The plan of action in place to ensure they arrived just in time to eat was in motion. Why he'd invited her, he wasn't sure. It made sense, since he'd promised to be there for dinner, and she and Tesha, who'd also be there, were close.
It would be the first time since high school that he'd be bringing a woman home. Not that he was bringing Cassie home as a date, but still, his family would automatically jump into either interrogation or matchmaking mode.
His cell phone rang and he looked at the display. Selene. Of course she'd call now. He'd been trying to contact her for two days. Women must have some sort of competition radar. A bell rang in their heads when their significant others were anywhere in the vicinity of a good-looking woman. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Cassie. Her long auburn waves wrapped around from the wind, and she had her head leaned back on the headrest, eyes closed. So beautiful.
So didn't need to go there at the moment. "Hello?" He answered the phone keeping his voice flat. "What's up, buttercup?"
Selene's throaty voice came across clearly. "I'm sorry I didn't return your calls earlier. It's been crazy the last couple days. Long, boring, tiring hours. I have been going straight to bed as soon as I can..."
Cassie opened her eyes and glanced toward him, her whiskey colored eyes meeting his for a moment before she slid her gaze to the radio. He nodded and she began fiddling with the knobs. The front of her blouse gapped and he caught a glimpse of the top of her supple breasts.
"Jensen? Did you hear what I said?" Selene sounded aggravated.
"Something about an extension?" He guessed.
"Yes. I may have to stay here another month longer... So I'll miss your brother's wedding."
"I can come there once my shoot is up. I have another three weeks or so." He was about to ask her the exact date her job ended, but she interrupted.
"No. Don't do that. I am not sure of a date yet and besides with this schedule, you'd be bored spending all those hours alone." He heard a man's voice in the background. "I gotta scoot. Smooches." She ended the call before he could reply.
"Where are we going?" Once again Cassie had her eyes closed, her face turned away from him.
He studied the long lines of her elegant neck. "It's a surprise."
Although her moves were still graceful, she turned toward him with a frown. Cassie swallowed and her eyes widened. "I don't like surprises. As a matter of fact, I hate them."
"Oookay, I get that. I'm taking you to one of my friend's businesses. I think you'll like him."
By her drawn eyebrows and lowered gaze, he could see her mulling it over. "I am not in the mood to be fixed up. You are definitely not the person I'd want to do that for me anyway."
"So you aren't in a relationship right now?" His pulse quickened while waiting for her reply.
Cassie let out an aggravated sigh. "Nope. By choice. So call your friend and tell him we're not coming. I am not interested."
He chuckled only because he knew it would annoy her. "I am not hooking you up. I meant you'll like what he does." Jensen wasn't in the mood to fix her up with a guy, either. He reached for the radio and turned the music up. What the hell was he thinking, driving Cassie around town? She was someone he could never aspire to have a relationship with.
The beautiful woman was rare. Cassie Tucker was wholesome and caring. Someone who remained unspoiled regardless of a less than perfect life. Tesha had filled him in on everything Cassie. His pretty, soon to be sister-in-law seemed to think they'd be a good couple. Cassie was diligent about her younger brother and compassionate enough to uproot her life to care for her grandmother. Not only that, but she was someone who could be lethal to him. A woman like her could bring a man to his knees. She had the power to drive him, to look in the mirror and see the ugly truth of what his life had become.
Yes, it would not be a problem to get her into his bed. Most women would sleep with him without any effort on his part. His persona, being Jensen Ford, did all the work for him. A notch on the bedpost for sleeping with the current toast of Hollywood was enough to make it impossible to find a challenge.
Sure, at times, Cassie seemed to not care for him, actually seemed to dislike him tremendously, but Jensen had no doubt that if he wanted to sleep with her, Cassie, like most women, would not put up much of a fight.
For an inexplicable reason, the realization made him angry. The emotion simmered just below the surface. What the hell was he doing bringing her to his friend's place anyway. It was the beginning of a familiar cycle. Just setting himself up for the inevitable let down.
