by J. M. Witt
Her eyes darted to the porch as she cried out, “Chessa!”
The cat made no qualms about letting Cassidy pick it up. “Friend of yours?”
She turned to me with the most beautiful smile on her face. “I can’t believe you found her!” Walking toward her she filled me in on the fact that the cat was hers. “She ran away the day of the accident. I can’t believe she’s back.” She walked in the front door and set the cat down who ran off somewhere toward the kitchen. She looked to me and said, “I have to feed her and make sure she remembers where her litter box is.”
I nodded and waited for her to return from the laundry room. “So, do you want to join me?”
“For a ride? Are you sure?” I nodded. “Yes! Give me five minutes.”
She ran in the door and I went to the garage and pulled down the other helmet. I was an idiot. Why had it not occurred to me that I had two helmets for a reason? Of course the second one must have been hers. I wasn’t waiting long and I wasn’t disappointed when she walked out the door. Her tight jeans hugged every curve just right. She wore a grey shirt and had her hair pulled back in a low pony.
She walked over, the excitement radiating off of her. Handing her the helmet, I watched as she slid it over her head. I straddled the bike and turned the engine over. Revving it for optimum effect, I motioned her to climb on. Preferably my lap. I shook the thought away as she braced herself on my shoulder and swung her leg behind me. She latched her arms around my torso without reserve and I peeled out of the drive.
We rode out of town and came across a small festival and I decided to check it out. They had a beer tent with live music and you could smell the funnel cakes in the air. Not really sure if she was hungry, but assuming she was, I found somewhere to park.
“Want to check it out?”
“Sure. I could go for an elephant ear or two, too.”
We walked toward the music, stopping to check out a few vendors who were set up in tents, before they closed up for the day. I told Cassidy that we should make plans to come back the next day to check out the other tents that had already closed for the day. She happily agreed. We stopped and each ordered some food. She opted for a corn dog, an elephant ear—as she called it—and a lemonade. We ate as we walked and made our way toward the bright lights of the Ferris wheel and arcade games that were going on.
“Want to go for a ride?”
She cringed and said, “I don’t know. Last time I rode one, well, let’s just say I left my lunch on the pavement.”
I laughed, “Seriously. It’s a Ferris wheel.” She just shrugged her shoulders as I continued to rib her. “Alright, Benedict. I’ll ride the Ferris wheel with you on one condition,” she looked around and pointed at one of the arcade booths, “I want one of those! The big one.”
I followed her finger to see stuffed animals of all sizes. I couldn’t even tell from our distance what kind of animals they were. “Deal. This will be easy enough.” I pulled out my wallet and she gawked at the wad of twenties I pulled out.
“No! That’s cheating. You have to win it, you can’t buy it, big shot.” Huffing, I shoved the money back in my wallet, grumbling the whole way over. “And I’m pretty sure you have to win like three times before you can trade in the smaller ones for the big one.”
“Why did I agree to this?”
She just laughed and as we got closer I realized it wasn’t even a game of skill. It was the stupid water gun on the bulls-eye game. This would be easy enough. I paid my money and she sat down next to me. She was going to compete against me. She was rotten and I was going to thoroughly enjoy wiping that smile of hers off her face when I won.
She won the first game, me the second, then some tween in baggy pants won the third game. His girlfriend squealed like a banshee and I had a hard time hiding my disgust. Looking to Cassidy, she was smiling from ear to ear. She had a great smile.
“Ready. Just you and me. Hurry up and pay the man.” Her spunky side was contagious.
“Yeah, yeah. Prepare for my wrath woman.”
She turned her blue gaze to me and winked, “Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep, James.”
Was she flirting with me? The buzzer sounded and I missed the start. “Dammit. You’re cheating!” She just laughed as she squeezed the trigger. The bell chimed and she threw her hands up in the air, boasting her victory. I just shook my head as she pointed to me and made an ‘L’ with her finger and mouthed the word loser. “You’re vile!”
