Playing Dirty: San Diego Social Scene Book 3
Page 2
Unfortunately for him, Cassie knew Michael Ortiz was scheduled to pitch tonight after a last-minute roster change yesterday, and they went through six pitchers last night, trying to find a rhythm. Rob must’ve missed those little tidbits when he saw the score this morning. He probably never in a million years thought the dark-blonde followed baseball, anyway.
She pointed her finger upward in an aha manner, then started her sedan.
“I have an idea where we can go.”
He stood up straighter, waiting to hear her suggestion, and she took the opportunity to close the door. Rolling her window down, she gave him a sweet smile.
“Well, where you can go, anyway.”
He blinked at her, not understanding.
“For the record, Vaughn, Harris, Taylor, Dorn, and Cerrano all pitched like shit last night. The only one who was worth a damn was Cloney, and he was in a no-win situation by the time he took the mound. Ortiz pitches tonight.” She started to roll her window up but paused for a second to add, “And Rob Bennett, you’re a fucking asshole.”
She shifted her car into drive and drove off without looking back.
Next.
Chapter One
Cassie
Cassie finished her walk down the makeshift aisle in the sand and turned to watch her older sister, Brenna make her way to where an anxious Lieutenant General of the United States Marine Corps, Ron Thompson stood in his dress blues, waiting for his bride. She chuckled, thinking of the fuss Ron made when Brenna insisted on a semi-traditional ceremony, whining he’d have to wear his uniform.
Watching Ron’s face when her sister appeared on the aisle brought tears to her eyes. As he fidgeted while Brenna approached, there wasn’t a thought in Cassie’s head that Ron was nervous he was getting married. No, he was just in a hurry to get his ring on Brenna’s finger and make her his forever. The way Ron looked at her sister, it was obvious she was the only woman in his world who existed.
The minister hadn’t finished giving the instruction for Ron to kiss his bride when he had Brenna’s face in his hands, staring into her eyes, then kissing her with such passion, Cassie’s knees went weak.
Damn.
She glanced over at Ron’s handsome, younger brother and best man, Greg in his tan suit and turquoise tie that matched Cassie’s gown and wondered if he’d kiss like that. Maybe. When he smirked, winked at his date who was sitting three rows back and she blushed, Cassie knew there was no maybe about it. Too bad he was already spoken for.
Cassie gave Brenna the cascading, white and turquoise, calla lily bouquet she was holding as part of her maid of honor duties, then took Greg’s offered arm to be escorted down the aisle behind the bride and groom. The other bridesmaid, Brenna’s daughter, Danielle had healed nicely from her horrible car accident in May and was accompanied by Kyle Montgomery, the girl’s Godfather and best friend of Brenna’s first husband, Danny. Kyle’s involvement in the wedding was all very soap opera-esque, something Cassie secretly loved. It was fun watching people who usually had a stick up their ass try not to appear scandalized when Kyle made his appearance at the pre-wedding festivities. Her parents, however, didn’t bat an eye. Which made sense since Kyle was such an intricate part of their lives, both when Danny was alive, and maybe even more so once he was killed. Kyle had really stepped up to fulfill his role as Godfather after his best friend died, something Cassie appreciated and loved him for.
It was an intimate wedding held outside of Brenna–and now Ron’s—San Diego beach house, so they didn’t have far to go on the short, flower-covered runner. She smiled and squeezed Greg’s arm before releasing it so he could walk back toward the guests and presumably, his lucky date.
The reception was being hosted on the patio, and Cassie had started making her way to the bar when Cooper Johnson stopped her. He was stationed at Ron’s base, and if Ron’s promotion ceremony pictures were accurate, the man could rock a uniform like nobody’s business. But his more casual attire for the beach wedding worked, too.
“Cassandra! You look beautiful.”
“Cooper, call me Cassie, please! Cassandra is just so… formal.”
“I think it fits you. It’s elegant. Classy.”
It was all she could do not to snort out a laugh. She was many things–spunky, cute, a spitfire, a little mouthy perhaps—but classy and elegant were not words she would ever use to describe herself. Still, she knew how to be professional and was damn good at her job as a pharmaceutical rep, so she was comfortable in her skin.
Patting his cheek with her manicured hand, she smiled. “Aw, aren’t you sweet? You obviously don’t know me very well but thank you.”
He leaned down and pressed his lips against her ear. “And how do I remedy that?”
Goosebumps ran down her spine, and she felt her nipples harden. Cassie searched his twinkling eyes as he pulled away from her. Was her mouth open? It might have been because he was smirking at her.
Brenna had told her Cooper insisted on getting Cassie’s phone number right after a charity event they had all attended. He’d spent time at their table, and the two of them hit it off, she had thought like buddies–although there was no denying he was handsome. His dirty blonde hair with natural highlights and blue eyes screamed he was a California boy, through and through. His tall, tan, athletic body could easily be mistaken for a surfer’s, not a Marine Captain’s. Hell, he probably did spend time on a board catching waves. The toothpaste commercial smile was just the icing on the cake. The night of the charity auction, Cassie only had eyes for SWAT Sergeant Luke Rivas, so when Brenna told Cassie about Cooper’s interest, she was certain Brenna had misunderstood, especially since he never actually called her.
