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Chapter 78: Cassidy
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STay Chapter 79: Cassidy
##Chapter 79: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveIt's the deep timbre of Luke's voice that finally punctures the anxiety spiraling through me."Hey," he squeezes my hand again, "are you all right?" His fingers rise to stroke softly over my cheek. "Cassidy, look at me."He must see the fear and panic rising within my wide eyes, because he slowly tugs me into his arms. I squeeze my eyes tightly shut and rest my head against the solid strength of his chest.And then I just breathe.I suck in big gulps of air before slowly pushing them out again."Keep breathing," he whispers near the shell of my ear.I focus on the low cadence of his voice.It takes about three or four minutes before I find my muscles loosening.Once I've calmed myself down, he says, "We can leave right now if you want. I'll take you to my house or back to school." He pulls away enough to search my eyes. "Is that what you want?"For a silent moment, I turn the offer over in my mind, realizing that I don't really want to
STay Chapter 80: Cassidy
##Chapter 80: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveThanksgiving Day passes by in a blur of food and extended family that camps out at our house for the day. We wake up early, prep the turkey before shoving it into the oven, and then settle back to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the big screen. As I sit on the couch with my sisters, my dad relaxes in his recliner and my mom putters around in the kitchen, it feels just like it used to before I flunked out of school last December. And I'm seriously loving every single moment of it.A little more than a month ago, I was barely in contact with my family, and now I'm home, celebrating the holidays with them. Stranger than that, it actually feels normal. Even though I was unsure what to expect, I feel stupid for getting so jacked up in Luke's truck. Lexie, who is fourteen, makes a comment about one of the choreographed routines, and suddenly both her and Miranda are jumping off the couch and copying the dancers on TV. As my gaze
STay Chapter 81: Cassidy
##Chapter 81Book Two: Don't LeaveShe pulls away just enough to meet my gaze. "I was wondering if you wanted to go shopping with us tomorrow morning?"In all the years I lived at home, Mom and my sisters would get up super early and hit all the Black Friday sales. Normally, I'd be playing in some turkey shootout tournament, but that's not the case this year, and suddenly, I'm glad for it. "I'd like that. Thanks for asking.""Great." Her eyes take on a sly look before she asks, "So, any plans with that foxy boy who gave you and Brooklyn a ride home yesterday?"My mouth drops open as I repeat with a fair amount of horror, "Foxy? Did you seriously just say that?"Her brows draw together as she says, "Isn't that the hip lingo all the kids are using these days?"I shake my head. "Um, no. And quite frankly, I don't want to hear that word come out of your mouth ever again." I shudder. "It's so wrong, it can never be right."Her lips twitch. "How about sexy? Is that better? Like
STay Chapter 82: Cassidy
##Chapter 82: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveIt's slammed home Friday morning that getting up at the ass-crack of dawn to fight an overzealous crowd of crazed shoppers for a few sweaters and a cute pair of ankle boots is not my idea of a good time.Not only do we hit a few malls, but then I'm dragged against my will to Target and Walmart for more of this tortuous thing called Black Friday shopping.If I never hit another store for the rest of my life, it'll be too soon.The only thing that makes the experience bearable is the steady supply of caffeinated beverages shoved in my hand. Brooklyn also accompanies us on this miserable excursion. Unlike me, she seems to thoroughly enjoy the thrill of the hunt and excitement over every new discovery as much as the other demented people who are out and about before the sun has risen in the sky. In other words, she fits in perfectly with my mom and sisters.I have two words to sum up this day-Never.Again.I don't think I've ever felt more ex
STay Chapter 83: Cassidy
##Chapter 83: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveLuke causally drapes an arm around my shoulders, making it clear that we're together. "Not much. How about you?"A hard glint enters Austin's eyes as he takes in how close Luke and I are standing. "Brook called, so I'm going to take her home." His narrowed gaze shifts to me. "You need a lift home, Cassidy?" He nods his head toward Brooklyn. "Since you're next door, we can drop you off."Unease blooms in the pit of my belly as I shift, wanting to defuse the thick, suffocating waves of tension that have fallen over the group.From beneath my lashes, I glance at Luke. At this point, we're just friends, but I'm sure Austin assumes differently. My heart trips, wondering if he'll mention it to Cole.Just as quickly, I wonder if it matters.My guess is that it doesn't."I'll take her home," Luke replies before tugging me a bit closer.It feels as if I'm in the middle of a pissing match between these two, which is ridiculous. Austin has no
STay Chapter 84: Cole
##Chapter 84: ColeBook Two: Don't Leave"Someone's at the door, can you please answer it?" Mom yells from the kitchen where she's baking Christmas cookies.Already.That's not a complaint.It means I'll have more food to take back to school when I leave tomorrow afternoon. I pause, unable to rip my attention away from the big screen TV as the final seconds of the first quarter play out. The bell rings for a second time as the ball is being passed and-"Cole?" she shouts again.Except this time there's exasperation lacing her voice.And that's never good."I'm on it!"But not really.Fumble.Damn.With a shake of my head, I jog to the door and throw it wide open. Almost immediately, I wish I'd ignored it."Hi, Cole." The edges of her lips lift tentatively.When I remain silent, she shifts from one foot to the other before stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jacket."Hey," I force myself to say. If she thinks enough time has passed for me to forget about what happened betwee