“Ha! You love it!” The attendant handed her another animal and she thanked him. “You ready to go again or you had enough?”
Shrugging a shoulder I quipped, “I think I’m done.”
“Well, I’m glad that you’re comfortable enough in your manhood to accept defeat by a girl.” She was teasing me and I could dish it out too.
“Alright big talker.” I handed the attendant enough money for two games. Looking to Cassidy I said, “Double or nothing.”
She seemed confused. “I already have two and you have one.”
“Yup. And I just gave him enough money for two games, but we’re only playing one. Double or nothing. If I win the prizes are all mine AND you ride the Ferris wheel. If you win you get your big stupid stuffed animal and you don’t have to ride the Ferris wheel.” She looked at me and agreed before I added, “Though, I’m not sure you’ll have a ride home if you win.”
She just shook her head as we waited for the bell to sound. I won and wondered for a moment if she’d let me win, but it didn’t matter. I turned in my three small animals and picked the exact one she’d wanted. I made sure she knew that it was mine as I started walking toward the Ferris wheel.
“Who’s boasting now?”
Chapter 20 ~ Tension
~ JAMES ~
As we walked, me with my huge prize and her with her two smaller ones, we came across two parents and a small child. The little girl was running in a small circle near us and when she ran into my leg, she let go of her balloon. I tried to snag it but it was gone before I could stop it. She started crying and I felt horrible. Her parents tried consoling her as I apologized.
“It’s not your fault.” The mother looked at her daughter and said, “We have more balloons at home. But you need to watch where you’re going next time, ok?”
“Yes, Mommy.”
As Cassidy and I started to walk away, I knew what I had to do. “Hang on.” Cassidy stood back and watched as I approached the family. “Hey,” the little girl and her parents turned to me, “I have this big stuffed animal and he needs a good home. Maybe if it’s ok with your mom and dad he can go home with you.”
The little girl gasped and looked to her parents, “Please, please, Mommy and Daddy.” They both laughed and said that it was fine with them.
“Remember to take good care of him.”
“Oh, I will, I will. I promise.” I handed over the stuffed animal that was almost as big as the little girl was.
I turned and headed back toward Cassidy. She was smiling from ear to ear when I rejoined her. “Now you’re just showing off.”
I feigned being offended as I asked, “Who, me? Never.”
“Mister.” The little girl was tugging on my pant leg and I turned and bent down to her level, caught off guard when she threw her tiny arms around my neck. “Thank you, mister.” I looked to her parents who were both smiling. She kissed my cheek and then skipped back toward her parents as I stood back up.
“Looks like I have a little competition.” I stood back up and scoffed at Cassidy’s remark. “She’s cute and she has game. I’ll give her that much.”
Without thinking about it, I grabbed Cassidy’s hand as we walked toward the Ferris wheel. I made a detour and headed toward the tent with the music. She looked at me and I just said, “I have no desire to deal with you puking. No offense.”
“None taken. Here.” She handed me her second prize and said, “All’s fair in love and war.”
I smiled at her and enjoyed the fee
l of my hand holding on to hers. I entwined our fingers and tried ignoring the surge of energy that ran through my fingertips. Leading her through the tent, I quickly took in our surroundings. The band was taking a break and a slow song was playing. Couples littered the dance floor and I caught her gaze as she watched them. I remembered her saying that we used to dance and wondered if I should ask her.
The song ended and another slow one started. I recognized Pink singing and didn’t bother asking, instead I weaved us through the throngs of couples and then faced her. She only hesitated for a moment as I pulled her close. Her body stiffened slightly, but I was almost positive that it was from nerves, not discomfort.
“Relax.”
“You’re not making it very easy.”
I looked to her, “What do you mean?”
She shook her head and smiled, “Never mind.”
Before I could ask anything more, she turned her face into the crook of my neck and I felt her inhale and her body relaxed as she then exhaled. The hand that held her lower back pulled her a little closer as feelings I didn’t recognize stirred inside me. I suddenly felt very protective and possessive of her. I let go of her hand as my arms came together to encircle her. It was like I couldn’t get her close enough. That hand of hers I had released ran down my back and I felt her nails gently dig in as she held on tight.
