Page 33 of Cruz: Skin Deep

“How can you say that? How can you be sure that he won’t be disgusted with what he sees like everyone else…and not want to be with me anymore?”

“Not everyone else, Eden. Not me…not him.”

“You seem so sure…but you really can’t be, can you?”

“I know you’ve gotten to know Cruz quite well already.” Kayleigh grinned, and she was pleased to see that Eden had smiled at that comment too. Small steps. “There’s a lot more to him, Eden. There couldn’t be a person more understanding than him.”

“How can anyone know how someone else will react?” Eden asked. She was holding her hands over her breasts, hiding the scars from the mastectomy. The breast enhancement she’d had, by the best plastic surgeon in New Orleans, was by all means a success. She had perfect, firm, round, even-sized breasts, but with the obvious scars and no nipples she felt like a monster when she looked at them. She was grateful she was alive, unlike her sister, but the constant image of what she’d had to do…and the upheaval it had brought to her life…was something she believed she would always struggle with.

She hadn’t wanted to fall for Cruz, but it had happened. She hadn’t wanted to show Kayleigh, but it had happened.

“I’m not sure what he’s told you about his accident, but he’s got scars too,” Kayleigh said.

Eden hadn’t seen any scars, but he hadn’t even taken his shirt off yet. They’d both had sex with their top halves covered. “He’s got the most beautiful body I have ever seen,” Eden said. Kayleigh nodded. “He could have any woman he likes. Why would he want damaged goods?”

“I don’t see damaged goods,” Kayleigh said. “I see a beautiful woman who has suffered and survived. We all want to be strong. You are.”

When Kayleigh finally stepped out of the shower cubicle and closed the door, leaving Eden to have her own shower, Eden felt like more had washed away in their conversation than any amount of water could ever do. She was learning so much more about real, genuine, honest people on this trip than anyone else she’d known in her entire adult life.

She had a lot to think about. She still had to tell…to show…Cruz who she really was, uncovered, but she had the most important thing ever now…hope.

13

SKIN DEEP

“This is nice,”Eden said as she cuddled up to Cruz. She wanted to forget about what had just happened in the shower for now, but she was pleased that it had happened. She knew she’d have to show Cruz eventually…soon. She was just scared that it could be the end of the road, but if she could trust what Kayleigh had said, maybe it would be the beginning of a better road for her.

Grayson had lit the kindling in the firepit that was in the center of where they’d set up their tents. The guys had collected enough dry wood to keep the fire going all night. They were all sprawled out on their blankets, drinking and smoking weed.

“This is the part I like the most.” Cruz said.

“What about the ride?” Eden asked.

“This wouldn’t be this without the ride first,” he said.

“It wouldn’t be, would it?” she said. “I’ve had fun…since it all started.”

“Yeah, me too. It wouldn’t be the same without you though,” Cruz told her. He tipped his head down and kissed her.

When he looked up, he could see that sweat was beading on Brian’s forehead.

Brian knew tonight might be his best opportunity to kill Cruz, but he’d never done anything like this before. He was sure that Jimmy was capable of it though. Over the years, people who had opposed some of Jimmy’s developments had mysteriously disappeared. Brian, like others, had assumed Jimmy had gotten rid of his problems along with their bodies, but there was never any evidence to prove it.

“Getting a little hot there, Brian,” Cruz said.

There was a light cooling breeze and the fire had hardly started…it was far from hot yet.

“I guess,” he said. That garnered curious glances from the others. He wiped his hand across his brow and took a swig of his cold beer. “Could be the weed. I’m not used to it.” He took a drag off his blunt then. It was only the second drag he’d taken since Cruz had handed it to him.

That didn’t go unnoticed by Cruz either.

Brian was wondering what to do. If Cruz and Eden smoked more weed and drank more beer, he could attack Cruz in the early hours of the morning, when everyone was sleeping.

How the fuck am I going to do that and get away? They’ll hear the gun. They’ll hear the bike. They’ll know it was me anyway. What the fuck was I thinking?

He’d decided that the only way he could achieve what he’d come there for would be for it to look like an accident. He could tamper with Cruz’ bike, but he’d noticed that every time before they rode anywhere, Cruz would do a bike-check…like he was concerned already that there could be something amiss with his bike.Why is that?

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