Page 57 of Hearts on the Mend

“What is?”

“Being back with family.”

I’m lucky to have them. Lucky they’re still in my corner when I’ve done nothing to earn that love. Left as soon as I could. I wasn’t going to spend my life on a boat hauling traps or selling overpriced lobster rolls to tourists. I know for a fact my parents never forgave me, doubt Ethan ever will either. At least Jack understands. He was always going to be a hockey player. He wanted out as much as I did.

“You ran out on your date.” My voice is low, rough, barely holding back how badly I want to crush her against me and kiss her.

“Came to check on you.”

“Why?”

“I don’t…” she scoffs, finally settling her fist against my chest. “Does this bother you?”

“What’s the real question there?”

She shoves me back a step, and I give in, falling against the brick building.

“You don’t have your coat,” I whisper. “You should head back in.”

“What about you? Too tough? Cold doesn’t bother you?”

“You’re pushing me.” The words rip out on a growl, and she gives another playful shove. “Don’t look at me that way.”

“Come back inside. I’ll make sure everyone is nice.”

“What about your date?”

“Do you want me to ditch him?”

“Lot of questions tonight, Hellcat.”

“Call me that one more time…” She steps in closer, close enough that I hear the hitch in her breathing. “Are you jealous?” she presses.

Jealous? I’m fucking feral right now. Could tear apart the town if Blake or any other person grows a set to even look at Cassie, and I realize how fucking crazy that makes me sound. I am fucking crazy for feeling this way when there should be nothing else between us.

The last thread of self-control I possess snaps. My hand brackets her jaw, traces down to her throat. Her pulse drums under the pads of my fingers, her eyes full of questions. More fucking questions.

“What are you going to do if I say yes?”

My thumb presses against her chin, tipping her face up to mine. She hovers her hands above my chest, close enough to touch me, but she won’t allow herself to.

“Here’s the thing, Cassie. I’ll get down on this fucking sidewalk and beg to taste you if that’s what you want. I’m starved for it. Think about it every goddamn minute of the day. But you drew lines, and I’m not going to cross them until you tell me to. You kissed me.”

Cassie searches my eyes, her lips puckered in the most mind-fucking pout. “You kissed me back.”

“I want to do more than kiss you, but I’m not going to play games either. You want this, then I’m here. Take it, because I sure as fuck want you. Here, now. Tomorrow. Next week. I want you so bad it’s like…” I can’t find the words. I shut my eyes, unable to soak in the hurt that flashes across her face. “You don’t want complicated. But do you want him, or are you trying to get my attention? Because you’ve had it. Every second since I walked into that damn house, my world has revolved around you.”

She gasps before my lips crash down to hers. I pull her toward me, wrapping her against me to shield her from the cold.

My teeth work over her lush lower lip until she opens to me, and my tongue slides inside. It’s a bruising kiss, one that’s a hell of a lot better at trying to get my point across, because I can’t bury whatever I feel for her any longer.

She twists her arms behind my head and loses herself to me there in the freezing February night, the chill held off by the fire combusting between us. It was always going to explode between us, a spark to fucking tinder. A hot, orange ember colliding into the green.

I’ve always jumped in feet first, so why the hell wouldn’t I now?

“Come home,” I whisper against her mouth. “With me.”

Chapter 18