by Sonya Weiss
Casey took the coffee, thankful for the distraction. Kent had a nice profile. Strong features. The way his hair fell onto his forehead after he’d run his fingers through it and the morning stubble on his chin were a double slam in sexiness. Her stomach tightened, and she was hit with a shocking wave of desire. She took a bigger gulp of the coffee than she’d intended and burned her tongue. Jesus, that hurt. Her eyes watered, and she coughed.
Thinking she’d set his mind at ease in case her grandmother’s arrival was what was bothering him, she said, “If you’re having second thoughts about our deal, we can call it off. I’ll figure something else out for the business.”
“Okay, but I’m keeping the truck and my television when we break up.”
Casey laughed out loud, glad he could make a joke to cut the thickening tension. She glanced at his strong hands on the steering wheel as he navigated through traffic toward the airport. What would those hands feel like caressing her when—or if—they made love? She let out a gasp, and when he looked at her in puzzlement, she set the coffee down. With her wayward thoughts about the man beside her, she couldn’t afford to be near anything hot or sharp.
“What do we tell your family once our arrangement is over?” he asked with his brow furrowed. “Have you thought of that?”
His words made the day seem a little dimmer. “We tell everyone it didn’t work out and that’s that.”
“Uh-huh. Your mom will push for details, wondering if I dumped her daughter. Your brothers will go on standby in case it’s revealed that I broke your heart. My mother will begin a campaign of reconciliation. So…” He shook his head. “We give them something concrete that doesn’t make either of us look like the bad guy.”
He was already thinking of how they could end things. Casey squirmed in her seat, thankful she hadn’t yet blurted out what she was feeling. “I’m drawing a blank.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
Deep breath. Ease into it. Point out the upside of us. “Maybe you can’t think of reasons to give them because, in theory, we have everything going for us as a couple.” When he stopped for a traffic signal, she couldn’t help herself and reached over and smoothed the hair from his forehead.
He caught her hand before she could pull completely away, and they both stared at each other until the driver behind them impatiently honked a horn. Kent released her.
Where his fingers had encircled her skin, her flesh was alive with sensation. Casey rubbed her hand on the side of her dress, causing the material to slide up her thigh.
Kent sucked in a breath, and she looked at him in time to see him jerk his attention away from her legs. “You said in theory we have everything going for us as a couple. Like what?”
“We already know the good and the bad about each other,” she said.
“There’s more good than bad with me. I’m not sure that’s true about you, though,” he said. His grin didn’t look real to her. It looked more like how she felt. A little shaky.
“I know most of your bad traits. You don’t like to talk about things when you’re upset. Instead, you walk off, drive off, dive into the lake, work on your truck, or go to the gym.” She lifted a shoulder. “You’ve been reacting like that since we were teenagers whenever something bothered you.”
“I’m quiet? That’s all the ammunition you’ve got?”
His teasing made her smile. “Plus, you drink from the orange juice carton and then stick it back in the fridge. You’re allergic to doing laundry, and you leave your wet towels on the floor. In the past, you’ve had really bad taste in women.”
Kent raised the turn signal lever and eased the truck into the exit lane for the airport. “In my defense, those were things you knew about me then. This is now. Maybe I’ve changed.”
“Uh-huh. How?”
“You’re my girl now, so my taste in women improved, right?”
There was laughter in his eyes when he looked at her, and she wanted to laugh, too, but she was hung up on the words “my girl.” What would it be like to really be Kent’s girl?
Rumor had it that there were good reasons why women chased him. Probably had a lot to do with that hot body and his expertise in— Oh. My. God. She had to stop this. She pressed a hand against her abdomen.
“I feel sick,” she whispered.
“Because I called you my girl?” He whipped the truck over to the side of the road. “Are you okay?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It was a joke.” He slid his arm along the back of the seat and rubbed her shoulder.
