Falling for You

by Heather Thurmeier

  “I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean to jump on you like that. I guess if you mean waves figuratively speaking, then that’s very sweet. But if you’re being literal, I’m not sure what to tell you. I’m not ready to ride any waves yet, but I guess maybe for the right guy, I might be willing to get out on the water again. Eventually.”

  Brad rolled onto his side facing her. He clinked his glass against hers and smiled. “Here’s to getting you out on a board one day.”

  What could she say to that? She’d forgotten his romantic side, but sitting with him now, it was easy to listen to his idealistic hope for the future.

  Brad readjusted himself on the pillows and set his wine glass on a table beside the bed. She sipped of her own wine before resting the base of the glass on the bed between them. He stroked his hand up and down her arm, lingering in the soft fold at her elbow like he’d done many times in the past when they’d been cuddling on the couch in her little apartment.

  She closed her eyes and could almost remember the feelings his touch used to spark inside her. So many nights they’d stayed in, enjoying each other’s company. She’d been so lonely when he’d left for California it was like her tiny apartment had doubled in size. Opening her eyes, Cassidy remembered Evan behind the camera and any thoughts of those old feelings about Brad faded a little.

  “Cassidy, I’m sorry I left you the way I did. The truth is, I’ve missed you. A lot. I’ve missed us — together.”

  I’ve missed you, too. She glanced at Evan again, uneasiness settling in her stomach with the wine.

  “I want to start over, Cassidy. I want you back in my life and I know we’ll find a way to make it work.”

  Cassidy’s head spun. How many nights had she laid awake wishing to hear him say those words? Finally hearing he regretted at least a tiny bit of his choice made her feel a little more whole again. Maybe she wasn’t a person who no one would ever love enough to stay with. Maybe she really could have a future with someone — now the question was, who?

  Chapter Eighteen

  Brad wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her toward him, their lips inches from touching. His hand tangled in her hair. “Cassidy, I want you. Let’s see if those old feelings are still here.”

  He moved toward Cassidy so quickly she didn’t have time to move her glass before he rolled into it, sloshing the wine out of the glass and onto her shirt. She yelped as the dark red liquid seeped into her clothes.

  “I’m so sorry.” Brad took her glass out of her hand and blotted the front of her shirt with a napkin.

  Cassidy leapt off the bed and away from Brad’s groping hands. “I don’t think that’s going to help. I need a clean shirt.”

  “Sure, let’s get you back to your room so you can change and then we can continue our date.”

  Cassidy tried to hold her shirt away from her skin. It was chilly out on the terrace in wet clothes. But her wet shirt wasn’t the only reason for the chill dancing along her spine. She wasn’t even sure she wanted to kiss Brad again — especially not in front of Evan.

  This date had gotten way too serious way too fast and she wasn’t sure she was interested in exploring any old feelings with Brad. She’d spent so long getting over him she didn’t want to bring those feelings up again. They were best left in the past, weren’t they?

  “I don’t think so, Brad. I need to take a shower and rinse off. And if I don’t soak this shirt right away, it’ll be ruined.”

  He stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Fine. I’ll walk you back to your room.”

  They left the terrace and walked back to the room in silence. Cassidy couldn’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t lead to Brad thinking she wanted to carry on the date. She hadn’t planned on spilling her drink all over herself, but it had worked as a great excuse to end the date early and without a kiss. If her blouse was the only victim in all of this, then it was a small price to pay.

  “Good night, Brad. Thanks for the, um, interesting date,” she said, stopping in front of her room door.

  “How about a quick kiss to end our evening?”

  “I’m not sure I’m ready for that yet. Okay?”

  “You didn’t object last time.”

  “Last time I didn’t have time to object. I’m sorry. I’m just not ready.” She opened her door and exaggerated another shiver. “I’m getting a chill from being out in the cold in this wet shirt, which is going to be ruined soon if I don’t deal with it. I’ll see you at the ceremony, okay?”

  She disappeared into the safety of her room without waiting for a reply, sighing with relief that she’d managed to survive the night kiss-free. Now she had to survive living with Zoe without pushing her out the window.

  She also had to find a way to keep her hands off Evan when all she wanted to do was explore every inch of his delectable body. That shouldn’t be too hard, right?

  • • •

  Evan stood by the window silently filming Cassidy reading on the couch as Zoe buzzed around the room, stopping in front of every mirror to check her reflection and straighten her clothes. Cassidy sank into the corner of the couch, as if trying her best to be invisible.

  “What are your plans for this evening, Cassidy? Oh right, nothing.” Zoe asked while touching up her lip-gloss in the mirror. “You know, since you screwed up your date with Brad, you might want to pack your things.”

  “Maybe I will. You enjoy your date with Brad. It should be really original since it’s his fourth in two days.” Cassidy smiled. “How does it feel to be chosen last? Silly me. You’re used to being last, aren’t you? That’s why you keep doing reality shows, isn’t it? Because you always lose.”

  Cassy has claws.

  “He saved the best for last, that’s all. He wanted to get all the other dates out of the way so he could have a real date with me.”