STay Chapter 85: Cassidy
##Chapter 85: CassidyBook Two: Don't Leave"I know exactly how long it's been." Even though I'd thought I was completely over her and what happened, I realize that it's still festering inside me like poison."I screwed up." Her eyes turn pleading. "And I hurt my best friend in the process."What sucks most is that Jackie had been my closest friend.I'd been ten years old when my dad died, and she's the one who sat up in the tree house with me for hours while I sobbed like a little girl. I still remember what it felt like to have her scrawny arms wrapped tightly around me, holding onto me for dear life as if I might float away if she didn't anchor me to the earth.I can picture her sitting on one of our lawn chairs while I slapped thousands of hockey pucks at the net in our driveway, attempting to channel all of my anger and rage toward something other than the drunk asshole who stole my father from me.In middle school, I made sure no one messed with her. Even though I wasn't a f
STay Chapter 86: Cole
##Chapter 86: ColeBook Two: Don't Leave"So, what's the deal between you two?" Austin asks. "You two aren't together, are you?"The suspicion in his voice is clear.My gaze flickers to his. "No, we're just friends." Sort of. I guess. Maybe. It's all a bit tentative right now. And weird. But it's much better than hating her guts.His brows furrow as we walk to class.I'm aware of how Austin feels about Jackie.And none of it is good.He might not know her personally, but he was there when shit hit the fan last fall. He's the one who encouraged me to get back out there again. Up until that point, I'd never been with anyone else but her. For a couple of months, I made up for lost time in that department before deciding that random hookups weren't for me.He gives me a bit of side-eye. "You sure about that?""Yup." I have zero desire to travel down that road again.When I say nothing more on the topic, his muscles gradually loosen. "Glad to hear it."To fight off the wicked
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STay Chapter 92: Cole
##Chapter 92: ColeBook Two: Don't LeaveFour years later..."Hurry it up, babe," I call from the living room of our high-rise apartment in downtown Chicago. "Or we'll be late."I just got home from a team practice with the Blackhawks, and now we're heading out to meet up with friends for dinner. Austin and Brooklyn are in town for the weekend. And so is Luke and his new girlfriend. It might have taken time for the two of us to iron out our friendship, but it happened.Eventually."I'm coming."A low whistle escapes from me as she walks out of the bedroom wearing a little black dress that clings to her every curve. Even after spending a couple of hours on the ice, my dick stiffens right up.Damn, but my fiancée is hot."Is it possible to cancel our plans for the evening?" There's a beat of silence. "Because I'd much rather stay here and strip you out of that gorgeous dress. It would look perfect draped over the chair in the corner of our room."Color stains her cheeks as she do
STay Chapter 91: Cassidy
##Chapter 91: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveTwo hours later, we finally leave his room to scrounge up some food.After making love three times, I'm famished. I'm so hungry that my belly is rumbling and growling in protest.Once in the kitchen, Cole fills two bowls with cereal before saturating the flakes in milk."Eat up," he says with a wink before shoveling a spoonful into his mouth. After he swallows it down, he adds, "You're going to need all your energy."A giggle slips free as I spoon Frosted Flakes into my mouth. As we finish our bowls, his phone chimes with an incoming message. He picks up the slim device and glances at the screen.His gaze flicks to mine. "It's my mom. She's going to drop off some laundry I left at the house over the weekend."My heart stutters as my eyes widen.Dr. Thompson, who also happens to be Cole's mother.My teeth sink into my lower lip as an internal debate gets waged in my brain.Do I tell him that his mother was my psychologist?Or do I bury i
STay Chapter 90: Cassidy
##Chapter 90: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveOnce we're inside his room, he twists the lock and pounces, catching me around the middle and pressing me to him. When his hands settle on my ass, he hoists me up so that my legs can wrap around his waist. A growl rumbles up from his chest as I grind myself against him.His lips crash onto mine, and there is nothing gentle about how this kiss unfolds. "Too much clothing," I gasp."Agreed."His hands leave my bottom as I drop to the floor. My palms stroke over the solid planes of his chest before my fingers grip the hem of his T-shirt and I whip it over his head, tossing it over my shoulder. In the blink of an eye, my shirt also disappears. He removes my bra as I work the button and fly of his jeans. Even though his erection is still covered by his boxers, it springs forward. My thighs clench as I stroke my fingers over the hot length.I've missed this so much.Impatiently, he pushes the thick denim material down his hips and thighs b
STay Chapter 89: Cassidy
