We continue our journey to the stairs that lead to the roof. They weren’t part of the original design when his great-grandfather built it. Kaden’s grandfather wanted access to the roof with a widow’s walk. A feature found on some of the original homes on Nantucket—back when it was known for its whaling industry, before it became a refuge for some of the richest people on the planet. The stairs are steep, resembling a ladder tilted at a severe angle. The railing does little to comfort me with each precarious step.
I pull myself up onto the flat roof while Kaden holds the trap door open by a rope tied in a knot on one end. Once I’m on my feet, he lowers it. The white-painted railings surrounding the small square landing are low, barely reaching my hips. But that doesn’t keep Kaden, or others who visit this spot, from sitting on the wide beams, which always makes me nervous. It’s not like it’s a high-rise, but still, it’s tempting fate. This vantage provides a magnificent view of the ocean during the day and the stars at night.
The wind off the ocean incites a shiver as I stand beside Kaden, gazing out at the dark water, the white caps luminescent as the waves rush toward shore. I cross my arms, staving off the trembling. Kaden wraps his arms around me, creating the warmest blanket of body heat.
“Sit or lay?” Kaden offers, nodding toward the twin rocking chairs and the daybed.
“What do you think?” I say, hugging his arms tighter around me.
Kaden guides us over to the bed. I crawl under the blankets he pulls from the weatherproof chest, with him following. Keeping me wrapped tight against him, Kaden sighs as I nestle my head on the crook of his shoulder.
“What do you think of your teachers this year?” he asks, knowing I started classes this past week.
“Inept for the most part. They’re jaded and convinced any effort they make is wasted. Except for my honors English teacher. She’s new to the school, doesn’t know any better yet. I’m hopeful she’ll actually teach us something.”
“Did Olivia write the letter of recommendation for your admission applications?” Kaden asks, his fingers running through the long strands of honey-blond hair draped over my shoulder.
“She gave it to me this week. I can’t wait to be in England with you.” A knot of panic twists in my stomach. I shift to look up at his regal face. “What if I don’t get in?”
“You will,” he assures me, kissing the tip of my nose. “Nothing’s keeping you from me.”
I lean up and kiss Kaden’s jaw, which is rough with a day’s worth of dark blond stubble, and then move to his mouth while running a hand through his beach-blond hair, streaked with strands of white from the summer sun.
“Tell me about us.” I lace my fingers with his and kiss the back of his hand.
He chuckles, familiar with the request. Kaden caresses my arm, a featherlight touch that entrances me as his smooth voice coos in my ear.
“Let’s see … after I graduate, I’ll start a graduate program while you finish university. We’ll live in a small apartment above a bakery, so our place will always smell delectable. And I’ll always be hungry. But you don’t mind if I put on some weight because you love me, no matter how round my paunch.”
I giggle, sneaking my hand under his T-shirt to trace the grooves of his taut stomach. “You’ll just have to run more.”
“You mean, you only want me for my body?” He mocks offense.
I squeeze his side, making him jump. “You’ve figured me out.”
He shifts so we’re facing each other, my head supported by his arm. His mouth a breath away and his eyes focused sincerely on mine. Kaden’s eyes are a hazel blue-grey. I’ve spent so many hours lost in the hues of blue, yet I could look at them for a lifetime and still be mesmerized.
“I will love you for the rest of my life. You know that, right?”
I nod. He kisses me gently but with such tenderness, I can feel it in my toes. Then he rolls onto his back again and continues describing our future together.
Kaden also recounts what he did during the week on the island. From the sounds of it, Maggie joined him and Eli for some of it, causing a scene in the flamboyant way she does. But he noted he didn’t really see much of her. She always had somewhere else to be or someone to meet. I’m not surprised. She lives for the summer and the influx of tourists to amuse her.
“There’s a party Saturday night on the other side of the island that Maggie insists we’re going to,” Kaden tells me. I run a finger along the arm that’s draped across my hip, eliciting a shiver of goose bumps. “But it’s not a high school party. They’re a bit older … college and early twenties from the sounds of it. We don’t have to go if that makes you uncomfortable. I know the parties on the island can get pretty bonkers. I had my share this week before Eli left. I’ll do whatever you prefer.”
“We’ll go,” I tell him, knowing the parties can be exuberant, but there’s also a laid-back beach vibe to them as well. It’s easy enough to stand in a corner or on the beach to watch everyone make fools of themselves.
I prop up on my elbow, leaning over the top of him to press a lingering kiss on his soft lips. Kaden rolls over, pressing into me, kissing me so passionately, I can’t breathe. Or think. Only want.
“Downstairs?” he asks breathlessly.
I scramble to get up. He grabs me around the waist to plop me back on the bed, so he can get a head start. Laughing, I chase after him.
We can’t get downstairs fast enough. Kaden ripping his shirt off along the way. Kicking his shoes and leaving them where they land. He turns toward me when we enter his room. All he has to do is pull a tie, and I’m bare to him. His breath hitches at the sight of me.
The urgency that possessed us earlier eases into tenderness and patient exploration. Love is whispered into every kiss, within each brush of a hand or euphoric caress. I would wait an eternity to share this with him. He instills a belief in me that I have a place in this world, that I can be a part of something more than the life that depletes me every day in Sherling. I just have to hold on to this light of hope for one more year …
The door creaks open, and I instinctively grab for the covers. Kaden shoots up to shield me.
“Whoa, mate!” Kaden exclaims. “Some privacy here?”
“Shit. Sorry, man.” The guy at the bedroom door chuckles. But I’m unable to discern if it’s embarrassment or amusement.
The door closes, but the latch doesn’t quite catch.
“I knew it!” he calls from the other side of the door.
“Damon, give us a minute,” Kaden projects calmly but with a severe undertone. The muscles along his back are corded, the limits of his constraint being tested.
“Meet you downstairs,” Damon calls back.
I finally take a breath when I hear his footfalls on the steps.
Kaden reaches for his shorts, pulling them on quickly as he moves to shut the door and secure it. “Was not expecting him,” he says, appearing frazzled. His face is flushed and jaw set. “Are you okay?”
I nod, searching for the wrap dress. Kaden picks it up from the floor, offering it to me with an apologetic expression.
“Who was that?”
“Damon Thorne. He went to college with Niall. A couple years behind him. You didn’t know he was staying?”