Somewhere Along the Way

by Ruth Cardello

  Her hands were everywhere on him. He was mindless with his need to take her further, drive himself deeper within her. She met his thrust with an animalistic eagerness.

  When they came, it was loud, sweaty, and left them both shaking, intimately connected as they both came back to earth. After several days of sex with Cassie, Luke would have thought things would be cooling between them, but it was even more intense because they were learning what brought each other the most pleasure.

  Slowly, reluctantly, they disentangled from each other. They arranged their clothing the best they could and laughed as they picked up the bowls Luke had knocked from the table.

  Still flushed from her orgasm, Cassie stacked the bowls in the sink. “I’m going to be baking late tonight.”

  Luke joined her at the sink, kissing her slightly swollen lips softly. “I’ll help you.”

  Cassie chuckled. “You’re not as much help as you think.”

  He pushed her hair off her neck and trailed hot kisses from her ear to her shoulder. “Are you complaining?”

  She blushed and shook her head. “Not at all.”

  Her question from earlier came back to him and he said, “The fundraiser dinner sounds like fun. Count me in.”

  Cassie tensed beside him. “It’s next Thursday. Won’t you be gone by then?”

  Luke froze. They hadn’t spoken about his departure date. Honestly, he’d put it out of his head and for once had just enjoyed being in the moment. His vacation had originally been for one week, but he had cleared his schedule. He didn’t have to return to New York yet. “I don’t have to be,” he answered simply. “I could stay longer.”

  Cassie turned to pin him down with those beautiful brown eyes of hers. “You mean for another week?”

  He didn’t have an answer for that. “I didn’t expect to meet someone when I came here, Cassie.”

  Cassie’s forehead furrowed with irritation. “Well, I certainly didn’t expect you, either.”

  He pulled her tense body into his arms. “Tell Bonnie I’ll attend the dinner with you.”

  She pushed against his chest. “Maybe you shouldn’t. Maybe we should keep to our original plan.”

  He kissed her forehead gently and continued to hold her. “None of this was part of my plan, but I can’t walk away from you.”

  “Yet,” she said angrily.

  Another man might have lied to her and spouted promises he didn’t intend to keep. That had never been Luke. “Whatever happens, I would never intentionally hurt you. If you want me to leave now, say so, and I’ll go.”

  She beat both of her fists on his chest in frustration, then grabbed the front of his shirt, went up on her tiptoes, and kissed him boldly, wantonly on the mouth. “One more week. That’s all you get. I can’t give you more than that.”

  Yet, Luke thought, but kept it to himself. Instead, with all the pent up emotion within him, he kissed her. She kissed him back hungrily, and her baking didn’t get done until early the next morning.

  Chapter Eight

  “I need your advice,” Cassie said into her cell phone as she paced the floor of her bedroom two mornings later.

  “Okay, okay, calm down. What happened?” Bonnie asked urgently.

  Cassie waved at the collection of dresses she’d strewn across her bed even though she knew Bonnie couldn’t see them. “I should have said no.”

  “To what?” Bonnie asked again, sounding like she would have shaken Cassie if she’d been in the same room.

  “To a date with Luke today. He said he wanted to take me somewhere and said I should wear something nice. I don’t know what that means. I don’t go anywhere. I don’t have fancy dresses.” Cassie sat on the edge of her bed. “I’m going to tell him I feel sick because that’s not a lie.”

  “Stop,” Bonnie said firmly. “You do have nice dresses; I’ve seen you in them. Maybe they aren’t designer brands, but men don’t care about that. I would come over, but I promised I’d wait at the restaurant for the plumber who’s supposed to fix the back sink that’s always leaking. Go turn on your laptop so we can Skype. I’ll hop on the computer in the office.”

  Cassie turned on her laptop and felt even more ridiculous when she was face to face with her friend. “I’m sorry to bother you with this, Bonnie.”

  “Are you kidding? I love this stuff. Do you have a little black dress?”

