All In (6 page)

“You’re not tired?” she yawned.

He laughed. “No. Not as much as you.”

“I’m normally much more of a night owl,” she mumbled.

“Yeah, that’s what Lo said.”

“It’s been long week, I guess,” she explained, actually feeling bad. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was her anxiety over this date that kept her awake far past even her late bedtime.

* * *

S
he gave him her address
, and she guided him to her building. As she went to step out of the car, he stopped her, got out, and opened the door for her.

“I had a great time,” he smiled, stroking her cheek with his long, calloused fingers. “Thank you for giving me a second chance.”

She placed her hand over his, her butterflies jumping around in anticipation. She knew what was coming, and she was surprised to find that she wanted it. “It was worth it,” she smiled.

“Not yet,” he leaned in and met her anticipation. His kiss was softer this time, pliant. His arm wound around her waist and pulled her in close, letting her feel his arousal. Quite the arousal. She gasped and he thrust in his tongue. He was different than the kiss after the movie, which had been demanding and firm. This was was a little on the lazy side, like they had an eternity to get to know one another. It wasn’t bad, but it left her wondering if he was better when he was being impulsive. Or maybe it was her. Maybe she needed more. Maybe…oh.

He tilted her head exposing her neck to him and nibbled his way down to the V at the base of her throat, sending a shiver through her. His tongue trailed back up before he placed one soft kiss on her lips and pulled away.

“Goodnight, Cass,” he squeezed her hand and walked around to the driver’s side. “I’ll wait for you to go inside.”

She smiled at him and willed her legs to not look like they were made of jelly. It had been too long. She’d made out with plenty of men. Hell, she’d made out with women that kissed better than him. Still, it was the first kiss she’d had in years, and she’d forgotten what a little nibble to her neck could do to her.

She walked as composed as she could, locking the door behind her. She listened for the tell tale sound of the engine fading away before she leaned against the door and let a mixture of lust, confusion, anxiety and guilt wash over her.

* * *

Y
ou awake
?
Her fingers flew over the keys.

M: For you, I am.

C: I’m home.

M: And…

C: I’m home. Alone.

M: So, not worth the second chance?

C: Not not worth the second chance. Just making sure I don’t have to sit through two bad movies in one week.

M: You seriously need to learn the genius of Santoro AND how to answer a question.

C: It was fine.

M: You forgave him.

C: Yes.

M: Saw a bad movie?

C: Yes.

M: Made out during said bad movie?

C: No, asshole.

There was a long pause. Should she tell him? Could she tell him? She’d told Maddox about her past dating life with no reservations, but this was now. She hadn’t had anything real to tell him about. But she couldn’t hold back. He never did with her, and he didn’t deserve her distrust. He’d asked her to tell him, and no matter how nervous it made her, she would do it.

C:
After.

M: After?

C: Yes.

M: And?

C: It was fine.

M: No toe curl?

C: Some curl.

M: That’s perfect.

C: For what?

M: To get you started.

C: On what?

M: Teachable?

C: Probably. But is that what I want?

M: Do you?

C: Stop acting like a psychologist. You know it’s not.

M: But…

C: But, what?

He’s not enough, she thought to herself. Yes, he’d grabbed her and kissed her. Her toes curled in her shoes, and when he’d dropped her off at home he’d kissed her well enough to get her body to respond.

M: Cass?

The buzz of the phone startled her.

C: Yeah.

M: Don’t be a chicken.

C: I’m not a chicken.

M: Don’t think so much.

C: That’s an impossible request.

M: Sleep on it, baby girl. Hugs.

C: XO

S
hit
. He glanced up and took a swig of his whiskey. He raked his hands through his hair and looked over at the woman striding into the room. He’d totally forgotten that Cass was going to text. “Friend?” she purred, leaning over him, her hands working their way down his chest to his pants.

“Yeah,” he choked out as she stroked his thighs.

“Hmmm. All done now?” she whispered, taking his lobe between her teeth.

“Mhmm,” he closed his eyes, letting the feeling wash over him.

“Good, then we can get to it, can’t we?” she kneeled down and began unbuttoning his pants. Her hands running up and down his hard length. She bent over, and took him in her mouth, suckling and moaning until he bucked up to meet her. He thrusted until he was hitting the back of her throat, not caring if she could take him or not.

“Say my name,” she whispered, as she pulled away, ready to take him again.

“What?”

“My name, say it when you come,” the blonde woman wrapped her lips around his shaft yet again, a slow suction calling to his release. He sucked in air between his teeth, as he emptied herself in her mouth. She stood up and spit his seed into the garbage can.

“You didn’t say my name,” she pouted.

Great. He’d brought crazy back to the room.

“I don’t-“

“Fuck, you men are all the same. Fuck you,” she spat at him, and strode out the door.

What the fuck?

How did he always seem to find the crazy?

He got up and cleaned himself off, glad to have dodged what he probably thought would be a pretty dangerous bullet. What the fuck had he been thinking?