Casey leaned forward to get away from his hand on her, because she wanted to clutch his shirt and kiss him until neither of them could think straight. And since she was thinking about that, she already had a head start in not thinking straight.
“I’m fine.” She patted her stomach for good measure. “Car sickness.”
He didn’t look completely convinced but returned to driving.
There was big trouble ahead if she didn’t do something to stop her “Kent’s looking damn good, better than a friend” thinking. Him thinking ahead to the breakup was a pretty clear not-interested message. Now that she knew how easy it would be to fall for him, she had to put up safeguards to keep that from happening. Like stop looking at him. Yeah, that would work. She definitely needed to stop thinking about him, too. About how handsome he was. How jaw-droppingly hot his body was. About his kindness…his…
Casey silently groaned. No, no, no. I am in so much trouble.
…
When he’d said Casey was his girl now, he’d said it in jest. But his words hadn’t quite caught up with his brain at that second. Because if it had, he never would have joked about something like that.
Talk about a stupid idea. This phony deal between Casey and him worked only as long as they both stayed in their respective corners of reality. He’d only end up hurting her if they actually got together. He wouldn’t be able to commit to her. He cared about her as a friend. Nothing more. He didn’t like the way his inner self was pointing, laughing, and calling him a liar.
A friend was all he could let her be. No matter how much the little dress she had on made him think of long nights, slow kisses, and whispers between lovers. He stole a glance at her. With her lips gently curved and the length of her neck leading down to her— He jerked his attention back to the road, managing to pull into the airport parking lot before he drove up onto the grass.
No one had ever destroyed his concentration like she did. Got under his skin like she did. Made him want— He shoved the truck into park. “Here we are.” He hopped out and took in a deep, ragged breath.
Casey came around to join him, smoothing her hands down her dress. “I should have worn something warmer. It’s colder out than I thought.”
“I have a jacket.” He reached back into the truck and passed it to her. Casey covering up was a great idea. If she was covered up then he wouldn’t think about taking that damn dress off. Which he wasn’t.
They walked into the airport and watched the planes taxi while they waited for her grandmother to appear. Minutes later, when Casey spotted an elderly woman with curly white hair, she said, “Grandma!”
The older woman cringed, ducking her chin into the scarf wrapped around her throat. She looked around and then shushed Casey. “Do you know how many eligible bachelors you can find in an airport? Don’t call me Grandma—use my first name or you’ll cramp my style.”
“Jean.” Casey laughed and hugged her. “Don’t tell me you’re looking for husband number five.”
“Keeping my possibilities open.” Jean tilted her head to one side, pursed her lips, and looked Kent up and down. “I remember you hanging at the house when you were a kid. You always said you were friends with the boys, but I suspected you had a crush on my granddaughter even back then.”
“Actually, I couldn’t stand her. She put pink puppy stickers all over my army trucks. I knew then she was the enemy.”
Jean laughed and linked her arm through Casey’s.
“Get my luggage, will you, handsome?” she said over her shoulder to Kent. “They’re the green ones with pink flamingos. I’d get them myself, but I’m feeble.”
Kent could tell from the spry way she moved that age wasn’t slowing this woman down. He doubted there was anything feeble about her. She sure didn’t look like she was experiencing health problems. His first stirrings of unease returned and brought more with them. Then he chided himself. He was thirty years old. He wasn’t afraid of one matchmaking granny.
When they reached the truck, Jean got in first, sitting in the middle between them. “Hope you don’t mind, hon.” She beamed at Kent, and he thought he saw a calculating gleam in her eye. He wiped his forehead, feeling hot now that the sun was beating down on them, heating the truck.
“It’s fine.”
Jean pressed her hands into her lap. “Did I ever tell you the story about how my third husband and I met?”
“No.” He backed out of the parking space.
“Grandma—I mean, Jean—I don’t think Kent wants to hear this story.”
“There are no available men in the vicinity, so you can call me Grandma.”
Casey sighed.
