“It’s done. I dealt with it, and now she has no leverage.”
“So she’s not going to come after us?”
“No.” He let his arms drop to his sides. “But that doesn’t mean we can sleep in the same bed.” He backed away and opened up the closet. “There are things in here for a pallet. It’ll be fine. We’ll make do.”
“But—”
“No buts.” He shook his head and pasted a smile on his face. “Get unpacked, and then we can go meet with Reagan and her dad. You need an early night tonight.”
Chapter Eleven
ARIA
I
moved my arms above my head and stretched my entire body out. There was nothing like having a huge bed to yourself all night, although it had taken me a while to get to sleep with Cade on the floor next to me.
Cade hadn’t been kidding when he said I needed an early night. He had me back in the room by eight, and I hated to admit I’d fallen asleep not long after. But today was the day. Today I could potentially be offered a scholarship and start fresh.
Soft snores sounded from the side of me, so I rolled over and stared down at Cade. He’d used a sheet as his mattress and collected two pillows and a blanket to create his bed. I’d insisted over and over again that there was enough room for both of us in the bed, but he’d refused to get in here with me. He was probably right to keep refusing, but I didn’t feel right with him on the floor while I had this giant bed all to myself.
I tilted my head and stared at his peaceful face. His lips were in a straight line, parted slightly, and I couldn’t help but remember the last time they’d been fused against mine. So much had happened since then, and yet, I still felt the same way.
He’d pushed his way into my heart and soul, and nothing I did seemed to get rid of him. He was there, not willing to leave, and if I were honest, I didn’t want him to leave. I propped my hand on the side of my head and continued to stare down at him. Last night, he’d told me a little about what happened with Miss Simmons, but my gut was telling me there was more to it.
What had she said to him? And more importantly, what had he done to get her off his back? Did this mean he didn’t have to keep up pretenses with her anymore? Was it really all an act?
Cade’s lashes fluttered, and he rolled over onto his side, slowly opening his eyes. His gaze landed on my face, and I smiled brightly. “Holy shit!” He jumped up into a sitting position causing the sheet to fall from his chest, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t look. “What the hell, Aria?”
“What?” I asked, my voice soft and innocent. “What did I do?”
“You were staring at me.” He let out a breath and shook his head. “Fuck. You scared the life out of me.” He ran his hand over his face and through his hair several times, and then looked back at me. “Why are you smiling so wide?”
He raised a brow in suspicion, and I shrugged. “No reason.” He pushed himself up off the floor and stood, but I couldn’t take my eyes off him. All he was wearing was a pair of sweats low at his hips, and I was utterly enthralled.
“Aria, stop,” he warned.
I raised my brows and flicked my gaze to his face. “What?”
“Stop looking at me like that.” He took two steps away from me. “Stop it.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I pulled the covers up to my shoulders and lay back down in my bed. I really had no desire to move from my spot, not yet anyway.
He darted toward me, placed his hands on either side of me, and whispered, “You know exactly what I’m talking about, baby.” His gruff voice so close to me was making me squirm, and I glanced at his lips. “That right there, I know what you’re doing. I’ve only got so much willpower, Aria.”
My chest lifted on a breath as I said, “I can’t help it.” It was an admission. Something he wasn’t expecting if the tic of a muscle in his jaw was anything to go by.
Neither of us moved, locked in a stare I never wanted to end. We were alone, in a room, with nothing and no one to stop us, and yet he was resisting it. I’d backed away from him so much the last couple of months, but with his confession about Miss Simmons last night, I couldn’t come up with a reason why I shouldn’t kiss him.
I leaned forward, just enough to let him know what I wanted, but he yanked himself away and spun around. “Fuck!” He slapped his hand on the wall as his shoulders bunched up. “I can’t do this. Fuck. I can’t—”
“Cade?”
“Just…just wait, Aria. I’m trying real fuckin’ hard right now to do the right thing.” I swallowed past the lump building in my throat, and when he turned back to face me, I couldn’t quite meet his eyes. “I’m trying to be the good guy. I’m trying to give you space. Fuck…I’m trying, Aria, but you’re not making it any easier.”
“I don’t understand,” I whispered, really not understanding what he was saying. I didn’t get it. Why was he trying to be a good guy? That hadn’t stopped him months ago when he’d first kissed me. It hadn’t stopped him when I gave him my virginity, so why now? Why—
“Oh my god.” I threw the covers aside and darted off the bed. “This is because of my diagnosis, isn’t it?” I could feel the blood draining from my face. “Is that it? You don’t want to get too close because I’m crazy?”