  Cassie put the laptop down on her bureau and returned to hold up a dress in front of the camera. “Like this?”

  Bonnie shook her head. “Something without a turtleneck and long sleeves.”

  “I have a blue dress I used to wear when I’d go out dancing. I don’t even know if it still fits me.” Cassie held up the dress for inspection. “Isn’t it too cold to wear something like this?”

  “Trust me, I doubt you’ll be outside long.” Bonnie looked it over critically. “I have to see it on you.”

  Cassie moved away from the camera eye, stepped out of her robe, and into the dress. She reluctantly walked back in front of the laptop. The dress felt shorter and tighter, and it didn’t cover nearly as much of her cleavage as she remembered. “I don’t think it fits anymore.”

  “Turn around.” Bonnie made an evaluative sound. “Are you wearing underwear?”

  Cassie blushed. “Of course.”

  “You need to wear a thong under a dress like that.”

  “I don’t own any.”

  “Then go commando.”

  Cassie shook her head. “No way.”

  Bonnie rolled her eyes. “Which would you rather do? Look like you’re wearing your grandmother’s undies because that dress shows everything, or wear nothing and possibly give Luke a thrill on the way home?”

  Cassie turned in front of her bedroom mirror and grimaced at the very obvious panty lines she saw. “I guess you’re right.”

  “I am. That’s the dress you should wear on your date. You look amazing.”

  Cassie stepped out of her underwear and gave her backside another look in the mirror. “I don’t know if I’m sexy enough for it.”

  Bonnie waved a finger at Cassie. “A woman is as sexy as she feels. Own it, and you’ll rock it.”

  Cassie nodded and made a soft affirmation to herself. “Own it.”

  “What are you planning to do with your hair?”

  Cassie usually threw it back in a ponytail. She shrugged. “Down?”

  “Definitely. And shoes?”

  Cassie held up a strappy pair tentatively. “These?”

  “Perfect.”

  Cassie put on the shoes and spun in front of the mirror. “I think I can do this.”

  “I know you can. Cassie, Luke already likes you. You’re going to turn him on just by showing up. Don’t worry.”

  Cassie walked over to the laptop and bent down in front of it. “If you were here I would hug you, Bonnie. You have no idea how much better I feel.”

  Bonnie looked over her shoulder and said, “That’s what friends are for, Cassie. Anytime. Hey, I think I hear the plumber knocking on the door. I have to run. Good luck, and tell me all about it when you get back.”

  Cassie closed the laptop with one hand and straightened. She felt silly being worried about going out on a date with Luke after she’d spent over a week sleeping with him. But this was something new. This took them out of her home and into the actual world. Somehow that made what they were doing feel real, and that scared her.

  Real relationships hurt when they end.

  And don’t fool yourself, Cassie, this is going to end.

  She carefully applied makeup and blew out her hair until it shone in thick, long waves down her back. She chose small, simple gold earrings and left her neck bare. Better to have nothing there than something that looked cheap.

  I’m ready.

  Well, as ready as I’ll ever be.

  She picked up a matching clutch purse and stepped out of her bedroom. Luke was already in the hall. He was in a nice suit that reminded her of the first day she’d met him. Sophis
ticated. Expensive. From a completely different world than she was. She raised her chin and repeated Bonnie’s words in her head. Own it, and you’ll rock it. She walked confidently toward Luke. “You look nice.”

  A smile tugged at his lips. It was the sexy smile she was familiar with, which was usually followed by him sharing a naughty idea. Or two. “You look almost too good to take out, Cupcake.”

  Still not sure she wanted to go, she said softly, “We don’t have to go anywhere.”

  He closed the distance between them and gave her a short, sweet kiss that shook her as deeply as any they had shared. “We do. You work hard. You deserve to be pampered. Come on, let me spoil you today.”

  She laced her fingers with his. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

  “Do you have any problem flying in a small plane?”

  Cassie’s eyes rounded. “Not that I know of.”

  His smile widened. “Then no. I want to surprise you.”

