Cassidy turned on Ty the instant they hit the sidewalk in
front of the café. "Do you have any idea what you’ve done?" she demanded.
"Saved your hide?"
"You got me fired!"
He corralled her toward his pickup. "The way I see it, I saved you from a
customer bent on rearranging that pretty face of yours."
"I— You—" He’d actually managed to distract her. Amazing. "You think I’m
pretty?"
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Drop-dead gorgeous would be
more accurate. Hadn’t anyone told her that before? At a guess...no. Well,
that would change. Right now. "I think you’re beautiful."
Rose-soft color highlighted her sweeping cheekbones. "Why... Thanks. But
that still doesn’t let you off the hook." She worked on rekindling her
anger, with a regrettable amount of success. So she wasn’t one to have her
head turned with flattery, he noted. Good for her. "I needed that job. If
you’d just let me handle it—"
"You’d have been a shade wiser and a hell of a lot sorer."
She hesitated, her vulnerability peeking out again, turning her eyes to
charcoal. "Do you really think he’d have hurt me?"
"If he’d ever gotten his footing, he’d have decked you." While she chewed
that over, he opened the door to his pickup and loaded her in. With any
luck, by the time she awoke to her surroundings, they’d be underway. "I’m
sorry I lost you that job. I’ll put out a couple feelers tomorrow."
"No, thanks," came her immediate response. "I can manage on my own."
"I’m sure you could," he agreed, stripping off his ruined shirt. He
reached into the back seat of the extended cab and grabbed the spare tee he
kept there. He couldn’t help but notice her eyes tried to swallow up her
face and her mouth went fishing for flies. Apparently there was something
about him she liked. She turned her head away so fast her braid did the
Texas two-step and he buried a grin. Too late, sweetheart. I already caught
you staring. He climbed behind the wheel and started the engine. "You’ll let
me help you find a job, anyway."
"Why’s that?" she questioned, a hint of strain threading her voice.
"Because, as you pointed out, I was partially responsible for getting you
fired." He pulled into traffic, pleased that she hadn’t insisted he offload
her at the nearest bus stop. Seeing him bare-chested must have thrown her
good and proper. He’d have to remember that. "This way I have a chance to
redeem myself."
"Oh. Okay, then. You can help."
He half-expected her agreement to sound grudging. It didn’t. It came
across as... Generous. As though she were helping him. The sheer illogic of
it amused him no end. She didn’t want his assistance finding a job because
it ran counter to her independent nature. But if her compliance would make
him feel better, she was happy to go along. Crazy woman. He slid her a quick
look. Crazy, kissable woman.
"You never did say what you were doing at the café," she prompted, the
beginning of a frown puckering her brow.
"I came to talk to you about Yellow Rose." That much was true enough. He
wouldn’t mention his other reason. With luck he’d just do it, assuming the
opportunity presented itself.
Her frown deepened. "I was afraid of that."
"I know you’re not happy about these dates, so I thought we’d go over
your application privately and rerun it. That way we can make sure you’re
matched with the best possible candidate."
"I don’t want to date anyone."
"I understand that. But for Hutch’s sake, you’re going to have to. I
figured you should at least have a decent selection of men." Damned
magnanimous of him, all things considered. Not that Cassidy saw it that way.
She set her chin in a manner identical to Hutch. So that’s where the
little squirt had learned it. "I don’t want even one man, let alone a whole
slew of them."
"I wasn’t exactly offering a slew," he retorted, vaguely insulted. "Just
a couple alternates."
With a little sigh, she leaned back against the seat. Her careworn hands
bunched the skirt of her dress, pleating the light blue folds before
smoothing out the creases. "Hutch thinks he’s being helpful."
"I know." He waited.
"I’m...I’m not interested in a relationship."
"I know that, too."
"So why are you doing this? Why agree to date me?"
For a brief instant, he was tempted to explain about the kiss.
Considering how skittish she was about this dating business, he thought
better of it. Instead, he decided to show her. He pulled to the curb outside
her apartment complex and switched off the car engine.
