M. Leighton

“I know what that feels like. I know what it’s like to care about someone so much they make you desperate.”

“Why?' she whispered.He didn't need her to elaborate; he knew what she was asking. 'I don't want you to be afraid of dying. All those people have survuved cancer. You just watched hundreds of reasons to have hope drift off into the sky.”

“For a second, Hardyy felt sorry for her. She really was messed up. 'Nobody is perfect Cheyenne. We can all do better, but do it for yourself, not for me. Not for anyone else.”

“I couldn’t wait for high school to be over. I didn’t let my exasperation show, however.  I’d long since discovered how to live inside the shark tank without getting eaten or becoming a shark:  never let ‘em see you sweat.  Don’t show any emotion, no matter how many you’re feeling.  It just reveals your weaknesses and, to them, weaknesses are like blood in the water. I try never to let them see me get angry, upset, defensive, flustered, uncertain, anything.  I’m sure that, to them, I seem somewhat robotic, but it keeps me out of trouble and keeps them at arm’s length.  And that’s how I survive”

“Are you sure you’re not a witch?” he teased lightly, his teeth nipping at the sensitive lobe of my ear.My stomach twittered excitedly and I leaned into him.“If I’m a witch, you’re a devil,” I returned breathlessly, hoping against hope that he wouldn’t stop, that we could just continue on in our little bubble of oblivion.Jackson chuckled, a sound that sent chills racing down my back.“Now that’s entirely possible,” Jackson admitted, leaning back to grin down into my face. When his eyes settled on mine, his smile died and I fell headlong into the intensity of his sky blue gaze. “I love you.”

“There are two things I was born to do. One is to protect Atlas,” Jackson began. He paused, tracing a fingertip from my temple to my jaw. “The other is to love you. If you don’t believe in anything else, believe in that. Trust me. Trust in me.”

“uh-huh. this sounds like penis problems.”

“breakin' hearts and blowin' minds! or blowin' something,”

“Would you trade him in order to undo the past?"That's a question I can't answer.”

“I'm supposed to carry you over the threshold, right?"I laugh. "If that's what you're doing, I must've slept through something important," I say dryly. He quirks one eyebrow and shoots me a cocky grin. "Oh trust me, I won't let you sleep through any of the good stuff.”

“You'd better close those lips before I'm tempted to kiss them and really give you something to be all hot and bothered about.”

“Don't. Please don't say it."I search his eyes. For what, I don't know. "Why?""Because I don't want you to. I need you to come back to me. Not to help me. Or to help my father. I'm done with that. I don't want your help. It all boils down to you. I just want you.”

“His words! Damn him and his words! They make me forget that I care about anything.”

“I'll be peeing like a champion in no time”

“It's easier to just let it go. It hurts alot less”

“Pick 'treat'. Please, for the love of God, pick 'treat'." -Trick”

“God, his eyes! I've never seen eyes that make me want to gasp and giggle and do a strip tease all at once. But these do.”

“Maybe he thinks you're worth the risk. If he doesn't, then he's not worth the risk”

“He drops his head, his cheek pressed to mine, and he whispers in my ear. "If we go, we can't come back. Not ever. Things will never be the same."I lean into him, needing to feel every inch of him, wishing he could absorb me and put me out of my misery."I'm not perfect Cami. I'm not a thoroughbred like he is. I never will be."I'm under his spell, but I hear what he's saying. And I don't care. I don't care about anything but having Trick, having him in my life, having as much as he can give me. "I hear sometimes the wild ones are the best."He says nothing at first, but I can almost hear his smile as he no doubt recognizes his own words.”

“His hands dive into my hair and he tilts my head to the side. His tongue slips into my mouth and I taste the most delicious flavor in the world-Trick. Unbridled. Unreserved. Unfettered. All I can think of is how much I want him-want his skin against me, want his hands all over me, want his body inside me. I am ravenous and the only thing that can satisfy me is Trick.”

“Looking at him makes my stomach feel like it's full of hot, melted butter.”

“Stuff like looking me over as if you wanna lick every square inch of me and then blushing about it. It's taking every bit of willpower I have and then some not to come over there and kiss you.”

“He's shirtless. Again. He's not sweaty or dirty or anything. He's just all bear skin and well-defined muscles. An there's something so sexy about the way his jeans hang on his hips. I can even see those little dents at the bottom of his stomach. If I'm being honest, I really just want to walk right over to him and touch them. With my tongue.”

“~Almost like he can feel my eyes or my though on him, Trick turns around. His gaze locks with mine like there isn't a room full of people between us. We stare at each other for a few seconds and then, real slow, he grins. Good god, he has dimples! I might die!Right on cue, my cheeks get hot. Here we go again.His grin widens into a smile and he winks at me. I'm pretty sure my toes are numb. I watch him turn away. Before his head completely disappears, I consider what Jenna said. Maybe I should go and ask for the treat...”

“Trick looks up and his eyes meet mine. I am a deer caught in the headlights. I am a girl charmed by the cobra. I am breathless and mesmerized. And then he grins. Just like that, I'm his. Whether he knows it or not.”

“Happily ever after doesn’t come easy. But for love, it’s always worth the fight.”

