“You’re awfully cocky.” “For good reason. Now come on.”
Chuckling, he led her out the door where she locked up and they took the two block stroll down to The Pumphouse.
“Go on and play with your brothers for a while. I’m going to have a few beers and gossip with Maggie, Liv and Dee. Then I’ll be over to kick your ass.”
One handed, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her flush with his body. “If it wouldn’t smear that sexy lip gloss, I’d lay a kiss or two on you,” he murmured, eyes locked on hers.
“Go on ahead, Sheriff. It’s kiss-proof. And even if it wasn’t, it’s cherry flavored and I have more in my purse.”
Her eyes fluttered closed as his lips met hers in a soft, brief and yet bone melting kiss. He didn’t even use his tongue and she was nearly panting when he pulled back.
He licked his lips. “Mmmm, cherries. Very nice, darlin’, very nice indeed. I’ll see you in a while.” Cassie waved at him and stumbled into the booth where her friends waited.
“Uh, hello? The two of you have so much chemistry I’m all hot and bothered now. Sheesh, I’m going to jump on Brody the minute he gets off work tonight.”
Blushing, Cassie grinned at Liv. “He’ll thank me then, won’t he?”
“I don’t need to ask if you two had worked everything out from Tuesday night then.” Maggie poured Cassie a beer and pushed it in her direction.
“He came over on Wednesday and we talked for hours. And kissed, a lot. He’s a great kisser.”
“He is. Not as good as Kyle, but definitely award winning.” Cassie stilled. “How do you know?”
Maggie blinked several times and stammered a bit. “I thought you knew.” “Knew what?”
“Shane and I dated before I got together with Kyle. It was just a few times and he dumped me and acted like a total ass. He’s long since made up for it and has really grown. It was nothing, Cassie. God, he never looked at me with half the emotion he shows when he looks at you. I thought you knew.”
“I can’t believe no one told me!” “Are you mad at me? It was nearly three years ago. I swear to you, Cassie, it was nothing. He really cares about you. Talks about you all the time.”
“Well, I don’t know. I’m not used to being around people who’ve kissed my boyfriend. It’s weird.”
Liv sighed and leaned toward Cassie. “Cassie, I’m going to say this as your friend and I want you to listen and take this to heart, okay? Shane has been with a lot of women in this town. I’m not going to lie to you about it. In this bar alone I count at least eight he’s dated and it’s early yet. He wasn’t a slut as much as a guy who loved a lot of women. He’s thirty-four, that’s a lot of dating years.
“I want you to also hear me when I tell you that he’s never dated a single one of them, including Maggie, for more than two weeks at a time. Shane hasn’t dated since the night you came to town. You’re it for him, Cassie. When a man like that falls, he falls hard and all the way. There’s no middle ground for a guy like Shane.” Liv smiled.
“And you
will
have to deal with jealous women, Cassie. I’m sorry to tell you but I know from experience. Not that I’m jealous of you and Shane,” Maggie added hurriedly, “but I’ve had to deal with a lot of it with Kyle. If you let them get to you, you’re letting them win. Don’t. I can tell you without a doubt that Shane is not interested in any woman on this planet other than you. And I’m sorry if finding out Shane and I dated a few years ago bothers you or caught you by surprise.”
Cassie sighed and looked toward the pool table. When she did, she saw the interested glances of women trying to catch the eyes of the brothers there, including Shane. But when he looked up, it was she his eyes sought out, not anyone else.
He must have seen her distress because he handed his cue to Matt and came toward them.
Not wanting to have a conversation at the table with the other women listening, she got up and met him halfway, near the arches that separated the seating area from the games section with the pool tables, darts and pinball machines.
Stopping just a hair’s breadth away from her body he lifted a hand to touch her face. “You okay, darlin’?” “Why didn’t you tell me you dated Maggie?” He looked over her shoulder toward the table but Cassie’s voice brought his gaze back to her face. “That’s the kind of sneaky thing that bugs me. Why look over there for clues if you didn’t have anything to hide?”
