by Robyn M Ryan
“No, these are perfect.” She cut her eyes toward him. “I think you forgot who you were making this for—it’s stronger than the others?”
Cam took the cup from her hand and took a sip. “Maybe. Why don’t I get you another?” His silver-grey eyes flashed as a teasing smile hinted at his lips.
“No, thanks. This is just fine.”
Cam rested his hand on her lower back when Cassie retrieved her cup, his fingers dancing lightly against the skin left bare by the crop top. She glanced at him, noticing his eyes scanning the room. Wonder if he’s aware that Amelie and Chase left? His fingers playfully tickled her side, and Cassie jumped from the stool, nearly dropping her drink as she laughed.
“Not fair! No tickling.” She saw the mischievous gleam in his expression.
“Ah, good to know.” He hooked his arm around her shoulders and drew her closer. His lips brushed against her forehead. “I’m happy you accepted the invitation.”
Cassie tried to tamp down her body’s reaction to his touch. Just the alcohol making me sensitive. He felt the involuntary shiver and turned her toward him. “Cold?” His smile bordered on a smirk. “Maybe this will help.” His lips grazed against hers, pulling her against his chest. “Mm, strawberries. Sweet, just like you.”
Cassie’s slipped her arms around his neck, the full Solo cup forgotten until it tipped sideways, sending cold liquid down his neck and under his shirt. He jerked back at the sensation.
“I’m so sorry, Cam. I forgot…”
His eyes locked with hers. “You respond to my kiss with a dousing of frozen margarita?” He couldn’t contain the laughter and eyed the half-empty cup. “I’ll hold on to this for you.” Without thinking, she handed it to him, immediately regretting the move when his eyes gleamed with mischief. He raised the cup over her head.
“You wouldn’t?”
“I might.”
Cassie stepped back suddenly and sprinted away from him, weaving her way through the crowded room, trying to maintain her balance. She glimpsed the hall bathroom and ran inside it, locking the door and leaning back against it. She giggled so hard she couldn’t catch her breath. She realized then that she’d had one—maybe two?—margaritas too many. You’re in so much trouble, Cassie Johnson.
Someone knocked loudly against the wood. “You can’t hide out all evening, Cassie.”
“I might.” She looked around the room for a bath towel to protect her from a frigid margarita shower. She grabbed one, then noticed the door at the other end of the bath. An exit? Through a bedroom maybe…Amelie’s room? She crossed the room and pressed her ear against the door. Nothing. Quiet. Holding her breath, she rapped lightly against the door before opening it slightly. She knocked again before looking into the room. Empty. She slipped into the adjoining room, carefully closing the door behind her. The full moon provided all the light she needed to tiptoe toward the kitchen.
Half-way across the room, she saw movement from the corner of her eye. Before her brain could process the action, she felt a hand cup her mouth and an arm close around her. Cam maneuvered her to the bed, playfully lifting her up and letting her drop in the middle of the mattress. He claimed her mouth when he joined her, and Cassie giggled against his kiss. He pulled back, an annoyed expression crossing his face.
“Don’t go anywhere. I need to say goodbye to my guests.”
“No problem,” she whispered. Sudden dizziness caused her to lay back on the pillow. The room spun, and she closed her eyes, hoping to avoid nausea. Sleep. That’s what she needed. Sleep.
The alcohol-induced slumber produced tangible emotions and sensations as dreams unfolded…Tom beside her, his arms holding her against him as he peppered her face and neck with light kisses. Her head spinning, her mind hazy, she swallowed a moan when he gently nibbled on her bottom lip. Opening her mouth slightly to accept the kiss, she slipped her arms around his broad chest.
Cassie drifted in a dimension filled with Tom’s gentle kisses and soft hands skimming her skin. The kisses grew intense, more demanding, and her soft cotton top did little to mute the heat his touch generated. Intoxicated with these sensations, a small moan escaped her lips.
“Cassie.” She barely heard the whispered words as the growing desire carried her on a fluffy soft cloud of sensuality. She wanted to drift on these clouds forever. Caught in the swirling cyclone of emotions, Cassie couldn’t find—didn’t want to find—the will to remain in control.
