Cayden glanced over at me. “For what?”
I shrugged. “For freaking out and making you leave your party.”
He reached over and wrapped his hand around my fingers. He squeezed my hand gently and then left his hand there, wrapped around mine.
All sorts of electrical sparks were rushing up my arm and exploding in my chest. I stared at his hand in disbelief. Why was he holding my hand? There were no cameras here. No one to document our fake relationship for the fans. And, we weren’t talking about our fake relationship, so there was no reason for him to tease me. Which left me with one possibility.
Did he want to?
I swallowed, my throat going dry. My pounding heart was beating so loud I could hear it in my ears.
“I brought you. You were my date. I wasn’t going to leave you. If you want to go home, I’m going to take you.” He slowed down at a stoplight and turned to smile at me.
It was warm and genuine. Butterflies took flight in my stomach.
“Cayden smile,” I whispered before I could stop myself.
He furrowed his brow. “What?”
Heat rushed to my cheeks as I realized I might have to tell Cayden that I’d been memorizing his smiles. “Nothing,” I said, dropping my voice.
He shook his head. “No, no. You said ‘Cayden smile.’ What does that mean?”
I cleared my throat as the car behind us honked and Cayden pressed on the gas. Thinking he might have gotten distracted, I allowed myself to relax.
But he apparently wasn’t going to let it go. He pulled into a beach parking lot and killed the engine. I glanced out to the ocean and saw the moon’s reflection on the waves as they lapped at the sand. The night surrounded us, and yet, it didn’t feel dark. That’s how bright the moon was.
I glanced over at him to see he had turned toward me and folded his arms across his chest. He had an expectant look on his face as his gaze roamed over me.
I tried not to read into the way the sides of his lips tipped up into a smile. Or the appreciative twinkle in his eye.
He was flirting with me. And he was enjoying it.
Was I?
I feared my answer, so I just straightened my dress and turned to face him. I was attempting to look business confident—no flirting for me. “You have two smiles,” I said.
His grin grew wider. “I do?”
Trying not to be completely consumed with how handsome he was, I nodded. Man, I really wished I had sunglasses on. Or a mask. Anything to hide just how much his face, his smile, even his personality was making me crazy.
“Yes.” I paused, causing him to lean in.
“And they are?”
I held up one finger. “Your Cayden Rivers smile.”
“Cayden Rivers smile?”
“Yes.”
“And what is that?”
I forced a smile, hoping I didn’t look crazy. “Something like this.”
“The Joker?”
I stopped smiling and shook my head. “No. But it’s the one that you use when you’re talking to the press. Or some of your friends. It’s your I’m famous and have to put on a show smile.”
His smile faltered as he stared at me. Then he scrubbed his face. It seemed like I’d pegged it, and he knew it. He shifted in his seat.
“And the other one?”
That was the smile that made my whole body warm. The one that made the world move a little slower, made the air around me hazy.
It was the one that I was rapidly falling for.
“Your Cayden smile,” I whispered.
The intensity in the car made my breath catch in my throat. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, and I was afraid to find out.
“What’s my Cayden smile?” he asked as he leaned closer to me.
Like a moth to the flame, I leaned in too. Maybe I was crazy, but I wanted to be closer to Cayden. To breathe him in.
“It’s your genuine one.” Man, he smelled so good it was making all my thoughts jumble. “The one that shows the real you.” My gaze involuntarily dropped to his lips.
“Like this?” he asked. He tipped his lips up into a smile as he drew closer to me. It was soft, warm, and welcoming.
It was the smile I was growing to love.
I nodded. “Yes.”
He stopped moving and hovered there. His beautiful lips inches from mine.
I knew I should be freaking out right now. I knew that I should pull away. I knew that being this close to Cayden was playing with fire. But I didn’t care.
For the first time in my life the thought of getting burned didn’t scare me. The idea of being with Cayden meant more to me than any protection I could force around my heart.
“Scarlett…” Cayden whispered.
“Mm-hmm,” I mumbled.
He held my gaze for a moment. I stared into his bright blue eyes, hoping he’d see what I couldn’t bring myself to say. I wanted him to kiss me. More than I’d ever wanted anything else in the world.
All he had to do was say the word, and I would fall. Hard and fast.
He parted his lips and I waited with my breath hitched in my throat.
I heard the click of the door handle, and suddenly, Cayden was moving away from me.
“I’m hot,” he said as he slipped out of the car into the night air.
I pulled back and stared at Cayden as he took off toward the ocean. The silence felt deafening as I sat there, trying to piece together what had just happened.
Then frustration and anger rose up inside of me. I grabbed the door handle and stepped out onto the asphalt, slamming the door behind me.
There was no way that was going to be the end of our conversation. Cayden was going to talk to me.
Right now.
Chapter Twelve
The sound of crashing waves beating against the sand rivaled the beating of my heart. It was strong, forceful, and consistent.
I kicked my shoes off and waded into the water after Cayden. Memories of the last time we went into the ocean washed over me.
This kid had an obsession with water.
Keeping Cayden in my sights, I stalked after him. Thankfully, by the time I got to him, the waves had died down a little.
