Return to Her (3 page)

Cassie nodded. “It feels like a
lifetime.”

The crowd was thick around the table.
She’d set up his party in the spot they all liked to hangout, a
country western club with an adjacent rock club on one side. Cassie
had thought it a fitting tribute to come out, eat, sing, dance, and
be merry in order to give Mason the sendoff he deserved. His
friends had come out to wish him well and dozens had shown up, all
of them vying for a moment of his attention.

They all loved Mason.

Including her.

Not that she’d told him. Mason had
become too important to her to jeopardize their relationship, no
matter how much she wanted him. Her fear of rejection was keeping
her from the one man she wanted most, and it pissed her off she
couldn’t get past it. Now that he was leaving, she couldn’t add one
more thing for him to worry about when he was overseas. Mason
needed to focus. He needed to return to her—in one piece. When he
did, maybe she’d finally get the nerve to tell him how she felt.
She had a year to build up the courage.

“
So how are
you
going to handle him
leaving?” Ashley asked, her voice low, the meaning quite
clear.

Cassie turned to stare, a little
shocked at the underlying tone. “I’ll miss him. Just like everyone
else.”

“
You’ve had eyes for him
for I don’t know how long. Even before Dave left.”

Dave felt like a world away, even
though it had only been three months since his sudden departure
from their lives. Having him brought up now was an unwelcome
reminder. She brushed the past away and turned to look at the man
Dave had brought into her life. Mason was worth the pain of being
cheated on. She couldn’t imagine him not in her life
now.

Yet Cassie was thrown off guard, not
realizing anyone had noticed her attraction to Mason. Was she so
transparent? “No. We’re just friends. The best of friends. He
treats me like a little sister.” So many nights since that first,
with him sleeping on her couch after a couple of movies and
popcorn. She’d been tempted to sneak out to the living room and
climb onto the couch beside him, or invite him into her bed, but
she’d worried he’d reject her advances and ruin the friendship
they’d built.

Ashley chuckled, her lips
hitching into a wide smile. “I’ve never seen a man look at
his
little sister
like he looks at you,” Ashley said, turning to glance at
Mason. “Like right now.”

Cassie shifted and saw Mason staring
at her intensely. A frisson of desire raced up her spine as she saw
him so focused. Was Ashley right? Was there something in his look
she’d talked herself out of seeing? For a moment, she thought she
saw lust in his glance, but suddenly, he grinned at her and winked,
and any imagined heat was gone.

After a calming breath, Cassie winked
back and chuckled, although her chest tightened. Of course he
didn’t have those feelings for her. Mason had been an incredible,
supportive friend, and that was all. She needed to get a
grip.

“
See. You’re seeing more
into things than there is,” Cassie said, lifting her bottle of beer
to her lips and taking a hearty gulp to mask her emotions for a
moment. She put the bottle down and rubbed her finger across
condensation building on the label. “If Mason wanted a woman, he’d
have her—not cast longing looks her way. He’s not that kind of
guy.”

She was that kind of woman, though,
sitting there yearning for a man she’d probably never have. Unlucky
in love, Cassie’s relationships always turned out badly. Whatever
she’d done wrong in her past life appeared to be catching up to
her, and how. Mason couldn’t be the next Mr. Wrong, not when he was
so, so right.

“
True. He’s not shy when
it comes to women,” Ashley said with a chuckle.

A little touch of envy
settled in Cassie’s mind. The thought of other women being free to
touch him whenever they wanted was downright unfair, but then he’d
been single for a while now, which was unusual for him.
He hasn’t had a woman that I know of since … the
night Dave left? No, that can’t be right.

Questions circled in her mind as she
tried to put the pieces together. She glanced his way again and
imagined what it would be like for him to want her as much as she
wanted him. Heat flooded her body seconds before Mason caught her
gaze again.

She quickly looked away, grabbing a
menu to fan her face. “Is it hot in here, or is it just
me?”

“
It’s August. What do you
expect? Wait until the band starts and then we’ll really be
sweating.” Ashley stole the menu from Cassie’s grip and started
fanning herself.

Cassie was overwhelmed with the need
to escape. The air was thick and people were starting to crowd in
as the band tuned up in the background. A club regular, Krunch, was
the reason she’d planned the party there that night. Who better to
send off her Mason than their favorite cover band, in their
favorite hangout, surrounded by friends? So why did she feel the
urge to flee?

“
Are you ready for the new
school year?” Ashley asked suddenly, changing the
subject.

Cassie was glad for the break. Work
would help her get her mind off Mason. A new year, with new smiling
faces, would be just the diversion she needed—and when the year was
over, it would mean Mason would soon be home. “I think it’s going
to be a great year. The seventh grade teachers really enjoyed their
students last year, so that’s good news for us.”

Ashley groaned. “I wish I was staying
there this year instead of taking that new job.”

Cassie smiled, knowing Ashley would be
better off in her new role, even if she’d miss having a comrade at
the middle school. “You’ll do fine.”

Ashley smiled wanly. “I feel bad
abandoning you with your losing Mason, too.”

Cassie lifted her chin. “I’ll be fine.
I’m a college-educated, independent woman. I think I can handle the
two of you off doing your own things.” She needed to keep repeating
that mantra over and over. She’d come to depend on Mason’s
friendship and companionship in recent months. The thought of a
year without him was a daunting prospect. At least Ashley was still
around the corner whenever she needed her.

She cast a glance to the side, sensing
someone’s stare. Mason had her in his sights, his stare intense.
Cassie held it for a moment, but turned away, unsure of what that
stare was all about.

