hard-on quickly shrinking. Staring at the floor, I
watched as her feet moved toward me. Her hands reached for me and I
pushed them away as my eyes found hers. “Please don’t.”
She took a step back and
nodded her head as if understanding. “I’m sorry, Paul.”
“ I am, too.” She turned
toward the door and as her hand turned the knob I reminded her,
“Anything you want. Is he willing to do that?”
She froze for a moment
before opening the door and then walked out, leaving it open.
Pushing myself off the wall, I walked to the door and slammed it
shut, but not before confirming her security detail was still
there. He was.
Feeling sorry for myself, I
grabbed a beer and plopped on the couch as I scanned the channels.
I wanted her more than she wanted me. I knew that I had waited too
long and pondered what I would’ve done differently. I woke up on
the couch a few hours later and hauled my sorry ass up to
bed.
The next week came and went
without a word from her. I knew she was dealing with a lot and I
debated about reaching out to her. Deciding against it was one of
the hardest things I’d ever done. She knew I wanted her and there
wasn’t much else I could do to prove it. She asked for space and I
had to give it to her. I focused on work because that was all I
had.
C hapter 8 ~ B roken
~ CASSIDY ~
I pulled out of his
driveway and headed home. Once I pulled in the driveway I broke
down. It would’ve been so easy to stay with him and let our bodies
take over. I was attracted to him, there was no question there, but
he wanted more than I could offer him. I was married to the only
man I wanted, but my husband didn’t want to be married to me. I
started sobbing as another memory bombarded me.
I found myself in the
barn, up in the hayloft. Collapsing on a pile of hay, I grabbed the
blanket that Paul and I had left there and pulled it to me. His
scent, though faded, still lingered there. The hayloft became an
easy hiding spot for us on the cooler nights. I wasn’t ready for
him to leave. I knew he had to go, but I thought I had more time
with him.
“ Cassidy?”
“ Paul!”
“ No, Cal. Are you
ok?”
I pulled myself up and
wiped my tears away, unable to make eye contact. Cal sat down next
to me and wrapped his arm around my back, cupping my shoulder.
Shaking me gently when I resisted him, he pulled me to him. Burying
my face in my hands, I was aware of my brother rubbing my
back.
“ I know it’s hard here
without me. I’ll miss you, too, but everything will be fine. I’ll
be home again before you know it.”
“ I know, I
just…”
“ What’s going on with you?
You’ve never taken it this hard.” I felt my eyes bug out and the
flush spread across my face. Cal always knew when I was hiding
something. “Why did you think I was Paul? I swear to God if he’s
put a hand on you.”
“ NO! No, everything is
fine. There’s nothing going on with Paul.”
Cal was raging inside—and
out—with the thought that Paul had taken advantage of me, when in
reality Paul had been a perfect gentleman. I had been the one
throwing myself at him.
“ Cassidy Arianna Charles,
you tell me the truth right now!”
“ I swear, there’s nothing
going on between Paul and me. It’s just a stupid crush, nothing
more. I promise.” I lied to Cal through my teeth, probably for the
first time, and prayed that he’d believe me.
He bought the lie and
convinced me to come finish breakfast. When I returned to the
kitchen Paul’s plate was empty and he was nowhere in
sight.
Paul made himself scarce
rest of that day. I felt like an idiot. Had the last few weeks been
a waste? I became angry. That night, when I was sure everyone else
was asleep, I snuck into the guest room that Paul was occupying.
The lights were off and his bed was empty. Where was he?
I crept down the stairs to
the front door and stepped outside, after slipping on my shoes.
Walking to the back of the house, I peered out into the
watched as her feet moved toward me. Her hands reached for me and I
pushed them away as my eyes found hers. “Please don’t.”
She took a step back and
nodded her head as if understanding. “I’m sorry, Paul.”
“ I am, too.” She turned
toward the door and as her hand turned the knob I reminded her,
“Anything you want. Is he willing to do that?”
She froze for a moment
before opening the door and then walked out, leaving it open.
Pushing myself off the wall, I walked to the door and slammed it
shut, but not before confirming her security detail was still
there. He was.
Feeling sorry for myself, I
grabbed a beer and plopped on the couch as I scanned the channels.
I wanted her more than she wanted me. I knew that I had waited too
long and pondered what I would’ve done differently. I woke up on
the couch a few hours later and hauled my sorry ass up to
bed.
The next week came and went
without a word from her. I knew she was dealing with a lot and I
debated about reaching out to her. Deciding against it was one of
the hardest things I’d ever done. She knew I wanted her and there
wasn’t much else I could do to prove it. She asked for space and I
had to give it to her. I focused on work because that was all I
had.
C hapter 8 ~ B roken
~ CASSIDY ~
I pulled out of his
driveway and headed home. Once I pulled in the driveway I broke
down. It would’ve been so easy to stay with him and let our bodies
take over. I was attracted to him, there was no question there, but
he wanted more than I could offer him. I was married to the only
man I wanted, but my husband didn’t want to be married to me. I
started sobbing as another memory bombarded me.
I found myself in the
barn, up in the hayloft. Collapsing on a pile of hay, I grabbed the
blanket that Paul and I had left there and pulled it to me. His
scent, though faded, still lingered there. The hayloft became an
easy hiding spot for us on the cooler nights. I wasn’t ready for
him to leave. I knew he had to go, but I thought I had more time
with him.
“ Cassidy?”
“ Paul!”
“ No, Cal. Are you
ok?”
I pulled myself up and
wiped my tears away, unable to make eye contact. Cal sat down next
to me and wrapped his arm around my back, cupping my shoulder.
Shaking me gently when I resisted him, he pulled me to him. Burying
my face in my hands, I was aware of my brother rubbing my
back.
“ I know it’s hard here
without me. I’ll miss you, too, but everything will be fine. I’ll
be home again before you know it.”
“ I know, I
just…”
“ What’s going on with you?
You’ve never taken it this hard.” I felt my eyes bug out and the
flush spread across my face. Cal always knew when I was hiding
something. “Why did you think I was Paul? I swear to God if he’s
put a hand on you.”
“ NO! No, everything is
fine. There’s nothing going on with Paul.”
Cal was raging inside—and
out—with the thought that Paul had taken advantage of me, when in
reality Paul had been a perfect gentleman. I had been the one
throwing myself at him.
“ Cassidy Arianna Charles,
you tell me the truth right now!”
“ I swear, there’s nothing
going on between Paul and me. It’s just a stupid crush, nothing
more. I promise.” I lied to Cal through my teeth, probably for the
first time, and prayed that he’d believe me.
He bought the lie and
convinced me to come finish breakfast. When I returned to the
kitchen Paul’s plate was empty and he was nowhere in
sight.
Paul made himself scarce
rest of that day. I felt like an idiot. Had the last few weeks been
a waste? I became angry. That night, when I was sure everyone else
was asleep, I snuck into the guest room that Paul was occupying.
The lights were off and his bed was empty. Where was he?
I crept down the stairs to
the front door and stepped outside, after slipping on my shoes.
Walking to the back of the house, I peered out into the
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