She focused only on the man she never believed would desire her…How did such a sweet kiss suddenly morph into two half-dressed people exploring each other’s skin, sending waves of desire to her core?
She heard her name again and murmured a response. Her eyes met his, and she read desire mirroring her own. She shut her eyes and opened them again, slowing grasping that her dream had transformed into a very different reality. Cam, not Tom, leaned over her, and his fingers played with the edge of her jeans.
Cassie jerked away and scrambled away from him on the bed. “Cam, what the hell are you doing?”
“Enjoying an exquisite and responsive woman.” He flashed a smile.
“I was sleeping!”
“If you say so.” His flippant tone infuriated her.
“Cam, my head was spinning…I lay down to stop the dizziness. That’s the last thing I remember until I opened my eyes.” Cassie breathed deeply to calm her emotions. “I thought I was dreaming.”
“Oh, your kisses are so much better than a dream.” Cam reached to touch her face, and Cassie pulled away. She felt the edge of the bed and quickly stood up.
“I can’t believe you got in bed knowing I was asleep,” Cassie accused. “I didn’t know you were here. How could you?”
Cam shook his head. “Cassie, you acted like you were very much aware.”
“Is that your game? Serve supposedly alcohol-light drinks, then take advantage when the girl falls asleep?”
“I don’t need to ‘take advantage’ of girls.”
“Then what do you call what you just did? Never mind, I’m getting out of here.”
“Save it.” Cam pushed to his feet and turned away. “You shouldn’t drink if you don’t know when to stop.”
Cassie’s head buzzed as she watched him stride toward the bathroom, slamming the connecting door shut behind him. She adjusted her clothes and ran her hand through her tangled hair. What were you thinking, Johnson? Or not thinking? You know you shouldn’t have had more than one drink. How could you make such a stupid mistake? Thank God she woke up in time.
She looked around, realizing she was in the room where Amelia had stashed her bag earlier. She spied it by the bed, grabbed it, and flipped on the lamp on the dresser. She groaned when she saw her reflection in the mirror…smeared lipstick, mascara-streaked cheeks, her hair a matted bird’s nest.
She heard laughter on the other side of the door, and Cassie dug into her bag for her face wipes and a brush. Her face remained flushed, even after cleaning her skin, and she frowned as she quickly brushed her hair.
She squinted at her watch. One a.m. Craptastic. Drink too much, lose track of time. She needed to get home.
24
After changing into Dave’s oversized T-shirt rather than her crop top, Cassie spotted several bottles of water on the nightstand. Quickly drinking two, Cassie grabbed her bag and opened the door.
She nearly ran into Amelie. “Cassie, I thought you’d left.”
“I was dizzy, so I took a short nap.” Cassie tried to laugh it off. “I need to get home.”
Amelie grasped her arm. “Just stay here. You don’t want to drive home this late.”
“I’ll be okay. I need to get home by five in the morning. My munchkins are up before dawn.” She glanced nervously toward the living room. “Has everybody gone?”
“Yes, I saw my brother take a girl into his bedroom, but no one else is here. The guest room is made up for you. Don’t take a chance—you might get pulled over at this hour.”
Great. The icing on
my cake. Who knows how much alcohol’s still in my system? “Are you sure you don’t mind? I guess I could sleep for a couple of hours.”
Amelie turned Cassie toward the guest room. “Go. I’ll get you some ibuprofen and water.” With a gentle push, Cassie walked into the room.
She set her phone alarm for four, thankful that she’d stuck a charger in her bag. Confident that Caryn muted her phone at night, Cassie sent her a quick text to assure her she’d see them by five a.m. She’d text Lauren in the morning—when she reached the Chadwick’s. Lauren would be awake, then and she wouldn’t disturb the newlyweds. Cassie set the phone on the bedside table and slipped under the covers. She fell asleep before Amelie returned with the water.
Cassie jerked awake to her phone blasting a song about a hummingbird. Lauren’s ringtone. She quickly silenced the sound, then slid her finger to accept the call. “Hey…Lauren,” she said, her voice thick with sleep. “What time is it?”
