She leaned on her elbow, watching him. ‘Can’t we still be the same? What has to change? I’ve always kissed and cuddled you from the first day I met you. I’ve loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you. I thought you were so handsome, you blew me away. We’ve bonded like no other friends could; our friendship is strong enough to last many lifetimes. I’m willing to give up Kayden for that friendship. Doesn’t that mean anything to you? I’ll still see you every day and we can still have our alone time together. Please don’t run from me. You told me not to run and I stayed for you. Can we not work through this together? Let’s spend a couple of days on our own, just to talk.’
He pulled her into him. ‘I can’t think straight,’ he said. ‘Just let me hold you and sleep for a few hours and I’ll see how I feel when I wake up.’
She cuddled into him, not ever wanting to let him go and cried herself silently to sleep. ‘I love you,’ she whispered to him but he never spoke for the rest of the night.
In the morning they were still in each other’s arms and when she looked at him, he smiled at her. ‘I’ve been watching you sleep,’ he said, running his hand caringly over her face. ‘We are two of a kind, you know and it only just dawned on me. Cass, it’s not just you holding back. There’s someone I too have been holding onto and if I’ve learnt anything from you it is that true love never dies. I think it is time we both sat up and took a good look around us. We’ve both needed each other so much that we built ourselves a fortress and hid inside. Somehow we forgot the fact that there was a world out there and that we were really just a brother and sister leaning on each other until we found our wings.’ He sat up. ‘It’s time we let each other spread those wings and find true love. I was watching you before you woke, trying to imagine the love you had with Kayden and my mind went straight to Ella. She never gave up on me but I’ve hidden under the protection of your umbrella, maybe just like you and Kayden. I never gave her time to adjust and learn. I never trusted her. But you know, I think it’s time we trusted someone other than ourselves. I was wrong, Cassie. We will always be together. I want to share with you the lows and highs in my life like I always have and hope you’ll still do the same.’
She smiled and cried at the same time at his happy revelation. He wasn’t going to leave her. We will always be just how we have always been, best friends.
When they went downstairs, Jason could see they had worked it out. Woody told him he was taking her home and then he was going to visit a friend. He added that they shouldn’t expect him until the following day.
Cassie kissed Jason. ‘Thanks for being the best friend ever to both of us.’
As Woody dropped her off, Cassie kissed him and wished him luck. ‘Go get your girl,’ she said as he grinned sweetly at her.
Angel Gift of Mine
Kayden heard a car and went out, ready to face the music. He had kissed Cassie and begged her to come home and he knew Woody was there to take revenge on his dirty-arse tactics. ‘Hell, I even sent him off on a bullshit mission to get him out of the way. I can just imagine how this is going to go down with his temper. Nevertheless, she is mine and he had better just start getting used to it. I found her, you bastard!’ he muttered as he watched the car approach. ‘She’s mine … mine!’
The nights he had agonised over the image of her asleep in Woody’s arms—not his—twisted his guts even now. He can smack my frigging head in if it makes him feel better but at the end of this day, I swear she will be mine again.
The car pulled up a little way away from him and Kayden watched, confused as Cassie kissed Woody while saying something to him. They were smiling at each other. What the hell! Don’t tell me she hasn’t told him yet. Jeez, Cass, he has to know! If you’re coming home to me I won’t be giving you back, ever! She’s my girlfriend, woman-thief. That’s right; I’m doing the thieving this time. Shit, it feels good. Bastard! Stop kissing my woman.
He stood, wondering how, if she had told him, he could hold and kiss her with so much tenderness and walk away with a smile, knowing he had lost her. I knew she was an angel but she must be a gift from above if she’s able to break up with someone so amicably. God hear me now, if she is coming back to me, I promise never to let my foolishness ever hurt one of your angels again . Please give me a chance to show you I’m worthy of such a gift.
Woody turned the car around, his face giving nothing away. As the dust shot out from beneath the tires, Cassie stood in front of him, just as he had found her that very first day, red dirt floating all around her. The powdery residue lightly settled onto her hair and her delicate, cream-coloured skin. She had the most adorable look on her face: so shy, so innocent. All that time and she hadn’t changed a bit. She was pure and sweet. God, I love her. His eyes filled up, knowing without her having to say a word that she had come home to him.