Now, she wasn’t so sure.
“Save me a dance,” he said with a wink, then looked over her shoulder and straightened, taking a step back.
Luke appeared at her side and offered Cooper a smile and a handshake.
“Johnson. Haven’t seen you since the auction. Anything ever become of that date?”
Cooper glanced over at Cassie when he answered. “Nah, we couldn’t all be as lucky as you.”
Her gaze went to the ground. Luke and Cooper had both auctioned themselves off at the Heroes of San Diego’s Charity Auction last month, and she knew he was referring to the fact Cassie had bid on and won Luke’s date for five hundred dollars.
A date that still hadn’t taken place.
“I was pretty lucky, wasn’t I?” Luke grinned, pinning Cassie with his gaze.
Really? He thought he was lucky? He sure has a funny way of showing it.
The smile on Cooper’s face didn’t reach his eyes when he said solemnly, “You were indeed.”
Before turning on his heel, Cooper winked at Cassie and teased, “Make sure to save that dance for me.”
At least she thought he was teasing.
A contemplative look crossed Luke’s features as they watched Cooper walk off. He turned back to Cassie, a smile on his face and crinkle lines around his eyes.
Green eyes.
“How have you been?” he asked, gesturing for them to continue toward the house.
“I’ve been good, busy. How about you?”
“The same,” he chuckled.
She wasn’t sure what to say or how to act since she didn’t know how he felt about her. Should she flirt? Or be the polite maid of honor and make insignificant chitchat while acting indifferent? She was interested in him but got the impression his feelings toward her were tepid, and a girl had her pride.
The awkward silence as they walked along the sand was finally broken when he quietly said, “You look really beautiful.”
Cassie glanced up at him with a surprised smile. “Thank you. You look nice, too.”
She wasn’t lying. He was classically handsome, in a Latin lover kind of way and like he belonged on the beach in his khakis and blue linen popover shirt that showed off his tan.
They made it to the back patio where people were mingling and enjoying coc
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a couple better suited for each other,” he observed.
“They do bring out the best in one another,” Cassie nodded.
“Being in love tends to do that to you.”
She looked up at him and tilted her head. “It seems like you’re speaking from experience.”
Luke gave a whimsical smile. “I’m just observant.”
“So, you’ve never been in love like that?”
He answered her question with a question. “Have you?”
“I asked you first.”
There was a long pause while he considered his answer.
“I thought maybe I was, once. Turns out, I wasn’t.”
“Sounds like there’s a story behind that.” She was trying to draw more out, but he quickly shut her down.
With narrowed eyes, he shook his head, “It’s in the past,” then pressed the small of her back, urging her forward, letting her know that topic was closed.
She was intrigued, and Luke not wanting to talk about it only made her want to talk about it more.
She was obnoxious like that.
“So, what do you want to talk about?” she asked when they reached the back of the long line for the open bar. “Our date that’s never going to happen?”
He raised an eyebrow. “And why isn’t it ever going to happen?”
“I don’t know, you tell me?” Cassie shrugged. “You haven’t exactly been in a hurry to schedule it.”
“Well,” he smirked, “I’ve been waiting for you to call me, doll.”
She opened her mouth, then closed it again with a frown. Why should she have to call him?
As if reading her mind, he continued in a gentle tone.
“The auction winner is supposed to make the first call. She’s provided with her date’s contact information but not vice versa. The committee wanted the ladies to feel comfortable providing as much or as little information about themselves as they wanted. The instructions were in your winner’s packet.”
Thinking about how annoyed she’d been he hadn’t called, she felt a little silly and wanted to save some of her dignity.
“Well, last I checked, you already have my number. Unless you deleted it?”
“Of course, I didn’t delete it.” The thought seemed to surprise him. “I just thought I should wait to hear from you. I knew things with the wedding had to be keeping you busy and given how last time…”
Just then, someone tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned to find a few people from the fundraising committee for The Wounded Warrior Project.
Given how last time what? How nothing ever happened even though the one kiss they shared was the kind of kiss romance novels were written about? Given how he blew her off, repeatedly, even though he acted interested?
“Saved by the bell,” she murmured as he excused himself to step out of line and talk with the group.
When Luke hadn’t called after the charity auction, she honestly thought he still wasn’t interested in her, that the chemistry they seemed to share had all been in her head or the result of too much alcohol. Granted, she knew he’d honor the charity auction date, eventually, she just assumed it would be obvious he meant it to be strictly platonic. Now, she allowed herself to feel the excitement she’d felt the night she bought his date. Maybe he was interested in her after all.
Once she got to the front of the line, she ordered a glass of white wine. While waiting for the bartender to return with her order, Cassie felt herself physically relax.
They’d pulled it off—a wedding and reception planned and completed in a month.
It helped her sister had some pretty good connections—being a famous screenwriter did have its perks—but the two of them along with Marlene, the jittery wedding planner, had organized, prepared, and executed a gorgeous wedding in less than five weeks’ time.
