He nodded. “The night I was almost...the night Sammy saved me, it was one of the worst nights of my life. And he rescued me from it being something even more horrible. I owed him my life.”
The image from when I'd first seen Cade and Sammy popped into my head. I couldn't help but wonder if Sammy's reasons for saving Cade that night hadn't been just because they were friends or Sammy was a good guy. The way the other man's arm had been draped over Cade had looked an awful lot like a romantic embrace.
“So when he asked me if he could stay with me, I said okay.” Cade rubbed his thumb over my knuckles. “We were fine the last couple days. We talked. I tried to help him find a straight job. I know some people who owe me favors so I told Sammy I could get him work.” He looked at me. “And I told him about you.”
I suddenly remembered the note that I'd found slipped under my door. I had a sneaking suspicion that Sammy had been the author of that note. The one that had told me to stay away from Cade. The pieces fit together. I wasn't about to tell Cade any of that though. Not when he clearly wasn't done with whatever he had to say.
“He was fine at first, listened to me when I talked. I thought he was being a friend.” He sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. “But then, before I went to the club last night, I got your photographs developed. They made me realize how much I needed you. I told Sammy that I was going out so I could clear my head. Then I got back this morning and saw that he'd torn up all of the pictures.”
That at least explained the mess I'd found.
“When I confronted him about it, he told me that he was in love with me.”
I was more surprised about the fact that he seemed surprised. I'd suspected that much after hearing only part of his story and couldn't figure out how he hadn't at least had some idea.
“Sammy said that he'd protected me because he'd loved me back then too, that he thought I had to have known how he felt.” Cade looked at me with wide eyes. “But I didn't know. Not until he said it.”
I nodded and squeezed his hand. I had a feeling we were getting into what had happened in the time before I arrived at the loft.
“I told him that we were friends, that I appreciated what he'd done, but that I was in love with you. And that we'd made up. That I was going to quit hooking because I wanted to be with you. He told me that it was an infatuation, that I'd just fallen for the first trick who didn't treat me like trash. He said it was common, that it happened to everyone like us.” His expression was earnest when he looked at me. “But it's not.”
“I know it's not.” I felt a strong urge to wrap my arms around him, to protect him from things that had already happened to him. “I know you love me.” And I did. Even when I'd initially freaked out seeing Sammy with his arm around Cade, deep down, I'd known that there had to be an explanation. And I was also certain now that Sammy had been the one to threaten me.
Relief passed over Cade's face and then he continued his story. “Sammy started getting worked up, so I told him to sit down, that we should have a drink together. I poured us both a drink and then went to the bathroom. When I came back out, he was calmer and I thought things were better.”
I looked down at my hand. The glass I'd cut my hand on, it had been from a broken glass, something with liquid in it. I had a bad feeling that I knew where this was going.
“We drank together and then Sammy leaned over. He tried to kiss me. I told him 'no,' but it came out garbled. He said it was okay, that it didn't matter anymore. That we'd be together forever soon enough. Things got really hazy after that. I remember sitting down on the bed. Feeling Sammy sitting behind me. Then...nothing until I woke up here and saw you sleeping.”
I stood, considered it for a moment, then climbed onto the bed. The nurses would probably have a fit when they came in shortly, but I didn't care. Cade wrapped his arms around me as I curled against him. I rested my head on his chest as my fingers traced patterns over his flat stomach.
“I am so sorry I put you through that,” he said. He kissed the top of my head.
“Promise me that you'll never scare me like that again.” I squeezed him.
“I promise.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “There is one upside to all of this.”
I looked up at him, confused. What the hell kind of good could come out of all this shit? We hadn't needed this to confess our feelings for each other.
He smiled at me and traced my lips with the tip of his finger. “Since Sammy destroyed all of those pictures, I get to convince you to pose for me again.”
I started to roll my eyes, but his mouth came down on mine and I forgot about everything but kissing him.
Until the nurses came in.
Chapter 9
The weather was warm for the middle of May, but I didn't mind. In fact, I was glad that it was warm. It gave me the chance to wear the dress I'd picked out especially for this occasion. It was just the right combination of sexy and appropriate for this kind of event. A deep, rich purple, it showed off cleavage and leg both, getting me admiring looks from men and jealous ones from women. But I didn't care about how everyone else looked at me. There was only one set of eyes I cared about and those were currently looking at me with enough heat to make my panties wet.
Or would have if I'd been wearing any.
“What are you thinking?” Cade's voice was low in my ear and a shiver of pleasure went down my spine.
I smiled over my shoulder at him and pitched my voice at the same volume as his. “I'm thinking how much fun it's going to be to watch you squirm all night.”
“Oh really?” He raised an eyebrow. His gaze ran over my body. “That dress is amazing, but I think I have more self-control than that.”
“It's not the dress,” I said softly. “It's what's under it.”
“And what's that?”
I took a step towards the gallery door, then looked over my shoulder at him. “Nothing.”
“Fuck.”
I chuckled and walked through the double doors into the large, airy space where the exhibit was showing off the city's newest talent.
An arm slid around my waist, pulling me back against a hard body. “That was naughty.” Cade's voice was rough. “I should punish you.”
“I'll hold you to that later,” I replied. “For right now, let's just enjoy the show.” Cade made a sound that was suspiciously like a growl and my stomach twisted. I twisted out of his embrace, knowing I wouldn't be able to control myself much longer unless I moved. I reached over and took his hand. I threaded my fingers through his. “Show me my photos.”
It had taken me weeks to convince Cade to talk to his art gallery owner friend about perhaps taking on a couple portraits. When he'd shown his friend his work, the response had been even better than I'd hoped. Cade had gotten his own show.
It had taken him almost two months to convince me to pose again. I had no problem posing for Cade. The idea of him photographing me in erotic positions or while we were making love turned me on, but I hadn't been sure I was ready for others to see me like that. But, Cade had been very persuasive and the evidence of that was being displayed at the back of the gallery.
The front was all paintings since those could be seen through the front windows, but once we made our rounds and greeted those admiring the work there, we stepped around a divide and I saw myself from all angles.
The photographs were all black and white, though highlights of color had been applied in various places. In some, the elaborate mask covering my face had been given back its rich red velvet. In others, the crimson lingerie. The only things that were never colored were my hair and eyes. While plenty of women had dark brown hair, my eye color was unique enough to identify me. Somehow, I doubted my school would appreciate the artistic value of one of their teachers posing half-naked. And then, of course, there were the ones where Cade and I were making love. He always took full shots and then cropped down to the elegant lines and curves he wanted to show. Never obscene, but definitely erotic.