“And what happened?” he asked again, beginning to sound like a broken record.
“I left her.” Cass knew where he was headed with this line of questioning, so when he started to speak again, she shook her head and held her hands up to stop him. “I don’t want to hear it, Danny. Just keep your opinions to yourself.”
Cass turned and walked out the back door without another word and headed back to her cabin. She knew he would point out that because she’d been the one to leave, it proved she would never allow herself to get into a bad relationship. Cass already knew that, damn it, but what Danny didn’t know about was the way their father treated her whenever no one else was around. To him, she was nothing more than a servant. She was there for no other reason than to fetch his newspaper and bring him his slippers and his supper every night. Hell, she may as well have been a dog.
Her father had seen to it that she had no self-esteem growing up. She’d worked hard over the years to regain it, but there was always his voice in the back of her head reminding her no one could ever possibly love her. She was worthless. And there was a part of her that still believed those words, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself they weren’t true. Those words were the reason she kept an emotional distance from the women she slept with. And they were why she rarely saw the same woman more than once.
But she was happy, damn it. When she walked into the cabin and Gordy jumped up and down, his tail wagging furiously in his excitement to see her, she dropped to her knees and ran her hands through his fur while he licked her face.
“We’ve got each other, right, buddy? That’s all we need.”
She found herself wishing her mother was there. She’d called her the day before to let her know Danny had brought Barb and the baby home from the hospital. Cass told her she didn’t need to come home. The baby was fine. Barb was fine. Danny was fine. The only one who wasn’t fine was Cass, but she’d never admit that to her mother. Her out of character attraction to Erica coupled with the fear Danny would stop doing storage auctions left Cass feeling as if her world was turned upside down. She had the feeling the only person who could help right it again was her mother.
*
“So you’re going on a date with Cass?” Kyle asked with a grin as he watched her searching through her closet to find something to wear. He was sitting on her bed, Willie by his side enjoying the belly rubs Kyle was offering. Erica felt a little jealous the cat had taken to Kyle so quickly, which was ridiculous.
“I am,” she answered, distracted. She had no idea where they were going, and therefore had no clue how she should dress.
“I like her.”
“So do I.” Erica smiled. She’d thought often of the night Cass told her she wanted to kiss her. She wondered where things might have gone if she’d let her. After giving herself a mental shake, she went back to pushing clothes around in the closet.
“She’s hot.”
“Excuse me?” Erica turned to see a big grin on his face. “I thought you were gay?”
“I am,” he said with a shrug. “Doesn’t mean I can’t find a girl attractive. It also doesn’t mean I want to sleep with her if I do.”
“Kyle!” Erica said, but she found it hard to reprimand him.
He’d been living with her for the better part of a week, and he seemed happy. Certainly happier than she’d ever seen him since he’d come out to her. He was relaxed too, and she knew it was because she’d given him a safe haven. Erica had tried calling their parents again, more than once, but she was sure they’d blocked her number after her call the night Cass had shown up on her doorstep with him. And they hadn’t returned any of her calls.
She wasn’t sure what to do about the whole situation, but she had to do something. He’d need to get enrolled in school, but the schools had been closed all week because of the snow and sub-zero temperatures. She figured she’d have to get a lawyer too, to help her gain guardianship of Kyle. At this point, even if their parents did want him back, she wasn’t sure she’d let him go after the way they’d treated him.
“What? I’m only stating a fact.”
“You’re fifteen. You shouldn’t be having sex with anyone.”
“I’m almost sixteen, and I haven’t had sex,” he said, looking appropriately embarrassed. “I just know I don’t want to with a girl.”
Erica shook her head because at his age, she’d known she did want to sleep with a girl. Her best friend since kindergarten, as a matter of fact. But the moment she’d told Debra Jenkins she was a lesbian, she’d stopped being her best friend. But at least Deb had kept her secret. Erica always figured it was because she didn’t want to be accused of being a lesbian herself. Guilt by association.
“But Cass is hot. I mean, you think so too, right?” he asked after a moment.
“Yes,” she answered, her mind flashing back to the other night again. Why hadn’t she let Cass kiss her? She vowed to just go with it tonight, if Cass wanted to try again. “All right, get out of here. I need to shower and get dressed or I won’t be ready when she gets here.”
“If you really want to get her attention, wear the black dress with the plunging neckline,” he said as he closed the door behind him.
What did he know of plunging necklines, a fifteen-year-old gay male? Still, she took it from the closet and held it up in front of her to see it in the full-length mirror.
Maybe he was right. It did look good. And it was certain to gain her a lot of attention.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Cass sat in her car for a moment, willing her palms to stop sweating. This was so not like her, to be nervous at the prospect of spending an evening with a beautiful, sexy woman. Of course, she hadn’t been on many dates in her life. Dating wasn’t an issue when you went to a bar, saw what you liked, and went home with her. An actual date wasn’t a prerequisite for a one-night stand.
