Cloud Riders(32)

It was unexpected and at first, Cassie tensed. He nearly pulled away but she put her arms around him so he would stay. His lips were warm and the kiss was different from what she remembered a kiss felt like but she didn’t hate it. She lingered, letting herself relax to give him every opportunity to make her feel the passion she had once felt. After a few minutes it felt sweet: not passionate, just sweet. He pulled away and looked at her through loving eyes and she felt sad, knowing her feelings weren’t the same. She wondered if she would ever feel true emotion again.

‘Alex, please,’ she said. ‘I just can’t. I’m not ready yet.’ Tears sprang to her eyes.

His heart sunk because she didn’t feel the same way he did. But he felt worse because he had upset her. ‘I’m sorry, Cassie. I shouldn’t have forced you.’

She blushed. ‘We won’t act all funny next time we see each other, will we? I’d hate this to change things between us. You’re my best friend.’

Alex kissed her forehead. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll get over the rejection.’ He grinned, trying to lighten the moment.

‘I’ll see you tomorrow. However, I won’t be wiping it from my memory banks, Cassie. If you think I’m giving up on us any time soon you’d better think again. Just the fact you let me kiss you makes me know you care about me and that’s enough for now,’ he said, sounding like he always did and making her grin. He stuck his hands in his pockets and headed back to the casino.

Cassie watched him walk away and wiped more tears from her face. ‘What is wrong with you, girl?’ she said, annoyed with herself. She went to open the car door when a hand closed it and a familiar arm wrapped around her waist.

‘You still love me, don’t you?’ She heard Kayden’s voice.

Cassie tried to wiggle out of his grip and hit his chests with her fists but he held her firmly, bringing his head down to claim her lips with the passion she so remembered. Within seconds her body stopped fighting and betrayed her. It melted into him with unleashed lust.

He pulled back and held her, looking into her love-soaked eyes. She tried to pull herself together and speak but no words came out. How does he do this? After all this time, he thinks he can waltz back into my life and reclaim my body. She lingered, viewing him through the stupid eyes she knew must surely be giving away the feelings she still kept for him deep in her very soul.

He took her hand. ‘We need to talk.’

Feeling her surrender, he placed his arm around her as they walked in silence: two lovers who had run out of words and were waiting until the minute they could be back in each other’s arms. Cassie followed like a lamb to the slaughter as if she had no will of her own. His power over her was making it obvious that if he hadn’t come to take her home she would surely die from a broken heart if they parted this time.

He took her back to his suite at the casino. Here he sat her down on the bed before pouring them a drink. She swallowed it and savoured the burning sensation as it ran down her throat, trying desperately to bring herself back to her senses. Neither of them seemed able to do what they should have been doing—talking.

Kayden moved to Cassie. He took her empty glass and tossed it aside. He scooped her up into his arms and kissed her again. This time there was so much love in that kiss that tears ran from her eyes. Kayden felt them and lay down with her on the bed, letting her cry it out in his arms. He held her close while she let the hurt of what he did to her leak from her eyes, one tear at a time.

Calming finally, she lay quietly, feeling how very nice it was to be back in his warm and comfortable arms. The feeling of belonging made her realise she had been so childish, running away and not trying to work it out with him. She must have hurt him terribly too. Why he was here with her now was beyond her.

Finding her voice, she looked up at him and saw that his cheeks were wet from the emotions she had shed. ‘I’m sorry. I was just a girl and too inexperienced to understand. I thought your indifference meant you did not care enough for me and had just used me. I can feel now that wasn’t true. Was it? How have you been able to forgive me?’

He looked so emotionally distraught with his bloodshot sad eyes and miserable expression that her heart broke for the ordeal they had both put each other through. ‘Cassie, I did treat you terribly and because I slept with you once I expected you to be grown up enough to feel and know that meant I loved you. I was a fool. Only recently someone made me realise that you had been locked up all your life and had no experience with men or any kind of love at all. I scared you away and deserved every bit of hatred you threw at me. Even so, I love you with all my heart. I have come here today to beg your forgiveness and to ask you to come home with me. I promise I have learned my lesson and I will never be so careless with your love again. If you send me away I will go. But I beg you, give me another chance?’