Chapter Twenty-Three
Caine
I know that words matter. But never did I think those two words would be so misinterpreted. Seeing the pain Mikayla was in, it felt as though it were my pain. My heart ached for her.
When she stood and walked away from me, it was a whole other level of fear that I felt. She misunderstood me. A part of me thinks she hadn’t actually misunderstood. A part of me thinks she foresaw it, heard what she expected,accepted it, and just ran away out of fear.
Man, did she bolt! Like a bat outta hell! She ran from me, all while crying. I could hear the sobs coming from her, and it gutted me.
When she says she needs me, I know she doesn’t mean sex. I know she meansme. It’s something we can’t name, something we can’t touch, but I feel it too. She feeds something deep inside me that has been barren and empty for so long.
“The good news is I think this is as crazy as I’ll ever get,” she says with a self-deprecating laugh.
“I’m here to hold you no matter what,” I say, and I mean it.
My stomach grumbles, and I’m not sure if Mikayla heard it or felt it, but her smile grows wider before a giggle escapes her lips.
“I’m hungry,” I admit with a shrug.
What do I care?
I place Mikayla on the ground and get to my feet. I extend my hand, and she readily accepts it. With her against my side, we begin to stroll back to the clearing when Mikayla peeks up at me with a sideways grin.
Then she bolts!
“Last one there has to give the winner a massage!” she yells, her hair billowing in the wind behind her.
That girl might be tiny, but, fuck, can she sprint! I’m in my work boots that feel about ten pounds, but I’m no quitter! I swing my arms and lift my knees as I catch up to her. My strides are about three feet to her one. In no time, I’m in front of her.
“What the fuck!” I yell, then begin to laugh when Mikayla leaps onto my back!
“That was amazing!” she giggles as I slow down, walking to our little picnic.
“You owe me a massage!” I humph, breathing hard.
“Nope!” she laughs. “We tied!”
“Like hell, little cheater!” I yell, dropping her onto the blanket before sinking to the ground beside her.
“You have to admit, that was pretty epic!” she says as I remove our bread and pour more wine.
“I admit nothing,” I say, but I can’t keep in my grin.
The rest of our picnic goes much better. The sun is shining and warm, and Mikayla’s smile comes naturally as we talk about nothing and everything.
I try to stay attune to her reactions to topics. I don’t want her feeling the sadness she gets when we talk about her dad, though inevitably he comes up when we talk about her brother Jack.
“You think he’ll come here to visit you?” I ask as I put the leftovers away.
“Visit me?” she asks. “I…” she blushes, but a hint of a smile appears. I can see she’s unsure.
“I don’t want you to leave,” I tell her. I lay it all out there.
“Caine, we just met. I don’t want toleave, but I mean, I need a job and a place to live.”
“My place…”
Mikayla raises her hand to stop me. “I can’t move in with you.”
