Cassie laughed. “I’ll be too spoiled to ever want to go back to New York.”
“Is the view good?”
“Gorgeous, especially on a day like today. You can see the bay and the bridge.” He got his bag from the trunk, waved off the bellman, and let her tug him into the hotel lobby. He couldn’t remember being so happy before. “I might never want to go home.”
“Maybe you’ll just have to save your pennies for an apartment with a view,” he said lightly, then stopped at the desk to sign in and get his room key. He turned around to find Cassie looking thoughtful. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I’m just having major real estate envy.”
“You want to live in this hotel?”
“Well, the commute would stink to F5, but it is seductive to have a view.” She sighed. “Did I tell you that we’re selling condos in the F5 tower?”
“I thought you were going to buy one.”
“I haven’t. Not yet.” She grimaced as they stepped into the elevator. “I can only afford a little one.” She made a little box with her fingertips.
“It must be bigger than that.”
“It would fit in the bedroom of this suite.”
“Waiting on a sugar daddy?” he teased and she grinned.
“Are you volunteering?”
“No, I don’t buy real estate for other people.”
“You might change your mind if you saw the one that’s going up for sale.”
“How so?”
“Tyler is planning to sell his penthouse.” Cassie sighed. “He’s giving first pick to the other partners.” She made a little growl in her throat. “It’s gorgeous.”
Reid watched her, seeing the yearning in her expression. “And you want it.”
“But there’s no way I could afford it.” She shrugged and her eyes twinkled. “If you find any sugar daddies, send them my way.” The elevator doors opened at their floor just in time to keep Reid from making a suggestion that he could only regret.
What did he want with a place in Manhattan? Nothing at all, even if it was closer to Cassie. In fact, that might make it a very unwise investment.
Then she opened the door to their suite with a flourish and he smiled at the fantastic view.
That was nothing compared to the view of Cassie after she changed.
The man kissed as if he invented it. Cassie could have just stood out in front of the hotel and necked all day with Reid. She couldn’t keep from touching him, wanting to reassure herself that he was just as delicious as she recalled. He was wearing jeans and a suit jacket, a dark T-shirt and sunglasses. His hair was tousled from the drive in the convertible and he still had that short sexy beard. She liked how soft it was, and how it reminded her that he was trouble. The slow appraisal he gave her and his wicked little smile was enough to make her want to forget her obligations at F5W and spend the day in bed with Reid.
It was just after lunch, and fortunately she’d said she wouldn’t be at the club that afternoon. She had until their group dinner reservation to have her way with him.
There wasn’t a moment to waste.
She left Reid looking out over the city and retreated to the bedroom. Her hair was already twisted up into a bun, but she released it, letting her long ponytail swing over her shoulders. She kicked off her shoes and peeled off her dress, tugging on the tall black boots he liked so well. She’d brought a black satin corset that nipped in her waist and left her breasts bare, and a pair of long black latex gloves. She added a bit more eyeliner, touched up her lipstick, then picked up her whip and strode into the main room.
Reid turned to her as he started to say something, then the words died on his lips. He stared, his gaze roving over her, then he smiled slowly. “Why, DB,” he murmured. “What a pleasure to meet you.”
“Pleasure and pain,” Cassie corrected, then snapped her whip. He took a step back. “We take the bad with the good and mix it up. That’s how I roll.”
“I see. Should I drop to my knees and beg for mercy?” Reid looked as if he’d enjoy that, and Cassie had the definite feeling that he was going to turn the tables on her.
She couldn’t wait.
“I think you should get naked,” she said, making her tone menacing. “And then we’ll have to decide whether you’ve been bad or good.”
Reid smiled wickedly. “What if I’ve been so bad that I’m good?” he purred.
