“Maybe you should have sent the flowers after all,” Agnes said in a whisper.
“Now you tell me,” Casey said, taking a slow step forward.
“Seth explained two days ago. I’ve been ignoring you on purpose,” Alexa told him.
Casey took another couple of steps. The weights really added to the workout. Or it might be the pain in his chest.
“So why did you come today?” Casey asked, panting as he worked his way down the bars.
“I lost the stubborn contest,” Alexa told him. “I missed you, too.”
“No, you didn’t lose,” Casey told her. “They wouldn’t let me out and Seth refused to help me. I’d have come the day after to take it all back. I was—I was just scared when I woke up. I didn’t know where I was or who I was or—“
“—or which woman you were with?” Alexa finished for him, hoping her tone said volumes about how much she didn’t give a damn.
“It’s not as bad it as it sounds,” Casey said, stopping. “Though I can see how you might not feel the same way about it.”
“Lucky for you, my ego doesn’t fit in any of my cars,” Alexa told him, eyeing his walk with as much interest as she had in their conversation. “Since the entire hospital heard you calling my name over and over while you were drifting in and out of consciousness, I think that trumps your dream about still being married to Susan.”
“I just didn’t want to get you confused with her,” Casey said sadly.
Alexa slid her purse from her shoulder and hung it on the bar. She stepped into the walkway to be there when Casey got to the end of it.
“Yet another insensitive statement that does not help your cause with me,” Alexa said, planting her feet firmly to keep from walking into his arms. “If you ever get down here, I’ll see if I can clear up any remaining confusion about which woman I am.”
“I told Agnes you were hard and unforgiving,” Casey said, almost within reach at last.
“If I am, it’s your fault,” Alexa agreed. “You bring out the worst in me, but I’m in love with you anyway.”
“Thank god for that,” Casey said, putting his arms around her. “I love you, Alexa. Don’t stay away so long next time. Just come back and kick my ass.”
“Deal,” Alexa said, wrapping her arms around him and hanging on, leaning back against the bar and taking his weight on her.
Casey put his hands in her hair and kissed her like his life depended on it, because it did.
Alexa laughed against his mouth and kissed him back as she held him to her body.
“Lord, you two,” Agnes said, fanning herself. “You could start a fire with that heat. Good thing they’re springing you tomorrow, Carter.”
“Is there anything special I need to know about taking care of this stubborn man?” Alexa asked Agnes, as Casey turned around and headed back down the bars.
“It’s too late,” Agnes told her. “You gave in too easy, girl. He’ll think he can get anything over on you now because you let him off the hook so fast. You should have seen how sorry he was two days ago.”
Alexa laughed. “What can I say? I guess I’m just easy.”
“That’s not what those doctors you refused to date are saying about you,” Agnes told her around a smirk.
Alexa shrugged one elegant shoulder. “I got a thing for Marines,” Alexa said with a sigh. “It hit me after I turned fifty.
“Takes all kinds,” Agnes said with a laugh, looking her over. “You sure don’t look fifty. Maybe you could do better than him.” She nodded her head in Casey’s direction, and Alexa laughed again.
Casey got to the end of the bars. “You know, I am still in the room and not deaf.”
“Turn your butt around and walk back down those bars again. Put some real weights on those ankles first,” Agnes said. “No, wait—don’t sit. I’ll do it for you. That way I know you aren’t cheating. I’m not as nice as your lady. I know better than to trust you military guys. Frank was in the Navy.”
“Figures,” Casey said, wincing as Agnes tightened the extra ankle weights.
“Walk,” Agnes ordered. “Two more times, and then we’re done. I’m sending you to the clinic after this. Let someone else work on keeping you honest.”
Alexa watched Casey struggle with walking with the extra weights, working hard to keep the tears from flowing.
Agnes elbowed her. “He’s fine. This is necessary. Both of you will be glad for it a month from now when he doesn’t need a cane to get around. The titanium replacement is the best thing to happen to him. It was the silver lining to the cloud.”
