. She finds the words at her feet. “I love you, Cade. These feelings have been around for a while now.”

I was not expecting that.

Her head comes up. “I figured you should know, even though I can’t comprehend it. We’re different.”

My hand smooths down my goatee, hoping she’ll continue.

“You’ve been so good to me, saving me at a low point in my life.”

I pivot toward her. “Is my saving you the only reason you feel the way you do?”

“Um… no.We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19.”

“Please. Enough with the verses, Sky.”

Her head bows. “This is what I mean. We’re…we don’t belong.”

I drop into a nearby chair, hands resting on my stomach. “Yeah, we are different, but so are a lot of other people.”

“What do you mean?” She sits in a chair facing mine. “Do you have feelings for me?”

My eyes focus on the windows, swallowing the lump of confession I want to avoid.

“I didn’t tell you I love you for you to say it. This came—”

“I feel something.” My elbows rest on the table, run my fingers through my hair, and I turn to her. “I’m not good at this, Sky. The whole emotional shit. It’s not me.”

She tucks her hands underneath her legs. “I know. That’s why it’s so hard for me to love you. We’re wrong for each other.”

Legs stretched in front, hands on my abs, I lock eyes with hers. “True.”

“It’s settled. We remain friends.” Sky goes to the refrigerator to get something to drink as she says, “I think it’s time I sleep in my bed. I shouldn’t have stayed. It’s not right.”

I glance at my feet.Damn! I don’t want her to go back to her room or find her own place. She’s become a part of my life, and whether I can admit it, I care for her. I’m not quite ready yet to label my emotions, except I don’t want to lose her.

The timer goes off, so I remove the potpies to cool. Sky is filling her salad bowl, her sweatshirt rising to show more of her petite body. A body I love holding in the morning. This house wouldn’t be the same if she left. Armstrong would miss her. This Pious Princess has captured my attention, and I’m not ready to wander elsewhere.

My arm wraps around her waist as she lets out a squeal. I sit her on the counter, caging her with my arms, and say, “I don’t want to just be friends. So what if we’re different?”

Her demeanor changes, and she releases her arms and angles toward me. “Why? You can’t even express your emotions.”

“I care about you.” My head drops. I need to give her something else. Caring for someone isn’t enough. Without looking at her, I add, “I can’t imagine this house without you.” My head raises. “I can’t imagine my bed without you.”

“We can’t have sex, Cade.”

I drop my arms and move away. “Why the hell not? It’s natural.”

“I want to give my virginity to my husband.”

“You want me to marry you?”

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