“I’m so sorry,” Cassidy’s saying, her back to me. “Something’s come up. It’s a family emergency, I just… I have to go and handle this. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course.” My chest tightens. I rise from the couch and shoot a glare downward. My cock, of course, ignores me. “Do you need help?” I ask. “I can drive if you need me too; my car is right outside.”
“No,” she replies, quickly. Too quickly. Then she glances back over her shoulder at me, biting her lip guiltily. “I’m sorry. It’s just, it’s something I have to handle on my own. I’ll explain later, I promise.” Then she glances down, and I realize she’s staring at my erection. Her cheeks flush. “Oh God, I’m so sorry to leave you hanging right now, Lark.”
I laugh. “It’s all right, Cassidy. If it’s important, you should go.”
But she doesn’t. Not yet. She crosses the room first, and loops her arms around my neck. I bend to kiss her, a searing hot, slow kiss. I grab her hips for good measure, hoist her against me until my cock presses against her belly, just for a moment. Okay, so maybe I want a little revenge for her leaving me in this state.
When we part, she groans, and I know at least I’m not the only one feeling deprived. “Can I make it up to you?” she asks. Then she actually bites her lower lip.
It’s adorable. Almost adorable enough to make me forget about how she evaded my question, and how guilty she’s looking now, as she glances from me to her purse, with her phone inside it, and back again. “Any idea how long your emergency will take?” I ask, forcing a smile to my face.
She shrugs. “Not sure. Maybe the night.” She winces once more.
Before she can apologize again, I hold up a hand. “Then why don’t we do tomorrow. It’s supposed to be a nice day; maybe we can hit the beach or a rooftop pool.”
Her smile brightens, and her shoulders sag a little with relief. “I’d love that. Thank you for understanding, Lark.” She rises up on her toes one more time, and I kiss her again, slower.
“Of course,” I tell her, gazing directly into those deep brown eyes as I do. But at the same time, a small, ugly part of me can’t help itself. My traitor brain looks at this beautiful girl, the one I just opened myself up to, spilled all my secrets before… And I can’t help wondering. What secrets is Cassidy hiding from me?
27
Lark
I have to admit, when I suggested a rooftop pool, I was not thinking ahead to what Cassidy would look like in a bikini. Now, I’m wondering if this was a bad idea—because there are at least a dozen other people lounging nearby around the poolside bar, and all I want to do is tear the sexy, bright red two-piece she’s wearing off her luscious curves.
“You’re staring,” Cassidy points out, peering at me over the top of her sunglasses in a way that nearly sets me over the edge.
This woman drove me wild enough yesterday, leaving just as things had finally rekindled between us. Memories of her body sinking into mine on the couch kept me up half the night.
And now this.
“You’re torturing me,” I reply, and I’m rewarded with a flash of a smile, before she turns away to gaze out across the sunny rooftop and the crystalline water of the pool.
“This was your idea,” she reminds me.
“And it was a terrible one,” I amend. “Let’s call it a day and get back to my place. Or, hell, the car has tinted windows, it’s downstairs…”
She laughs and fires a grin in my direction. “Now who’s torturing who?” She arches an eyebrow. “Is this revenge for when I left you hanging yesterday?”
“Oh, absolutely. But I don’t think this is quite enough payback.” I slide around on my lounge chair so I’m positioned closer to her, my knees grazing her arm where it’s draped over the side of her seat. She shivers, and I watch goosebumps rise along her arms, stifling a self-satisfied smile. “Do you know what I would do to you if we didn’t have company up here?” I ask her, my voice pitched low.
Her gaze flits toward the bar again. It’s midday, but we’re at one of the hotels in town, so there are a handful of tourists enjoying their “it’s 5’o-clock somewhere” cocktails. One of the guys, I’ve noticed, keeps glancing in Cassidy’s direction, his eyes lingering for far too long on her long legs, crossed along the lounge chair and soaking up the noon sun.
It makes me want to stride over there and confront him. Or better yet, throw Cassidy over my shoulder and whisk her out of here, away from anyone else’s leering gaze. Somewhere only I can leer at her like that.