Alexa nodded. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”
Agnes patted her shoulder. “Get into his face more often girl. Don’t let him boss you around. You give those military men too much control and they think they can run everything.”
“I heard that,” Casey called from the end of the bars.
“Good,” Agnes yelled. “Cause it’s true and you know it.”
Alexa laughed. “I may bring Casey back here just to listen to you yell at him. It gives me a break.”
Agnes laughed so loudly several orderlies came to see if everything was okay.
Seth was waiting in the room when Alexa pushed Casey’s wheelchair inside. He rose to help Casey get back into the bed only to receive a frown.
“I was hoping Alexa would help. I was going to talk her into bed with me,” Casey told Seth.
Seth laughed. “Sorry to mess up your plans.”
“It wouldn’t have worked,” Alexa said with a smile, “but we’d both have had fun while he tried.”
Seth laughed again. “So I guess you two made up again?”
“No, not really,” Alexa said. “I don’t think Casey and I will ever settle anything. We just sort of move on anyway. I guess it helps that both of us don’t hold grudges.”
Casey held out a hand to Alexa, who walked over to take it.
“Look, I’m genuinely sorry about the flirting argument. I see now I was probably a little bit wrong about that.”
“Probably a little bit wrong,” Seth repeated. “Just like you maybe should have listened more or maybe should have explained. You can’t be that good in bed, Casey. Can’t you just straight up apologize for crying out loud?”
Alexa laughed while Casey grinned.
“Well, actually—“ Alexa began, winking at Casey. “He is pretty damn good in bed.”
“Stop,” Seth said, holding his hands over his ears. “I definitely do not want to know this.”
Then he changed his mind. “Wait—“ Seth pulled down his hands, thinking of Jenna. “Maybe I do want to know. Okay. What’s Casey’s secret, Alexa?”
“Casey holds nothing back—physically or emotionally,” Alexa told Seth. “I’ve never known a man like him before.”
“He doesn’t hold back? Well, what does that mean?” Seth asked, irritated.
Casey laughed and closed his eyes, needing to rest. “I’ll blog about it and you can read it on your phone,” he said sarcastically, starting to drift off to a restful sleep at last.
“Fine,” Seth said, pocketing his cell and patting it. “Make sure you don’t use euphemisms for sex, especially military ones. Otherwise, I’ll never understand what the hell you’re talking about. Are you staying, Alexa?”
“Yes. Casey hasn’t finished apologizing yet. Looks like he may need a nap first,” Alexa said.
“I’m heading home then,” Seth told her, kissing her on the cheek. “Take care of each other.”
“We will, honey. Thank you for everything.” Alexa stood and hugged him.
Seth left smiling and smelling like Alexa’s perfume.
Chapter 25
Casey walked out of the bathroom wearing briefs and a US Marines tee shirt, just as Alexa was heading into the bedroom to check on his progress in getting dressed.
“Love the look,” she said, smiling and walking over to him. “But Lauren is here. It’s been at least six years since she’s seen a naked ma
n. I don’t think she could handle seeing you in your underwear.”
Casey laughed, looking down. “If you keep smiling at me that way, I’m not going to fit in my jeans, and then we’ll have an even bigger problem.”
Alexa snorted. “The only thing making your jeans tight is weight-lifting. Your thighs are getting bigger every day.”
Casey reached out and grabbed the front of Alexa’s shirt, pressing her breasts together as she laughed. “Are you telling me my thighs are getting fat?” he challenged.
“Let go. You just want feel me up,” Alexa said. “I’m on to you and your dares.”
“Fine,” Casey said, turning loose of her shirt and sitting on the bed. “If you want me in jeans, you have to help me get into them.”
Alexa sighed and retrieved them from a nearby chair. “Here, lift your feet.”
Casey complied, lifting each leg in turn and sliding the jeans over his ankles.
“Now stand up,” Alexa ordered. She reached a hand out to help Casey stand, which turned into squealing when Casey leaned back and dragged her across his body, sliding her intentionally over the bulge that truly was not going to fit well in his jeans.
