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Chapter 17: Cassidy
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STay Chapter 18: Cassidy
##Chapter 18: CassidyBook One: StayMy brows are knit tightly together as I glance suspiciously around before asking, "What are we doing here?"It's a few minutes before five o'clock in the morning, and the ice arena is closed. The lights are off, the concession stand is locked up tight, there's not even a maintenance guy on duty to question our presence.Even though this isn't the first time I've posed the question, Cole remains tight-lipped. The only thing he said is that it's a surprise.The first wave of questions fell from my lips as we stood outside the arena, and I realized it wasn't open. That's when Cole had produced a key. I'm not going to lie, it had struck me as a little bit sketchy. The last thing I need is a police record to go along with the other crap I put my parents through. They'd probably disown me.Officially.But I trust Cole.I do.He doesn't strike me as a guy who engages in criminal activity. Right now, I can only hope I'm not wrong about that. Then again, he
STay Chapter 19: Cassidy
##Chapter 19: CassidyBook One: StayI tip my face toward his and wait for his lips to settle over mine. He caresses them gently, making me forget where we are. Just as I sink further into the warm embrace, he draws away before untangling himself from me, leaving my body to pulse and throb with need."Okay, let's try that again." He motions for me to skate toward him. Slightly disorientated from that kiss, I pick up each skate as if clumsily trying to walk across the ice."No, not like that," he patiently instructs. "You have to glide. Just remember, long smooth strokes."Long smooth strokes.Now that's a distracting thought. Maybe even more so than his kisses.It doesn't take long before I'm imagining Cole caressing my insides with long smooth strokes. God, I bet he's good at it. I mean, come on, of course he is. His kisses are literally mind-blowing. Even thinking about them has me clenching my inner thighs together, which is something I've never felt compelled to do."Cassidy?"I bl
STay Chapter 20: Cassidy
##Chapter 20: CassidyBook One: Stay"It's nice to see you looking so happy. Things must be going well," Dr. Thompson says with a smile as she continues to study me.Her thin black framed glasses are perched on the bridge of her nose. Every hair of her blonde, shoulder-length bob is in perfect place. Her beige suit is carefully tailored and form-fitting. A thick strand of creamy pearls clasped around her slender neck completes the picture. She sits back, looking pleased with my progress.I have to admit, I'm happy with it as well.Her comment has a small smile blooming across my face. I can't remember the last time I've felt this good. Even thinking back to before my life imploded, I'm not sure I was happy. I spent my high school years stressed out. There was always another game to excel at. Another test to ace. Scouts sitting in the stands that I needed to perform for like I was a circus act.There's no longer the same pressure to succeed.But it's more than that. A lot of my happines
STay Chapter 21: Cassidy
##Chapter 21: CassidyBook One: StayCole eases his Mustang over to the side of the familiar tree-lined street before cutting the engine. For a moment we both stare at the red brick, two-story house situated on a pretty corner lot.My breath hitches as I contemplate my childhood home.I'm having some serious second thoughts about what I'm intent on doing. And, truth be told, I feel guilty for dragging Cole into it with me. He's aware that there's tension with my parents, but has no idea how bad the situation is."Ready?" The softly spoken question slices through the thick silence of the car.I straighten my shoulders before turning to meet his gaze.At this time of the day, both my parents should be at work, leaving the house empty. I've spent the previous week going round and round with myself about this. What I keep coming back to is that it's my hockey gear and I want it. I'm tired of wearing crappy rental skates.What I don't know is if my equipment is still here or if Dad got rid
STay Chapter 22: Cassidy
##Chapter 22: CassidyBook One: StayI inhale a deep breath and squeeze my eyes shut again. I'm irritated at myself for allowing all this garbage back inside my head. Maybe I disappointed my family, but they let me down me too. When I needed them to stand by me, they'd taken the easy way out and shipped me off, leaving me to deal with the fallout by myself.My eyelids fly open when Cole wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me against his hard body. He doesn't ask any questions. He simply holds me until I'm strong enough to move forward again. I don't understand what it is about Cole that makes me feel so safe."If they kept my gear, it would be here." As we step into the back room, Cole looks around the shelving units my father built to house all of our old equipment. It's crammed full of clear bins that contain skates, socks, gloves, pants, shoulder pads, and jerseys. Fiberglass sticks take up a whole shelf as do the oversized bags."Holy crap, it's like a hockey store in her
STay Chapter 23: Cassidy
##Chapter 23: CassidyBook One: StayMy father has always been blunt, and he cuts right to the heart of the matter as he stabs a finger at me. "That's no longer your equipment to take. You forfeited it when you got kicked off the team and flunked out of college."The razor-sharp comments leave me wincing, but I keep my face an emotionless mask. I'll be damned if he sees how much his words and attitude are still able to inflict damage. Sometimes it's difficult to believe we were ever close. I'm his eldest and the only daughter who followed him into hockey. He used to be so proud of me and my accomplishments.Both on and off the ice.Miranda and Lexie had refused from the beginning to take skating lessons. He didn't bother trying to get them to play hockey. I, on the other hand, had loved it from the very first lesson. Sometimes I wonder if the reason I'd loved it so much was because we were the only two who shared it. Hockey was a bond that neither my mom nor my sisters could penetrate
STay Chapter 24: Cassidy
##Chapter 24: CassidyBook One: Stay"What's up with your hockey hottie?"Ever willing to force her nose where it doesn't belong, Brooklyn swipes some bright red lipstick on before shoving a finger into her mouth and dragging it out again.My brows slide together as I watch her. "Maybe you'd like to be alone right now?"She rolls her eyes before giving me a you're so clueless look. Since it's nothing out of the ordinary, I'm not offended by it."That's how you remove excess lipstick from the inside of your lips, so it doesn't end up on your teeth." She bares her sparkling white teeth in the mirror to make sure they pass inspection."Huh." Impressed with that beauty tip, I tilt my head. "Neat trick."She winks before brushing out her thick blonde mane. Normally, Brooklyn leaves her hair loose so it can flow freely down her back because guys go crazy for her long glossy strands. They love it in a way that makes them want to wrap it around their fist and yank her head back (Brooklyn's wor
STay Chapter 25: Cole
##Chapter 25: ColeBook One: Stay"Hi sweetie," Mom calls out a greeting as I walk through the front door.I pause, flooded with memories of what it felt like to walk into Cassidy's house. The tone and feel of our houses couldn't be more different. Even with no one there to greet us, the vibe had felt strangely tense."Hey, Mom."Even though I'm nearly twenty, she wraps her arms around me and pulls me in for a hug. Other guys might fight the intimacy or grumble under their breaths, but I don't.Honestly, I don't give a shit what anyone else thinks.I know what it feels like to lose a parent.So, if the woman wants to give me a hug every once in a while, I'm cool with it.My mind tumbles back to Cassidy and her father. The stilted awkwardness of their interaction had felt like a suffocating blanket. Even though part of me hadn't wanted to leave her with him, it had been a relief to get the hell out of there.His demeanor had been so cold and distant.Angry.I'm still trying to figure ou
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