"What the heck is wrong with you?" Cassie brought him back to the present. "Slow down."
He eyed the speedometer; the needle hovered at almost eighty. Not good, since the sign he whizzed past read forty-five. He slowed and turned on the next street. Two blocks later, he parked across the street from Delectable Bites.
"This is it. My buddy Tommy owns it." He watched her reaction. First, confusion registered, followed by interest, and then, lastly, a slow smile curved her enticing lips.
"You’re friends with Tommy Burgess? He is an amazing baker. This shop has been on the Food Channel numerous times. I came here a couple months ago, but didn't meet the owner."
Jensen exited the car and rounded it to open her door. When her long toned leg stretched out, he lost his train of thought and had to drag his eyes away. This was a bad idea. He should have driven her right back to Lovely.
Just a few minutes and he'd take her to his parents. Then he'd find something to do in a different room. She and Tesha would be preoccupied and he could avoid her until it was time to drive her home. In the dark. To her empty house.
"Jensen? Are you all right?" Cassie studied him, her brows creased. "You sure are acting strange today." She gave him a curious look. "Stranger than usual, I mean."
He huffed and pretended indifference only to once again lose concentration at the sway of her hips when she crossed the street in front of him. She was about five foot seven inches of enticement, with curves in the right places. It was obvious Cassie did not diet or work out to the point of obsession. This woman was all natural, which made his mouth water at the possibility of seeing all those delicious curves on display.
When she turned to look at him over her shoulder, the wind blew her hair over her face and she pushed it back. "Come on."
Jensen practically fell off the sidewalk. He took a deep breath and rolled his eyes. "Not like the cupcakes are going to run away. Big deal, they are stupid little cakes with frosting."
She tried to mask the hurt, and how he wished to take the words back. But it was best she knew him for what he truly was: a pompous egomaniac who didn't give a shit about anything but himself and his career. "Let's get inside. I don't want anyone to see me."
The door slammed in his face just as he was about to go in. Jensen jumped back to avoid getting hit in the nose and cursed. He pushed the door open and stepped inside. "Damn it, woman, you could have broken my nose."
Cassie was already at the counter talking to a couple women behind it. Although there were only a couple of patrons, Jensen ducked his head and pulled his baseball cap down to cover his features as much as possible. The door to the kitchen was to the side of the counter; seeing that the women were engrossed in whatever they spoke about, he slipped through it.
Tommy Burgess never just said hello; he encased Jensen in a rib cracking bear hug. When Jensen was finally able to dislodge himself, he couldn't help but grin at the huge man who beamed down at him. "Long time no see PB!" His friend rarely spoke in low tones. "I've been keepin' up with ya. Can't believe you're dating Selene. She is totally hot." Tommy punched him in the shoulder and Jensen stumbled to the side.
"Nice to see you too, Moose." They grinned at each other like fools. He and Tommy had played football together in High School and were inseparable all four years. They hung out together, studied at each other's houses, and even went to the same college after graduating. Jensen began calling Tommy Moose af
ter his friend christened him with the nickname PB, for Pretty Boy, which annoyed the crap out of him.
"What ya doing in town? We need to hang out and grab a beer or something." Tommy looked to the large kitchen where a couple of older women decorated cupcakes. "Hey ladies, I'm gonna leave early today! My friend here is going to buy me a beer!"
The women shook their heads and smiled at them. One Jensen recognized as Tommy's mother came over and hugged him. "Are you eating enough? You're a bit on the skinny side, sweetie." The woman who'd always been like a second mother to him gave him a disapproving once over. She placed her hands on her ample hips. "Come over for dinner more often. I'll fatten you up."
"Hey, Mrs. Burgess. I have to stay lean. The cameras add some weight."
"Not enough. I've seen your movies." She shook her head and went back to work.
Tommy and Jensen exited the kitchen. He found Cassie sitting at a table with three cupcakes in front of her and a fork in hand. She looked out the window, her lips pursed, as she tasted one of the confections.
When his friend stopped in his tracks, Jensen looked to him. "What?"