##Chapter 89: CassidyBook Two: Don't Leave"Pass it to me!"I wind up and hit the puck to Cole who flies across the ice. The rubber disk lands right on the end of his stick as he races with it to the goal and flicks it into the net. We've been here for about thirty minutes, and it feels just like it used to. I love spending time with Cole on the ice, and over the last month, I've missed it.Missed him.As difficult as it was talking with Luke yesterday, I'm so glad I cleared the air. Even if nothing changes with Cole, I know that remaining friends with Luke is what's best for both of us.After I thought about it, I decided that maybe Cole was right, and I was allowing what happened last year skew my feelings for Luke. I didn't want to believe that was a possibility, but when I tried to separate my emotions for him, I wasn't able to do it.They were too deeply intertwined."Water break?"I nod as we skate to our water bottles on the bench. After removing our gloves, we toss them
STay Chapter 88: Cassidy
##Chapter 88: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveA smile lights up Luke's face as he pulls me into the warm circle of his arms. "I have about thirty minutes before I need to be at practice. What's up?"For a heartbeat I allow him to hold me before untangling myself from his embrace. "Do you mind if we grab a coffee and talk?""Sure."After we order our drinks, Luke hands the barista a few bills before I can grab the money from my purse."I've got it," I say, quickly digging through my wallet. "I'm the one who invited you for coffee. I should pay.""You can get the next one." When he winks at me, the barista sighs. "Don't worry, I'll hold you to it."A few minutes later, he grabs our coffees from the counter, and we head to a table nestled in the corner. Once settled, we both take a few sips from our mugs. The weather has only grown colder, and it feels good to warm up."How are classes going?" he asks. "All caught up?"Luke understands how stressful my breakup was with Cole becaus
STay Chapter 87: Cassidy
##Chapter 87: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveI've spent most of today camped out at the library, with the exception of two classes. Now that Christmas break is right around the corner, it seems like almost every course has a paper due. My books are spread out all over the table as I tap away on my laptop.Every time I begin to feel overwhelmed, I close my eyes and inhale a deep breath. Once it no longer feels like my heart is being squeezed in a vise grip, I look over the list I've compiled to prioritize all my assignments.It's taken a lot of hard work to get my grades up to where they were before Thanksgiving break. I refuse to blow it now that we're in the homestretch. After my breakup with Cole, I'd let some of my classwork slide. Thankfully, Brooklyn was there to slap some sense into me, and I've been able to bounce back.Getting through that experience was tough, but it made me realize that life will always have its ups and downs. What's important is that you push through t
STay Chapter 86: Cole
##Chapter 86: ColeBook Two: Don't Leave"So, what's the deal between you two?" Austin asks. "You two aren't together, are you?"The suspicion in his voice is clear.My gaze flickers to his. "No, we're just friends." Sort of. I guess. Maybe. It's all a bit tentative right now. And weird. But it's much better than hating her guts.His brows furrow as we walk to class.I'm aware of how Austin feels about Jackie.And none of it is good.He might not know her personally, but he was there when shit hit the fan last fall. He's the one who encouraged me to get back out there again. Up until that point, I'd never been with anyone else but her. For a couple of months, I made up for lost time in that department before deciding that random hookups weren't for me.He gives me a bit of side-eye. "You sure about that?""Yup." I have zero desire to travel down that road again.When I say nothing more on the topic, his muscles gradually loosen. "Glad to hear it."To fight off the wicked
STay Chapter 85: Cassidy
##Chapter 85: CassidyBook Two: Don't Leave"I know exactly how long it's been." Even though I'd thought I was completely over her and what happened, I realize that it's still festering inside me like poison."I screwed up." Her eyes turn pleading. "And I hurt my best friend in the process."What sucks most is that Jackie had been my closest friend.I'd been ten years old when my dad died, and she's the one who sat up in the tree house with me for hours while I sobbed like a little girl. I still remember what it felt like to have her scrawny arms wrapped tightly around me, holding onto me for dear life as if I might float away if she didn't anchor me to the earth.I can picture her sitting on one of our lawn chairs while I slapped thousands of hockey pucks at the net in our driveway, attempting to channel all of my anger and rage toward something other than the drunk asshole who stole my father from me.In middle school, I made sure no one messed with her. Even though I wasn't a f
STay Chapter 84: Cole
##Chapter 84: ColeBook Two: Don't Leave"Someone's at the door, can you please answer it?" Mom yells from the kitchen where she's baking Christmas cookies.Already.That's not a complaint.It means I'll have more food to take back to school when I leave tomorrow afternoon. I pause, unable to rip my attention away from the big screen TV as the final seconds of the first quarter play out. The bell rings for a second time as the ball is being passed and-"Cole?" she shouts again.Except this time there's exasperation lacing her voice.And that's never good."I'm on it!"But not really.Fumble.Damn.With a shake of my head, I jog to the door and throw it wide open. Almost immediately, I wish I'd ignored it."Hi, Cole." The edges of her lips lift tentatively.When I remain silent, she shifts from one foot to the other before stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jacket."Hey," I force myself to say. If she thinks enough time has passed for me to forget about what happened betwee
