When We Run (Mason Brothers Book #4)

Chapter 38

CADE

Danica sits on the edge of the bed to put her shoes on and I reach over and snake my arm around her waist and try to pull her back into bed with me. “I don’t want you to go.”

“You’ll be fine, big boy,” she pats my arm.

“No, I won’t,” I pout. “You’ve been sleeping next to me for the last like...forever. I like you snuggled up next to me. I don’t want you to leave.”

“I’m going to be back tomorrow evening. You’re working at the bar until late tonight. You’ll hardly even know I’m gone.”

I shake my head, “I’m totally going to know because once you’re more than like five minutes away from me I start to get a little itchy.”

“So you’re going to be itchy the entire time I’m gone?” She giggles.

“Exactly, everybody will think I have a fucking STD or something. That’s why you’re not allowed to leave.”

Danica throws her head back and laughs, “Maybe while I’m gone you can make an appointment to see the doctor. That’s not normal, sweetheart. I’m a little concerned about you.”

“I’ll show you something you should be concerned about.” I sit up and wrap my other arm around her, pulling her down onto the bed and scrambling on top of her as she tries to wiggle out from underneath me. I brush back her hair and then kiss her lips.

Danica grinned when I sat up, “Mmm, I liked that. What should I have been concerned about?”

“That I was just distracting you from this.” I dig my fingers into her side and start tickling her. She screams and squirms and tries to wiggle, unsuccessfully, out of my arm.

“Stop..ahh...uncle...uncle!!!”

“Call me Daddy and I’ll let you go,” I replied in a low raspy voice. Her fist comes up and smacks me against the chest. I overreact like she actually hurt me and fall onto the bed grabbing my chest. “How could you? After everything that happened with Toni, you’re going to go for my heart.”

“That’s not cool man, how dare you bring Toni into this!” She knows I’m just messing with her, but I apologize with a kiss anyway. Toni is actually doing great, her doctor is impressed at how much energy she’s gained back lately. We’re not surprised though. Toni is a badass chick and something like heart failure wasn’t going to hold her back for long. 

She’s been texting Fletch and me asking when she can return to work. Of course, we’re both saying hell no, but damn if she isn’t persistent. She’s still living with Damon and Eve and in fact, she went ahead and broke her lease on her apartment. Seeing as though it could be another 3-4 months before she can be completely healed up, it didn’t seem to make sense to have the place empty.

I keep Danica tucked into my side for a bit longer, “Toni is fine and you know it. Me, on the other hand, my heart is breaking thinking about you being gone.”

You’re ridiculous. Stop being a little baby and help me take my bag to the car.”

I groan, but let her go free. Danica rolls off the bed first and I follow her, tossing a bar of athletic shorts over my boxers and tossing on a clean enough shirt. Once Danica has all her clothes packed for her overnight, she packs essentials and then hands the bag to me. “Do we have anything I could take to eat on the drive up there?”

“Nope, nothing. You’ll have to stay.”

“Cade, stop it.”

I lean back against the kitchen counter and she steps into my arms. “I’ll let you take some of my beef jerky, but only if you promise to replace it when you go to the store next.”