"Holy shit! That is one gorgeous creature." Tommy managed to lower his voice for the second sentence. "Is she yours? You bring her from Hollywood?"
"She's just a friend. Well, not really a friend, more like an acquaintance. She needed a ride here to Tucker High."
"Our old stomping ground." Moose laughed at their inside joke. Tucker was their rival in football.
"Yep. Went inside too. Started to spit on the floor." Jensen grinned, only to assume a neutral expression when Cassie stood and looked to them.
Tommy shoved him aside and made a beeline for her. "Hey, there. I'm Tom Burgess, the owner." He looked to the cupcakes on the table. "I see you're doing a taste-testing. What do you think?"
"I don't know how you get so much flavor into your batter. I'm impressed. They are great." She beamed up at Tommy and Jensen almost growled.
His friend took her by the elbow and swept her towards the kitchen. "Let me show you where the magic happens."
They ignored Jensen and disappeared into the back of the shop. With nothing to do, he sat down into her abandoned chair and picked up the fork. He eyed the cupcakes and decided on a chocolate one.
After about half an hour, Tommy and Cassie reappeared. She was wearing a Delectable Bites t-shirt and apron. Her hair was swept up into a long ponytail and she carried a small box, probably filled with cupcakes.
Jensen noticed that Tommy had his arm casually across her shoulders and talking in low tones into her ear. Whatever he said must have been hilarious by the way she threw her head back and laughed.
"We gotta go." He closed the distance and took Cassie's elbow. "Can't be late for dinner."
"I'll see you there," Tommy told him. "I called your Mom and told her you were here and she invited me."
"That's great," Jensen gritted the words out. What the hell was wrong with him? He had a girlfriend. If Cassie and Tommy hooked up it was no skin off his back. "See you there, Moose."
Cassie laughed at the nickname and met Jensen's gaze. "Let's go, PB."
Jensen glared at Tommy who grinned in return. "Yeah, see you in a bit, PB."
They walked out and he stopped in his tracks. A crowd of women headed straight for the cupcake shop. Word had gotten out. "There he is!" One caught sight of him and screamed. A chorus of shouts erupted. "Jensen! Over here!" Cameras and cell phones were produced. As the women neared, several broke into a run and he gauged the distance to his car. Unfortunately, those wise enough to know it was his, and they'd get a close up when he got to it surrounded it.
"Shit." He muttered under his breath when the first trio reached him. With a cocky grin, he waved at the small crowd. "Hello, ladies. How are ya?"
There was a chorus of shrieks, and everyone began to shout questions to him at once. "What is your next movie? Will you marry me? How can I get a date with you?" Cassie laughed and shook her head. "How do you deal with it?"
He yanked his cap lower and grabbed Cassie's hand. "I got used to it. Run."
They managed to make it to the car. He didn't bother to open the door for Cassie but dove into the vehicle and reached across to open the door for her. Unlike him, she took her time getting in while talking to the women. "Hello. We're not an item, just acquaintances. He was nice enough to give me a ride when my car broke down." She lowered the window and waved at one woman who professed to be in love with him and would do anything to marry him. "I'll talk to him," she promised.
When he peeled away careful not to run over the woman who took her time moving from in front of the car, Cassie shook her head. "Poor women. If they knew you better, they wouldn't be so eager to marry you."
"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Jensen slid a glare at her.
"Nothing." Cassie smiled. "I sure wouldn't want to marry you. You're a pain in the butt."
"That's good news, because I am not attracted to goody-goodies."
She turned in her seat, her mouth slack. "I am not a goody-goody, you don't know anything about me. I can be wild and crazy."
It was hard not to laugh at her attempt to assume an intimidating pose when wearing a cupcake ensemble. He eyeballed her apron. "Yeah, I can see that side of you coming through."
"Oh, hush." She crossed her arms and sat back. "Does your mom like cupcakes?" Bottom lip between her teeth, she looked at the Delectable Bites box on her lap.
Not a goody-goody at all. "She loves them."
