“For playing Monopoly?” Cass shook her head. “I’ll never understand kids today.”
“Can I take a rain check?”
“Make it a snow check and you’ve got a deal.” Cass used her thumb to brush a snowflake off Erica’s cheek.
“I’m worried spring is never going to come.”
“It will. It might not be until July, but it will arrive someday.”
“If I kissed you right now, would it cause more problems for Danny with his mother-in-law?”
“It might, but I don’t really care.”
Cass stayed where she was as Erica stepped into her, pressing their bodies together. The heavy jackets they were wearing did nothing to diminish the excitement Cass felt. She was unusually warm, especially between her legs. The heat spread deliciously through her body when Erica’s lips met hers.
No one had ever caused Cass to feel dizzy from a simple kiss. But Erica seemed to excel at doing just that. She was quickly becoming addicted to the way Erica kissed her. Without breaking the kiss, Cass unzipped both their jackets and slid her arms around Erica’s waist, pressing even harder against her body. The frigid air was all but forgotten in the heat between them. When Erica ended the kiss, Cass groaned at the loss of her.
“I think I could kiss you forever,” she said, resting her forehead against Erica’s. Her breathing was erratic, and she didn’t even try to hide it. “You are so freakishly awesome at it.”
“Yeah? I had a real hard time choosing my major in college. I kept trying to decide between business or kissing. I guess I made the right choice?”
“Most definitely,” Cass assured her with a sigh. “So you need a degree in kissing to play post office as an adult?”
“Hey, you guys, aren’t you freezing your asses off?” Danny called from the door.
“Not really.” Cass was reluctant to pull away from Erica, but if she didn’t, she was afraid she might have to carry her to her cabin. She zipped her jacket up again and took Erica’s hand to lead her back into the house. When she walked past Danny, she lowered her voice. “Your timing sucks, man.”
“Barb tells me that all the time,” he said with a nudge of his elbow.
“TMI, dude,” she told him with a grimace. “I’m probably going to have nightmares now.”
Danny just laughed as he followed them back into the house. He grabbed them each a beer from the fridge and took a soda out for Kyle.
“Is it okay if Kyle has this?” he asked Erica. She nodded and took the beer he held out to her. She didn’t feel like she could talk without giving away how sexually aroused she was.
“What game are you guys playing, and where’s the monster-in-law?” Cass asked. They walked into the living room where Kyle was playing the game on his own. They all sat before Danny answered, his voice quiet.
“She went to bed. Barb told her she needed to leave in the morning and made it clear she and Clarence would not be accompanying her.” He looked at the stairs, and Cass knew he was worried she would come down. “Do me a favor and keep your voices down. I’m not in the mood to deal with her again tonight.”
“I’m sorry I got involved in your family matters earlier,” Erica said.
“Don’t apologize, please,” he said with a dismissive wave. “I wanted to thank you for standing up to her. Not many people have the guts to do it.”
“I know I don’t,” Cass said.
“I was afraid I might be making things worse for you,” Erica said.
“Not possible where Judy’s concerned, trust me,” Cass told her. “She’s been trying to break them up since the day he and Barb met. She thinks we’re all just white trash because we live out here in the sticks. She’s made it quite clear had Barb not married Danny, she would never have been forced to socialize with such heathens. Danny and I are going to hell, did you know that?”
“Well, so am I, as I’m sure my mother and father would tell you,” Erica said. “Well, of course, if they would stoop so low as to admit they had a daughter in the first place.”
“Judy questioned why Mom wasn’t here too,” Danny said after a moment. Cass looked at him, knowing he’d no doubt been just as mad when Judy asked the question as she was now.
“Are you serious? Does she even admit she refused to come to your wedding? At least both of our parents were there for that. She has no right to criticize anyone,” Cass said, barely able to control her resentment for Judy. It had damn near broke Barb’s heart when her mother hadn’t shown up for what should have been the happiest day of her life. Cass and her own mother were the ones who had comforted Barb then. “If I wasn’t so scared of her, I’d go wake her up and give her a piece of my mind.”
