AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He nodded. “Yep.”
“Cool.”
When he just continued to stare at me, I shuffled from foot to foot, then lifted my hand in a lame wave goodbye. “Okay, well, thanks for accepting my apology. I’ll let you go now.” I turned to go, but then heard Cade’s voice.
“I’d still like a chance to get to know you, Tessa. The old you and the new you.”
My mouth dropped open. “Really? You’ll give me another chance?”
“If you want it.”
“Of course I want it. I want to show you that I’m not just a sex-crazed animal wanting to jump your bones. That I want to get to know you and for you to get to know me.”
Cade laughed. “That would be great. But only if you promise that next time you get nervous, you’ll just tell me. Then we can be nervous together, alright?”
I nodded, then realized what he’d said. “Wait—you were nervous, too?” The thought baffled my mind. Cade was hot enough to date anyone and have no need to be nervous.
“Of course. You’re sweet and funny and beautiful and a little weird, in an intriguing and attractive way. I want to get to know you better. A lot.” He paused. “But just so you know, I wouldn’t mind you being a sex-crazed animal wanting to jump my bones, too. Not at all. That sounds pretty damn great. So long as that’s not all you want from me,” he added, giving me a knowing grin.
Warmth suffused my entire body. For the first time, I felt it—the bounty that could come from being New Tessa and being willing to take chances.
The wind coming off the ocean swept over us and Cade tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear and smiled.
I think I’m going to wanteverythingfrom you, Cade, I thought, but thankfully refrained from saying it.
“So we’re agreed. We’re having a do over?” Cade extended his hand into the space between us.
I shook his hand, eyes locked with his. “Do over.”
“Good. We can talk more later, but now, I’m supposed to get this clean-up organized.”
“I’d like to stay and help if that’s okay.”
“It’s more than okay. Come on, I’ll introduce you to the others.”
Cade turned to move toward the group gathering around trash bags and gloves and tools when he stopped and glanced back at me. “Wait,” he said, “how exactly did you find me here?”
“In the one yoga class of yours that I took, you’d said you were going to be here,” I explained.
“Oh wow,” he laughed. “Someone was actually listening to me then.”
I moved to walk next to him. “I sure was.”
He smiled, warm and bright. “I’m glad.”
At the sheer beauty of his words and smile, I felt my knees go week.
I was here. Things were good. I was getting another chance with him. But…
“I’m nervous,” I admitted, smiling up at Cade as we walked toward the group.
He smiled down at me before slipping his fingers in between mine. “Me, too.”
* * *
The beach was beautiful and the day was glorious, even with trash in my hands. The water danced between our toes as we continued along the shore, sun warm on our faces, wind gentle against our skin. I didn’t know how much time had passed. I didn’t care how much time had passed. I only worried that the sun still high above us would set too soon and it would all be over, this sweet, easy dream.
As Cade and I made our way across the beach to dump our latest collection in the black plastic bags, Cade entertained me with his wildest stories from yoga class.