I tried to focus on the lyrics of the song, ignoring the throbbing my body began doing. I had to try to take things to the next level with Cassidy. Not since Cora—my biggest mistake—had I felt emotions remotely close to what I was feeling. But unlike Cora, Cassidy was mine, my wife. If I wanted her I could have her. What the hell was I waiting for? The song was right. We could learn to love again, or maybe it was only me who needed to learn again.
Lifting my head I whispered her name, “Cassidy?”
She raised her own and met my eyes. My hand pushed some of her hair behind her ear as I took in the features of her face. She looked so vulnerable and I couldn’t wait any longer. I leaned in and watched as she closed her eyes, awaiting my kiss. I could smell the mint from her gum and realized she was holding her breath, though her lips were slightly parted.
“Cassidy! Cassidy Charles!”
Her eyes bolted open as my lips pulled back and my ears were assaulted by whomever was calling her name. A brunette I didn’t recognize came running up to us and I could feel the tension begin to pour off of Cassidy. Whoever the chick was, Cassidy was not happy to see her.
“I knew it! I told Carl here that it was you. We were all the way over there.” She pointed to the other side of the tent as the guy she was with took a swig of his beer, though he clearly didn’t need anymore. “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
“Right, sorry. Umm, James this is Kim. We went to school together.”
She thrust her hand into mine, she knew exactly who I was and her next statement proved it. “The famous JB3! Cassidy, how’d you manage to snag this one?” Cassidy smiled nervously as Kim continued jabbering on. “Cassidy and I were practically best friends growing up, she’s just being modest.”
“Um…”
“Really! Wow. Is that so?” Kim was visibly excited that I believed her bullshit and Cassidy had already picked up on the fact that I was playing along. “Best friends, huh. You must know everything about her.”
“Yup, yes sir. Everything!”
“What’s her middle name?” Kim smiled and laughed nervously as I added, “What about her favorite color, favorite food, or favorite boy band?” I was aware of Cassidy standing next to me, staring on in disbelief. Kim tried to make excuse after excuse and I cut her off. “See, I’m going to take a gander that your favorite color is green.” Her eyes bulged and her mouth dropped open. “Arianna, purple, pizza and Backstreet Boys. And Arianna was her grandmother’s name.” I took Cassidy’s hand and we left Kim and the festival.
We were practically jogging back to my bike when I realized she was calling my name. We were secluded, away from prying eyes as I stopped and looked around us.
“James, that was. Wow. Thank you. I couldn’t stand that girl. We were friends in elementary school, but it didn’t last.” She kept talking on and on. Did she ever stop talking? I mean, I enjoyed talking with her—it’s the only reason I knew those things about her—but that wasn’t what I wanted her mouth doing at that moment.
I turned to face her and when her eyes met mine she went quiet. I took a step toward her and she took one back. I took another two and she took a second. I was enjoying our new game. Moving forward again, she backed up and met the wall behind her. Smiling, I reached out my hand and when she looked at it I took her by surprise.
With my hands in her hair, my teeth mashed against hers, harder than I intended, and I crashed my lips to hers. She moaned in surprise, but quickly succumbed to my brutal kiss. My hands worked through her hair, over the back of her neck and back again till I was stroking her jaw with the pads of my thumbs. I licked at her lips as she moaned again and sagged against the wall. My dick was rock hard and I couldn’t remember wanting someone more. I didn’t give a shit that we were on a public street and anyone could see us. Her tongue found mine as she had me release a growl of my own. Fuck, she tasted good. Her hands were frantically pulling on me as I leaned into her and pressed my hard-on against her.
Gasping, “James.” I silenced her with another kiss as I ground my pelvis against hers.
I had to stop this. What the hell was wrong with me? She was making me lose my mind and I didn’t care. I wanted to sink my dick into her so bad that I was willing to do anything, almost anything.