“And why wouldn’t Kent want to hear this story, seeing as how it’s so much like your own tale, hmm?”
He looked over Jean’s head and caught Casey’s gaze as she vigorously shook her head.
Jean chuckled. “My Alley…” She paused to laugh. “His name was Alex but all of us girls called him alley cat before he settled down with me. He would have rather faced a hungry lion than a committed relationship.”
“Maybe we should save this story until we’re at the house,” Casey said, reaching for the radio knob.
Jean swatted her hand. “This is important, since Kent has a history of very short relationships.”
“Hold on a second, Jean.” Kent caught the on-ramp that would lead them back into town. He intended to put a stop to this right now. “My history—”
“Is my business since you’re dating my granddaughter, who not long ago was publicly humiliated. We wouldn’t want that to happen again, would we?”
“No, I—”
“Of course you wouldn’t.” Jean wagged a finger. “Because I can tell you have a good heart, despite the rumors about all your relationships.”
Kent gripped the steering wheel. The return trip sure seemed like it had doubled in distance already. “Look, Jean—”
“Oh, honey, call me Grandma. We’re practically family now.”
He shot Casey another look.
“Anyway, my Alex was determined that we were destined to be friends only. Nothing I said or did changed his mind.” She winked at Kent. “I knew there was a spark between us, even when he didn’t want to face it.”
“And?” Kent asked.
“I asked Alex’s brother, Jacob, to help me.” Jean laughed. “Alex gave me a whole speech full of reasons why I shouldn’t go out with his brother, and I ignored him. On the night Jacob was supposed to pick me up for our first date, it was Alex who showed up, and that was that.” She beamed at Kent. “Sometimes a man doesn’t see what’s as clear as the nose on his face.”
“You think I’m like Alex?” Kent asked.
“If the nose fits…” Jean elbowed him.
“Grandma, Kent and I are…we’re…”
“Taking things cautiously,” Kent jumped in to help.
“Horse pucky, son. Cautious is for the bomb squad. When you love someone, you go full speed ahead, enjoying every moment of not knowing what’s around the next corner. Do you know what I need?” Jean divided her attention between them both, giving Casey a smile, then Kent. “Some of those cute couple pictures. The old farts in the retirement community are always bragging about their grandkids and their lives. If my staying in Morganville doesn’t work out, I can’t return empty-handed. I need to come back with some trophies.”
“The photos are trophies how?” Kent asked, and Casey groaned as if he shouldn’t have asked that.
“They represent the possibility of great-grandchildren. Gretchen and Sue Ann won’t be able to top that.” Jean elbowed Casey. “You remember Sue Ann? That woman cheated in the quilt-making contest at the fair. Bought one up in Pennsylvania from the Amish and claimed it was her own work.”
Casey rubbed her forehead. “I think Mom is making stew for lunch. That should be good.”
Kent caught on to what Casey—eager to keep the subject off couple photos and babies—was trying to do. “I hope she makes her corn bread.”
Jean shook her head. “None for me. I’m heading to the pub for a beer and a steak.”
When Jean started talking about other people she knew in her retirement community, Kent sneaked a glance at Casey, trying to see their friendship through her eyes. Did she ever look at him and find it hard to breathe? Did her heart leap at the mention of his name? Could they go full speed ahead, as Jean had said, and not end up crashing? Would their friendship be able to get past the hurt if they took a chance and everything fell apart?
Chapter Eleven
Casey was getting ready for dinner with her family and Kent when her grandmother came up behind her.
“You look like an old maid in that dress,” Jean said, giving her a once-over.
Casey turned from the mirror. “What? Why?”
“Because you’re not showing off the girls and the hem’s practically on the floor.”
Casey looked down at her dress. “The cleavage is low enough, and the hem is mid-calf.”
“Like I said.” Jean walked to the doorway of Casey’s bedroom and yelled, “Josie! Bring that little bag from my suitcase.”
