Oh no.
She murmured a somewhat incoherent excuse to Kit before rushing to her boss's side. Things had still been pretty awkward between them lately, but tonight...
Cassidy squared her shoulders.
I can do this.
She repeated the words over and over in her mind, but when she was finally standing in front of William—-
I don't think I can.
Cassidy could feel her courage wilting by the second. It had been so long since she was last interested in a guy that everything just felt new and strange again.
"Is there anything you need?"
That was the only thing William seemed to ask her these days. In the past, he used to ask her all sorts of things, used to show interest in everything she did, but now...
"Actually," Cassidy heard herself say, "I was just wondering the same thing. That's why I, um, came over. Because I don't mind working—-" If it means being with you, Cassidy wished she could add...but she couldn't.
"The organizers have done a pretty great job as far as I can tell, so..."
"Right."
"You seem to be having a good time with Kit."
The sudden tightness in William's voice made Cassidy's eyes widen.
"You should—-"
"Dance with me?"
William stared at her blankly.
"I want to dance with you," she said unevenly. "Not Kit or anyone else. Just you." Hearing her say such words was mortifying, but when she remembered how William had sounded when he talked about her seemingly having a good time with Kit—-
It had hurt.
It had actually hurt to see him jealous, and that was then she knew.
Cassidy lifted her gaze to his, and she heard William inhale sharply.
"Cassidy..."
There was nothing mild or nerdy-like about the way he was saying her name, and it made her whole body shiver and tingle even though something started to nag at her thoughts. It was almost as if...
No, no, no.
Hadn't she learned her lesson by now? If she kept coming up with stupid excuses to push him away, she really might lose William for good, and she didn't want that, did she?
No, I don't.
And so Cassidy heard herself say again, "Dance with me. Please?"
William visibly hesitated. "I don't think that's a good idea."
Because he had changed her mind about her?
The thought made her panic, and before she realized what she was doing, she was already reaching for his hand—-
"Cassidy—-"
And dragging him to the dance floor, just as Blackpink and Selena Gomez's Ice Cream came to an end, and some ghastly ballad started after it.
Oh shit.
Cassidy's gaze flew up to her boss. "I didn't plan this, okay? So if you're thinking this is some kind of setup to get closer—-"
"I would never think that," William cut in gently.
"Oh."
"But like I said," William murmured, "dancing isn't a good idea—-"
"Because you've changed your mind about me?"
"Of course not." William's tone was sharp.
"Then...you're still in love with me?"
"Yes."
And the way he said it so simply—-
It's true, Cassidy realized in relief.
William Stanhope was still in love with her, and she...
"I love you, too."
William jerked.
"So can we please dance—-"
A pained smile flashed over his lips. "Just remember..."
William's hands settled on her waist, and Cassidy's heart skipped a beat.
"You wanted this."
Cassidy wrapped her arms around his neck as William pulled her close, and as their bodies slowly pressed against each other, and people around them began to talk and talk and talk—-
It was then she felt it.
His cock.
His long, hard, pulsing cock.
She instinctively tried pulling away, but William's arms only tightened around her, and Cassidy found herself unable to do anything but listen to her thudding heartbeat while his cock started swelling more and more against her belly.
Oh God.
A shudder rocked her as William pulled her even closer to him, and Cassidy found herself biting back a whimper with his breath tickling her ear as he whispered, "I told you this wasn't a good idea."One and Only"Our invitation's here," Cassidy declared as she entered the office of her boss-turned-boyfriend, and she couldn't help smiling at the way William immediately set aside whatever he was doing to focus on her.
This blue-eyed hottie of hers was just too sweet, she thought dreamily, and her eyes automatically closed as he met her halfway and pressed his lips against her forehead.
It was the loveliest kiss, but she kinda wanted...more.
Like, a lot more, but since she was also the one who had asked for them to take things slow...
Cassidy suppressed a sigh as they parted, and William went back behind the desk while she planted herself on one of the swivel chairs.
William watched in silent amusement as Cassidy tore the envelope open like a child who cared only about the actual gift than how it was wrapped. Since all of the women he had dated used to go to extraordinary lengths to act posh and feminine around him, Cassidy's no-nonsense attitude was delightfully refreshing, and one he would never trade for anything else.