Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 116031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
A breath catches her by surprise as if she’d been holding it prior, and she lowers our hands to her lap again. I go out on a limb of the olive branch I offered and bring our hands to my chest so she can feel how hard my heart beats for her.
She doesn’t pull back or away. Thank God. She’s looking into my eyes when I have a second to look over at her. “Shane?”
“Yes,” I reply, matching her quieter tone.
Whispering, she asks, “Do you mind if we go slow?”
I bring our hands to my mouth and kiss the top of hers. I shouldn’t savor the feel of her soft skin or inhale the lightly fragrant scent of her hand, but I’d be a fool not to. Is this moving too fast? Judging by how my heart beats wildly in my chest, it might be. So I take a breath and look back into her beautiful brown eyes and promise to put her needs before mine. “I’ll go slow. I’ll do anything for you.”
It’s not only the physical that she means. It’s the issues we need to work through. They don’t have to be resolved in this car ride. The little moments we share give me the patience to sort it out in due time, like she needs.
She nods and then appears relieved by the release of a breath. Resting her head back, she says, “It’s pretty here. Different from what I expected.”
“What did you expect?” I round a bend that always signifies we’re close.
“I thought it would be pine trees everywhere and their needles on the ground.”
“There are pines, but there are also aspens and sumacs, and some coastal oaks around the lake.”
With her gaze directed out her window, she says, “I’m going to like it here.”
Every approval feels like a reward. When her guard is down, it’s a victory. But it wouldn’t be us if I didn’t seize the opportunity and give her a wink. “Even though you’re here against your will?”
“If I didn’t want to be here, I would have signed the papers, not rode along with you or helped you load the car.” The admission is dropped, causing my face to split into a ridiculous grin. She’s left me speechless, which is an impressive feat unto itself. “Don’t act so shocked.”
Does she realize the gift she’s giving me? The inkling of trust she’s put back in my hands? It might be small to her as she laughs softly, but it’s huge to me. I give her hand a squeeze, not needing words to do the labor.
She says, “Speaking of divorce.”
“Were we?” It’s become my least favorite topic over the ten months we were apart.
“Did you ever figure out why we’re married?” she asks, launching into it like it’s us against the state of California again.
“I didn’t, but I once had an idea.”
“What’s that?”
I feel the little squeeze she gives me. It feels good to be a team again. “I think we should retrace our steps.”
She starts smiling, already invested. “How do we do that twelve years after we graduated? Well, thirteen this month.” The concept takes her by surprise, causing her to blink hard. “How did time fly so fast?”
“Passed without warning.”
She closes her eyes, turning toward the window where the sun shines in. Opening her eyes, she smiles at me as if it’s been mine all along. “If only my eighteen-year-old self could see me now. I’m living every girl’s dream. Kidnapped by a rock star and taken to his secluded cabin in the mountains.” She tries not to laugh but fails. So do I. The sound of her melody brings me to life. I’ve missed this high so much.
“And here I thought we weren’t supposed to make that sound so naughty.”
With an easy shrug, she says, “I call it like I see it.”
“Careful with those confessions, or I might start thinking you’re into this fantasy.”
She shifts our hands to her lap and laughs again. “I’m okay with that.”
Holy shit.
I’m never going to be able to look at her without imagining taking her every which way in this cabin. Just the two of us for forty-eight hours. I thought I was the one in control of this weekend, but I’m damn certain Cat is. I can’t fucking wait to see where this goes.
With perfect timing to get this weekend started, I release her hand and make the sharp turnoff to the property. Pulling up to the gate, I shift into park and look over at her. “We’re here.”
26
Cate
Shane lied to me.
The cooler bumps into my ass, a not-so-subtle hint. I turn back to see him balancing it on his leg. I move into the living room so he can get by. “That cooler looks heavy. Need help?”
“Nope,” he grits. “I’ve got it.”
Wheeling my suitcase with the bag situated on top, I move into the kitchen area of the open concept massive room. “You kept calling it a cabin. I expected logs and wood everything, like cabinets and floors, walls and—”