Unbuckling his seatbelt, he leaned across the space separating them and
unfastened hers as well. "What happened last time made me curious."
She stilled, freezing up so fast, it felt like a blue norther had lost
its way and come screaming down on San Antonio, bringing with it a blast of
icy arctic air. "What are you talking about?" She knew. Knew, but refused to
admit it aloud.
"I’m talking about that kiss."
Her misty gray eyes widened in alarm. But he caught the momentary glimmer
of another reaction, as well. A hint of answering curiosity. "Nothing
happened," she protested. "We barely even touched lips."
Ever so cautiously, he cradled her face in his palms. Her skin was soft.
So soft, he worried about scraping her with the roughness of his hands.
"Then there’s nothing to be concerned about."
"I’m not," she fibbed.
The lie was so blatantly transparent, he didn’t bother calling her on it.
"Good. So this time when I kiss you, you won’t get angry, right?"
While she took a few precious seconds to weigh the pros and cons of her
response to that one, he eased her deeper into his embrace. She didn’t
resist, didn’t protest, so he did what came naturally. He kissed her. Fully.
Like he’d wanted to ever since that last, aborted encounter. Their lips met
as though they’d practiced a thousand times before. Joined easily, melded
completely. She tasted incredible, like a brand new flavor he sensed would
be his permanent favorite.
His reaction was as instantaneous as last time and far more
intense—perhaps because it was a real kiss rather than a fleeting touch of
lips. So much for needing further proof. One kiss and he’d know. And he did.
Knew with every fiber of his being. Cassidy Lonigan was his future—a sweet,
hot, delicious permanent sort of future.
He didn’t rush. The woman in his arms wasn’t a treat he intended to
hurry. Hell, she wasn’t a treat at all. More like...destiny. And one didn’t
fight destiny any more than one galloped headlong through it. One worked
toward it, fulfilled it, explored it. And enjoyed the hell out of it. He
sank into her, intensifying the kiss. Yeah. One enjoyed every destined
moment.
She made a small sound deep in her throat, an intriguing combination of
surrender and rebellion. Her hands flattened on his shoulders even as her
tongue crept into his mouth, slipping home like a thief in the night. It
surprised him. He’d never thought Cassidy a woman of half-measures. She
struck him as the all-or-nothing type. And she proved it the next instant.
Rolling onto one hip, she wrapped her arms in a stranglehold around his
neck and slanted her mouth more fully over his. And then she consumed him
like he was an ice-cold dessert served up on a scorching hot afternoon. She
wriggled closer and her knee plowed onto his lap, damn near emasculating
him. Sheer instinct had him catching her leg just in the nick of time, his
palm rasping across her bare skin.
Her gasp burst into his mouth and he absorbed the slight shudder that
shot through her. Curious to confirm the cause, he stroked his hand upward
from her knee. Her pulse jolted in response and a soft moan of longing
reverberated against his chest. How long had it been since she’d last been
touched, he wondered, since a man had slipped a hand beneath her dress and
given her pleasure? Had anyone ever caressed the sensitive skin along her
thighs, or massaged the taut muscles of her legs until she relaxed so deeply
she couldn’t move? Did anyone ever see to her needs, or was she the one who
always gave? It struck him as past time she be on the receiving end of a
little TLC.
She broke off the kiss with a groan and buried her face in the crook of
his neck. "I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I did that."
"Nothing to apologize for. I’m sure as hell not offended," he soothed
with a tender smile. "But next time I think we’ll pick someplace a little
more private."
Cassidy peered around in surprise, as though just realizing their
location. Her eyes grew wide again. "How do you know where I live?"
"Hutch supplied your address when he filled out the application."
"Oh." She didn’t look pleased. "You mean we’ve been sitting outside my
apartment—"
"Necking," he offered helpfully.
"I can’t believe this happened." She ripped free of his arms and glared
at him. "This is all your fault."
"You’re right. And I take full responsibility for your forcing yourself
on me."