Alexa swore, laughed, and kissed him until they were both reeling.
“We do not have time for this. People are already here.”
“I thought this was supposed to be my party,” Casey said, letting her loose and pushing her back down over his bulge again.
“It is your party, moron. That doesn’t mean you get to hide out in the bedroom and have sex. You have to go be social with the people who care about you,” she told him.
Alexa groaned as Casey stopped her downward slide just a little too long in just the right spot, before he finally let her off him.
“Damn it, Casey. No fair. I’ll be thinking of this all night now.” Standing was a challenged since she was weaving on unsteady legs weakened with lust.
“Good,” he said, reaching out a hand for her to pull him upright again. “Me too.”
Casey stood slowly, and Alexa slid the jeans up around his hips. She adjusted him front and center before zipping the jeans along the ridge. “See. They fit just fine. I wouldn’t sit though until your interest dies down a little.”
Casey dipped his mouth to hers for a probing kiss that made Alexa dizzy.
“It never goes away when you’re around. Maybe in a decade or so I might actually get my fill of you,” Casey told her harshly.
Alexa slapped him on the chest. “I’ve lost five pounds since you moved in here, and I hardly exercise anymore. You’ve kept me so busy in bed I’ve not needed another kind of workout. I don’t want to hear about how deprived you are.”
“I didn’t say I was deprived,” Casey told her, laughing. “I said I can’t get enough of you. That’s entirely different.”
“I’m sure whatever problem you have will fix itself over time,” Alexa told him, patting his cheek. “You’ll get tired of me and prefer watching football instead.”
Casey laughed. “Do I look stupid? Who does that anyway?”
“Lots of men, I hear,” Alexa said wisely.
“Lots of stupid men maybe,” Casey said, following her out of the bedroom slowly but steadily.
*** *** ***
Much to Casey’s surprise, the living room was filled with people, including Paul, Sydney, Allen, Regina, Lauren, Seth, Jenna and some strange guy who seemed to be with Jenna.
“Look who finally decided to attend his own party,” Sydney said. “Alexa turn you down for a quickie? You’re losing your touch, Carter.”
Seeing no one in attendance under the age of twenty-one, Casey held up his middle finger to Sydney.
“No thanks,” Sydney said, grinning. “I brought my own date. I appreciate the offer though.”
Casey shook his head in defeat and started looking for a place to sit. Verbally sparring with Sydney was more deflating than arguing with Alexa. Both of them were too good at getting the last word.
“No sitting. Walk around first,” Alexa yelled to him from the kitchen. “You haven’t exercised enough today.”
“I would have if you hadn’t been so intent on me getting dressed,” Casey yelled back, hearing Alexa’s answering giggle.
When his attention came back to the rest of the people in the room, he noticed Regina was laughing and Lauren was blushing.
Casey looked at the two women and shook his head again at how different they were. He headed to sit with them but got stopped.
Jenna put her arm around Casey’s waist. “Come on, handsome, let’s take a walk. We’ll head to the kitchen if you’ll let me watch you torture Mama.”
“Deal,” Casey said, taking Jenna’s hand for support. “She swings a mean spatula, but I’ve learned how to duck.”
“Since you seem to make Alexa mad every couple of minutes, a ducking skill is probably a good thing,” Paul said grinning. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful the pressure is off me at last. I owe you. If you ever need to invest any money, I’m your man.”
Sydney patted Paul’s knee and rolled his eyes. “You’re a prince,” Sydney told him, making a tipsy motion to Casey. “We stopped at Lucinda’s for drinks with friends on the way over. Paul’s tongue is a little loose. He’ll be better after Alexa feeds us.”
Once in the kitchen, Alexa shoved trays into Jenna’s hands. “Here. Take these out. The pizzas are on the way, but we’ve got another twenty minutes to wait. Feed your father first or he’ll start singing.”
Casey leaned against the counter and laughed. “Paul sings when he’s drunk?”
“Badly,” Alexa said, hearing the laughter from the other room. “Come on, I’m your ticket back. I’ve got to balance the tray with the other hand.”
