Chapter 66
KADENCE
This felt like a trap, but I would deal with the consequences later.
If Blaize finally wanted to dive into this, then I wasn’t going to stop her.
Last night at the pier felt like the first move we both needed connecting over loss, which sounded like a red flag, but it felt right.
Loss was a part of our lives, and we could help each other heal in different ways.
I was excited and terrified at the same time.
Annika helped me get ready for my date. She knew more about hair and makeup than I did.
I really was not a girly girl, but I also never had the chance to be one.
The dress I opted for was a solid black halter dress that hugged my figure like a glove.
My breasts looked amazing, and I had a shape to my curves.
Dancing helped tone me out slightly, but I was starting to love my body and my curves.
It helped when I had people hyping me up instead of bringing me down.
I loved the person I was seeing in the mirror.
I was happy. The smile in my eyes was genuine, and I felt like myself for the first time in years.
I stepped out of the bedroom. Annika and her guys were on the couch cuddling when Annika locked eyes with me. “Holy shit. Kadence. You look hot!”
I looked down, feeling a blush creep on my face. “Is it too much?”
“Nope,” Theo chimed. “I think it is perfect. You look good. It’ll definitely make Blaize weak in the knees.”
There was a knock on the door, and Drew pulled himself off the couch to open the door. “Hey, Blaize.”
“Hi, Drew.”
He stepped back and extended his hand toward me.
Annika really got herself three dashing gentlemen.
Blaize looked stunning. She wore black slacks and opted for a white button up that had several buttons undone to show her black lace bra, then added suspenders.
I loved a woman in suspenders, and I swear, Blaize took my breath away.
Her dark hair was pulled up, giving me a view of an undercut I didn’t know she had.
She had a bouquet of roses in her hand. “You look beautiful, Kadence. I didn’t know what your favorite flower was, so I went with roses to keep it safe.”
I took the flowers with a smile. Roses were actually my favorite. “Thank you. They are beautiful. Roses are perfect.”
Drew took the flowers from me. “I’ll put these in a vase. Go and enjoy yourself.”
I gave him a soft smile as Blaize took my hand. When we reached the parking lot, I saw a dark-colored Jeep. I always thought she only had her bike, I didn’t know she had a car. “It’s not mine. It’s Hunter’s.” That made more sense.
“You don’t like cars? Or you prefer your bike?”
“I like my bike. Hunter has two vehicles if I ever needed to use a car. I didn’t think you would enjoy riding on my bike in a dress.”
I laughed. “Yeah, probably not. I do think it will be fun to go on a ride, though. Just in appropriate clothing.”
Blaize drove me to an Italian restaurant on the other side of town with a gorgeous garden out front. How have I never explored more of the town? I was always focused on the club or Annika’s house. When we were seated in our booth and our drinks were ordered, I saw Blaize physically relax.
“I’m sorry for being complicated,” she said, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Complicated? An algebra test is complicated, and I’d rather take ten of those in a row. I’m thankful that you finally decided to open up slightly.”
“You know you can, too.”
I sighed. “It’s not that I don’t want to.
I’m not ready. I can give you something though.
” I took a deep breath, feeling panic rise in my chest. “I was hurt by my ex-boyfriend in ways I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.
I’m still healing from that. One day, I’ll be able to tell you what they did to me, but I can’t right now. I’m not ready to remember.”
She nodded, tension in her jaw. It was the same way Hawke looked when I told him what happened to me.
How would she react when I told her? Everyone wasn’t like my father and they wouldn’t blame me.
Blaize didn’t seem like the kind of woman who blamed a woman for being raped.
She looked like the type of woman who would castrate a man for looking at a woman the wrong way.
“When you’re ready…I know I kept pushing you for answers, but I don’t like being in the dark. I know I haven’t been the greatest person.”
I laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “That’s an understatement. You are the epitome of a raging cunt.”
“I deserve that,” she agreed. “I’m not good at this, and I’m sorry for hurting you.”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t used to being hurt.” I needed to stop before I spilled everything and put a damper on the night. “Okay. I am done. Let's eat and talk, but nothing sad or depressing.”
We ordered our dinner and enjoyed a meal together.
It felt natural now that we talked and stopped walking on eggshells.
I was fine with talking. She was the one who wanted to make things complicated.
Did bratting help? Probably not, but what did she expect from me?
She kept giving me the cold shoulder up until now.
I wonder what made her change her mind? She said she couldn’t love me before, but now she asked me on a date, brought me flowers, and made me feel like a school girl with a crush.
“Would you like to join me on a walk?”
I nodded. I liked this side of Blaize. The side that showed vulnerability instead of the ice cold facade she gave me.
She wanted people to think she was cold to keep her appearance, but she was sweet.
Blaize was scared of showing her feelings again.
She didn’t mention what happened to her wife, but I figured it was a touchy topic.
Finding love after loss was difficult, just like trusting someone after being betrayed, but I think Blaize and I could make it work. We were working on something now, and I wanted to see where it would take us. Our feelings were all over the place, but our connection was magnetic.
“So, why did you change your mind?” I asked, threading my fingers in hers as we walked into the park.
“I decided to stop letting fear take control. There is no reason in avoiding my feelings now when I know I have feelings for you.”
I beamed. “It seems we both have troubled pasts we're hiding from,” I whispered. “I like the idea of dating and learning about each other, and talking about everything when the time is right. I’ll be ready to tell you about mine soon, but I don’t want to put a damper on the night.”
“We can focus on it later.” I knew it was hard for her to agree to that because since I met her, she was obsessed with knowing who I was and where I came from. I would accept this and we could go from there. “How about a nightcap?”
“I’m not sleeping with you, Blaize.”
“Just sleep. Nothing else.”
I cocked my brow. “Okay, but we sleep at Annika’s place.” Blaize agreed.