“Cayden,” I said once I reached him.
He turned, a surprised look on his face. Droplets of water clung to his skin as he stared at me. His hair was slicked back, looking darker than it was.
“What are you doing?” he asked, dipping down into the water until his chin was just above the surface.
I stared at him, trying to figure out how to say what I wanted to. Unfortunately, my confidence had waned as I made the long trek from the car.
“I, um…” What was I supposed to say? Why didn’t you kiss me? Why are you leading me on?
Do you feel for me like I feel for you?
Ugh. Every question sounded sad and pathetic.
“Do you always go swimming in your clothes?” I asked.
It was actually nice, being chest-deep in the ocean. The spilled drink had left me feeling sticky, and even though salt water wasn’t as clean-feeling as fresh, it was nice to wash all that away.
He chuckled. “I’m a take life by the horns kind of guy. I don’t let things get in the way of having fun.” He dropped into the water and then popped back up. He wiped the water from his face and grinned at me. “Does it bother you?”
Not wanting to ruin the makeup that Michelle had painstakingly applied, I kept my head above the surface as I weaved my hands through the warm water, enjoying the feeling of it flowing between my fingers. “No.”
He smiled. His Cayden smile. “Good. After all, I didn’t force you to come in here with me.”
I snorted. “So I was supposed to just watch from the sidelines?”
He inched closer to me. My heart took off galloping. Blast Cayden and his ability to make me forget how to do the simplest things. Like breathe.
“Is that the only reason you came in here?” He stood in front of me, and I could fee
l his presence.
Did he know what he was doing to me? Was he feeling the same?
He was staring down at me like he expected me to answer. And I wanted to. I wanted to be honest. To tell him how he made me feel. He was the first person that I didn’t want to have walls up with. I wanted to be with him.
So I pushed out all the fear that was building up inside of me and grabbed his shirt.
He looked startled, but I didn’t care. I rose up onto my toes as I pulled him down, pressing my lips to his.
He held still for a moment before he pulled away.
“Scarlett,” he whispered.
Realizing that I may have just made a huge mistake, I dropped my hands and began moving back through the water. I needed to get away from Cayden and what I had just done. I was such an idiot. Why did I kiss him?
“Scarlett,” Cayden called out.
I shook my head, hoping he’d read my body language. I hoped he’d see that I was fine. That I just wanted him to forget what I’d done. That I’d been the idiot who tried to make more of our relationship than what was there.
The waves crashed into me as I pushed onto the beach. I’d call a cab. I’d walk home. I’d do just about anything to get away from what I’d just done.
The sound of splashing water made me look back over my shoulder. Cayden was running after me. I forced myself to keep walking, but he was much faster than me. A few seconds later, his hand was around my arm and he was pulling on me. I twisted out of his grasp.
“Will you wait?” he asked from behind me.
I closed my eyes but slowed my gait. I hated how desperate his voice was. I hated how, even though I was mortified by what I’d done, I still didn’t want to hurt him.
“Scarlett,” he said. The direction of his voice had changed.
I peeked through my lids to find him facing me. His eyebrows were knit together, and his gaze was earnest.
I needed to speak. I needed to say something before he started in on the “you’re a great girl and I like you as a friend. But I’m in love with Rosalie” spiel. Any attempt to make me feel better would only make it worse.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. Please forget I did that,” I said, waving toward the ocean.
Cayden flicked his gaze in the direction I’d motioned and then back to me. “Why?”
Heat was permeating my cheeks as I dropped my gaze to the sand. Did he want me to say it out loud? What was he getting at?
“It was a mistake. I’m just…” I wasn’t sure how to finish that sentence, so it was probably best for me to just stop talking.
And then, to my surprise, he stepped closer to me. Like, inches away from me. My breath turned heavy as I stared at his chest. I could see his muscles through the shirt that was clinging to him.
Going into the water fully dressed was genius.
“Scarlett, that’s not why I stopped the kiss.” His voice had turned husky and made me shiver.
I gathered my courage and glanced up at him. “It’s not?” Every syllable was breathy.
He shook his head as he reached up and brushed my cheek. Then, he slipped his fingers through my hair until he was cradling my cheek. He ran his thumb over my lips. “I liked it,” he said as he inched closer.
My toes began to tingle as my whole body went numb. This was exactly what I wanted—no, what I needed. I hadn’t realized just how much I’d been yearning for someone to care about me. To love me like I was the most important person in the world.
“You did?” I asked, feeling kind of silly that the only conversation I could muster was two-word sentences.
“I was just worried,” he said as he dipped down to meet my gaze.
“About what?” My gaze drifted down to his perfectly formed lips. I could see why women spent their hard-earned money to watch him on screen. It was like he’d been sculpted by the gods.
“I don’t want to hurt you. I want your first kiss to mean something.”
My gaze moved up to meet his. He cared about that? “I thought you were this Hollywood playboy. Different girls every other weekend.”
His cheeks flushed as he shook his head. “That’s Cayden Rivers. A persona I feel like I have to portray. But Cayden”—he leaned forward and pressed his lips to my forehead—“is falling for you.” His voice was barely a whisper.