“You looking for a reason to push me away, Cassie? Hmm? Because I am quite sure Maggie told you what it was between she and I—nothing. Two dates. I dumped her because she was nice and I was worried I may actually have feelings for her at some point. I was an asshole. But it was her and Kyle from day one. Once they got together it was forever.
“I didn’t think to tell you. It happened years ago. You said you knew about my history. I’ve dated a lot of women, hell a lot of women in this bar right now.”
“Yes, so I’ve heard.”
One of the corners of his mouth lifted and the furrows in his brow smoothed. “You’re jealous, darlin’? Because flattering as it may be, it’s unnecessary. I’m with you. You and no one else. Not ever again. But I can’t change my past. I’m sorry if that hurts you. I really am.”
“Jealous? Puhleeze.”
He laughed out loud that that. “Darlin’, you don’t think it’s hard for me to see the men watch you as you walk through any room you’re in? I also have a history of being cheated on. It’s hard to trust you. All I can do is take it on faith that you wouldn’t do that to me. And all I ask is that you do the same.”
“It’s weird, knowing one of my friends has had sex with you.” “Maggie told you we had sex?” His voice rose a bit.
“No, not in so many words. You dated, you’re a very…sexual man, I just put two and two together.”
“We did not have sex. Do you want to know how far it went? If you do, I need another drink because it’s kinda creepy now that I think of her like my little sister.”
“Was there naked?” He thought about it. “I can’t remember. There wasn’t orgasm. Nothing like what we shared in your apartment on Wednesday.”
She shivered at the memory and he nearly purred in her ear. “Oh, darlin’, seeing you react that way as you think about my hands on you, my mouth, your taste in my throat, it does me in.”
“Wh-where do you get all this stuff?” Her voice was shaky. The way he affected her shook her to her core.
“That’s not a line. I want to tell you all the things you do to me, all the things I
want
to do to you. You have no idea how you make me feel do you? Standing here in the middle of this crowded place, I want to back you against the wall and take you. I want to lay you on one of the pool tables and look down on your body as I thrust into it. I want you so much my hands are in my pocket because I’m afraid they’d shake.”
A flush ran through her. “Oh. My.” “Oh my indeed, darlin’. I’m going to kiss you now, here in this bar and I don’t care who sees it.” “Oh, okay,” she said faintly as her arms encircled his neck like they’d wanted to all along.
He kissed her, not with the raw sexuality he’d shown in her apartment but it was still a kiss that she felt all the way to the tips of her toes. Holy cow the man could kiss. He tasted of beer and the spearmint of his gum and Shane and everything in her body tightened in response.
When he released her, she dimly heard applause and some hooting from his brothers.
“Wow.” She licked her lips. “Wow isn’t a big enough word for the way you make me feel, Cassie. There is no one else. There hasn’t been since the first moment I clapped eyes on you.”
“You make me weak in the knees, Shane Chase. And you make me think I may not be as broken as I’d feared.”
He smiled. “That’s the best compliment I’ve ever gotten.” “Yeah? Come on back to my apartment and I’ll give you a few more.” His joyous smile turned wicked. “Is that so?” She nodded.
“Give me ten minutes to finish up with my brothers. Why don’t we go to my house? You haven’t seen it yet and you can, if you want to, sleep over. In my bed or in my guest room. I’ll let you decide that one, I’m rather biased on the subject.”
“Got any food there?”
He grinned. “I just went grocery shopping earlier tonight. I have fresh peaches and strawberries. I can think of a few things to do with them before eating them.”
“Oh?” Her voice was faint as she pondered the possibilities. “I’ll let you think on it. Be by in ten to grab you. You okay? Are
we
okay?”
She nodded. “I don’t like being taken by surprise. I don’t expect you to be a virgin. I knew you were a player and all. But that it was Maggie just surprised me. You haven’t been with Penny, Liv or Dee have you?”