  “You told me to pack a small bag, so I canceled my orders for tomorrow and the next day. I didn’t know what time we’d be back.”

  He stopped halfway down the stairs and pushed her back against the banister for a deep kiss. “I like the way you think.” One of his hands ran up her bare thigh and beneath the back hem of her dress. When he encountered the bare skin of her ass, he gave it a healthy squeeze then raised his head and growled, “I really like the way you think.” He brought his other hand around, cupping her ass in his strong hands. He groaned. “We need to leave now while I can still walk.”

  Knowing she had the power to push him out of control was an aphrodisiac like none other. Cassie wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him, loving the desire she saw flaring in his eyes. “You’re right, we don’t want to be late for whatever you have planned.”

  He groaned and began to kiss her neck deliciously. Cassie arched against him. He lifted her up in his strong arms, carried her back into her bedroom, and laid her out on her bed. With a sexy chuckle he said, “They’ll hold the plane.”

  ***

  Two hours later, an overnight bag hastily packed and carried on, Luke and Cassie were seated side by side in a single-engine Cessna 206 as it circled a private airstrip adjacent to endless rows of grape vines, trimmed short and blanketed in snow. “Welcome to the Blue Heart Vineyard, named after a diamond desired by the wife of the previous owner. They never had children. Possibly because the wealthy man gave his wife one hundred eighty acres of wine country instead of the thirty-carat rock Harry Winston was selling at the time.”

  “It’s beautiful.”

  “I’ll tell Noah you like the place. He and his wife bought it about three years ago. You’ll like JoAnne. She was shy when we first met her, but she’s come around.”

  “We?”

  While appreciating the view out the window and reminiscing, he absently answered Cassie. He’d told himself he would go to see Noah’s new place as soon as things slowed down at work and with his family. Three years had passed. The realization weighed on Luke’s mood. “I was there the night Noah met her. He dragged me to a dreadfully boring charity garden party his mother was hosting. I was supposed to be his excuse to leave early. Then he saw JoAnne and the rest is history. They’ve been inseparable since. I haven’t seen them much since they left New York, but I still consider them two of my closest friends.”

  “Oh, my God,” Cassie said softly as the plane descended to the airfield below.

  It was then Luke heard the distress in Cassie’s voice. He turned and noticed Cassie had gone pale and took her hand in his. “Landing in a small plane can be a little unnerving in the beginning, but it’s perfectly safe.”

  She chewed her bottom lip, her eyes wide with worry. “You didn’t tell me we were visiting friends of yours.”

  Was she worried what they’d think of her? Luke bent, gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, “Don’t worry, Cassie, they’ll love you.”

  Cassie shook her head back and forth in strong denial, then she blurted, “You don’t understand.”

  The level of her concern was unexpected. He’d chosen to bring Cassie to meet his friends because he’d wanted to demonstrate to her she was more than a casual vacation hook-up. He’d assumed she’d be pleased. He wasn’t sure how to interpret her reaction. Anyone who could run a bed and breakfast would surely not be shy when meeting new people. “I don’t.”

  She looked away from him as if debating how honest she wanted to be with him. She turned back to him and blurted, “I’m still not wearing underwear. I didn’t even bring any. It was so much fun before, and I thought we’d be alone. I can’t meet your friends like this.”

  The plane touched down on the runway with a series of soft bumps. Luke tried, but couldn’t contain his amusement. Cassie’s admission was both enchantingly innocent and so hot he was sporting another hard-on. It was a condition he was becoming accustomed to around Cassie. She looked so embarrassed that he laughed out loud, and laughed harder when she frowned and smacked him on the arm.

  “This isn’t funny.”

  He wiped tears of mirth from beneath his eyes. “Cassie, you have no idea how good it feels to be with you.”

  She glowered at him for a moment more, then a corner of her mouth turned up with a reluctant smile. “You could at least pretend to sympathize.”