Head spinning, she took another long
draft from the bottle, her heart beating even faster. What she
wouldn’t give to be alone with Mason right now, without all the
other people getting in the way. Mason was staying with her for a
few days since he’d packed up his stuff and given up his apartment.
Knowing he was sleeping just outside her bedroom had been torture
the night before. He was leaving early Sunday morning, which gave
them tonight and tomorrow. Cassie wanted to spend as much time with
him as she could beforehand, and she was selfish when it came to
those last moments.

Not that she had a right to be. Cassie
had no claims on Mason.

So she sat back and watched him,
letting him have his time with everyone else. Her heart breaking at
the thought of him not being there to be her shoulder, her rock,
and her best friend, but she had to put on a brave face, just like
he would when he donned his uniform and faced danger for all their
freedom.

He was a hero.

He was
her
hero.

Mason spun to look at her
again, and she thought she saw something pass across his face once
more. She turned away, breaking the stare.
Damn Ashley, she’s put stupid ideas in my head.

“
Come on, Cassie, you
can’t tell me you don’t see the way he looks at you. Why are you
being so thick headed?”

Cassie glanced back to where he’d been
standing, but he was gone. She sighed, knowing she was being
absolutely ridiculous. “I’m his friend and that’s good
enough.”

“
But it’s obvious that you
both want more,” Ashley argued.

“
I’m not Mason’s type. I
never will be,” Cassie said. “There’s no point ruining what we
have.”

Ashley’s gaze lifted and she leaned
back in her seat. “Hi Mason.”

Cassie’s head spun around and she saw
Mason standing behind her. How long had he stood there? How much of
that had he heard? It was loud in there, so maybe he hadn’t heard a
word. From the dark look he gave her, she wasn’t sure.

“
I’ll let you two chat.
You’ve surely got a lot to talk about,” Ashley said, rising to her
feet and giving Cassie a wink before hightailing it out of
there.

“
What was that about?”
Mason asked as he sat down, a frown wrinkling his brow.

“
Nothing,” Cassie said
quickly before lifting her beer to her suddenly parched lips. She
had no idea what he’d heard, or if he’d heard anything at
all.

“
Tonight feels surreal,”
Mason said before taking a swig from his long-neck. He slowly set
the bottle back on the table and turned to look at her, his deep
brown gaze filled with melancholy.

“
I know.” Cassie relaxed
some. Apparently he hadn’t heard or was choosing to ignore it. She
let out a sigh. “We’ve known you were going for weeks, but it still
doesn’t feel like it’s really happening.”

Mason stared at her, a slight frown
twisting his handsome features. “You’ve been awfully quiet
tonight.”

“
I’m just a little sad
you’re leaving,” she answered truthfully. Actually, that was a lie.
She was more than a little sad. She was brokenhearted.

“
Is that why you’re
avoiding me?”

Avoiding him?
“I haven’t avoided you. I wanted you to be able
to tell everyone goodbye and not be in your way.”

Mason stared at his hands
cradling the bottle for a moment, then lifted his gaze to pin her
with a look. “You’re
never
in my way.”

“
I’m not?” The words came
out odd, the hitch in her throat making it hard to
speak.

“
I’m not used to you
silent and sitting in a corner. I don’t like it.” Mason laid his
hand on hers and leaned closer. The heat of his hand leeched into
her body and she imagined what it would feel like to have that same
hand trailing over other parts of her body, his warmth surrounding
her. She closed her eyes and let his scent drift in, his spicy
aftershave and something else mixed in that was just clean, sexy
male.
Mason’s scent—I’ll miss that,
too.

Cassie opened her eyes and stared at
him, trying to burn the image of his face into her memory. His dark
eyes had heavy brows slashing over them, parted by an angular nose
that had been broken at some point and never set exactly right. She
wanted to reach out and run her finger over the little bump it had
left, ending on the firm, full lips below it. Her breathing
quickened as she thought about him sucking her finger between his
lips, just like she wanted him to suck the nipples that now
tightened under her thin blouse.

“
I know this party’s for
me, but I really don’t feel like all the noise tonight. Want to go
back to your place?” Mason said lowly near her ear.

Cassie trembled slightly as her body
reacted to his warm breath against her. Lust seemed to swell in his
gaze again, and she fought to control her raging body. Mason
squeezed her hand gently and rubbed his thumb along her
palm.

Getting control of herself, she
smiled. She was letting her imagination run away with her. But he’d
read her mind. She’d wanted him all to herself and it looked like
she was going to get her wish. “Sure,” she said, trying not to
sound too eager. Realizing she’d been the one to plan the party,
she paused. “But everyone came out to see you. Are you sure you
want to go?”

Mason smiled. “I’ve talked to everyone
here I wanted to. I’m ready to say goodbye,” he said as he stood
and pulled out her chair.

“
If you need some quiet,
I’m sure everyone will understand,” Cassie said, trying to sound
logical when she felt anything but. She rose and glanced up at his
towering form. Cassie always felt petite next to his six plus foot
height and broad shoulders, especially since he made her five foot
three feel even tinier. It made her want to cuddle against him. She
fought the urge to do just that as they said their
goodbyes.

Chapter Four

Mason put the car in gear, his hands
sweating slightly on the wheel. He rubbed his palms along his
thighs, trying to calm himself. The clamminess wasn’t from the
summer heat, but from his apprehension. He glanced over at Cassie
as they pulled up to the first red light, and smiled. She gave him
a wobbly smile back.

All night, she’d been quiet and her
mood made him nervous. Did she sense how wound up he was
inside?

Feeling like this wasn’t anything he
was accustomed to. Years of good ‘ole Southern charm had been bred
into him from an early age. Mason had no problem coaxing a woman
into doing just about anything he asked when he turned that
on.