The Neighbor's Son (The Forbidden Love Series: Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

After pouring ice
cold lemonade in a couple of tall glasses, I went back
outside.
    “ Here. Why don’t you take
a break and drink this,” I said, handing Cade one of the
glasses.
    Cade dropped the electric
saw in his hands and shot to his feet. “Thanks. Yeah, I could use a
little break.” He still had that sweet smile on his face despite
the sweltering heat. When he went to grab the glass out of my hand,
his fingers brushed mine, lingering on them until I pulled my hand
away. My heart dropped to my stomach. Danger, danger , a voice in my ear
whispered. Once again, I ran. This time toward the patio set at the
bottom of the deck stairs. Cade followed me there and we sat across
from each other. For what seemed like an eternity, we just sat
there, staring at each other and sipping lemonade in complete and
awkward silence.
    “ So, how is it possible
that someone so young knows so much about plumbing and fixing
decks?” I remarked when I couldn’t take the weight of his
blistering gaze any longer.
    Cade leaned forward, his elbows on the
table, his hands cradling the half-full lemonade glass in front of
him. “First of all, I’m not that young. I’m nineteen years old,
going to be twenty in a couple of months.”
    Crap. He was even younger than I had
estimated. I would have never guessed nineteen. Cade Fisher walked
around with the confidence of a man who was at least ten years
older than that. That and the oh-so-sexy scruff he was sporting
made him look like a grown up. The revelation took me aback. Now I
felt even guiltier for having the dirty thoughts and dreams I was
having. He was barely legal. He was definitely forbidden fruit and
more than ever I had to stay away from him.
    “ And to answer your
question, my dad taught me to fix things with my hands,” Cade
added.
    “ He did?”
    “ Yes. He owned a home
repair business. When I was in high school, he’d let me tag along
and help him. That’s how I learned how to fix plumbing and do a lot
of other stuff.”
    “ You said he ran a home
repair business. He doesn’t do that anymore?”
    Cade’s expression turned somber. “He
passed away a year ago.”
    “ I’m so sorry to hear
that. What happened to him?”
    "Well, aren't you full of questions,"
Cade quipped. His lips made an attempt to smile but the sadness in
his eyes gave away just how much pain there was in his
heart.
    "I'm sorry. I didn't meant
to..."
    “ I was just kidding. It's
okay." After gulping down most of the lemonade left in his glass,
he continued. "Car accident. A drunk driver traveling in the
opposite direction jumped the median strip of a busy road and
plunged into him head on. He died at the scene.”
    I gasped. “Oh my God, Cade. That’s
horrible. I’m so sorry.” Without thinking, I reached over and
placed my hand on top of his and gave it a little squeeze. I just
felt so sad for him. I too had to cope with the tragic death of a
parent when I was very young, so I knew exactly how he
felt.
    “ After my father died, my
mom said she couldn’t live at our old house anymore because it
reminded her too much of him. So she sold it and bought the house
down the block.”
    “ That’s so sad. You must
really miss him.” By now I had realized that my hand had been on
his too long and awkwardly pulled it away.
    “ I do miss him. He was the
best father a person could ask for. I’m an only child so now it’s
just my mother and me. My father’s death has been really hard on
her so I try my best to show her as much love as
possible.”
    “ You’re a good son,
Cade.”
    He shrugged. “I try. But enough about
me. What about you? What are you doing all alone in a house this
big?”
    I sighed. “I thought about selling and
moving to a smaller place, but I love this house so much I’ve
decided to stay. Besides, I’m not alone. I have a cat.”
    “ A cat?” Cade remarked
with laughter in his eyes. “A cat is not company. You know what I
think?"
    "What?"
    "I think it’s a crime for a