“It’s the sentiment that counts, right?” Danny laughed quietly. “And those are my sentiments exactly. She scares the crap out of me, and I’m not afraid to admit it.”
“You guys are too funny,” Kyle said from his spot on the floor without tearing his eyes away from the television screen where his character was shooting monsters without missing a beat. “She didn’t seem so scary to me. She’s just a bitter old woman who wants a better life for her daughter than she had. I’m not saying you can’t give it to her, but that’s what she thinks.”
“Nice save, Kyle,” Erica said to him.
“Move over, kid,” Danny said. “I want back in this game.”
“Hey, Danny.” Cass smiled at Erica and gave her a wink. “You mind if Kyle stays here while I show Erica my cabin?”
“What if Kyle wants to see it too?” Kyle asked.
“Really?” Erica said. “You’re referring to yourself in third person now?”
“I’ll give you a tour next time,” Cass told him as she stood and held a hand out to Erica.
Danny nudged Kyle with an elbow and chuckled. “I think they want to be alone, if you understand what I’m saying.”
“Okay, too much information,” Kyle said and began chanting so he couldn’t hear them.
“Come on,” Cass said, leading her back to the kitchen so they could grab their coats and head out the back door. “Is this all right with you?”
“It’s more than all right,” Erica assured her, her voice huskier than normal.
Cass felt her knees actually weaken at the predatory look Erica favored her with. No one had ever caused that reaction in her. Never.
Cass tried to ignore the niggling thought that she might very well be traveling down a road she couldn’t come back on. Erica didn’t know it, but she had the power to completely wreck Cass, and Cass worried she might do just that.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Erica followed Cass down a path too narrow for them to walk on side by side. She’d be so happy when all this snow melted. Syracuse always got its fair share of snow, but being here, about an hour away from Buffalo and Lake Erie, and even closer to Lake Ontario, the results of lake effect snow could be paralyzing. From listening to other people talk around town, this was the worst winter they’d had in years. Record temperatures, on the low side, not the high, snow that seemed to go on forever, and the wind? It was fairly calm tonight, but just the thought of how it had been blowing most of the time since she’d arrived here caused a shudder to run through her body.
Erica was watching her feet, worried she might slip on some ice and not wanting to make a fool of herself, so when Cass came to a sudden stop in front of her, she had no way of avoiding the crash that followed. At least they were both able to stay on their feet.
“Sorry,” she mumbled through the scarf she had covering the lower part of her face. “Why did you stop?”
“I guess I probably should have asked you this before, but you aren’t afraid of dogs, are you? Or allergic?” Cass said after turning to face her.
“The answer is no on both counts. Why?” Erica asked, a little concerned by the look of apprehension on Cass’s face. “Is your dog vicious? Will he, or she, try to rip my throat out?”
“No,” Cass laughed. It was a wonderful sound, and Erica hoped she
’d get to hear it more often. “Gordy’s a lover. The only two things you have to worry about are the fact he thinks he’s a lap dog, and there’s a real possibility he may just lick you to death.”
“What kind of dog is he?” Erica asked, feeling some of that apprehension herself now. She pictured a huge Rottweiler, or maybe a Great Dane greeting them at the door. Oh, Christ. What if it’s a Saint Bernard? She didn’t necessarily have anything against any of those breeds, but if one knocked her down in order to lick her face, they could do a lot of damage.
“Golden retriever. Come on. I know he hears us, and if I don’t unlock the door in the next thirty seconds, he’s going to start barking his fool head off.” Cass pulled the keys out of her pocket and went the remaining distance to the front door of her cabin.
It looked quaint on the outside, yet Erica had a feeling the inside would be much bigger than it appeared. She didn’t get the impression Cass would be happy in a cramped space. Especially with a big dog being underfoot all the time.
