15. Trenton
Trenton
My heart pounds a furious rhythm against my chest as I lift my knuckles to Cassidy’s door.
The five-hour drive from Boston felt like an eternity knowing what was waiting for me back home.
Rather, who was waiting for me.
But when Cassidy swings open her door, my heart stops altogether.
She barely lifts her red-rimmed eyes to mine. “Hey, Trent.”
“What’s wrong?” I rush inside her apartment and drop my bags, clutching her face in my hands. “What happened? Why are you crying?”
She sniffles. “Candy died.”
Fuck. I wrap my arms around her in a bear hug. “Cass, I’m so sorry.”
Her muffled words come out in clips against my chest. “This morning...I didn’t hear her...she wasn’t chirping...I found her...on the bottom of the cage.”
Sadness slices through my heart like a sharp knife. “Do you think she was sick?”
“I don’t know.” She slips her arms around my waist and fists my shirt. “I didn’t notice anything.”
I grip her tighter. “It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you. I’m here now. Let it all out.”
Sobs rack her body, the sound of her grief cracking my chest wide open. She loved that bird, and though I wasn’t a fan of Candy, she was a living thing and now she’s gone.
I lift her in my arms, cradling her as I carry her over to the couch. “I’m so sorry, my sweet girl.”
She buries her face in my neck, her tears rolling down my skin as they fall. “She was like my best friend. She was such a good listener.”
“She was. And she put up with your God-awful singing.”
Cassidy hiccups as she laugh-sobs. “She liked my singing.”
I stroke the back of her head, running my fingers through her soft hair. My chest physically aches me hearing her cry, seeing her upset like this.
In this moment, it hits me: I’ll do anything to keep Cassidy safe and happy.
She’s kind and caring and innocent, and I’ll stop at nothing to make sure that no harm comes to her. I’ll protect her from anything and anyone who tries to hurt her.
I don’t ever want to see her cry like this again.
“I wasn’t able to...” Cassidy pulls back and glances at the cage in the corner of the room. “She’s still in there. I couldn’t do it.”
“It’s okay, baby. I’ll take care of it for you. Do you want to bury her somewhere, or get her cremated?”
“I think I’d like to bury her.” She wipes her nose with the back of her hand. “Maybe by the tree I found her nest near when I rescued her and her brother.”
My head tilts. “Candy had a brother?”
She nods. “She pecked him to death.”
I can’t help my reaction. “She what?”
“I rescued them and wanted to keep them together because they were family, you know? But apparently, they weren’t supposed to live confined in the same cage. One day, I came home and found her brother on the bottom of the cage, blood and feathers everywhere. She pecked him to death.”
Jesus Christ. Well, now her name makes perfect sense.
“I don’t know what’s more terrifying—Candy bludgeoning her brother to death, or you finding it funny to name her after an axe murderer.”
“Trent,” she whines.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” I wrap my arms around her shoulders to comfort her again. “But damn.”
She lets out a soft laugh and rests her head on my shoulder. “I’m sorry about all the crying. I know this wasn’t what you expected when you came over today. We can have sex in a little while.”
My body stills and then I hold her away from me so I can look into her eyes. “We’re not having sex, and that is the furthest thing from my mind right now. You’re upset.”
“I know, but we said we would do it when you got home and I don’t want to disappoint you.” She hikes a shoulder. “It’s part of our deal.”
I stare at her in disbelief. “Cassidy, nothing you say or do could disappoint me unless you said you didn’t want to talk to me ever again. I’m not here because I want to fuck you. That’s not what this is.”
“It’s not?”
“No.” My throat bobs as I swallow. “I’m here because...
because I want to see you. Because I need to be near you.
Because I missed you while I was gone, and all I could think about when I wasn’t playing hockey was you.
” My eyes bounce between hers. “We only have sex if you’re in the mood to have sex.
And if you’re not, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to spend time with you. ”
A lone tear trails over the curve of her cheekbone, but I know this one isn’t because of her bird.