“She smiled at and spoke to each person. It was as though she couldn't come into contact with anyone or anything without imparting some of her goodness onto them.”

“Someday I'll marry you, Miracle. And maybe someday after that, I'll deserve you.”

“I don't want you to be afraid of dying. All those people have survived cancer. You just watched hundreds of reasons to have hope drift off into the sky.”

“Not all guys that look a certain way or dress a certain way or act a certain way are the same.”

“Just because he’s not in jail doesn’t mean he’s not guilty; it just means he never got caught.”

“You are the most amazing man I've ever met and I love you so much I sometimes feel like I can't contain it inside my chest. Don't ever say I deserve better. You are the best there is.”

“When Cash lifts his head and looks down into my eyes, there’s a wealth of emotion in the dazzling depths, so much so that it brings tears to my eyes. I think of what he told me earlier and I smile up at him. Cupping his handsome face, I whisper against his lips, “Welcome home.”When he kisses me, I know we’re both where we belong.”

“I know by his smile that he’s happy. And that’s all that matters.”

“I wrap my arms more tightly around his neck and he bends his head to kiss me. When his lips meet mine, there is fire, just like always. But there’s something else, too. Something deeper, sweeter. More meaningful. It makes my heart sing like his kiss makes my toes curl.”

“I wonder if I’ll ever stop smiling and, if I can’t, what kind of excuse I’ll have to make up to explain it. Or if I’ll even bother. Because at the moment, I just don’t give a shit. I’m happy. She’s happy. That’s all that matters.”

“When my phone rings, I pull it out and check the screen. It says simply, “Olivia.” I smile wider.”

“And when we are both satisfied and breathing heavily, Cash lays his forehead against mine and whispers, “Home.”I think to myself that this is the very moment when I’m lost. Lost to Cash. Forever.”

“I trust you, Cash. I trust you.”He grabs my wrist and presses his lips to the inside then pulls gently until I’m bent at the waist and my face is close to his.“Come home with me. Please.” I can feel his warm breath on my lips, they’re so close. I lean forward to close the small gap, but he leans away. “Please,” he repeats softly.I would never tell him, but he could ask me anything right now and I’d agree to it. Anything at all.“Okay.” As soon as the words leave my lips, his mouth is on mine.”

“He looks down at our joined hands. He rubs his thumbs over my knuckles. “I haven’t felt like I’ve had a real home in years.” Cash pauses and looks up, his eyes meeting mine. They are warm. They are sweet. They are sincere. “Until I met you. You feel like home. And that’s more important than anything else. You’re my home now. You’re what matters.”

“Why don’t you pack a bigger bag and come stay with me?”My stomach flutters at the thought of going to sleep in Cash’s arms every night and waking up in them every morning. Of going to sleep with his taste on my tongue and waking up with his tongue in my mouth. That’s what it would be like. At least for a while. For a few days.It sounds like heaven.”

“I try to hide the smile I feel that he’s coming in without me having to ask. It’s like some unspoken agreement has been reached between us. I’m his and he’s mine.”

“When she smiles shyly at me, I exhale. And when her cheeks turn pink, I chuckle. I don’t know why that makes me so happy. But it does.”

“I smile and I look down at Olivia where she’s curled up against me, her beautiful face relaxed in sleep.I don’t want to put names to the things I feel for her. I just want her to know I’m not going anywhere. And that I want to take care of her. To make her happy. I hope that’s enough. It has to be.”

“What the hell do you want from me?” “What are you trying to do to me?”“Stop! Just stop!” he spits.“Why? What else needs to be said? I think you’ve told me enough lies for a lifetime.”“No more lies,” he says angrily. “I don’t even want to talk to you anymore. I just want to hear you tell me that you don’t feel anything for me. That you want me to leave you alone and never come back. Then I’ll go. If that’s what you really want, I’ll go.”“Don’t. Please don’t say it.”“Why?”“Because I don’t want you to. I need you to come back to me. Not to help me. Or to help my father. I’m done with that. I don’t want your help. It all boils down to you. I just want you.”“I just want you.”“Okay.”

“Look, Olivia, I care about you. Can’t you see that? Can’t you feel it? I might not have always done the right thing, but try to see it from my perspective. Do you know how hard it was for me to tell you all this? Knowing that you might leave and never come back? I was just hoping that you wouldn’t do that. Leave. But you did. And I know I should let you go. But I can’t. I just can’t.”

“I keep myself busy with odd jobs, but it doesn’t really help. Every nerve, every cell, every sense of my entire being is focused sharply on Cash.Cash.”

“Whoa. I didn’t say I loved her.”Dad smiles at me. “You didn’t have to.”

“I guess they’re right when they say, “Never say never.” I said I would never beg. That’s laughable. It’s only Wednesday and I’ve already lost count of how many times I’ve called Olivia. I should be embarrassed.But I’m not.I’m desperate. More and more every day. I’m desperate not to lose her. But I don’t know what to do next. I hate to go to her house and force her to talk to me. But I will. At this point, I can’t think of anything I wouldn’t do for her. To see her. To talk to her. To touch her and taste her again.Oh damn, this ain’t good!”

“I’ve never really had feelings for a girl like her. Hell, I’ve never really had feelings for any girl period. Not like this anyway.”