“Almost five. I couldn’t sleep. I took a walk and saw your car wasn’t in the driveway. Everything okay?”
“Shit!” Cassie croaked. “My alarm didn’t go off! Or I didn’t set it correctly. I stayed over at Amelie’s.”
“You’re okay?” Cassie heard amusement in her aunt’s tone.
“Okay, except I should be on my way to Caryn’s now. I need to go, Lauren. Can I call you…”
“Yes, when you get home.” Lauren’s tone relaxed Cassie’s jangled nerves. “I’ll stop by and see if Caryn needs any help. No need to rush. Drive carefully—don’t speed, okay?”
Emotion threatened to overwhelm Cassie. “Thanks, Lauren.”
Cassie took a deep breath, flicked the tears from her cheek, and then scrambled to strip the bed, freshen up, and dress. She swallowed the ibuprofen with the first water bottle, then slipped the second into the side of her backpack. She quietly crept from the room and tiptoed toward the door.
Pausing in the living area, Cassie’s conscience tugged at her to clean up the disaster remaining from the party. Amelie will get stuck with all the cleaning. I should help her a bit. Help Cam? Not in his dreams? But Amie deserves some assistance. She glanced at the counter dividing the room from the kitchen and cringed when she saw the pink liquid on the floor. The margarita she’d accidentally spilled all over Cam. I should clean some of this...
As if on cue, her cell phone pinged an incoming text.
Caryn: Don’t hurry. Very quiet here.
Cassie: You sure? Thought I’d take a minute to clean some of this post-party mess.
Caryn: Take your time. Just don’t do everything by yourself.
Cassie: No way. See you soon.
She shoved the phone into her jeans and walked to the kitchen in search of a garbage bag. Thankfully, they sat in plain view on the counter—best intentions derailed. Quietly, she walked around the condo, collecting red Solo Cups and empty beer bottles, securing each bag and setting it by the door. Next, she tackled the paper plates and half-eaten food. After collecting the plates, she glanced at the remaining refreshments in the kitchen. Keep or toss?
Anything that required refrigeration hit the bag. Cassie held her breath when she neared the leftover boiled shrimp. Already smells nasty. She quickly secured that bag, then dropped it into a second trash bag. Eau de leftover shrimp—lovely! Combined with the smell of strawberries and tequila, Cassie fought the urge to gag. She looked for some floor cleaner without success, so grabbing a roll of paper towels, she placed some on the floor to soak up the liquid. The sound of someone clearing his throat caused Cassie to look up. Cam towered above her, his expression amused.
“The cleaning service is coming this morning. You’re not Cinderella, Cass.” He held his hand toward her, but she ignored it and pushed herself to her feet. He nodded at the garbage bags by the door. “Thank you, but unnecessary.”
“I wanted to help Amelie.” Cassie’s voice sounded cold and indifferent, even to her own ears.
“Thank you.” His grey eyes met hers. “I’m sorry about the misunderstanding last night.”
“Misunderstanding? Yeah, sure, I’ve put it out of my mind.”
“So, we’re okay?”
“Okay, as in you understand that you made a mistake? Or, okay, don’t tell my aunt what happened?” Cassie asked.
“Maybe a little of both?” Cam’s charming smile had no effect on Cassie’s mood.
“Don’t worry, your secret’s safe. I’m embarrassed I got myself in that situation by trusting you to make my drinks.” She reached for the door. “Don’t bother speaking next time our paths cross.”
Still fuming, Cassie tossed her bag into the trunk of her car. And to think I believed his nonsense! Stupid. Everyone warned me, but I didn’t listen. I can handle him…Delusional. Didn’t you learn anything from Lauren’s experiences? How could I even think he was Tom? Dreams versus ugly reality.
Swiping tears that ran down her cheeks, Cassie paused before pressing the car’s start button. Thank God, I opened my eyes. I could have added one more notch on Cam’s hockey stick. Gag.
