7 Minutes in Heaven (Are You Game?) (19 page)

A smile curled her lips and Cassie had to admit, if only to herself, that she was pleased he was here. With each quick visit she’d missed him more. She couldn’t count the number of times her mind had wandered to thoughts of Lucas over the last few days. He’d found his way deeper than just under her skin, and as much as she’d told herself she didn’t have time for a relationship, she couldn’t fight the needs rising inside her. And it wasn’t only about the sex either. As good as it was between them physically, there was an emotional connection too.

It was time she faced facts and accepted the feelings he provoked and dealt with them. And him. She stripped out of her work clothes and grabbed a T-shirt and shorts. Stepping into the pants, she thought about how the next few hours might go. If his constant appearance in her life was a clue, then she could only conclude that he wanted to move past their weekend together into a possible future. The very idea of spending more time with Luc heated her blood and sent a shiver down her spine.

She’d been fooling herself. She couldn’t deny their connection, and her arguments against seeing him held no real substance when he’d not once interfered with her work schedule. Her last venture into relationship territory had blown up in her face when her ex had turned up to a job she was overseeing one Saturday afternoon. He’d caused a huge scene, and she’d been forced to refund the client their money. Not to mention word had gotten around and she’d lost three more bookings because of his angry outburst.

Cassie had to admit that she’d been gun shy with men since, and she’d been unfair to Lucas by assuming he’d behave the same as her ex and using it as an excuse to keep her distance. Shame washed through her. She owed Luc an apology and an explanation. He deserved both whether he wanted to continue seeing her or not. She’d take his frequent visits as a good sign and hope her fear of getting involved hadn’t ruined any possible future for them.

With what had to be a goofy smile on her face, Cassie tugged her top on and headed out of her room to find Lucas. She found him in her dining room, table set with two places and the food spread out in front of them. Watching him as he poured them both a glass of water, she felt warm and soft. It would be easy to get used to seeing him there. Too easy perhaps, but she wasn’t going to dwell on that. Instead, she’d make the most of enjoying a meal with a great guy and see where things went.

Luc leaned back in his chair and rubbed his stomach. Dan had been right. The little Indian place in Balgowlah made
the
best Indian food outside of India. It also happened to be Cassie’s favourite take-away dinner. He’d eaten more than he should, but the flavours had been too mouthwatering to give up. Cassie was still going. She’d probably eaten as much as if not more than him already, but that didn’t stop her from scooping up another spoonful of Baltic curry.

“Good?” he asked even though he knew the answer already.

“Mmm…” She swallowed. “Delicious.”

She slipped her tongue out and licked across her bottom lip. Luc’s groin tightened. Dinner had been a study in restraint and he was beginning to think he might not be able to stick to his plan of hands off for much longer. Dragging in a deep breath, he reined in his libido and tried to distract himself with mundane chatter.

“So Jody’s working out?” Discussing his sister was bound to dampen his arousal.

“Yes.” Cassie wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Like I said yesterday, she’s great. Although she and Dan have had a few hiccups, but I think that’s because he’s still against bringing in another supervisor.”

“Really?” Luc had been speaking with Dan all week. The guy didn’t seem the type to hold a grudge against someone who wasn’t at fault, and Jody definitely had nothing to do with Cassie expanding her management base.

Cassie’s forehead wrinkled. “Actually, I’m not sure if it is that. There’s some crazy sparks flying off those two.”

Sparks? As in sexual sparks? Shit. Luc needed to call his sister. The last thing she needed was another man fucking up her life.

“Whatever it is they don’t let it interfere with the job and that’s all that matters.” She waved her hand in the air. “But enough about work. I’m home early for the first time in months. I want to enjoy it while I can.”

“Okay, how about we watch some TV?”

She glanced at her watch. “You know I wouldn’t have a clue what’s on at this time anymore. I can’t remember the last time I sat in front of a TV and vegged out.”

Luc laughed. “That would be last weekend when we watched
An American President
.”