She beckoned. “You’re going to have to show me that to convince me it’s possible.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Reid said and shed his jacket. He held her gaze as he unfastened his belt, kicked off his shoes and dropped his jeans. He was more than ready for her and she was halfway convinced that he was even bigger than he’d been before. He removed his watch and peeled off his T-shirt, flinging it aside with the rest of his clothes. Then he strode toward her with a little smile of anticipation. He dropped to his knees in front of her, not looking very submissive at all, and ran an admiring hand down the length of her boots. He bent and kissed her instep, his hand closed around her foot. “What do you want from me, mistress?” he asked.
She put the butt of the whip handle under his chin, compelling him to meet her gaze. His eyes were filled with a devilry that made her want to surprise him very badly.
“Eat me,” she commanded. “And do it right.”
His eyes flashed then he caught her around the waist, picking her up and bearing her to the dining room table. He sat her on the lip of it and pulled the whip from her hand, casting it to the floor. He inhaled as he ran his hands down her thighs, then lifted her knees and dropped to his own. He kept his hands on the inside of her thighs, bent closer and flicked his tongue against her.
Cassie moaned. Reid chuckled.
Then he did just what she’d commanded him to do.
It was so glorious that she didn’t have a single complaint.
This had to be as close to paradise as Reid would ever be.
He was in a fabulous hotel room in the middle of the afternoon, with Cassie straddling him on the rug as she lowered herself on top of him. Reid caught his breath at her warmth and she drew him deeper inside, making him moan aloud with satisfaction.
No other woman would ever compare.
“I’ve only just started,” she whispered, bending down to kiss him.
“Is this the pain or the pleasure part?”
She smiled. “I was thinking you were due for some torment.” She moved, one hand braced on his chest and her ponytail hanging down to brush against his skin. He reached up to remove the clasp, letting it spill over her shoulders, then speared his fingers through it and pulled her down for a kiss. She almost devoured him, her lips soft and her tongue dangerous, moving as she kissed him so that his desire doubled and doubled again.
“I’m not going to last,” he admitted when he had a chance to speak.
“That would be very bad,” she whispered against his mouth. “I’d have to insist on some discipline.”
Reid chuckled and ran his hands around her waist. He unfastened the corset and cast it aside, stroking her length with his fingertips. He put his hand on the back of her waist and drew her closer, kissing her as she took even more of him inside her.
Her nostrils flared and her eyes sparkled, and she nipped at the corner of his mouth with her teeth. “Wicked man.”
“Temptress.”
“We should probably agree on our official story,” she whispered, moving so that he had a hard time thinking about anything so practical.
“Official story?”
“Are we friends? Lovers? Is it a blind date? Just what are you doing here, Reid Jackson?”
“I’m being seduced.”
Cassie laughed. “So am I.” She ran her hands over him, obviously luxuriating in their union and Reid smiled that he felt the same away.
“Friends?” he suggested. “They won’t care if there are benefits, will they?”
“They don’t need to know that part.” She stole a kiss before Reid co
uld note that anyone would have to be dead to be oblivious to the sexual energy between the two of them. “I just don’t want them asking about the wedding.”
Reid clenched, then realized they were in agreement. “Because there won’t be one.”
“Well, there will be Kyle and Lauren’s wedding on Sunday.” She eyed him and Reid cupped one hand around her breast, teasing the nipple until her back arched in pleasure. “I’m not trying to change the deal,” she managed to say and he smiled.
“Of course not. That’s not your style.”
She looked down at him, her eyes glittering. “You don’t like the whip.”
He shook his head. “Not so much. You?”
She shook her head, smiling. “It’s just a game.”
“But everyone has a game they like best. What’s yours?” Reid teased her nipple to a taut peak then guessed. “Sitting on top like this?”
Cassie smiled and nodded agreement. She swallowed and rocked atop him, her thighs clenching tightly around him.
He stroked the small of her back with his other hand, running his thumb over her vertebrae one at a time. She was so sensitive and responsive. He was sure he’d never had a more enticing lover. “We haven’t done it with you on the bottom,” he said, able to make a pretty good guess why that might be.
“Over the chair,” she reminded him, her breath catching when he pinched the nipple a little.