  “If I know Brad — and I do know Brad — he’s had a line for each girl about how special her date is to him. I wonder what line he’ll use on you.”

  “You’re just jealous because Brad realized his mistake letting me go, but he never did with you, did he?”

  “You’re right. I’m totally heartbroken that my ex is still my ex.”

  They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Zoe fixed a few stray hairs in the mirror before casually answering it.

  “Hi, Brad.” Zoe’s voice sounded sweeter than a child eating cotton candy while floating down Willy Wonka’s chocolate river, and equally as nauseating. “Let’s get out of here before Cassidy tries to salvage her chance with you.”

  “She’s welcome to join us if she wants another chance. The more the merrier, right?” Brad laughed.

  “Wrong.” Zoe practically growled, pushing Brad out the door and slamming it behind her.

  Silence fell over the room. Cassidy flipped pages of her magazine and yawned. Rubbing her eyes, she stretched like a cat awaking from a deep sleep.

  “I can barely keep my eyes open tonight.” Cassidy yawned again. She got up from the couch and put her glass in the sink, rolling her shoulders like she was trying to ease the tension in them after a long day. “I know it’s early, but I’m going to call it a night. See you tomorrow.”

  Evan stood where he was and kept filming as Cassidy walked into her room and closed the door.

  One corner of his mouth turned upward in a crooked grin as he clicked off the record button on the camera. He lowered it to his side and gently knocked on Cassidy’s door before opening it without waiting for her reply.

  She lay on the bed, her eyes filled with passion and need. Her mic pack was already off and in a pile on the bedside table.

  “Tired enough to go to bed before ten, huh?” he joked, stepping into her room and closing the door tightly behind him.

  “Extremely tired. I can barely keep my eyes open long enough to get out of these clothes and into bed.”

  “I’m sure I can help you with that, Miss Quinn. What kind of a gentleman would I be if I didn’t help a lady in distress?�
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  “Still trying to save me, huh?”

  “About that,” he started. He didn’t want to talk about this now, but he couldn’t go on letting Cassidy think he was some overbearing boyfriend, either. “I’m not trying to be overprotective. It’s just … I lost my sister-in-law in a rock climbing accident. I can’t help but worry whenever I see someone I care about do something dangerous.”

  “I’m sorry, Evan. I had no idea.”

  “I don’t think you’re incapable. Klutzy, yes. Incapable, no.”

  “Well at least you’ve finally figured out the difference.”

  Crawling up the bed, he raised the hem of her shirt to reveal her silky ivory skin beneath it, and caressed the soft line of her hips that peeked out from under the edge of her pants. He gave her side a nip with his teeth.

  He fingered the zipper on her jeans, peering down at her trying to take in every detail of her perfectly irresistible body. She was beautiful in front of the camera, but she even better in real life. He wanted nothing more than to have his way with her again, even though that was the last thing they should be doing if they wanted to keep their secret safe.

  “Wait. We can’t do this,” she said as if she’d just read his mind.

  “Cassidy, it’s fine. No one will find out.”

  “No, Evan, please. Not like this.” Her eyes pleaded with him.

  He knew in that instant he would do anything to make her happy. He gave her a quick kiss before settling himself on the bed beside her instead. He tried to think of something other than the sexy woman lying next to him.

  “I know we shouldn’t do this, Cassy. I just have so much trouble resisting you when I finally get you alone.” He sighed deeply. “I guess we could talk instead?”

  Evan startled as Cassidy climbed on top of him and straddled his hips, running her hands up his chest. His body ached under her.

  What the — ?

  “Who said anything about talking? Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I want to spend all my time talking.” Cassidy toyed with the buttons of his shirt.

  He could see the desire in her eyes. He wasn’t sure he understood what was going on, since one minute she told him to stop and the next she was on top of him. But he was willing to go along for the ride.

  “I’ve had to watch you hiding behind that camera for days and the only thing I’ve been able to think about is what I’d do to you when I finally got you alone. Now that I have you, I want to do things my way.”

  “Don’t let me stop you,” he encouraged.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

  Evan ran his hands up her thighs, stroking them in anticipation. He held his gaze on hers as she fondled the top button of his shirt. He assumed she would tease him by opening each button slowly, so he steadied himself against his overwhelming desire to take control of the situation and speed things up. If she wanted to do things her way, he would do everything in his power to resist his own temptation to ravish her, even if it was torturous for him.

  Without warning, Cassidy grabbed the edges of his shirt and ripped them apart. The buttons tore from the threads and scattered across the room making little clinking noises as they hit the floor around the bed.

  Holy shit. That’s hot.

  “I’ve always wanted to do that.” Cassidy giggled before pressing her warm lips to his newly exposed chest.

  He sucked in a quick breath as her mouth opened, her tongue gently flickering across his erect nipple. Desire raged inside him as he struggled not to rip off her clothes like she’d done to his shirt.

  “Oh God, Cassy. You’re driving me crazy,” he moaned.

  “Good,” she mumbled against his chest. “That was part of my plan.”

  Cassidy’s hands traveled down to his waist and quickly unfastened his button. She shifted to the side, putting all her weight onto one knee while still hovering over him. Pulling his remaining clothes off, she discarded them at the end of the bed before running her hands back up his now naked legs. She positioned herself over the top of his thighs, her eyes roaming across his fully naked form. His body ached under her touch as she slowly stroked his length.

