Page 62 of Free to Dream
What started as an issue to be dealt with in time is quickly becoming a tidal wave of guilt. I know so much more about her than she thinks I do. I’ve seen everything from former investigator reports, to court documents, to trial records, to testimony of former inmates associated with the man presumed to be her father and his associates.
What would she say if she knew?
She shared the beginning of her deepest secrets with me and I pretended not to know to allow her the free will to tell me on her own.
Will she understand that? Will she give me a chance to explain? Or will she run?
I close my eyes, imagining the worst, and must make some kind of noise as I do.
Cassidy spins around and her cheeks flush as she glances down at her phone, misinterpreting my sound as one of protest.
As if I would begrudge her photos to her sister.
“Sorry, Caleb,” she says softly, walking over to me and putting her phone in her back pocket. “Here we are, finally together with no interruptions, and I’m texting my family as if we have forever.”
“Remember what I said, Pixie? We do.” I offer her a slow smile, pushing aside my dark thoughts, which she returns. I hold out my hand and pull her half on me, half on the lounger. She’s wrapped around me and I have my hands slowly stroking her back. Our bodies conform, as if they were made for one another. Her phone pings, but she ignores it. While I hate she misinterpreted me, I can’t say I hate having her so close to me.
Drowning in swirls of blue and green, I tell her, “I don’t mind, Pixie. Ignore my caveman tendencies to hog all of you and send everything you want to Holly.”
“How did you know?” she asks, not without a bit of wonder.
“I can’t imagine the rest of your family getting excited beyond one or two pictures. Holly, I imagine, is probably thinking of asking Ryan if she can set up a photo shoot,” I respond wryly.
She reaches back and grabs her phone. Laughing, she turns it toward me.
When I read the message, I laugh along with her. I had practically quoted Holly without having seen the text.
Quickly tapping out a reply, she settles in next to me. My arm slides back around her and moves up and down. The anticipation levels start to arc between us. I feel her shiver a bit. “Cold?” I ask, pulling her tighter against my side.
“No,” Is her quiet reply.
I tilt my head down and promptly get lost in her eyes. Her features are exotic between her dark curls, pale skin and sea-green eyes. Her lips are plump, and since I’m sure as fuck not a saint, I’ve spent several nights imaging them wrapped around my cock.
Her compact body is lush with curves, and she has long legs for such a petite woman. I’ve imagined how they would wrap around my neck while I tasted her, or maybe my hips as I push steadily into her. I can feel myself hardening behind the zipper of my jeans, my dick vibrating with awareness of what may happen. I run my hand down my face, turning my eyes to look over at the sinking sun when I feel it.
Her mouth.
Lightly.
On my neck.
Just a small taste—barely a graze of her teeth and a flicker of her tongue.
I jerk back.
Holy fuck. Did that just happen? Did she just taste me?
My dick is at full attention, even as she blushes furiously and starts to move away. My arms tighten as I start to roll over, trapping her with my body. She squirms in embarrassment as I stare down at her wide eyes.
It did happen.
I catch her flailing hands in mine by simply threading my fingers through hers. Not tightly. She could pull away at any time. Her head is turned to the side, her cheeks flushed as brightly as her lips. She’s upset. Why?
Because I pulled back in shock?
Suddenly, it hits me, and I’m overwhelmed with tenderness and joy. She wants me, but isn’t quite sure how to proceed. My instinctive reaction must have seemed like a rejection to her.
My heart starts a hard beat in my chest. My breath picks up in speed. “Cassidy.” Her name comes out in a tender whisper.