A wedding her sister so rightly deserved.
“Fancy meeting you here.” Cooper appeared beside her with a grin.
“Small world,” she smiled brightly at him. “Did you cut in line?”
“Maybe we’re just like-minded. And do I look like the kind of guy who would cut in line?”
“That’s a scary thought,” she teased. “And, yes, you do look like the kind of guy who would cut in line.”
He clutched his chest as if her words wounded him, then quickly recovered when the bartender appeared, motioning he’d have one of the Scotch currently being poured.
He turned back toward her, chewing on a black stirrer straw he’d snagged from the cup full of them behind the bar.
“What’s a scary thought? That you’d think like I do or that I’d think like you?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” she gave a small smirk and looked up at him through her eyelashes.
That caused him to break out into a big, perfect smile. “Let me know when you do.”
“You’ll be the first to know,” she bantered back.
They got their drinks at the same time, and Cooper clinked his glass against hers.
“To the most beautiful maid of honor.”
“Who didn’t trip going down the aisle,” she added.
“Were you worried?”
“Oh, yeah. I’m a klutz.” She pulled up her chiffon dress to reveal her pink pedicure with no shoes. “I think that was part of the reason Brenna wanted us barefoot. It would lessen my risk of falling down and embarrassing her.”
“I thought you seemed smaller.”
“Yep,” Cassie nodded. “I had some pretty high heels on the last time I saw you.”
“Yeah, I noticed.” There was no mistaking the naughty look in his eyes.
She gave a knowing wink and promised, “I’ll have shoes on when we dance later,” then turned to go mingle with the other guests.
Chapter Two
Luke
Brenna was a beautiful bride. Not only was she hot as hell to look at, but she was a beautiful person on the inside. Ron was one lucky bastard.
Cassie was the younger version of Brenna, minus the polish, and he loved that. He liked that she wasn’t afraid to say fuck out loud or tell him exactly what she was thinking. That made her even more attractive as far as he was concerned.
He’d been looking forward to going out with her and was disappointed when she didn’t reach out to arrange a time for their auction date, assuming she’d had a change of heart. He would have deserved that, in the most ironic way.
When she appeared at the beginning of the wedding to walk down the aisle, he was taken aback at how stunning she looked. He knew she was gorgeous, but damn, today, she was downright mesmerizing. From her blonde hair styled in an updo with wispy hairs framing her heart-shaped face to her baby blues, today the color of the ocean right after a storm. Her turquoise dress hugged her tight body, and her makeup was more dramatic than he’d ever seen before. He couldn’t take his eyes off her the entire ceremony.
Apparently, he wasn’t alone in that regard.
The fact he was jealous surprised him. He didn’t usually get jealous. He’d always been the type to go after what he wanted and get it—with the one exception—so he never begrudged other people when they did the same. He actually respected it.
Not this fucking time though. He’d play dirty this time if he had to.
Maybe he was more ready for this date than he thought.
When his work phone started to ring, he cursed under his breath, “Goddammit.”
He hadn’t had much choice about being on call tonight; Nathan’s wife was nine months pregnant and past her due date, so she was set to pop any time. Frank was gone for his monthly weekend with the National Guard, and Shawn’s appendix burst last night, so Luke was the only SWAT sergeant left. He’d been silently praying for a quiet night, especially once he realized he might have some competition for Cassie. The universe seemed to have other plans.
After making his apologies to Ron and Brenna for his hasty departure, he sought Cassie out to say goodbye and hopefully prompt a quick discussion about when they were going to talk next.
When he explained he had to go, she seemed annoyed, at best.
“I can’t figure you out,” she mused from her seat at the head table. “You seem interested in me yet you didn’t take tonight off work even though I’m assuming you knew there was going to be drinking and dancing tonight and that I was going to be here.”
He kneeled so he was eye level with her. “It’s not that simple. I traded weekends, so I actually was supposed to be off tonight but emergencies happened, and I was the last man standing. Actually, I was the only man standing. Believe me when I say, there’s nowhere else I want to be tonight than here, ogling you in that dress. Unfortunately, a barricaded man with a gun decided to ruin that for me.”
That drew a reluctant smile from her, and she softened her posture.
He felt safe caressing her elbow and asking, “Will you have dinner with me?”
She didn’t hesitate in her reply. “I’d love to. When?”
He wanted to say tomorrow but thought that short of notice might reek of desperation. “Next Saturday?”
She seemed like she was about to agree, then stopped. “Wait, did you say dinner? I thought your date was walking dogs, lunch, and a tour of the SWAT station?”
“It is. But, I already have that date in the bag,” he said with a wink. “Dinner is separate from the Heroes date, so you have to go out with me at least twice.”
She pursed her lips. “Shouldn’t we go on the auction date first? I mean, I paid good money for that. What happens if we go to dinner and have a horrible time? Then we’ll still have the lunch date we’ll both dread going on, so we won’t ever schedule it, and eventually, we’ll forget all about, and I will have lost out on a five-hundred-dollar date.”
Luke knew she was teasing him, and he found her fucking adorable. He could flirt with her all night, unfortunately, duty called.
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