Cassie’s cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “Yeah, well, I didn’t exactly watch it.”

“No, but you certainly vegged out.” He pushed his chair back and stood. “I’ll clear this away, you go see if there’s anything on.”

“Don’t be silly, you made dinner, I’ll clean up.”

“I didn’t make it.”

“Still, you organised it, so I’m on clean-up duty.” She stacked the empty containers on top of their plates and carried them to the kitchen. “Do you want a coffee or something?” she called out.

“No. I’m good.” Luc wandered into her living room and picked up the remote from the side table. He flicked through channels before he found an episode of
The Big Bang Theory
. “You okay with a comedy?”

“Sure.” She came into the room carrying a tray with a plate of Tim Tams and two glasses of water. “Snacks.” She grinned.

“Snacks? We just finished dinner. I couldn’t possibly eat another thing.” Luc dropped to the couch behind him.

“There’s always room for Tim Tams.” Cassie set the tray down on the coffee table and sat beside him. “But I’ll happily eat your share.”

He smiled. “I just bet you will.”

Relaxing back, Luc pretended to focus on the TV when every cell in his body was tuned to the woman next to him. He didn’t want to push her, but damn, he really, really wanted to get his hands on her again. The no-pressure, take-their-time course was wearing thin, and he couldn’t tell if his slow wooing of Cassie had gotten him any closer to the goal. He’d give anything to be able to read her mind, and while he’d wanted to pump his sister and Dan for information he hadn’t. Now he wished he’d given in and asked either of them if she’d at least mentioned him.

“You’re thinking too hard.” Her words jolted him out of his thoughts.

“What?”

“You accused me of overthinking last weekend.” She turned on the seat next to him, her knee pressing into his thigh. “And you were right. I was worrying this thing between us to death. Now you’re doing it.”

One side of his mouth kicked up. “Yeah, I am.”

“I need to explain something.”

Luc sat up straighter, her tone sending a shaft of dread through him. “Go ahead.”

“I had a bad experience with my last boyfriend. We dated for a few months and when all my time was taken up by establishing Are You Game?, he made it clear he wasn’t happy. He wanted me to spend more time with him, and when I wouldn’t cut back my hours, he turned up at a child’s birthday party and made such a scene that I not only had to refund the client’s money, I lost bookings too.”

“Arsehole.” Luc wanted to find the guy and punch him.

Cassie laughed. “Yeah, turned out he was.”

A thought occurred to him. “How long ago was this?”

“Two years.”

“And you haven’t dated since then?” Luc wasn’t sure if he was pleased by her lack of dating or upset that some jerk had hurt her so badly that she’d erected walls around herself.

“No, you’re the first guy I’ve even looked at, never mind spent time with.”

He grinned, pleased to have been the one to break through her shell. “Do you think I’m going to do what that arsehole did? Demand more time than you have?”

“No. Yes.” She sighed. “It was a knee-jerk reaction. I’d have been the same with anyone.”

“But I’m not just anyone, Cass.”

Luc watched her throat work as she swallowed. Watched her tongue slip out to slide across her lip before she spoke. “No. You’re not.”

“Who am I?” He waited to see if she remembered what he’d said nearly a week ago.

“You’re the guy who’s going to bring me to my knees.”

He smiled. “Yeah, but want to know something?”

“What?”

“I’m going to be right there beside you. On my knees, holding your hand.”

Her eyes widened, her lips parting a fraction as she sucked in a breath. “Y-you are?”

“I’m already there, Cass, just waiting for you to join me.”

“Oh.”

Luc waited for her to say more, but she didn’t. His stomach dropped like a lead ball. He couldn’t take back what he’d said or the depth of his feelings the words revealed, but he could make it easier for her. “Wanna catch a movie with me sometime this weekend?”

She smiled. “I’d like that.”