“But that was from behind.” He gripped her waist and rolled so that she was beneath him and he was bracing himself over top of her. Her eyes widened for a second, then she smiled. Reid kissed her beneath the ear, liking the feel of her beneath and around him, liking that he could ensure that he rubbed against her clitoris in this position. He withdrew, then dragged his erection against her, making her shiver. “I can make it worth your while,” he whispered in her ear and she laughed a little.
“I’ll bet.” She held his gaze for a long moment and he gave her time to decide.
Then she locked her legs around his waist, and he could feel that smooth leather against his skin. She held his gaze, then slid one leg down, so that the heel was against the back of his thigh. Her hair was spread beneath her like a pool of gold and the sight of her confidence in him took his breath away.
“I didn’t bring any toys,” he confessed.
“Worried about airport security?”
He smiled and moved inside her again, watching her gasp. “Weren’t you?”
She nodded, her eyes shining with pleasure, and flexed her fingers so that her nails dug into his shoulders a bit. “We’ll just have to please each other the old fashioned way.”
“We will,” Reid said, then bent to capture those ruby lips with his own.
He was lost in the marvel that was Cassie Wilson, and Reid didn’t want to be found.
There was something to be said for having dinner with a lot of great looking guys. Cassie walked into the restaurant with Reid, side by side but not holding hands. Kyle, of course, noticed immediately.
“Not a date?” he whispered after introductions had been made.
“We’re friends,” Cassie said, looking Kyle dead in the eye. “We met up again when I went home to Montrose River, and Reid said he’d always wanted to visit San Francisco.”
Theo looked like he was puzzling something out, but maybe he was thinking about the details of the opening. He was probably running over the entire VIP list in his sleep. Ty was the only one in a suit and tie, which wasn’t a surprise, and Amy looked a bit pale. She had a bit of a baby bump, one that Cassie wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t been looking, and that made Cassie think of her sister again. Ty was sticking close to Amy, looking a lot like a protective bear.
Kyle had a great tan and so did Lauren, who looked more serene than she had on the east coast. Cassie thought the other woman had gained maybe ten pounds, which was a good thing because she’d been a bit too thin. She guessed that Lauren had been working out, too, because she seemed to have a bit more muscle. Both Lauren and Kyle looked happy, which pleased Cassie.
Damon was quiet, as usual, their brooding artist, while Haley smiled and greeted Reid warmly. Unless Cassie missed her guess, Haley might have a baby bump, too.
If she was going to get into this game, Cassie had to make her move soon. She’d avoided thinking about it for years, but soon the choice would be made for her.
Tick tock as her mom liked to say.
But did she want to have a child? Not without a partner, that was for sure, and even then, Cassie didn’t know.
It seemed as if she should have had that figured out by now.
It seemed as if she’d never forgive herself for that long-ago choice.
The restaurant was new with large windows facing the bay and an impressive seafood menu. Cassie had heard it was great and picked up the menu with anticipation. She was seated beside Reid and smiled when his thigh bumped against hers. She reached under the table and put her hand on his leg, felt him tense a little, saw him smile.
“They seldom bite,” she murmured.
“Good. Thanks for the intel,” he replied in kind then raised his voice. “Do you want to share a bottle of wine or go for a cocktail instead?”
They debated the merit of each choice, then the waitress came and told them about the specials. There was a flurry of activity as everyone admired the view, discussed the possibilities and placed their orders. Their drinks came as the waitress was getting the last of the orders, and Theo raised a glass to toast as soon as the details were solved.
“Here’s to F5W,” he said. “To a great team and our first expansion. Here’s to resounding success and many more expansions.”
“And some additions to the team,” Kyle said, toasting Lauren and then Amy.
Amy flushed and dropped one hand to her belly, then raised her glass of juice. “Those aren’t the only additions. Welcome, Haley.”
“And we’re glad to meet you, Reid,” Theo said. “Thanks for joining us for the big reveal.”