“You’re more than just sex, Cassidy Quinn. You’re the total package, remember?”
She leans forward and presses her soft lips to mine. “I really missed you.”
I really fucking did too.
“I have a feeling this is going to end badly.”
“No, it won’t. You’ve got this. I believe in you.” I adjust the helmet on Cassidy’s head and clip it under her chin. “There.”
“I look ridiculous.”
I bite my bottom lip to keep from freeing my smile. “You look safe.”
She does look ridiculous but it’s the most adorable kind. Elbow pads and knee pads wrap around her joints, and a bright-pink helmet protects her head. Her bottom lip sticks out at she pouts and I’m tempted to suck on it.
I hold up the rollerblades I bought her this afternoon. “Let’s put on the finishing touches.”
She groans as she lowers herself onto the curb. “You promise this is legal, right? I can’t go to jail. I’d get eaten alive.”
I kneel down and take her ankle into my hand as I slip her foot into the skate. “It’s totally legal. I would never let anything bad happen to you.”
Since the nineties, Manhattan has been hosting Wednesday Night Skate—an event where skaters of all experience levels can come together and skate along a ten-mile route through the city’s most popular spots.
I used to participate when I visited my grandmother each summer, until college and hockey took over.
When Cassidy told me she’d never skated before, I knew I had to bring her here.
Once her skates are laced up, I stand and hold out my hands. She slaps her palms against mine and her legs wobble as she rises from the sidewalk, but I steady her.
“I’ve got you. You’re good. Now, eyes on me.”
Cassidy’s eyes flick to mine.
“There she is.” I smile and squeeze her hands. “We’re going to take this nice and slow.”
She arches a brow. “Is it me, or are you making this really sexual?”
“You’re a horn dog, so everything sounds sexual to you.”
“I can’t help it. Look at you.” Her gaze roams over me. “Even in rollerblades and a helmet, I’d still hit it.”
I bark out a laugh. “Stop trying to distract me. I’m teaching you how to skate whether you like it or not.”
I tug on Cassidy’s arms, and skate backwards while I pull her along a side street. Her legs jerk as she tries to maintain balance, but after a few minutes, her body relaxes.
“This isn’t so bad,” she says.
“See? Now, I want you to alternate your legs and push off the ground, propelling yourself forward.”
“Don’t let me go.”
“I won’t. Hold onto me and try skating yourself.”
Her body stiffens as she figures out how to move her legs in fluid strides.
“Good, now you’ll let go of one of my hands.”
She grimaces. “Wait, I’m not ready.”
“You can do it, Cassidy.”
She drops my right hand, and I swivel around to the side so it looks like we’re holding hands while we skate.
Her eyes light up. “I’m doing it!”
“Yes, you are. Move your free arm with you as you skate and let your body fall into a rhythm. Side to side.”
We glide up and down the block until Cassidy feels comfortable enough to skate on her own.
She squeals. “It’s happening. I’m skating.”
I laugh at how excited she is to do something she should’ve done when she was a kid. It saddens me to think of little spunky Cassidy with parents who didn’t take care of her, or spend time with her, or love her.
After I teach her how to turn and stop, it’s time to head to Union Square. The skate takes place at midnight, but everyone gathers about fifteen minutes beforehand.
“Wow, there are a lot of people here.” Cassidy’s eyes scan the area. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
I squeeze her hand. “I’ve never done this with anyone before.”
She gazes up at me from under her long dark lashes. “No?”
I tilt her helmet and dip my head to press my lips against her. “Just you.”
She wraps her hands around the back of my neck. “Thank you for cheering me up tonight. I really needed to get out of the house.”
“Of course.” I slide my hands into her back pockets. “I don’t like seeing you sad.”
Her cheeks tinge a pretty pink color. “It’s nice being out here without all the paparazzi. It’s like we’re a real, normal couple.”
Real. As if we aren’t. As if what we’re doing here tonight is part of the PR stunt.