As soon as Cass opened the door, a flash of gold came flying out and ran right past them. They both watched as the dog ran around in circles trying to find a suitable place to relieve himself.
“Gordy, where are your manners?” Cass called out to him. At the sound of her voice, the dog stopped abruptly and looked over, almost as if seeing them for the first time. “We have company, man.”
Gordy tilted his head and studied Erica then. She made sure not to look him in the eye, because she’d heard dogs would take it as a challenge and feel the need to assert their dominance over you. After a moment, he took a couple of tentative steps toward Erica.
“Hold your hand out to him,” Cass told her. “Let him smell you, but don’t try to pet him until he decides you’re okay.”
“I’ve never had a dog,” she whispered, casting an apprehensive look in Cass’s direction.
“There’s nothing to worry about, I promise,” Cass said close to Erica’s ear. The whisper of breath across her cheek threatened to be Erica’s undoing. “He’s not going to hurt you; he just needs to check you out before he allows you to touch him.”
Erica wasn’t afraid of dogs; she simply hadn’t been around very many of them in her life. She’d never been allowed to have a pet other than a goldfish, and be real, what kind of a pet was a goldfish? Kittens and puppies you could snuggle with. What could you do with a goldfish other than watch it swim in circles day after day? Willie seemed to be enough pet for her now, but she’d never allowed herself to get too friendly with dogs. Willie and his attitude wouldn’t like it if she came home smelling of canine.
“I have a cat,” she said suddenly. “He isn’t going to freak out about it, is he?”
“No, he likes cats.”
“As friends, or as dinner?” Erica watched as Gordy sniffed her outstretched palm and pushed her hand around with his nose. After a moment, he stepped back and looked up at her, tail wagging somewhat hesitantly. He stretched forward and rested his chin in her hand, his brown eyes still looking up at her. Her heart melted. “Aren’t you just the sweetest puppy?”
“Before you two fall in love, would you care to see the inside of my humble home?”
Gordy took off around the corner of the cabin, presumably to find the perfect pee spot, and Erica followed Cass inside. Cass waited at the door until Gordy returned, then shut it tight against the cold. Erica watched her as she removed her coat before holding a hand out for hers. Erica quickly shrugged out of it and passed it over for her to hang up.
Gordy took off toward his food bowl, and Erica let her eyes wander around the space. It was beautiful. It really was one big room, the only separation coming from a breakfast bar in the kitchen, and the sofa perfectly positioned about ten feet from the big-screen television mounted to the wall. She saw a staircase in the corner that presumably led to the bedroom, and she allowed herself a moment to wonder if they’d end up there later.
“I’d offer a tour, but there really isn’t much to it other than what you can see from right here.” Cass walked to the couch and sat, patting the cushion next to her, encouraging Erica to join her. “Unless you’d like to see where I sleep.”
“I’d love to, but not tonight.” Erica couldn’t believe the words had come out of her mouth. Maybe she really was turning over a new leaf and wanting to move slowly. Something told her Cass would be worth the wait. Physically and emotionally. She took a seat and wasted no time snuggling into Cass’s side, her head resting against her chest.
“Are you sure?”
Cass ran a hand slowly up Erica’s side, causing a sensory overload. Erica’s vision went fuzzy around the edges, and her pulse quickened to the point where it was actually painful between her legs. She forced herself to sit up and backed away to the other end of the couch.
“Not if you keep touching me like that. I won’t be sure of anything.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” Cass grinned as she reached for her, but Erica shook her head.
“Can we just talk?” she asked.
“We’re finally alone, and you want to talk?” Cass’s tone was teasing, but Erica couldn’t miss the disappointment in her eyes or her posture.
“I feel like we don’t really know each other.”
“What do you want to know? My favorite color? My favorite book?”
“I want to know what you’re looking for in a relationship.”
Cass went quiet then, and Erica worried she’d said something wrong. But how could she have? They were dating, right? She thought it a reasonable request.