“James, take me home.”
Pulling back, I looked to her. Fuck my rules. I grabbed her hand as we walked back to my bike. I handed her the helmet as I put on my own and started the bike. “Get on!” It wasn’t a request and she climbed on and gripped my hips as I drove us home.
We walked in the front door and I pulled her up the steps behind me, eager to spread her out on that big bed. I yanked her close once we were in the room and was torn between taking my time and devouring her that very instant. I slowed down the kiss and worked my mouth back to her ear as my hands ran under the hem of her shirt. Her skin was soft as she trembled against my fingers and I wanted to touch every part of her. She was very responsive and I knew immediately it must have been one of the things that drew me to her.
She was timid, but in a good way and not abrasive like many women I’d been with. While I already knew she was unlikely to ever make the first move, she wouldn’t back down once things began. Her fingers were tangled in my hair as she pulled on its length. It wasn’t something I was used to. Usually my women were restrained or discouraged from touching me. This was a whole new ballgame to me, well, not new, but one I hadn’t played in a very long time. Even Melissa and I had guidelines we followed, until she tried changing them.
“James, are you ok?”
I was totally distracted and she knew it. Focus James! “Sorry, I, am I moving too fast?” She just shook her head and tried pulling me closer.
“No, I’ve been dying of anticipation for this moment. Please, tell me you’ll move back in here, with me. I want this to be our bedroom again.” I pulled away and she tried to close the distance between us. “James. Don’t go.” She already knew.
“I, we, I should’ve taken you to the club. I can’t do this.”
“Yes, you can.” She pulled her shirt over her head and I sucked in my breath at her beauty. My eyes immediately falling to the tattoo on her ribcage, but the lighting was all wrong for me to make it out. “Please James, I’ll do whatever you want. Please don’t go. Stay with me.”
It was too much pressure. The intimacy she was used to I couldn’t give her and didn’t know if I’d ever be able to. Backing away from her, I confessed, “I’m not ready for this. We need a contract.” It was the only thing I knew that could protect us both.
“What!” She grabbed her shirt off the floor and put it back on. “I’m not one o
f your subs! I’m your wife. Take me to the club if you want, but don’t insult me with a contract.”
“I didn’t mean to insult you.” Before I could say anything more, she threw her purse at me, just missing my head. The contents fell to floor and scattered after it hit the door jamb. “I just, I’m so fucked in the head I don’t know how to do this.” I pointed around the room and she knew what I was referring to.
It was barely a whisper as she pleaded, “Try. For me, please try.”
I walked toward the door, stepping over the contents, and said, “I just, I can’t. I need more time.” I don’t know if she knew I heard her next words, but I did and they hurt.
“You always leave me alone in the dark.” She got on her knees and started shoveling the discarded items back into her purse. I handed some things back to her and she snatched them from me aggressively.
Once she had everything, she stood and the door closed immediately in my face and soon music was playing loudly. I paced the hall for a moment and spotted a business card on the floor. Picking it up and examining it, I became confused. Why did Cassidy have one of my DOM business cards?
I walked to what had become my room and kicked the door closed. I fell asleep to the drone of her music. Her image haunted me in my dreams, at least I was pretty sure it was her image. I woke in a cold sweat and the clock told me that only a few hours had passed.
Getting up, I used the bathroom and music was still coming from her room, but it was quieter than before. I opened the door and saw her image laying in the bed. Chessa came running in and jumped on the bed and curled up next to her. Someone was glad to be home.
I walked to her side of the bed and touched the strand of hair that was lying across her cheek. She whispered something and I thought that it might have been my name, but thought that was silly to think.
“I’m so lost, Cassidy.”
I jumped when she whispered, “You’re my anchor. We’ll find our way back.” My eyes scoured her face. Her eyes were still closed. Was she talking in her sleep? “The baby!” What the hell was going on? She must’ve been dreaming. “I wanted the baby, but I wanted you more.”