  “Maybe we should talk a little since I still don’t know much about you.” She pulled her shirt over her head, throwing it to the side of the bed and out of the way. His took in the blue satin and lace bra hiding her breasts.

  “How many brothers and sisters do you have?”

  “One brother, but I don’t want to think about him right now.” Carter was the last thing he needed a reminder of while he broke his own rule and got more involved with Cassidy.

  He skimmed his hands back up her thighs and wrapped them around her hips, pulling her further up his body, her jeans rubbing against him in the best possible way. He reached for the button on her pants, but she batted him away.

  “No touching. What’s his name?”

  Evan tried to focus on her question as she reached behind her back with one hand to undo her bra. She wrapped the other arm across her chest holding the bra in place as the straps fell loosely down her arms.

  Brother? Name?

  “I have no idea. You’re killing me, Cassy. I need you.”

  “How sad. You can’t even think of your own brother’s name.” She let her bra fall from her chest and tossed it to the side. “I have a sister. Her name is Keira. She also lives in New York City.”

  Evan’s toes curled as he tried to find the strength to play along with her game. She was lucky he had the patience of a kindergarten teacher.

  He gripped her hips hard with both hands so he wouldn’t be tempted to reach up and touch her breasts. They were possibly the most luscious things he’d ever seen. Have your fun now, Cassidy. My revenge will be sweet — and slow. He shook his head to clear the fog of desire preventing his brain from thinking.

  “What’s your favorite food? What do you like to do when you’re not working?”

  Evan’s body shivered with desire as Cassidy flipped the button open on her jeans and unzipped them, revealing the smallest glimpse of blue satin. His pulse raced as the back of her hand brushed against him. She peered up at him through heavy lashes and bit her bottom lip.

  “His name is Carter,” he said in a rushed voice. “There’s almost nothing I like better than a grilled steak and a cold beer. I like fishing, hiking, and working on my cabin, and if you don’t have your way with me soon, I’m going to pass out from lack of blood to my brain.”

  “You’re not enjoying my little ‘get to know you’ session, are you?” Her body vibrated against his as she laughed, making his ache infinitely worse.

  “I want to get to know every little thing about you. But right now, the biggest thing I want to know is how much longer you plan on torturing me.”

  Cassidy leaned forward, her breasts only a fraction of an inch from touching his chest. She placed her arms on either side of his head, propping herself up so her body wasn’t touching his. Her mouth came down on his hard and firm, demanding his full attention.

  He responded, tangling his tongue with hers. His hands fondled her breasts, enjoying the fact that she was too busy holding herself up to stop him.

  She pulled back from their kiss, her eyes sparkling. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen anything as beautiful in his entire life.

  “Just one more question.”

  “No more questions.” He flipped her onto her back, peeling off her remaining clothes, throwing them to the floor and out of reach before she had time to protest. He was done with her games. “I tried your way, but your way takes too damn long.”

  Evan wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body tight against his own, and rolled onto his back, bringing her with him. She straddled his hips again, pausing for a moment while he put on a condom before sliding into her heat. He moaned with pleasure as her hips rocked to meet his thrusts.

  “This was my way,” Cassidy whispered, before kissing him again.

  Together their breathing grew labored with the steady rhythm of th
eir bodies moving in unison. Their pace quickened and she arched her back, saying his name in a raspy breath. As she trembled around him, he gave in to his own satisfaction.

  “Maybe I do like your way,” he said between heavy breaths.

  “I thought you might.”

  Evan liked feeling Cassidy pressed against his side with her head resting on his chest. I’m getting in too deep.

  “You, Cassy, are a bad girl in a Catholic school girl uniform.” He sighed again, stroking his hand along the length of her side, enjoying her soft curves and caressing the intimate areas he found.

  “Evan, stop,” Cassidy said, even though her body clearly didn’t want him to listen. “Zoe will be back soon.”

  “Fine, but next time we do it my way.” He kissed her deeply, his body instantly becoming aroused again. “I guarantee it’ll involve a few games, and not one of them will be twenty questions.”

  “I look forward to — ” Cassidy’s voice trailed off as the sound of muffled laughter interrupted her.

  Evan froze. The laugh definitely belonged to Zoe and it didn’t sound far away.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Shit. Zoe’s in the hallway outside the suite.” Evan sprang from the bed. He scrambled around the room collecting his clothes and throwing Cassidy’s in her general direction.

  “Quick. Get dressed before they come in,” he ordered, slipping into his pants. He pulled on his shirt and attempted to button it only to realize it no longer had buttons.

  “Sorry about that.” Cassidy giggled while pulling her shirt over her head. She ran her hands through her rumbled hair.

  “Another time, you won’t hear a single complaint from me, but right now, I need a new shirt.”

  Evan grabbed his camera and bolted from the room, his shirt flapping open behind him. Just as he reached his room, the front door opened and heels clicked on the tiled floor.

  Instinctively, he lifted his camera to his shoulder, turned and began to film.