Oh, yeah, he hadn’t.

He’d just gone down to the bar for a drink, not really looking for a hook up. But she was so hot, and she was so into him. Her red dress did exactly what she’d expected it to when she’d gotten dressed. Her breasts peeked out the top—just enough of her ample mounds to make him curious. She wiggled her hips just enough to make him wonder what she could do on top of him. Her nails grazed his arm, making him think of the marks she could make down his back as she came.

For the first night in a while, he wouldn’t need his own hand to get him off. No strings, all sex.

And then the crazy came out. She seemed so normal. She’d even stepped into the bathroom when his phone started buzzing. She’d let him text Cass without an argument, and he thought she might be cool.

But then she started in on this name thing. He didn’t know her name. She went to a hotel bar looking for sex. When does anyone at a hotel bar exchange names? The point was that there were no names. No attachments. Just sex, sex, and more sex.

And the spitting out his cum in the waste bin? He’d have to throw some thing on top to cover up that nastiness. Disgusting. If a woman is going to actively go down on a man, she should have the respect to swallow. Spitting was a turnoff, and had she not left in a huff, he probably would have sent her on her merry way after that sight anyhow.

He opened the mini bar, more than willing at that point to pour himself a stiff glass of whiskey on the rocks as if the burn in his throat could wash away his misery. He always found the crazy.

He looked at his phone and sighed. He’d been annoyed at Cass’ interruption at first. He was unzipping the blonde’s dress while unlocking the door, and he’d forgotten about Cass’ promise to text after her date. As much as he was looking forward to dipping his fingers—and other things—into the blonde, she told him to answer and headed to the bathroom. It gave him the moment of clarity his mind so desperately needed, because his dick was getting him in heaps of trouble. He couldn’t imagine the crazy that would have awaited him should he have actually had sex with that woman. He shuddered.

He kissed the screen. For once grateful for her cockblocking ability.

Thanks, Baby Girl.

* * *

T
he flight back was torture
. Sure, he’d closed the deal at a far better rate than anyone expected, but he longed for the comfort of his own bed. Just a nice night in with a beer, popcorn, and his Cass. He hadn’t known when it happened, but he had somehow started equating her with relaxing. His body was in need of some hot sex and romping between the sheets, but at that moment it was the idea of laying on the couch eating popcorn and her playing with his hair that brought a smile to his face.

He couldn’t get there fast enough.

He put in his headphones and tried to use this time on the airplane to answer his emails. Phil was freaking out about website stuff. Numbers and hits, and honestly, Maddox couldn’t care less. He was pretty sure he’d written back something along the lines of “Fucking just do it.” Dude was really getting under his skin.

Everyone was getting under his skin. There were more whiney emails, demands, stupid shit. If it wasn’t for the IM flashing on his screen, he would’ve slammed he laptop closed.

C: On the plane? You better be on the plane.

M: I’m on the plane.

C: In the air?

M: Of course.

C: Good.

M: Movie night?

There was a long pause. Why was there a long pause?

C: Tomorrow?

M: Why? Got a hot date?

Another long pause. She had a hot date? Damn! Really?

C: Um, yeah.

M: Idiot boy?

C: Toph? Yes.

God, the guy’s name just burrowed further and further under his skin. Toph was a stupid name. He scowled at his screen. All he wanted was some quiet time with the one person who made crazy days wash away. Was that too much to ask? And now he’d have to wait. Yes, he knew he was being a selfish ass, and he had to hold himself back from being the dickhead who typed
But I need you more
, because that would make him a terrible friend. He knew how hard it was for Cass to do this, and no matter what he wanted, he had to let her. So instead, he typed a different response.

M: What’re you doing?

Yeah, he was a damn good friend.

C: Just dinner.

M: Dinner? Or dinner+?

C: Just dinner. He knows he’s not getting any.

M: None? You’re a tease.

C: And good at it.

He laughed out loud, making his neighbor scowl. He couldn’t even apologize. Fine. She was going out on a damn date. Whatever. He was getting some Cass time this weekend, date or no date.

M:
Saturday, then?

C: It’s a date.

M: Well since I won’t be getting any, yeah. Pretty much.

C: Shut up ass.

M: Anal? Well, didn’t know that was an option…

C: What are you, in 8th grade?

M: Commas are important, you know. Besides, I’m in 7th grade. Got a problem with that?

C: Well, then that makes your proposal illegal. I don’t look good in orange.

M: In the movies I’ve seen, you don’t stay in orange that long.

C: You have to stop watching prison porn.

M: But it’s the best porn.

C: Stop watching all porn.

M: Porn is good.

C: So is cheesecake, but you don’t see me eating that all the time.

M: Cheesecake is not the same as porn.

C: Have you tasted cheesecake?

M: Of course.

C: Then you know it’s positively orgasm inducing and addictive.

M: Food porn.

C: Exactly.