Hooked (32 page)

    
We stayed like that through another slow song.  I couldn’t even remember what the song was because I came to a
realization in that moment.  I had always thought he was the strong
,
secure one.  To me he was
,
but I guess I was that for him too.  He felt the same way about me as I did him. 

     On our way back to the table
,
they started announcing homecoming king and queen.  Just as expected, Cara won.   We screamed her name and gave her many whistles and claps when she went to accept her crown.  Jason actually won king
,
which I
k
now had to be a little uncomfortable
,
but she kept a smile on her face and seemed like she was really having a good time. 

CHAPTER 16
 
  

    
By the end of the night
,
we were telling everyone goodbye and getting
in Cash’s car he said, “A
re you ready for your next surprise?”

     “Oh yeah, if forgot about it once we got here and started dancing.”

     “Okay
,
well I did have to do a little deceiving to accomplish this
,
but I figured the risk was worth the reward, so I took it
.
”
H
e smiled smugly.

   
“Umm, okay what did you do?” I asked always a little frightened when he did stuff like this.

     He looked at me while he was driving and said, “I kind of had Jess cover for us.”

     “What?
How?”

     “Well
,
my mom is working a double shift tonight and I wanted you to stay over.  Once I got a taste of you waking up in my arms
,
I kind of don’t like it when you’re not there in the morning.”

     I couldn’t believe he planned
all of this
out.  I mean
,
yeah, if we got caught my dad would murder him and I’d never see daylight again
,
but if it did work out
,
it would possibly be one of the best nights of my life.

      “I don’t know what to say.  I think this sounds perfect.  What did Jess have to do with it?”

     “I asked Jess if she would ask your mom if you could spend the night with her.  I figured that it would give us a better chance for not getting caught
,
since you will be right next door.”

     “Okay
,
I see your point
,
but when did Jess ask my mom?”

     “I had her call your home phone and ask for you because I knew your mom would answer.  When she did, Jess asked for you
.  I made sure it you were gone that way she could just ask your mom herself.  She
just said she was just
gonna
make sure you could stay over after the dance and your mom said that would be fine.”

     I didn’t know if I should be impressed at his sweet gesture or dumbfounded at his ability to
manipulate every situation he didn’t like and make it fit whatever he wanted.  He always seemed to have ideas or ways to get around things.  Mischievous, that’s what he was.

     “It sounds like you have it all worked out then and did I mention I love your plan?”

     He laughed at me as we pulled up to his apartment.  “I’m glad you like it
,
but I’m
gonna
need you to stay in the living room for a minute
,
okay?” he said as he unlocked the door.

     “Why?
  What did you do?”
I asked while he was unlocking the door.

     “I can already see that you are going to make me dread having any kind of surprise for you. 
You’re
killing my buzz and I haven’t even got
in the door yet.
  Just wait right here like a good little girl and I’ll be right back,” he said as he plac
ed a kiss on the top of my head and walked back to his bedroom.

     He left me standing in the living room and went to his bedroom.  I felt kind of weird because I didn’t know what he was doing and he basically told me off on his way out.  I couldn’t help it, I like surprises.  I started looking at his mom’s pictures.  She didn’t have many
,
but there were a few of Cash when he was a little boy.  He was the cutest thing.

He still hadn’t come back after about
fifteen
minutes
,
so I looked through an album she had sitting on the coffee table.

     “Come here,” he whispered from behind me.  I turned around and walked over to him.

     “
Wha
--
-,”
H
e interrupted my question by picking me up bridal style and held me tightly.

     “I tried to make this perfect for you
,
”
h
e said looking me in the eye.

     “Cash, what are you talking about?”

     He carried me through his door and when I saw the inside of his room
,
I was shocked.  There were pink roses everywhere.  He had twinkling white lights hanging from above his bed.  There were candles lit everywhere.  It was the most beautiful and
romantic thing I had ever seen.  I didn’t even want to know how much money or time he put into
planning
this.  He bent to set me on my feet and I untangled my arms from around his neck.

     “Cash, this is beautiful, I can’t believe you did this for me.”

     “Why?
  I want to do anything I can to make you happy
,
Millie because that’s what you do for me.”

