Page 82 of Cross Checked

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CADE: the way you said no when I asked if you needed me to step back

CADE: the way you stayed tonight

My grip tightened around the phone.

There it was.

The closet.

The moment we had been orbiting since I left Hockey House.

ME: I should have left

CADE: but you didn’t

ME: no

CADE: why?

I closed my eyes. The answer lived right there. No joke. No shield. No cute little deflection dressed up as banter.

Just truth.

ME: because I wanted to watch you…

ME: because I knew you were thinking of me

The typing bubble appeared and disappeared three times.

That did something dangerous to me. Cade, composed and controlled and always so annoyingly certain, actually needing a second.

CADE: fuck, Pip

My stomach dropped.

CADE: you have no idea what that does to me

ME: I think I have some idea

CADE: no

CADE: you really don’t

I swallowed, my fingers slow over the keyboard.

ME: If it’s anything like I felt watching you-trust me I have an idea.

ME: Besides, fair is fair right

CADE: I was thinking about you and it intensified with you watching me. IDK if that can be classified as fair.

ME: so, what would make it fair?

The second I sent it, I froze. Because that was not accidental. That was not flirty by mistake. That was me stepping onto the line and looking back to see if he would follow.

Cade did not make me wait long.

CADE: where are you?

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