"Oh good, cause I'm already nervous enough and all. I hate to bring something she hates or is allergic to." Cassie fiddled with the hem of her apron. "Do I look alright?"
"You look good enough to eat." He wagged his eyebrows at her.
"Oh, no. Crap. I can't go to your house with all this on! Don't look." She put the cupcakes on the floorboard, tore the apron off and then grabbed the hem of the t-shirt and yanked it up over her head. Wearing only her beige bra, she bent forward and dug the blouse she'd been wearing earlier out of her bag and pulled it on. The pink fabric covered all the bare skin.
"Jensen, watch where you're going," Cassie chastised. "For goodness’ sake, I don't want to show up with cupcakes and her dead son."
With gritted teeth, he kept his gaze straight ahead. "You should warn a guy before taking your clothes off in his car."
Cassie huffed. "It’s not like I’ve got anything you haven't seen. Besides, I'm nothing like those beautiful actresses you do naked scenes with."
She was right about that. Cassie Tucker was nothing like the women he knew. Nothing like them at all.
This woman was much more tempting.
He ran a stop sign and cursed.
"Your driving sucks," Cassie muttered, looking behind them. "You're lucky a police officer didn't see that."
Chapter Five
It was easier for Cassie to concentrate on nitpicking Jensen's driving than to admit she was enjoying the day with him. Although they didn't get along, his thoughtfulness of introducing him to the famous Tommy Burgess who'd risen to stardom on Cupcake Kings, a television show on the Food Channel, had blown her away.
She'd not expected to meet him, had settled for tasting the wonderful cakes on occasion. She'd visited the shop several times, but he'd been away filming the show and was rarely in the shop in person.
Mr. Luck Jensen had breezed right in and not only found Tommy in residence, but seamlessly arranged for her to have a tour of the kitchen. It was turning out to be a stellar day. Time with the celebrity, and last but not least, Tommy Burgess had given her a secret recipe for his coconut cupcake which was tucked securely in her purse.
The prospect of meeting Jensen's parents made her stomach tumble. Not because there was anything between them, of course, but just the thought of meeting the famous man's family was enough to unsettle any woman.
She stole a glance at him. Wearing aviators, he leaned back in his seat, his hands on the wheel, in the relaxed posture of a man who w
as sure of himself. If nothing else, Jensen Ford was very self-assured.
His profile alone made her gaze linger longer than it should. How was it possible for someone to be so breathtakingly beautiful?
"How do you stand it?" She blurted out before she could stop herself. "The lack of privacy."
With a cocked brow in her direction, he shrugged his wide shoulders. "The fans are who make me who I am. A lot of actors shun them. I try to not be that way. It's part of life when living the dream. I love my fans."
His reply didn't actually surprise her. It was obvious that Jensen loved what he did. A smile curved his sensuous lips. "Sorry about that. I know it's kinda overwhelming for my friends. My brothers hate it. Especially when they get groped. Well, not Caden, he eats it up."
"About your brothers. How do you guys get along? There's four of you, right?"
The look on his face when he turned to her was priceless. He actually beamed. "I've got great brothers. We have a good relationship, all of us. The best thing about them is how they keep me grounded." He lifted up a hand, one finger up. "Tristan can be a bear. He's the oldest and has that bossy thing going, but he's a great guy. Stepped in and took over my dad's marketing company even though I think he really wanted to go into architecture." He grinned at her and her heart flipped. Damn his sexiness. "He owns a plane now so that makes him happy, I suppose. The guy is so serious, he can laugh without smiling." Jensen chuckled at his own joke.
"What about Caden? He's the youngest, right?" Cassie had caught sight of all the brothers on occasion, but Caden was the one who hung out with Jensen more often.
"Yeah, that's my little bro. He's not right in the head. Almost thirty and moved back in with my parents. Caden is crazy. Loves women, but hates to leave from under Mom. I think he has separation anxiety, which is crazy since he's a homicide detective and all that."
The Last Hero: Fords of Nashville, Book 2 Page 3