By the time Cassie reached the Chadwick’s home, she’d shoved all thoughts about Cam, the embarrassment and regret to the back of her mind. Concentrate on the reason you’re here. To decide on your future, not find a hot hockey player or a doctor who clicks all the boxes for my perfect dream man.
She combed her fingers through her hair and then leaned against the side of her car to quell her emotions. Stupid, stupid, stupid…no wonder Mom wants to control my life. If Amelie hadn’t seen me in the hallway, I’d have gone to my car, and probably attempted to drive home. Would I have gotten behind the wheel? Even after Lauren told me to call if I needed a ride? You screwed up, Johnson. You’re not a responsible adult.
She scrubbed her face with both hands, brushing aside the tears. Get it together.
“Cassie, you okay?”
She looked up and saw Tom. Where did he come from? Can today get any worse? She shrugged as he waited for her response. “Not really.”
He held out his hand. “Let’s go inside.”
Cassie shook her head. “I don’t want Caryn…”
“No, I meant my entrance.”
Cassie walked silently beside him, her thoughts spinning out of control. So wasted you thought Cam was Tom? Idiot.
Once inside the apartment, Tom guided her to the kitchen. “Hot tea? Coffee? Soda?”
“No, thanks.” She felt her lips quiver in an attempt to smile.
“Come here.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and walked her to his living room. He didn’t speak until they sat side by side on the sofa. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Tom saw Cassie take a deep breath before looking at him. “Don’t you need to go to work?”
“I arrive long before my shift. I’m okay, time-wise.”
Cassie averted her eyes as she shook her head. “I made a stupid mistake.”
Tom immediately thought about Camden but kept that to himself. “What was the mistake?”
“Allowing someone to make drinks supposedly light on alcohol.”
“So, you didn’t realize how much you’d had to drink?”
Cassie’s laugh held no humor. “Yep, I was wasting away in Margaritaville before I noticed.” She pushed her hair behind her shoulders. “And I thought Amelie was the clueless one that night at the club.”
Tom slipped his arm around her shoulders and encouraged her to move closer beside him. “What happened?”
Cassie leaned into him. “Nothing, really. I lay down in the guest bedroom Amelie showed me. My head kept spinning, like the room was moving. I thought I was dreaming…about a guy making out with me. It felt magical until I opened my eyes. My dream morphed into a huge nightmare.”
She glanced at Tom, and he read embarrassment in her expression.
“Someone was with you?” His voice was soft, gentle.
“Yeah, definitely not the person from my dream…actually the last person on earth I’d want touching me.”
Tom’s heart clenched at her words, and he pushed the sudden anger aside. “Did he…?”
“No,” Cassie interrupted. “I shoved him away and accused him of taking advantage of me. Things got ugly—verbally—but he left.” Cassie’s tone mixed bitterness and sarcasm. “If I never see a strawberry margarita again…” Her voice trailed off.
Tom pulled her closer. “I’m sorry you had to experience that. Unfortunately, there are too many jerks like that guy. You said things got ugly—did he accuse you of encouraging him?”
“How’d you know?”
“We see too many women who’ve had non-consensual sex while inebriated, and then worry about STDs, sometimes pregnancy. Most won’t file a complaint because they think they somehow encouraged the guy.”
Cassie pressed her face against his chest. Tom strained to hear her speak. “Luckily, he didn’t get that far before I ‘woke’ up. Should have known that dream was too good to be true.” She pushed back. “You need to head to work. I’m okay. Just embarrassed, full of regrets, and thankful for my guardian angel.”
Tom gently wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “You’re gutsy, too, Cass. Stood up for yourself and made sure you regained control. I suspect you would have busted his ass if he hadn’t left.”
He smiled when he heard Cassie’s giggle. He placed his palms on her cheeks and looked directly into her clouded eyes. “Believe in yourself. You did nothing to deserve what happened. Just the thought of someone taking advantage of you…” He saw her large trusting eyes and without thinking, lowered his face toward hers and brushed his lips against hers. “You deserve so much more, Cassie.” She opened her mouth slightly, inviting his kiss, and Tom accepted that invitation…He wanted to replace the nightmare from the previous night and show her she should feel cherished…that her dreams still existed.