She tried not to think about the fact she was drawn to Erica in a way she’d never experienced before, because it was just nuts. She hardly knew her, but she was fully cognizant of the reality of the situation. Erica wasn’t a one-night stand. Cass had the feeling Erica could never be a one-night stand, for her or anyone else. The realization should have sent her running back home, and she met her eyes in the rearview mirror as she waited for the panic to set in.
It never did.
She finally opened the door and got out, trying to smooth her slacks as she made her way to Erica’s front door. She knocked quickly and took a step back, wondering if this was a mistake. Too late now, because she could hear the deadbolt sliding open.
“Come on in,” Kyle said with a grin. “She isn’t quite ready yet.”
“It’s okay. I’m a little early,” Cass said. She took a seat on the couch and wiped her hands on her pants.
“Nervous?” he asked.
“No, why would I be nervous?”
He laughed and pushed his hair out of his eyes.
“Don’t worry. She is too. You should’ve brought flowers or candy or something, don’t you think?”
Damn it, why hadn’t she thought of that? She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and wondered if she had time to run to the store.
“I thought I heard someone at the door,” Erica said as she entered the room. “You’re early.”
“I’m sorry…” Cass began, but her mouth went dry when she saw Erica. The black dress she was wearing hugged her in just the right way. And the neckline, well, it didn’t leave much to the imagination, which was fine with her. She stood and took a step toward her. “You look absolutely stunning.”
“Thank you,” Erica said, her cheeks reddening slightly. “I just grabbed the first thing I saw in my closet.”
They both started when Kyle stifled a laugh. Cass had completely forgotten he was there.
“I’m going to my room,” he said. Just before he got there, he turned and looked at them again. “Have fun, but not too much fun. And don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. I won’t wait up for you.”
“I take it you like what you see?” Erica asked.
“Very much,” Cass admitted with a nod. She closed the distance between them, but then paused at the memory of being stonewalled a few nights ago. She met Erica’s gaze and took her hand. It was warm and soft, and Cass never wanted to let go. “I am going to kiss you now. Are you planning to stop me again?”
“No.”
Cass put her hand against the small of Erica’s back and pulled their bodies together, all the while staring into her eyes. Erica’s hands went to Cass’s shoulders, then slid around until her fingers were playing with the hair at the nape of her neck. Cass watched as Erica’s eyes closed, and her lips parted slightly, her head tipped back a little.
“God, you are so damn sexy,” she said, mesmerized by the pulse she could see at her throat. It appeared Erica’s heart was beating just as quickly as her own. Good to know she wasn’t the only one having this reaction to their bodies being pressed together. Erica opened her eyes, and Cass lost her breath at how dark the blue had become.
“I thought you were going to kiss me,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Cass leaned in and touched Erica’s lips with her own, gently at first, but then Erica deepened it by running the tip of her tongue across Cass’s lips. She groaned as she opened her mouth, allowing Erica inside. Cass felt her desire ratchet up a notch, and she slid her hands up Erica’s back, searching for a zipper. When she finally found it, she tugged gently, but then Erica took a step back, shaking her head.
“Kyle.”
It was the only word Cass needed to hear. She’d forgotten all about the young man in the next room. She glanced over her shoulder, but his door was still closed. As she straightened her shirt she met Erica’s gaze.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Erica said, reaching out and running a finger along her jaw. “Don’t ever be sorry.”
Cass fought to gain control of her raging hormones. She wanted Erica, and she knew the feeling was mutual, but as long as Kyle was there, it was never going to happen. The disappointment at the realization cut deeper than Cass expected it to.
“We should probably go,” she said.
“Yes, we should.”
*
“Can I see you again?” Cass asked when they arrived back at Erica’s house a few hours later.
“You’ll see me tomorrow, won’t you?” Erica asked. She’d agreed to let Kyle go with Cass to the storage auction as long as she could tag along. She’d seen the shows on television, but she was curious as to how it all worked.
“Not the same thing. Besides, your brother will be with us.”
“I could make coffee if you want to come inside,” Erica said, not ready for the evening to end quite yet.
“I’m not sure that would be a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because I can’t promise to keep my hands to myself.”
Erica looked up at the house and saw the light in Kyle’s room was on. It was close to midnight, so apparently he had waited up for her.
“Yeah, I guess it probably wouldn’t be a good idea. I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Cass told her. She reached over and took Erica’s hand. “I had a good time tonight. And as much as I don’t want it to end, I think it should. But I would like to do it again.”
“So would I.” Erica turned her hand over and entwined their fingers. She leaned across the gearshift and kissed Cass quickly on the lips. When she grabbed the handle to open the door, Cass held tightly to her hand.
“No, that was not an acceptable good night kiss,” Cass said.
Erica held her breath as Cass shifted in her seat and leaned closer, only stopping when their lips were mere inches apart. The kiss was sweet, almost like a promise of things to come. She felt the throbbing between her legs that first started before they’d left the house earlier, and hadn’t seemed to completely go away all night. It was back with a vengeance now, and Erica knew she was going to have trouble falling asleep.
“You are such an incredible kisser,” Erica murmured against her lips, not wanting to fully end it.