Molten hot lava burned in my stomach. My whole body responded to his words. To his touch. All I could think about was him.
“He is?” I asked.
Cayden nodded. “You’re one of the only people who see me as something other than Cayden Rivers.” He held my gaze. “I felt so alone until you rammed into me in the hallway.”
I swallowed, emotions rising up inside of me. It was strange, the fact that we were two lost souls who seemed to have found each other.
Before I could respond, he dipped forward and pressed his lips to mine.
Electricity flowed through me as I responded with just as much intensity. My whole body fell into him as he crushed me to his chest. My hands made their way up his arms to his shoulders, and then tangled themselves in his hair.
He teased my lips open, and the taste of saltwater and perfection filled my soul. He was soft and gentle but earnest at the same time. It was like he was taking his time, teaching me how to do this.
That thought caused my heart to swell even more.
Everything the media had portrayed. Everything they’d said about his playboy ways had been a lie.
Cayden cared. And he knew what it was like to want to be cared for.
I groaned when he pulled back. He laughed.
“We’ve got to breathe,” he said as he tipped his forehead to rest on mine.
I pushed out my fear and glanced up to meet his gaze. “That was…amazing,” I said.
He chuckled. “Thanks.”
I dropped my jaw as I swatted his arm. “And me?”
He faked pain as he pulled back and cradled his arm. Then he reached out and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close. “You were fabulous.” He furrowed his brow. “Were you lying to me about never being kissed? ‘Cause you’re a natural.”
My whole body flushed. I was sure he was exaggerating, but I didn’t care. I loved that he cared enough to lie me.
“You don’t believe me,” he said, poking me in the side.
I chewed my lip as I studied him. “I’ve seen some of your on-screen kisses. They were pretty intense.”
His expression stilled as he dipped down to look me straight in the eye. “Those were acting. I’m not acting with you.”
I studied him. There was an adorable wrinkle between his eyebrows as his intensity heightened. There was so much to Cayden, and I was loving learning everything about him.
The urge to kiss him again filled my whole body, so I rose up on my toes and tipped my lips toward his. A second later, he pressed his lips to mine.
And then I fell, hard and fast, as we settled into a rhythm.
I’m not sure how long we stayed at the beach, kissing and then running off to the water, where we swam and laughed. When we were exhausted, we lay down on the beach, staring up at the sky. I tried to convince Cayden that I saw a shooting star, but he wrote it off as a satellite.
I snuggled into his chest, and he wrapped his arm around me. He was talking about his latest movie, and I was content to just lie there, listening.
I could feel the rumble of his words in his chest and the rise and fall of each breath he took. It was so soothing.
I rested my hand on his chest and felt the beating of his heart. He reached up, cradling my hand in his.
I’m not sure when I fell asleep, but when I heard the giggles and whispers of someone standing over us, I snapped up to sitting. I glanced around to find that we were surrounded by girls. Each of them had their phone out to document Cayden and me.
I shook Cayden’s shoulder—he must have fallen asleep too—and he was less quick to wake. Instead, he groaned and tried to pull me back down onto his chest.
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“Cayden,” I hissed as I struggled to sit up.
“Scarlett, it’s too early,” he mumbled.
“We fell asleep,” I said, pushing against him as I stood.
Cayden lifted his head, one eye open. “We what?” he asked.
He must have seen the earnestness in my gaze because he opened both eyes and glanced around. I heard him curse under his breath as he waved at the cameras that were all trained on him.
“Hey, ladies,” he said. His words were followed by a collective giggle from the posse surrounding us.
After a few selfies and signatures on people’s body parts, Cayden nodded for me to follow him to the car. I’d been staying on the outskirts of the crowd, wishing a hole would just open up and swallow me whole.
When we got to his car, he pulled open my passenger door, and I slipped inside before he could reach out to help me.
He must have sensed my stress, because he didn’t say anything when he got into the car. Which I was grateful for. I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to say, and trying to figure it out right now was not something I wanted to do.
I needed a shower, needed to brush my teeth. And I needed a good nap before I faced what last night meant.
By the time he pulled up to Dad’s house, I was so antsy I wasn’t sure what to do. I wanted to talk to Cayden, I did, but I needed some time.
I could feel his gaze on me. I could tell he wanted to say something. And I knew I couldn’t just leave the car without talking to him.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice low.
I shot him an I’m sorry, too look. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I just…need a minute. A lot has changed.”
He chuckled. “I get that. It has changed.” He studied me for a moment before he leaned in and pressed his lips to my cheek. “I’ll be here,” he said as he pulled away. “When you figure it out and are ready to talk, let me know.”
I couldn’t help the smile that emerged. He responded with his Cayden smile that curled my toes. My whole body flushed with emotion as I held his gaze.
“I will,” I said, feeling much more confident.
He nodded as I slipped my fingers through the door handle and pulled.
I stepped out, and just before I slammed the door, I leaned down to wave at him. Cayden winked as he waved back.
Rule #6: You Can't Fall for Your Fake Summer Fling: A Standalone Sweet High School Romance (The Rules of Love) Page 9