      “It’s so sweet how you planned this out and decorated all of this
.
”
I smile slyly at him and put my hand under his arm to tickle him
.
“I honestly can’t believe
you
are
this romantic, I love it.”

     “Well, I have to admit
I
surprised myself
,
but I just kept trying to think of stuff I thought you would like.”

     “I absolutely love it!  This has been the best night of my life all thanks to you
,
” I told him as I leaned in for a kiss.
  He kissed me deeply and wrapped his arms around my waist to pull me close.

     “So far…your night is about to get much better
,
sweetheart
.
”
 
H
e smirked at me and leaned down to shower my neck with soft kisses.

     I laughed at his eagerness.  “I can’t wait
.
”
I giggled as he backed me up to his bed.

CHAPTER
1
7

     My eyes were closed
,
but I could tell the sunlight was coming in through the window on the other side of Cash.  I opened one eye still trying to talk myself into staying asleep.  I was lying on my back and Cash had his legs tangled in mine and one hand on my stomach.  I tilted my head up towards him.

     “Good morning
.
”
I smiled because I just couldn’t help it.   This boy made my world right.

     “Morning beautiful, are you hungry?”

     “A little, how long have you been awake?”

    
“About an hour.”

     “Why didn’t you wake me up?  You didn’t have to stay in here with me.”

     He chuckled
.
“Calm down
,
Mil.  I didn’t want to wake you up because you were tired and I know I didn’t have to stay in here with you.  I wanted to.  I love watching you
sleep.  You’re so beautiful and peaceful, I just lay here and watch you and while I’m doing that
,
I put every cute noise, arch of your back, every inch of your skin to memory.”

     “That sounds…very boring.  You should have gotten up and ate,” I joked with him.

     “No baby, it made my day being able to wake up with you.  I wish we could wake up together every day.  I sleep so much better when I’m holding you.”

     “I know
,
it makes me happy too.  It feels so natural
to sleep in the same bed with you and be in your arms all night.”

     He rolled over and put his feet on the floor after he kissed my forehead.  “Take your time getting around and I’ll go make us some breakfast.”

     “I don’t have any clothes or a toothbrush.  I don’t suppose you thought that far ahead by chance
,
did you?”

     “Got it covered.  I picked up a toothbrush yesterday and Jess brought over a pair of jeans and flip flops last night before I came to pick you up.”

     “Wow, you thought of everything I guess, except a shirt
.
”
I laughed thinking I had him here.

     “Nope, I thought about it
,
but I wanted you to wear one of my shirts
.
”
H
e walked over to his dresser.  He picked out a
T-shirt
and threw it at me.  I looked at it and started giggling.  I looked back up at
him raising an eyebrow.  “What?
  You acted like you really like it when I wore it.”

     I pulled the blue shirt with the
S
uperman logo on it over my head.  I leaned up on my knees on the bed so he could get a better look.  “Well, what do you think?”  I asked with my hands on my hips.

     He walked back over to me, bent down and kissed my lips.  With one hand around my waist he said, “I think tha
t
T-shirt
looks a heck of a lot better on you than it did me.”

     “Thank you
,
sir
. 
No
w
…
about our breakfast?”

     He rubbed my hair, “You finish up here and I’ll get breakfast ready.” 

    
He walked out of his room and I went into the bathroom to freshen up and get dressed.  I looked into the mirror at the person staring back at me.  It was weird
,
I thought.  I’m not the same person I was
three
months ago.  I haven’t really changed that much
,
but my life has.  Having Cash with me hasn’t really changed the direction of my future
,
but it’s more defined now.
 
I’m still going to college, but my end goal was different.  I would be with him. 
I smiled to myself.

     Walking into the kitchen, I first noticed the smell.  It smelled so good, like bacon.  Next, I took in the scene.  My boyfriend in loose basketball shorts, no shirt and a Boston Red Sox cap on backwards.  He was frying bacon and eggs.  He looked so cute.

    
“
Is there anything you can’t do?
  You can beat people up, sneak into students files, fix cars, make your girlfriend feel like a princess and cook?”

     “Yeah, I guess I’m just that good.”  I raised an eyebrow at his cockiness.

     “What?
  When you put it like that
,
I sound awesome
.
”
H
e laughed at his own remark.