“Good. Let me know what time suits you. I’m free all weekend.” He didn’t want to push her and send her running for the hills, so he’d take whatever he could get when he could get it. That might make him desperate, but he didn’t care. When it came to Cassie he felt desperate.

Cassie reached over and smoothed the skin between his eyebrows. “You’re doing it again.”

“What?”

“Overthinking.”

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Want to know what I think?” She didn’t give him time to answer. “I think we should just go with it. See each other when we can. Let’s not label it or stress about where it’s going. We’ll enjoy it while it lasts. No strings.”

“I’ve got one string.” He leaned towards her.

“Oh yeah, what?” Her breath fanned over his face.

“We’re exclusive.”

Cassie reared back. “Of course. Jeez, I barely have time to see you. How the hell would I fit in anyone else?”

He stuck out his hand. “So we have a deal?”

She looked at his hand then brought her gaze back to his. “Oh, I think we can seal the deal better than that.”

Before he could register the words, Cassie was in his arms and her mouth was on his. Once his brain unfroze, he took what he’d been craving all week. He thrust his tongue between her teeth and coaxed hers out. Slipping his hands under her T-shirt, Luc found her breasts and made quick work of flicking the front closure of her bra undone. Her soft mounds fell into his hands, her nipples growing hard against his palms. With thumb and forefinger, he tweaked the tips until they were puckered tight.

“God, yes. Do that again,” she breathed into his mouth, and Luc obliged.

He played with her breasts while taking her mouth in a soul-deep kiss. It wasn’t long before neither of them was satisfied with just kissing. She pulled free and grabbed the hem of her top. Whipping it up and over her head, her voice was muffled but the demand was clear.

“Clothes. Off. Now.”

Luc didn’t want to take Cassie on her couch this first time. He wanted to lay her out and reacquaint himself with every inch of her. “Bedroom.”

He scooped her up as he stood. She slipped her arms around his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist. His blood pounded in his ears as he made his way down the hall to her room. Using his foot, Luc pushed the door open and strode to the bed where he fell forward. Bracing his elbows, he took his weight on his arms while pinning her beneath him.

“I want you naked and spread out before me,” he growled in her ear, his arousal already at a fever pitch.

She wiggled against him. “Then you better let me up so I can get naked.”

Luc didn’t need to be told twice. He sprang to his feet and began tugging off his clothes as he watched Cassie do the same. Damn, she was sexy. She wasn’t even trying to turn him on and she had him panting and drooling. This wasn’t going to last long. Not the first time at least. He’d beaten her by a pair of undies, but they were the sexiest strip of pink lace he’d ever seen so he didn’t care that she wasn’t naked yet. Grinning, he launched himself back on top of her as she kicked her undies off.

He swallowed her gasp as he took her mouth with his. They rubbed against each other, both seeking the friction necessary to find release. Luc shoved his knee between hers and spread her legs wide. Her hips cradled his, her pussy the perfect resting place for his throbbing cock. She was hot and wet and he couldn’t wait another second to be inside her.

“I need to be inside. Now.”

“Condoms are in the drawer.” She tilted her head to the left.

Scrambling over her, Luc retrieved the unopened box of condoms. He tore the plastic off and grabbed a foil packet, ripping it open in record time.

“Here. Let me.” Cassie took the protection from him and began to sheath his length.

Luc clenched his jaw, gritted his teeth and tried to think of something other than Cassie’s hands on his cock. It was such a close thing that the second the protection was in place he pushed her to her back and jumped on top. All finesse deserted him in his driving need to be buried within her tight depths. She spread her legs and welcomed him with outstretched arms. Taking her invitation, he thrust into her.

A cry tore from her throat. The sound, one of shocked pleasure, sent a bolt of lust through his veins. He couldn’t hold back. She was like a drug he’d been withdrawing from all week, and now that he’d had a dose he couldn’t stop. Hard and fast, he surged in and out. Her back bowed, her hips rising to meet his with each plunge. They rocked together in a rapid tempo that pushed them both over the edge in minutes.