Chapter 24

Olivia

I needed a jog after the long night we'd had together. Never in a million years had I imagined someone capable of taking me to such a high place, and yet Caden had done it too many times to count. My body ached for more of him, but I wasn't about to bring up sex again. He'd seen me for the whore half the school believed me to be. Just because we'd cleared up the fact that it wasn't our fault that everything went to shit, I still couldn't shake the stigma around him. I wasn't sure I would ever be able to.

"Caden?" I walked into the kitchen and poured me a glass of water.

"You back?" He walked out into the living room as I turned. His black slacks were low on his hips, leaving his upper body on display for me. My body tightened, and I stifled a growl.

"Yeah. Just needed to clear my head." I drank deeply of the water as he moved to stand in front of me. "No touching me. I'm gross."

"Matter of opinion." He slid his hands over my sides and down to cup my butt before leaning toward me. "How are you? You still reeling over the shit with Luke?"

"No. I'm good there. He's an asshole, and I was tired of placating myself to think that I could live without love." I reached up and brushed his hair back before pressing my lips to his. "Are we seeing Jake and his wife tonight?"

"They aren't married yet." He kissed me one more time, stealing my breath with the delicious press of his body against mine. "Come take a shower with me. Let me wash you off."

"That'll only lead to more sex. We were kinda taking our chances last night as it was." I laughed and moved out from in front of him. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted something more between us than a friendship, but I needed to take it slow. My young adult life was a fucking mess thanks to all the shit between us in the past.

"I don't mind. Having a baby with you would be a fine by me. I feel like I’m running late on life’s plans as it is."

His words stopped me. He was hurting. But why?

I glanced over my shoulder. "I don't mind either, but it would be nice to ease into this relationship, wouldn't it?"

"I'll do what you want to do, but I'd rather dive head first and pray like hell it’s everything we know it could be. I'm a romantic, remember?" He shrugged and pursed his lips.

"And by far the sexiest, most loving man I've ever known." I turned and walked back to him to pull him into a tight hug.

He sniffed the air and smiled. "You need a shower, woman. You smell like sex and candy."

"I thought you liked both." I leaned in and kissed him a few times as his strong arms locked around me.

"I love them." He brushed his nose against mine. "You didn't sleep much last night. How about breakfast and a nap?"

"Shower, then breakfast, and then yes, a nap would be good." I kissed him again and moved out of his arms. "You coming?"

"No, you go wash up and I'll get breakfast up here." He popped my butt and growled as I shrugged and walked off.

Could I do this new life with him? Could I not?

"Where are you staying tonight?" I called over my shoulder.

"At my mom's house. You staying with your mom or you want to sleep over with me?"

"I don't know. Let me think about it." I closed the door behind me and stripped as I tried to think through the best plan of action for the evening. I wanted to see my mom, but I knew without a doubt that she wouldn't want to see Caden. I had a lot of explaining to do, and to be honest, I had no clue what I would tell her. We weren't together. Not yet at least.

After a quick shower, I walked out to find a plate of fruit and muffins with a note that Caden was running out to get the Parkmounts to sign the final papers that Annie had faxed to the hotel lobby.

"Annie." I shook my head, sickened by how sweet the bitch had seemed, and all the while, she was screwing my boyfriend. Did she not have one of her own? People were disgusting.

I grabbed my phone and sat down at the kitchen table before dialing Luke.

"Hey, baby. There you are. I was going to call to see if-"

"Stop. Just shut up and listen to me clearly. I know about you and Annie, and you can take your job and your fucked up offer for a relationship and shove it up the crack of your ass. I hope your dick falls off. No! I hope some piranha of a bitch bites it off."

"Olivia. Wait a minute, now. Nothing is going on with me and Annie. I have you, baby, why would-"

"No, you don't. We're done, so honestly, enjoy yourself. Knock yourself out." I hung up and laid the phone down as tears burned my eyes. I wasn't sad about losing Luke as much as I was sickened over being taken a fool. It had been a constant story in my life. One asshole after the next.

I reached out and picked up the note from Caden and took a deep breath. "Who are you? Are you the guy I think you are, or another asshole?"

After getting myself to calm down, I hate half the plate of fruit and a muffin and walked back to his bedroom. It would have been more couth to sleep on my clean sheets, but I wanted the smell of him all around me. It was a comfort I couldn't explain.

I crawled up into the bed and drifted off to sleep with the thoughts of what our children might look like. I was jumping ahead, but I couldn't help it. We'd been waiting far too long to find each other, and we had. Nothing could take that away, right?