“Here it is,” Jean said after Josie returned. “I want you to have this.” Her grandmother pulled a long necklace from the bag. At the end of the chain was a diamond infinity symbol.
“It’s beautiful.” Casey touched the necklace.
“Won it in a poker game.” Jean laughed. “Don’t look so horrified. I was teasing. I’m not really shaking down the old folks for their diamonds. This was a gift from my Alex. ”
Casey cringed inwardly. She felt like such a fraud. “Grandma—”
“Turn around so I can put it on you.” She took a step back and studied it, then clicked her tongue. “It’s as sparkling as you are. I’ll get changed, and then we can go.” She left for the guest bedroom.
When Jean returned in a skintight skirt and shirt, with her makeup flawless, she looked more like a young sixty-year-old.
“You look amazing, Grandma.”
“Of course I do. I have plastic surgeons on speed dial. But if I get one more face-lift, my belly button is going to be on my forehead and I’ll look like a damn Cyclops.”
Josie choked off a laugh. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend.”
“You didn’t. That saying about growing old gracefully is hogwash. I say fight it like hell and grow old kicking and screaming.” She winked. “In fact, maybe I should sign up as one of Casey’s clients.”
Casey located her car keys. “Come on, Grandma.”
Jean wasn’t deterred. “You could find me some silver fox in his sixties and I could set the tongues in this town wagging all over again.”
“Grandma…a man in his sixties? You’re eighty-five.”
“You’re right. He’d never be able to keep up. Better make it fiftyish.”
By the time they arrived at her mother’s house, Casey’s head was spinning from her grandmother’s advice about dating, marriage, and having children. Jean had done it all and led a life full of love and daring adventure. While Casey could admit to herself she wanted to fall in love, the who part of that scared her, and when she looked at Kent like she was doing now, the thought of love scared her even more.
He stood on the opposite side of the fireplace in the family room. In his jeans and black dress shirt, he was so handsome and sexy, it made her breath catch. Like he’d heard the small sound, he looked away from the conversation with her father. His gaze didn’t
so much as come to rest on hers as it slammed into hers, awakening a revelation that she’d been trying to fool herself. Not just recently, but for years.
She wasn’t in the act of falling for her friend. She loved Kent and wanted him with a toe-curling need that kept her rooted in place, mouth slightly agape. She was sure she must look like an idiot to him.
When he said something to her father and made his way across the room to her side, every nerve ending in her body went on high alert. He took her hand and held it against his chest.
“People are watching. Expecting a greeting,” he said as he lowered his head to aim a kiss at the side of her face.
“What a piss-poor excuse for a kiss,” Jean said with a snort. “No wonder it took the two of you so long to get together if that’s how you operate, son.”
Everyone stopped talking to focus on her and Kent. The tips of Kent’s ears reddened, and Casey heard him grind his teeth.
Raising a hand, she placed it on the side of his face. His skin was warm beneath her fingers, and awareness of him traveled the length of her arm. Tilting her head up, she touched her lips lightly to his. Kent was gentle as he kissed her back, then she heard his intake of breath, his slight groan, and the kiss changed. He drank her in like he was starving, and Casey couldn’t help but wish they were alone. A shot of adrenaline made her feel shaky, her knees weak, and as if he sensed it, his arms went around her waist, hauling her closer until every breath she took pressed her body into his.
She wanted this kiss, wanted this man. How blind she’d been not to realize that. With a slight moan, she matched him kiss for kiss, only coming to her senses when her father cleared his throat, the noise sounding alarmingly close to them.
“Well,” her father said. “I guess we should all eat.”
Casey flushed, embarrassed that she had forgotten people were there. She couldn’t sit and calmly eat dinner as if she hadn’t experienced another kiss that knocked her for a loop. “I need a minute.” She hurried through the house into the kitchen, then out to the back patio. She stared at the fall mums without really seeing them. Wrapping her arms around her body, she drew in a ragged breath.