“I don’t want a relationship,” Cass said as she looked away and pushed a hand through her hair. Erica felt her stomach drop. So she only wanted to get her in bed and then move on to someone else? Oh, hell no. “But you make me feel things I’ve never felt before. With you, I almost think a relationship could work.”
“You almost think it could?”
“The only reference I have is my parents, yeah?” Cass stood and started to pace. Erica watched in silence, sensing she should let her say what she had to say and not interrupt. “They weren’t happy. Not at all. But they never got a divorce, either. They stuck it out for me and Danny, and I watched my mother go into a tailspin of depression. I also watched my father get angrier and more disrespectful every day. He was not a nice man, Erica. He controlled my mother from day one. And when she got pregnant, she married him, because she didn’t have any other choice. Her parents threw her out when she told them, and she had nowhere else to go.
“She gave up her dreams because of him, in order to raise his children in his house,” Cass stopped pacing and met Erica’s eyes. “She wanted to travel the world. Wanted to be a world famous artist someday. But he stifled her creativity. Whenever he’d see she was painting, he’d ruin the canvas. He was determined she’d be nothing more than the mother of his children. I will not end up in a relationship where the other person tries to take away my dreams.”
“You’re wrong, you know,” Erica said.
“What do you mean?”
“Your parents aren’t the only example you have to go by. What about Danny and Barb? It seemed pretty obvious to me they love and support each other.”
“It’s easier not to risk my heart than to find out I’d made a mistake.”
“So what you’re really saying is you don’t want to get hurt,” Erica said. When Cass gave no answer, Erica threw her hands up in the air. “Who does? I mean, seriously, Cass, who does?”
“What do you want out of a relationship?” Cass asked her. The sudden change, if not in subject but in turning the tables, startled Erica, but she refused to let on.
“I want what my parents had,” she said without hesitation, but then corrected herself. “What they still have. But I would never turn my back on my children. They love each other very much. I have no doubt they would do anything for the other. Just not for me and Kyle.”
“You want children?” Cass asked, sounding nervous.
“I don�
��t know. If I were to find the right woman, and we both wanted it, then yes, I would love to have children.” Erica was beginning to realize Cass was not that woman, no matter how much she wished she were. She obviously had phobias regarding commitment, and Erica wasn’t sure she had the patience to try to change her mind. “Do you want children?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Cass fell onto the couch and rested her head against the back of it, staring up at the ceiling. “Do you remember the night we met?”
Of course she did. Cass had admitted she was scared of small children. Erica had been hoping she was joking considering the way she was with Kyle.
“How do you know it wouldn’t be different if the child was actually yours?” she asked, her voice quiet. After a moment, Cass sighed and turned her head to meet her eyes.
“I don’t know,” Cass admitted. “I never let myself think too much about having children of my own. While I know there are plenty of single mothers out there, I honestly don’t think I could do it on my own. And then there’s the whole relationship thing.”
They stared at each other for a few moments, and to Erica, it felt as if all the air in the room became heavy. She wanted Cass, and she could tell Cass wanted her too. Even if it hadn’t been obvious before, it was now in the way Cass ran her eyes along the length of Erica’s body. But what would be the point in sleeping with her if it wasn’t going to lead anywhere? What if they had sex, and then Cass moved on to her next conquest? Erica didn’t think she could deal with that. She opened her mouth to say so, but the words she actually spoke surprised her.
“Look, I’m not saying the way you feel is wrong,” she said. “Relationships can be scary. They definitely take a lot of work. You don’t want a relationship, and I do, but I know this thing between us, whatever it is, isn’t going to go away. Maybe we should sleep with each other and just see where it goes?”
Cass was looking at her as though she’d sprouted another head while she was talking. Strangely, Erica felt like maybe she had. Her suggestion was so completely out of character for her, but how could Cass possibly know?
Taking a Gamble Page 7