“Here’s to a great success for all of you,” Reid said.
They gave a small cheer and clinked glasses, then each took a sip.
“Wait a minute,” Kyle said, putting down his drink. “Did Cassie say you’re Reid Jackson?”
Reid nodded, his expression turning wary.
“But you’re not the Reid Jackson are you?”
“The Reid Jackson?” Reid echoed, although Cassie could see he understood.
Maybe he dreaded the question. She kept her hand on his thigh as a show of confidence and felt his hand close over hers.
“The college quarterback with the trashed knees?” Kyle asked.
Theo’s eyes widened. “That Reid Jackson?”
Reid’s smile was rueful. “That would be me.”
Kyle nearly bounced to his feet in his excitement. “Reid Jackson! I can’t believe it. You were amazing! I’m not even into football, but I remember watching you play.”
“Amazing talent,” Theo agreed. “You could run like the wind.”
“Place those passes wherever you wanted,” Ty said. “Like it was meant to be.”
“You were untouchable!” Theo said.
“Not quite,” Reid countered.
“You were incredible!” Kyle said.
“Were,” Reid echoed and the guys sobered.
“Yeah. Sorry.” Kyle grimaced and threw an apologetic shrug toward Cassie.
There was a beat of silence, then Theo frowned. “But you just disappeared after it happened,” he said. “Where did you go? What did you do?”
“You could have coached any team,” Kyle said. “But you didn’t, did you?”
“I finished my degree,” Reid said, his tone so even that Cassie couldn’t tell what he was thinking. She supposed he’d told this story a few hundred times. “Then I went back to the town where I grew up, Montrose River.” He gave Cassie’s hand a squeeze, then released it. “I bought the grocery store where I’d worked in high school. That’s where I’ve been.”<
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“But...” Kyle protested and Cassie looked daggers at him.
Incredibly, he shut up.
Reid, though, took a deep breath and continued. “There was a settlement and my degree was in business. I used that money as seed capital to make a difference in my hometown.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Ty said, saluting Reid with his glass. “That’s a great initiative.”
“Why not in a bigger place?” Kyle asked, apparently oblivious to Cassie’s dark looks. He wasn’t close enough that she could kick him, either.
She knew Reid wasn’t inclined to talk about himself and didn’t want him to feel like he was on the spot. Kyle, though, was so naturally expansive that he couldn’t even imagine someone preferring to be quiet.
Damon got it, but he was too far away from Kyle to kick him, too. He exchanged a sympathetic glance with Cassie, and Haley leaned forward, her eyes bright with interest.
“Because I don’t understand cities.” Reid gestured to the window and to Cassie’s surprise, he continued. “I love visiting them and I see there are things that could be improved. But I wouldn’t know where to start to make a change. I wouldn’t know who to talk to, or even what to do first. In Montrose River, it was easy.”
“Because it was familiar?” Haley asked. She smiled. “I grew up in a small town myself. There’s something reassuring about knowing all the players, even if you dream of wider horizons.”
“That’s it,” Reid said. “I started with what I know. I started with food.”
“A great place to begin,” Ty said and the appetizers were set before them with perfect timing. “Why food?”
“Because it’s at the root of everything,” Reid said. He spoke well, his words filled with confidence and his pace steady. Cassie could have listened to him all night long. “Marty, that’s the guy who owned the little grocery store and the guy who hired me, always said that everything starts with food. He said that people always need to eat, so running a grocery store is a good source of income. He also said that when people eat well, they can accomplish a lot. So, I went back to Montrose River and I bought that grocery store from him. He was ready to sell but not to stop working, so he stayed on a while as an employee to help me out. It’s an independent store and the only grocery in town. You might think that means it has no competition, but it has a lot—everyone in town has a car, and they can drive to the big groceries in the next town. If the prices or the selection is better, more people will see that drive as worthwhile, so my first goal was to keep them shopping in town.”
Some Guys Have All the Luck Page 23