  He tried to look contrite but gave up and simply grinned down at her. “The one I feel badly for is me. How am I going to concentrate on anything but you now with that image in my head?”

  “You knew I was commando back at my house.”

  “I know, and look what happened there.”

  They shared a long look at the heated memory. He pulled her to him for a brief kiss. “Seriously, if you’re not comfortable we can leave now and come back. But say it now because I believe they’re heading down the walkway to meet us.”

  Cassie glanced out the window of the small plane to confirm what he’d said. “We can’t leave now. What would they think?”

  Luke turned Cassie so she was looking at him again. “I don’t care what they think. I care how you feel. Are we staying or going?”

  She made a face at him and said, “I don’t mind meeting your friends. I just don’t want—”

  “Them to see your assets,” Luke finished and chuckled again.

  She waved a finger at him. “You will pay for this.”

  He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “We’ll see. Noah said we could use his guesthouse. I’m confident I can win your forgiveness there.” He slid one hand up the bare expanse of her thigh to the hem of her dress. “I’ll apologize all night long if you want, Cupcake. Would you like that? I’ll—”

  The side of the plane opened, and a cold gust of air whipped into the cabin. Cassie gasped and clamped her knees together. “Man, that’s cold.”

  Luke barked out another laugh and helped her to her feet. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d felt as lighthearted and free. If she’d honestly been upset, he would have turned the plane around and left, but he was glad they were staying. Bringing Cassie to meet Noah and JoAnne felt right, just as being with Cassie felt right. It was a simple truth that Luke was beginning to question less and less.

  Chapter Nine

  “Would you like me to take your coat, ma’am?” a man in a dark blue suit asked Cassie.

  “No, thank you, I’ll keep it on,” Cassie answered. She glanced at Luke who was handing his coat to a member of the staff and silently dared him to say a word.

  Cassie had only spoken a few words of greeting to JoAnne when she’d met her out by the plane, but she could understand why Luke’s friend had fallen for her so quickly. She was stunning. Perfectly tailored in woolen pants and a delicate matching sweater, JoAnne was intimidatingly put together and sophisticated. She wore her jet-black hair in a sassy, modern bob, which complemented her delicate features and mocha complexion. Everything about her screamed cultured elegance, but her smile was openly friendly and sincere
.

  Cassie took several deep, calming breaths.

  JoAnne’s husband, Noah, was a tall man, with beautifully dark skin and jet-black eyes. He was dressed in dark gray trousers and a sweater Cassie guessed had cost more than any dress she’d ever owned. He carried himself with an easy confidence that likely came from being born with money. I don’t belong here.

  Still, it was hard not to like Luke’s friends, especially after seeing the heartwarming hug Noah had exchanged with Luke. They were two men who had known each other long enough to consider themselves family.

  Luke had brought Cassie forward and introduced her simply as, “This is Cassie Daiver.”

  Cassie’s head had spun with questions. Luke had said it as if he’d mentioned her to them already. She wanted to know what he’d told them. While at the same time, she wasn’t sure she did.

  They’d quickly made their way to the main house to get out of the frigid weather. Now that they were all gathered inside, Cassie couldn’t help but take a moment to appreciate the beauty of their home. She was fairly certain her entire bed and breakfast could have fit in the main foyer. A beautifully ornate staircase curved off to one side, accented with paintings Cassie guessed were originals.

  There was nothing tacky about the home, but it sent a clear message. Luke’s friends were wealthier than anyone Cassie had ever encountered.

  Questions bubbled within Cassie, undermining her confidence. What would these people think of me if they knew how I grew up? I probably still make less each year than their house staff. Would they care if they knew? She thought about the dress she was wearing and how little it had cost and was even more reluctant to remove her coat.

  “Are you cold?” JoAnne asked in a sweet tone.

  “No,” Cassie answered honestly, then cursed herself for jumping on that reason to retain her coat. “I mean, it’s my fault if I am. I didn’t dress appropriately.”

  “I noticed,” JoAnne said with a small smile.