When they walked back to the room, Allen plucked the tray from Alexa’s hands and started walking around with it. He lingered a long time in front of Jenna, talking and smiling.
Alexa and Casey both sighed and looked at each other. They had both been hoping things would swing in a different direction.
Seth rose from where he’d been sitting and walked to them.
“I need to run,” Seth said. “Good to see you getting around better, Casey. Don’t be a stranger. Just because you’re staying with Alexa doesn’t mean you can’t come by and visit. You still have a key.”
Seth hugged Casey tightly, still glad his life had been spared.
“I’ll walk you out,” Alexa said, taking Seth’s hand in hers as they walked to the door.
Alexa stepped outside as Seth started to walk away. “Seth,” she called, watching him turn back to her. “Jenna’s date is a gay friend of hers.”
Seth nodded. “But Allen Stedman isn’t gay, is he?” Seth asked.
Alexa sadly shook her head no.
Seth walked back and kissed her cheek. “Thanks for telling me,” he said before turning toward his car.
Alexa went back inside. Jenna was talking animatedly to Allen, who was hanging on her every word while her ‘date’ was trying unsuccessfully to flirt with Sydney. Alexa didn’t know whether to be glad her daughter seemed interested in Allen or scold her for giving up on Seth. She was now torn. Her ideas about Seth had changed a lot in the last few weeks.
Casey was seated between Regina and Lauren with an arm around each of them when Alexa brought her attention to the group again.
“I swear,” Alexa said to him. “I’m not going to invite Regina and Lauren anymore when you’re around. You’re turning into a big flirt, Casey Carter.”
Casey smiled at her with love in his eyes as she turned to answer the door and collect the pizzas. “You know you’re the only woman I love, Alexa.”
“Sitting with us will not stop Alexa from flirting, you know,” Regina said to him. “Give up trying to change her nature and enjoy the ride.”
Casey smiled and patted Regina’s arm, making her snicker.
“I think Alexa is just really good at friendly conversation,” Lauren said, feeling a need to defend he
r friend, even to the man who loved her.
Alexa made the pizza guy bring the pizzas into the living room and set them down. She gathered the cash she’d prepared from the bar and hooked her arm in his to walk him back out.
Casey snickered. “Help me up, ladies. I have to go act jealous now or I’ll never get the woman into bed tonight.”
Regina looked at him, pity in her gaze. “You dug this hole yourself,” she said with a laugh.
Casey looked at Lauren, knowing she would be a softer and faster sell. “Please, Lauren. Help me stand up.”
“Give me one good reason why I should help you,” Lauren demanded.
“I love her madly,” Casey said sincerely.
Lauren looked him over thoroughly with only a little doubt in her gaze. “I guess I believe you,” she said finally. She stood and pulled Casey to his feet without even straining.
“Wow. You are impressively strong,” he told her. “Thanks for the lift.”
Casey walked slowly to the door and found Alexa standing in the hall giggling, obviously waiting for him.
“I thought you needed more exercise,” Alexa said, watching Casey’s eyes darken as he got closer to her.
“You thought I’d come chasing after you,” Casey corrected.
“That too.” Alexa admitted, hooking her arms behind his neck when he pressed his body to hers.
“Well, you were right,” Casey said, planting a knee between her legs and bracing his hands on either side of her.
Alexa’s hands curled into his tee shirt and her breathing grew ragged waiting to see what he would do.
Casey couldn’t do what he wanted with a living room full of friends waiting, so he leaned in to Alexa to brush his lips over her neck, smelling the ginger and peaches on her skin. He groaned against her and felt her shiver in response. Well at least they were both suffering, he thought.
“You’re right. I need a lot more exercise,” he said on a sigh, moving back and walking to the living room slowly. “Be prepared to help me with that later.”
“Casey,” Alexa whispered. “I love you.”
“I love you too, honey,” Casey said.
Alexa laughed and took his hand as they walked back to the living room together.
Dating A Cougar Page 25
