Chapter 24: The Broken Note: Chapter 24

“

is camping?” Cadey says, not ripping her eyes away from the view in front of her. String lights pierce through the foliage, sending sprays of golden light on the forest floor. Wooden slats balance on top of heavy branches. Warm tones. A lazy hammock. It’s pretty freaking brilliant architecture.

“

Cadence points up for emphasis.

I try to keep the pleased smile off my lips. Cadey will think I orchestrated everything just to get her alone if she catches me grinning like a maniac.

I took my brother’s advice and made this day about her and Vi.

Mostly Vi.

Which, hopefully, touched her too.

,’ was Finn’s advice.

It’s no wonder girls leave our beds hating us and themselves, but they leave Finn’s willing to die for him.

I decided to take his advice. There were zero expectations on getting naked with Cadey tonight. Dreams? Fantasies? Hell yeah. But I figured the anticipation would simmer until I could get her alone and taste her the way I desperately want to.

I didn’t expect the reward for my patience to arrive so soon.

“How much did you spend on us today?” Cadey mumbles, drawing near to me. Her face is upturned. Plump lips full of poison. Eyes that have me by the throat. Hair getting tangled in the breeze.

She’s freaking stunning. A work of art I want to etch on my skin.

“Dutch.”

“You ask a lot of questions about money,” I say, folding my arms over my chest.

“I’m trying to calculate how much I need to pay you back.”

I give her a long look. “I can think of a few ways you can pay me back.”

She gets red. I’m starting to notice that she’s blushing a lot more. She did before, but not this much. Even when I had her backed up against tables, dark corners, quiet spaces, she didn’t blush.

But it seems like losing her virginity made her shyer rather than bolder.

I like it.

Girls who constantly throw themselves at me are boring.

And it’s nice seeing the brash, fearless Cadence Cooper go soft.

She averts her gaze, settling into that hard, mistrustful expression she’s been wearing all day. I get the sense that my presence makes her deeply uncomfortable.

Between hate and discomfort, I’m not sure which is worse.

I just know that I’ve got an opportunity here, and I’m not going to blow it.

“I only agreed to this because Vi asked me to take pictures,” Cadey says, talking as if she needs to convince herself. “Let’s go inside. I’ll take a few more shots and go home.”

There’s no way I’m letting this girl go tonight.

Not until I’m through with her.

“This way.” I gesture with my arm.

Cadence pockets her purse and approaches the thick tree trunk. There’s a ladder hammered into the wood.

“You got it?” I ask, sensing her hesitation.

“Of course.” She scoffs, but her eyes drop to the wedge sandals she’s wearing. They look sexy as hell, but they’re not exactly climbing gear.

Before I can offer to help, Cadence gives a determined nod and reaches for the first slat. I follow, keeping my eyes locked on her as she makes the climb. The fabric of her skirt sways and I can see up her tights.

My pants strain.

It’s not even a view of her panties, but it’s enough to make me lose my mind.

I’ve never been rational when it comes to her.

“Ah!” Cadence yelps. One of her shoes slips off the slat.

I move instantly and palm her backside, keeping her steady so she doesn’t fall.

“You good?”

“Y-yeah,” she mumbles.

Unable to help myself, I pat her there. “You’re okay. Just keep going.”

Cadence glares at me. “Hands off, Dutch.”

I lift both hands in surrender, but this time the smile can’t be swiped away.

She narrows her eyes in response and successfully climbs the rest of the way. I join her soon after, easily mounting the ladder.

When I get up there, I expect Cadence to be waiting for me with fierce words, but she’s too busy gasping at the view.

“This is incredible,” she whispers. Moonlight spills over the treetops, strokes of silver topping majestic green. Stars close enough to touch, to kiss. Bright enough to blind the eyes.

I lift my phone and take a shot of her, expression spellbound and awestruck.

Cadence notices and snaps out of her trance. “Did you just take a picture of me?”

I pocket the phone. “No.”

Her eyes narrow. She doesn’t believe me.

I draw closer. My face is carefully neutral but, inside, I feel alive in a way that I haven’t in a while.

Would she scream if she knew how obsessed I am with her? Would she shake in fear if she heard that every time I stroke my guitar, I’d rather be stroking her? That I hold my breath when she sighs in exhaustion? That I broke when she cried that time?

She acts like the world is on her shoulders. I want to take that burden from her. Even if it’s just for one night.

“I’ve got snacks in the ice box. That giant, fluffy rug is new. I bought it since it seemed more comfortable than sleeping bags. The projector’s hooked up to a computer filled with all the dumb, girly movies I could find.”

“Girly movies?” Her lips twitch.

“I bought them all. I thought Vi would be here, and I didn’t know what movies she liked to watch.”

Her gaze is fixed on me. “Did you really do all this for Vi?”

I slide my fingers over her face. “You too.”

Confusion knots her brow.

“Vi is important to you. That means she’s important to me.”

Her tongue darts out to wet her bottom lip. “What does that have to do with you?”

“You’re mine. Everything that involves you involves me.”

Her shoulders stiffen, but I don’t let her go.

“I’ll protect who you protect. I’ll love who you love. I’ll hate who you hate.” The words are raw. Honest. I don’t know if she hears me. If she gets it. I just let them come pouring out. “You and Vi are a package deal. That doesn’t scare me.”

“Nothing scares you,” she mumbles.

I shrug. Nod. “No.”

She studies me again, that shrewd, mistrustful look that seems darker and more frustrating tonight.

“Since you planned this camping trip for Vi, you didn’t bring booze, did you?”

My eyes widen.

She chews on her bottom lip deep in thought. Then her gaze lifts to mine. Pure brown and alluring. She takes a step forward. Feet gliding. Dress swaying around her thighs.

My heart squeezes when she stops right in front of me.

And the absolute last thing I’d expect her to say comes out of her sensual mouth…

“Truth or strip.” Her words whisper across my face. “Let’s play a game, Dutch.”