Chapter 46
Kade
The sky is already shifting when I blink awake—soft gray bleeding into pale pink, the lake stretched out quiet and still beneath it. It’s that in-between kind of light, where the world holds its breath before the day starts.
It can’t be much past five-thirty. The sun hasn’t broken over the horizon yet, but the first blush of gold touches the edge of the water. It’s the kind of morning that feels like it could start something new.
Liv’s pressed against me, warm and soft, her fingers resting lightly on my ribs. I don’t move. I continue to lay here, soaking in the feeling of her body pressed against mine.
The air is cool where the blanket doesn’t reach, and she instinctively shifts closer, her bare knee brushing my thigh. I let my hand drift along her back, slow and careful, fingertips tracing the curve of her spine.
She stirs, breath catching, eyes blinking open, still half-asleep. When her eyes find me, she smiles, soft and beautiful, and just like that, I’m wrecked all over again.
“Morning,” I mumble, my voice low, rough with sleep.
Her lips brush against my chest causing goosebumps to erupt on my skin. “Morning.”
I press a kiss to her hair, breathing her in as she rubs the sleep from her eyes.
“What time do we have to get on the road?” she asks, her voice soft.
“We’ve got a little while yet. We can grab breakfast, maybe go for a walk when the sun comes up.”
Liv pushes up on her elbows, the blanket slipping a little lower, though the tank she’s wearing keeps her covered.
“It’s so beautiful here. I love the colors that stretch across the sky at sunrise.
” She lifts her head, breathing in the clear morning air.
“Back in my hometown, there was a field behind my parents’ house.
I used to sneak out there all the time when I was younger to watch the sunrise before anyone else was awake. ”
“Yeah?” I smile, brushing a thumb along her bare shoulder. “You don’t strike me as the sneaking-out type.”
That earns me a quiet laugh, her gaze flicking down to me, warm and teasing. “You’d be surprised.”
I grin, tugging her gently back down until she’s resting against me again. “I like the thought of that,” I admit. “You and your sunrises.
She laughs softly but doesn’t pull away, her fingers tracing idle patterns across my skin. The air is still cool, the sky still soft, and for a moment it feels like we’re the only two people in the world.
“I used to think if I could just stay in that field long enough,” she confesses, voice barely above a whisper, “I could breathe a little easier. Like maybe the day wouldn’t feel so heavy if I started it on my own terms.”
I let the words settle. I can hear the weight behind them; the quiet sadness she rarely lets anyone see.
“Have you talked to your parents since you left?” I ask gently.
She shakes her head. “No. At first, I was scared they’d send Caleb to drag me back. But now…” She exhales, soft and bitter. “Now I’m not even sure they’d care enough to bother.”
The sadness in her voice guts me.
“They never deserved you,” I say, my voice low, tight with the kind of anger I don’t bother hiding. “And as for Caleb—if he ever showed his face in Mayridge, I’d make damn sure he regretted it.”
Her breath catches, her eyes flicking up to mine, and the sadness shifts and softens into something else.
She studies me, her eyes searching mine like she’s trying to decide if I mean it.
She lets out a quiet breath, almost a whisper. “I believe you.”
Her hand curls against my chest, feather-light but grounding. “It scares me sometimes… how easy it is to trust you.”
I catch her chin gently, tipping her face toward mine. “You don’t ever have to be scared of me, Liv. All I want is to protect you.”
Her eyes search mine, soft and unguarded. “Please don’t break my heart, Kade.”
The words cut deep—raw, real—and I don’t hesitate. “Never, baby,” I promise, my thumb brushing her jaw. “You have more power over me than you even realize.”
Her eyes flicker, her voice barely a breath. “I think I love you.”
I huff a soft laugh, teasing. “You think?”
She smiles, but it’s fragile around the edges. “I’ve never loved anyone before. Or… been loved by anyone.”
Something twists hard in my chest. I lean in, press my forehead to hers. “Then we’ll learn together,” I whisper. “Loving you is the easiest damn thing I’ve ever done.”
She smirks, eyes sparkling with mischief. “What about Kade the playboy? You gonna miss him?”
I grin, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “That was a different life, baby. One before you existed. I was always looking for you, even when I didn’t know it.”
Her breath hitches, eyes shining, and for a second, all either of us can do is stare.
Then she leans in, slowly, until her lips brush mine. Soft. Careful. Like she’s testing the shape of it.
I meet her halfway, one hand sliding to the back of her neck, deepening it without rushing. It’s not frantic, it’s steady, lingering, the kind of kiss that sinks straight into your bones.
When she pulls back, her eyes are glassy, her forehead still pressed to mine.
“I mean it,” I reassure her. “Every word.”
She smiles—small, breathless. “I know.”
We lie there a little longer, the world quiet around us, watching as the sun climbs over the horizon.
I can’t take my eyes off her, the way her smile tugs at the corners of her mouth, the way she closes her eyes and tilts her face toward the warmth, breathing it in like it’s the first real breath she’s taken in years.
And right then, with the morning light painting her gold, I know there’s no going back. Not for me.
Eventually, I’m the one who makes the first move, grabbing my jeans and hopping down from the truck bed to pull them on. When I glance back, Liv is looking around, her brow slightly furrowed.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
She bites her lip, eyes scanning the truck bed. “I can’t find my bag of clean clothes… and I’m not wearing any panties.”
I grin, stretching my arms over my head. “You trying to tease me, Liv?”
She smirks, unbothered. “Not on purpose. But unless you want me to stand up and show everyone the sticky mess you left behind last night, I suggest you help me find the bag.”
“Let me see the sticky mess,” I shoot back, winking as I prop one knee on the truck bed.
Her eyes narrow, but she’s fighting a laugh. “Kade Jenkins, I will stand up and find them myself if you don’t help me.”
I lean in, smirking. “You wouldn’t dare. My girl’s too shy to show this campsite her perfect pussy.”
I’m not exactly trying to push her, but seeing this playful side of her—confident, teasing—is all kinds of cute.
She huffs, tossing the blanket aside without standing, but the second her legs shift, the sight of her—bare and glistening in the soft morning light—hits me like a freight train.
For a split second, I forget where we are. I nearly climb right back in to taste her all over again.
“Jesus, baby—” I groan, snapping back to reality as she moves. I lunge for the comforter and tug it over her. “Fuck. I’ll get the bag. I’m getting the damn bag.”
She laughs—smug and gorgeous—while I shake my head, grinning as I dig through the truck.
I help Liv down from the truck, her hand slipping easily into mine, and we make our way toward the café. We both order coffees, bacon, and eggs, and settle into a table outside, the early sun soft against our skin, the water sparkling in the distance.
This time away with Liv has been perfect—exactly what we both needed, even if it was just for a night. But I know this won’t be the last. I’m ready to show this woman the world, to give her every sunrise she’s ever dreamed of, for as long as she’ll let me.