Chapter 31
***Cass***
Ididn’t need to ask who Weston was talking about.
Maybe I wouldn’t have typically answered or been so open but I felt free in the middle of that field with dirt under me.
I considered how to answer him for a few moments and then just sighed and spilled it without worrying about how I, or Cole, would be perceived.
“Yeah. I was just a friend and they wanted to get laid. A girl hanging on your arm isn’t exactly the best way to get women.
Even when I was with Cole a million years ago it was the same.
They were the stars and I was just in the way.
” I could feel them getting angry and let out a forced laugh.
“It’s not just them. People love football stars.
It was the same with you guys tonight. The crowd wants to have a moment with their heroes. But…”
“What?” Cash’s thumb caressed my hand. “But what?”
“But you guys came after me.” I swallowed a lump of emotion. “That’s never happened before. And if three guys who don’t even like me come after me but my best friends never did… Fuck.”
“They’re assholes.” Hayes rubbed his head across my stomach. “And we do like you.”
“Not really, though.” I smiled up at the stars to keep from crying. “I should be used to it, though. I’ve spent most of my life following around three guys who maybe never cared about me. They sure as hell didn’t like me in the end.”
“What’s the deal with you and those dicks? The real story.” Cash rolled to his side to face me and in the starlight I watched him smirk. “Unless everything everyone has ever said on the internet is true and you’re nuts.”
I heard him grunt and felt the movement of Hayes’ arm as he hit his brother.
It made me smile and reach down with my free hand to play with his hair.
“I grew up with them. I only had my dad at home so I never had the chance to be girly. They were my best friends, my only friends. Then Cole and I dated. He was already my best friend so I just…let it happen. Why wouldn’t I fall for him?
But my dad… He got sick. And I needed Cole more than ever.
There was no one else and I thought we connected even more because his mom was sick, too.
“Then Dad died and Cole pulled away. A week after the burial he broke up with me. Said he could see being with me forever but he needed to live his life first. I thought that meant he was coming back. I held onto that stupid hope for years. I thought I was doing the right thing when I went after Savannah. I was trying to protect my best friends. But turns out they didn’t want me or my protection.
” I took a deep breath and forced my body to relax.
“Now you know the real, pathetic story. I wasn’t a fucking stalker who couldn’t let a guy she dated go.
I was in love and I thought he was coming back.
He said he was coming back. Now I think he just said that so dumping me right after Dad died wouldn’t make me hate him. ”
Weston’s voice was low as he looked over at me. “And now? Do you still love him?”
I was quiet as I thought about it. It was the question I’d avoided asking myself for months because I was terrified, I wouldn’t be able to get rid of it, wouldn’t be able to get rid of Cole.
Someone shouted at the party and a truck horn blared farther out.
It was a strange thing to do, to consider your feelings for a guy while lying with three other guys.
When I thought of Cole, though, it didn’t feel like I was going to crack open anymore.
I’d just told the humiliating tale of my love for him without wanting to die.
It still ached, deep down, but I slowly understood that I didn’t want to be with Cole.
I didn’t want anything to do with him, not even because I hated him, but because I wanted to close that door and never look back. I didn’t love him.
“Shit.” Cash sat up and let go of my hand. “The list of date ideas on your phone? Was it for him?”
I smiled at the stars as a heaviness fell away from me. I wasn’t tied to Cole anymore. I was free. More and more free by the minute, it felt like. Before I knew it, I was laughing. Laughing hard enough for tears to roll down the sides of my face. “Oh, my god. I don’t. I don’t love him!”
Hayes sat up and turned to face me. “Um… You okay?”
“I’m great! I don’t love Cole. I feel like I can breathe again.” I wiped tears away and sat up, still giggling randomly. “Sorry. I just… That’s awesome.”
“So, you’re over him?” Cash leaned over me, his face serious. “We’re not doing anymore date ideas you chose with him in mind.”
I shrugged and smiled. “Don’t care.”
“That guy’s an asshole.” He gripped my chin and tipped my face higher. “Seriously, Cassidy. Fuck that guy.”
“Cash?” I wasn’t laughing anymore. He was so intense and he kept moving closer. My heart had started pounding for a completely different reason.
“I think we need to practice our kissing.” He brushed his lips over mine. “For…pictures.”
I was free. And that felt good enough for me to not want to hold back. “Practice seems like a good idea.”
I barely had the words out when he kissed me, really kissed me.
He slid his hand into my hair and his tongue over my lips.
When I opened for him he deepened the kiss and lowered his chest so he was lightly pinning me to the ground.
My body reacted without hesitation. I gripped his hair and nipped his tongue.
“Don’t think anyone would be looking that close, Cassidy.” He lowered his mouth to my ear, trailing his lips and tongue along my jaw as he went. “But I like your commitment and am open to more of that. Where else you wanna put those teeth?”
I turned my face into his and shivered at the rough feel of his stubble before I stretched up and raked my teeth over his throat.
When he let out a low groan I pressed myself up into a sitting position, taking him with me.
I found that spot on his throat again and licked him, tasting the saltiness of his skin.
His hands both locked in my hair as he growled. “Fuck, Cassidy.”
“They need evidence. That we’re together.” I closed my lips on his neck and sucked, making sure to mark him while I had my fun. “Practice and evidence. Both solid reasons to do this.”
“Yeah, practice and evidence. Come here.” Hayes ignored his brother’s protest as he pulled me into his lap. He cupped my ass and pulled me flush against his erection.
I could feel dirt digging into my knees where I straddled him but I didn’t care. I ran my hands over his head and let my head fall back as he pressed his mouth to my throat. “Hayes.”
He was moving his way higher when Weston tugged me out of his lap. He still had a firm grip on my ass, though, so I ended up just on the ground between them, laughing. They shoved each other a few times and then Weston pulled me to my feet.
“Think that’s funny, do you?” He hugged my back to his chest and nipped my ear. “There’s not enough of you to go around, sweetheart.”
I took his hat off his head and put it on mine as I danced away from them. “I feel like dancing. And if practicing and evidencing happens during the dancing, who could help it?”
Cash tossed me over his shoulder and slapped my ass. “Not me, baby. Definitely not me.”