I pause with a mouth full of food.
Cayden notices what has captured my attention but continues eating.
I sit taller, and without a doubt, if he were standing by the railing, he could see my room and my balcony. It’s unmissable. He still remains quiet. I, however, do not. “Well, good thing I haven’t decided to go skinny dipping.”
He chuckles in response.
I can’t tear my eyes away from my house and the red ribbon, which up until now, I hadn’t given much thought to. But from up here, I have the perfect bird’s-eye view of not only my home but the lake, the oak, and the ribbon as well.
“Have you been spying on me?” I can’t seem to stop with the ridiculous questions, but when he clears his throat twice, I almost choke on my dinner.
“I wouldn’t call it spying.” I sigh, but it’s in vain. “I was just making sure you were all right.”
Pushing away my bowl, I try to focus on the positives like how Cayden was honest and didn’t deny that he’s a Peeping Tom. “So how often have you been ‘making sure’ I was all right?” I air quote, not believing that we’re having this conversation.
He rubs his hand over his stubble. “Sometimes.” When I raise a brow, he amends, “Every night.”
I don’t know whether to feel flattered or violated.
Looking over Cayden’s shoulder, I see a number of beer bottles dumped in a small trash can. I also notice Empire’s well-loved bed near the railing. Holy shit.
Needing to do something, I shoot upright and walk to the balustrade. I know I’m overreacting, but I can’t kick this feeling that Cayden is watching me for a reason. If he wanted to keep it a secret, however, he wouldn’t have brought me up here. “You wanted me to see?”
My gaze never wavers from my house and the lake just beyond it.
The chair slides along the decking, and I brace myself for what comes next. Cayden comes to a stand beside me but leaves enough space in case I’m overcome with the need to slap him. “Yes, I did. I wanted you to know that I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“What’s going to happen to me?” I ask with nothing but curiosity as I rest my elbows on the rail and lean forward.
“Nothing, and I’ll make sure of it. That’s why last night…”
But I don’t let him finish.
I turn sideways to look at him and find the mask of a defeated man. “Last night was a one-off. You have to stop thinking about it.”
“But I can’t,” he presses, his voice wavering as he turns his back to the lake. “If anything ever happened to you…”
My heart begins a steady incline. “Cayden, I’m all right. And you want to know why?” He raises his shoulders limply with his chin drooped to his chest. “Because of this.”
Pushing off the railing, I gently place my palm on his cheek, coaxing him to look over his shoulder toward my house. He does. “Because you’re with me. Always.” And I mean that both literally and metaphorically.
“You’re not mad?” he sheepishly asks, leaning into my touch.
Searching his face for answers as to why he has made such a huge impact on my life, I answer the only way that I can. “No, I’m not mad. Curious, yes. But how can I be angry with you when you’re sitting up here all night, losing sleep to make sure that I’m all right.”
“It’s not all night,” he amends with a small smile. “When you turn the light off, I know you’re okay.”
Emotion fills me, and my heart, it hurts. It hurts because this man—this incredible, complicated, and damaged man—puts my needs and my comfort before his. I’m nothing more than a stranger. But we both know that I’m not.
This is the moment I ask him, beg he confirms my suspicions. But what happens when he denies me? Because when I look into those pained eyes, I know that’s what he’ll do. I may be ready, but he’s not. Showing me this will have to do. For now.
The current flowing between us is electric, and I would only have to stand on tippy-toes and finally give in to what I’ve wanted to do for days. He licks his bowed upper lip, reading this for what it is. If we started, we wouldn’t stop, and something about that is powerful and all-consuming, but it’s damn frightening as well.
Cayden was right. He would ruin me. But in the best possible way.
Wrapping my hand around the back of his neck and toying with the hair curling at his nape, I surrender, but only halfway. I stand on tippy-toes and guide my lips to his. His eyes widen at the contact, but he doesn’t pull away. His heart races wildly, which comforts me because so is mine. “It seems I ruin you too,” I whisper against his mouth. His breath fills me with a life force so fierce, I almost crumple. But that’s not what this moment is filled with.
Memorizing the softness, the taste, I leave a tender kiss on the crease of his mouth and pull away.
A kiss has the power to change the world…and I’ve just delivered one that’ll no doubt change us both.