Is that all this is to Cassidy? Is it the reason she’s with me tonight, because she thinks it’s part of our agreement? Does she feel obligated to spend time with me?
“Trenton Ward.”
My head jerks up in the direction of the man calling my name. Then a smile spreads across my face. “Hey, Mannie.”
He skids to a stop in front of us and claps me on the back. “Long time no see. How the hell are you?”
“I’m great. How have you been?”
“I’m fantastic. You know me.” He looks to Cassidy and sticks out his hand. “I’m Emanuel. You can call me Mannie. Everyone else here does.”
She shakes his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mannie. I’m Cassidy.”
“Oh, I know who you are.” He winks. “You two have been the talk of the tri-state area over the last few weeks.”
I shake my head. “Still reading the tabloids?”
“My husband loves them. I pretend to hate them, but I secretly love hearing about all the celebrity gossip.”
Cassidy laughs. “Is he here too?”
“My husband would die before he let me put him in a pair of skates. I’m here with our daughter.” He glances at the crowd. “She’s around here somewhere.”
I wrap my arm around Cassidy’s shoulders. “This is her first time here.”
“First time skating too,” she adds.
“Well, you’re in very good hands,” he says.
“Would you mind taking a picture of us, Mannie?” Cassidy unzips her crossbody bag and hands him her phone before wrapping her arms around my waist.
I lean down and press my cheek against hers, engulfing her in my arms. Mannie snaps a few photos, and then I smack my lips against her cheek, squishing her face while she laughs.
“They came out great.” Mannie hands Cassidy her phone and gives her a quick hug. “It was wonderful to meet you. Enjoy your night.”
Then he sets his hand on my shoulder. “Cherish each other.”
I nod. “We will.”
Cassidy’s eyebrows lift after Mannie skates away. “What was that about?”
“He lost his boyfriend about ten years ago. Drunk driver hit him here in the city. Now he’s all about appreciating the moment you’re in and cherishing the people you have in your life.”
Her lips tug into a frown. “That’s so sad.”
“It is.” I watch the back of his head as he skates farther into the crowd. “But he found love again, and he’s happy. He has a family.”
“Do you want a family someday, Trenton Ward?”
“I do.” I glance down at Cassidy. “What about you?”
“I think I’d like to be a mom.”
I can picture it. Cassidy in a skin-tight dress with her swollen belly sticking out of it, looking hot as hell.
Then my mind fabricates an image of Cassidy at a hockey game holding our son or daughter, wearing a mini-jersey. It’s black and yellow with a small goldfinch on the front, and my name on the back.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
Why am I imagining Cassidy having my child?
And why am I getting hard at the thought of spilling my cum inside her?
Cassidy places her hand on my forearm. “You okay?”
No, I’m not okay.
Not one fucking bit.
“Skating through the tunnel was the coolest thing I’ve ever done.”
I stop beside Cassidy’s door and lean against the wall. “I’m glad you had fun.”
“It was so fun. I want to do it again one day.”
“Then we will.”
She glances at the door and pauses. “Candy won’t be there when I go inside.”
I brush my thumb against her cheek. “No, she won’t.”
She frowns, and I hate it so much.
She digs into her purse for her key card, but I cover her hand with mine to stop her. “Stay with me tonight.”
Her eyes fly to mine. “You don’t have to do that. I’m a big girl. I’ll be fine.”
I wrap her in my arms and speak against her lips as I pull her close. “Does being a big girl mean you can’t snuggle with your boyfriend?”
“I don’t know the rules for fake boyfriends. Are snuggles in the contract?”
She’s teasing me, I know, but my heart sinks at her reminder.
“Snuggles are in the fine print.” I pepper kisses all over her face. “Come on. Stay with me tonight.”
She sighs against my mouth. “Okay. But if you snore, I’m punching you in the throat.”
“So violent.”
“You like it.”
“I do.”
There isn’t anything about this woman I don’t like.