##Chapter 17: Cassidy
Book One: Stay
I'm probably pushing the boundaries of what I can handle without having a small-or god forbid, huge-freak-out. I don't want Cole to see me like that. He's already witnessed enough.
As I stand motionless, I realize that everything has quieted downstairs. My gaze slides from his to the queen-sized bed. My nerves ratchet up a couple hundred notches. I've spent the last nine months pushing people away and yet, somehow, Cole has managed to sneak past all my defenses.
The last thing I want to do is put myself in a situation that ends badly. I force my gaze back to Cole who silently watches me.
It's as if he can read my thoughts, which is disconcerting on an entirely different level.
"I could pile pillows in the middle of the bed like a wall if that wou