“So are you,” Cass replied. “I think I could spend the rest of my life kissing you.”
Their tongues slid against each other and she moaned. She wanted nothing more than to drag Cass inside the house and straight to her bedroom, but she remembered her vow to take things slowly. It wouldn’t be easy, but it was for the best, especially now that Kyle was in the picture.
“So, can we do this again?” Cass asked when they were finally forced to come up for air.
“God, yes.”
“I meant dinner.” Cass chuckled and squeezed her hand.
“But if I’m lucky, it will lead to more of this,” Erica said.
“I certainly hope so.”
“We’ll see you bright and early in the morning.”
“Yes, you will.”
Erica took a deep breath and forced herself to vacate the car. When she got to the door, she looked back and saw Cass was waiting until she got inside. She quickly unlocked the door with shaking hands. She waved and then went inside. She’d barely gotten her coat off when Kyle came walking out of his room.
“Why didn’t you invite her in?”
“First of all, it’s none of your business,” she said. She took off her shoes and walked to the kitchen for a glass of water, Kyle following right behind her. “And second, I did invite her in. She had to leave because she’s getting up early in the morning so she can go to a storage auction.”
“Cool,” he said. “I think that would be an awesome thing to do.”
“Really?”
“Sure. Those guys on TV make it look easy.”
“I’m sure it’s not so easy in real life, Kyle. But we’re going to find out because she’s taking us with her tomorrow.”
“Are you serious?” Kyle’s eyes went wide, and Erica smiled. He looked more like the child he used to be than a boy becoming a man. His excitement was palpable.
“Yes, I am, and she’ll be here a little after seven in the morning, so I suggest you get some sleep,” she said. She was surprised when he grabbed her and kissed her on the cheek, but it was nice. On the other hand, it made her sad to realize her own mother had thrown it all away. She watched him as he almost ran back to his bedroom. “She’s probably going to put you to work, so just be ready.”
“I will,” he said before he closed his door.
Erica wondered if she should try to call her parents one more time before retaining a lawyer to gain guardianship. But what would be the point? She’d already tried to call them three or four times and got no answer, no return phone calls. It was obvious they didn’t want him back, and that fact made her furious.
When they’d rejected her, it had hurt more than she thought possible. How could a fifteen-year-old kid possibly be expected to deal with his own parents rejecting him simply because of who he was? She’d do everything she could to make the transition easy for him, but she had a feeling he was going to be devastated when the realization of the situation finally sunk in.
CHAPTER NINE
“Just make sure you don’t raise your hand, or nod your head once the bidding starts,” Cass told them both as they were waiting for the first unit to be opened. She thanked whatever higher power there might be for Rodney not making an appearance at this auction. She really didn’t want to deal with him while Erica and Kyle were there with her. “Actually, once the bidding starts, maybe you just shouldn’t move at all.”
“You’re a laugh
-riot, Cassidy Holmes,” Erica said.
Kyle had still been in the shower when Cass arrived to pick them up that morning, so they’d had a few minutes to themselves. Unfortunately, those minutes flew by as Erica kissed her almost senseless. She’d been about to pick her up and carry her to the bedroom when they heard the water shut off.
“I do my best.” Cass flashed her a smile that was both sexy and innocent at the same time.
“Your best is pretty damn good,” Erica said, leaning close to her so no one else could hear the seductive comment.
Cass felt her cheeks flush and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other trying to hide her embarrassment, because she was pretty damn sure Erica wasn’t referring to her comedic skills. She was saved further humiliation when the auctioneer started his spiel about how no one could enter the unit, you’d only have a few seconds to look it over, blah, blah, blah. She’d heard it so many times she tuned him out. Erica and Kyle were seemingly enthralled by it though.
“Listen,” she said as she pulled them both aside. “If you see anything interesting in these units, don’t say anything. Wait until we walk away and tell me quietly what you saw, all right?”
They both nodded but seemed anxious to see what was in the unit. She let them go, shaking her head and trying not to laugh. She remembered her first time at one of these auctions. She’d been twelve, and her best friend’s father bought storage units for a living. Damn, had it really been over twenty years ago? She’d been fascinated with everything about it, and started buying her own units at eighteen.
There was nothing of interest for her in the first couple of units, even though Kyle had gotten a little excited over the boxes in the very front of the second one. There was one for a forty-two-inch flat screen TV, a couple of boxes for laptops, and one for a PlayStation 4. He grabbed her arm and asked her why she wasn’t bidding on it. She promised to explain it to him when the auction was over.
The third unit though, looked promising. There was furniture, high end stuff, no less. She knew she could sell it if she got the locker for a decent price. She saw a washer and dryer. The refrigerator would be a bitch to move, but she could easily get a hundred dollars for it. There were tools again, and who didn’t want tools? And she was pretty sure she saw what looked like the front end of a snowmobile. It was hidden really well behind the furniture, so she couldn’t be one hundred percent positive, but she was willing to gamble on it.
Taking a Gamble Page 5