“No, darlin’ I haven’t.” “I’m going back to the table. See you in ten.” “Go on then, I’ll just stand here and watch.” She rolled her eyes. “Is everything all right?” Maggie’s voice sounded sad.
“I’m not mad at you, Maggie. I was just surprised. It’s fine. I talked to Shane. He and I are fine. You and I are fine. It’s all fine.” Maggie leaned back, sighing in relief. “Thank goodness.”
“That was some kiss. I don’t think I’ve seen him kiss a woman in public twice in one night and certainly not like that. Whew. I need to go home to Arthur. I’m sure Michael is in bed by now and I’m all hot and bothered.” Dee shoved her way out of the booth and stood.
“I’ll see you soon, Dee.” Dee and Cassie hugged and Dee hurried out the door toward home and her husband.
“And I’ll be going soon too. Shane and I are nipping out early.” “To do what?” A single eyebrow rose and Liv struggled not to smile. “To play Scrabble.” Cassie’s voice was deadpan. “Naked Scrabble?” Liv asked, laughing.
“I’ve never thought of that. Dude, that’s a great idea. Strip Scrabble. I’m so getting the board out tonight to see if I can’t lose badly to Kyle.” Maggie winked.
“Just wow. Man oh man, Shane. I don’t think I’ve ever been jealous of you over a woman before but Cassie is sinfully beautiful. And incredibly sexy.” Marc leaned his butt against the table next to theirs.
“What was that all about?” Matt interjected before his little brother could goad Shane any further. “Maggie mentioned she and I dated a few times. Cassie was caught off guard. It’s all fine now.”
“I saw that. That was some ‘all fine now’ liplock there, Shane.” Kyle took a shot and sank it. “You find out anything about this ex of hers? I’m looking forward to finding him and helping you kick the shit out of him.”
“Nothing. I’ve done some snooping with her name and social security number but I can’t find any records. Some domestic violence records shield the victim so that may be the case. All I have is that the husband’s first name is Terry. I couldn’t find anything on Terry Gambol but she may not have taken his name when they got married.”
“Does she know you’re doing this? Obviously not if you’re having to piece it all together this way.” Matt sighed uneasily. “I don’t think she’s going to be pleased if she finds out you’re investigating without her knowledge.”
“I know, I know. But I want to protect her. God help me, I am falling so fast for this woman I’m in a tail spin. The idea of anyone hurting her kills me. It’s just a little bit of snooping. Just to help.”
His brothers looked at him skeptically.
“I’m out of here. She and I are on our way to my house and if any of you losers calls me and interrupts me with a flat tire or any kind of police emergency, I’ll kick your ass.”
He heard their laughter as he turned and saw the woman he was well on his way to being in love with, waiting for him, wearing a smile.
Nervousness began to creep into her stomach as the drove. The sex, or foreplay she supposed, between them two nights past had been wonderful but Terry’s words were still in her head.
Shane held her hand as he drove them to his place in his big truck. She watched the light of the streetlamps and then the moon, on his face.
“Oh hey, this is Penny’s neighborhood. I didn’t know you lived so close.” Cassie didn’t know why but the thought of Penny’s nearness made her feel better.
“Yeah, she’s just three houses down. Ben and I were good friends, went to school together along with Penny.”
He pulled into his driveway. His house was built in the Craftsman style, not something she’d seen often around Petal. Two large oak trees dominated the front yard, providing shade to the front of the house. The entire front lawn was beautifully landscaped with wildflowers and roses.
“Wow, this is so not what I expected.” She joined him and they walked up to the porch. “What? You expected some two room bachelor pad with potato chip bags strewn around?”
“No, not really. But this is truly beautiful. So well put together. I don’t think I’ve seen a Craftsman style home around these parts at all. And the landscaping is just gorgeous.”
“The landscaping is all Kyle. Wait until you see the back. One of my friends, the faithless asshole who cheated with Sandra, my ex, was…is a builder. He helped me with the plans and then my brothers, father, uncle and cousins all came out here and did a lot of the work, from the framing to the paintwork. I love this place.” He opened the door and motioned her inside.