Come What May (Forever and Always #9)

by E. L. Todd

  “Good luck,” she said happily.

  “Thanks. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Bye.”

  I hung up then headed to her apartment.

  When I arrived at her door, I knocked then took a deep breath. I wore dark jeans and a buttoned black shirt. It was casual but not too casual. And I hated wearing a suit anyway, practically the tie. The candy bar was in my hand. I hoped she liked the gesture.

  She opened the door, wearing black leggings, heels, and a loose fitting sweater. It only covered one shoulder, revealing the other along with her slender neck. She wore a gold necklace and matching earrings. Her hair was wavy and curly at the ends. It framed her face, making her cheekbones more prominent. Her beauty rendered me speechless.

  She smiled. “Hi.”

  “Hey…” God, she was beautiful.

  She eyed me. “Everything alright?”

  “You look…yeah.”

  “Yeah?” Her smile stretched.

  “I mean, you look very nice.” Why did I always make an idiot of myself in front of this girl?

  “Thank you.” She eyed my body. “You look…yeah too.”

  I smiled when she teased me. It made me relax. “I wanted to bring you candy and flowers, but I figured a Snickers bar would be perfect.”

  She took it and grinned. “It looks delicious.”

  “It’s family size.”

  “Ooh…the bigger, the better.”

  God, she was cool. A stuck-up girl would cringe at the odd gesture but she played along with it and had a good laugh. And her smile was breathtaking. She should be in a toothpaste commercial.

  She placed it on the counter. “I’ll save that for later.”

  “You aren’t going to split it with me?” I teased.

  “Hell no. That’s mine.”

  I smiled then stepped into the hallway. “Are you ready?”

  She grabbed her clutch then locked the door. “I’m starving.”

  “You like Chinese?”

  “Fattening food with extra grease and MSG? Of course.” She hooked her arm through mine and walked beside me.

  I laughed then tensed at her affection. It was a nice touch. I liked having her arm there. It was so slim compared to mine.

  When we reached my Jaguar, I opened the door for her and got her inside. I sat in the driver’s seat and activated my iPod.

  She grabbed it. “I’m picking this time. You got Radiohead?”

  “You like Radiohead?” I asked incredulously.

  “Who doesn’t?”

  “A lot of people…”

  “Well, I love them.”

  “You’re so cool,” I blurted.

  She shrugged. “I get that all the time.”

  “Now you’re just cocky,” I countered.

  She laughed. “Touché.”

  When we arrived at the restaurant, we took our seats then scanned over our menus. I kept glancing at her face, wanting to stare at the features I was so smitten with. Her lips were full and red. I wondered how they would feel against my mouth.

  “What?”

  Huh? Did she catch me staring at her? “Sorry?”

  “You were staring at me.”

  Did I make it that obvious? “No…”

  She smiled. “It’s okay. I was staring at you too.”

  Phew.

  “What are you getting?” she asked.

  “Orange chicken peel.”

  “I’m getting the Kung Pao chicken.”

  “Spicy…I like it.”

  The longer I was around her, the more comfortable I felt. I tried to pinpoint what I liked the most about her, but it was hard to tell. She was beautiful, smart, funny, easy-going, and just…cool. But her best feature was her personality. She was the hottest chick ever, but she never took herself too seriously. And that was the most attractive aspect.

  “You like sports?”

  “Go Yankees.”

  Excellent. “We should go to a game sometime.”

  “That would be cool.”

  “So, that means I get a third date?”

  “It appears so.”

  I nodded. “Yes.”

  “Why are you so surprised?” She rested her elbows on the table and stared at me.

  “You’re way out of my league. Excuse my words, but you’re the hottest chick I’ve ever seen.”

  Her cheeks blushed. “I don’t know about that…”

  “Why do you think I made such an idiot of myself when we first met?”

  “Because you were stupid,” she teased.

  My cheeks reddened. “No. I was just nervous.”

  “Well, that’s very sweet. Mike, you’re a very nice guy. I misjudged you before.”

  “Thank you. That means a lot.”

  “You could have any girl you wanted. Every model wants a billionaire husband.”

  “I don’t want that,” I said firmly. “I want to marry my best friend. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t care about money, but I can tell you aren’t like that.”

  “Really? How?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know how to explain it. I can just tell.”

  She gave me a sweet smile then looked away.

  We ate our meal in silence and I watched her table manners. She ate like a queen. Her back was always straight and she didn’t spill a crumb. I liked her posture. She worked hard on her body, and it showed.

  She ate all her food, wiping the plate clean.

  I couldn’t even finish mine. “That’s hot.”

  “What?”

  “You finished your meal.”

  “What’s the point in going out if you don’t eat?” She wiped her fingers with a napkin then pushed her plate away.

  “I like your philosophy.”

  When we finished dinner, I drove her back to her apartment. I didn’t want our date to end but I didn’t want to be presumptuous and invite her back to my place. When we reached her door, she opened it and walked inside.

  Do I just walk in…?

  “You coming?” she asked. “I thought we were going to split that Snickers?”

  I smiled then came inside. Her apartment was decorated with darker colors, brown, gray, and white. She had leather couches and a large flat screen. Her apartment was spacious and nice. It definitely wasn’t cheap. I looked down the hallway and saw the open door to her bedroom. A perfectly made bed was in view.

  She sat on the couch then opened the wrapper. “This looks so good. I hardly ever eat sweets.”

  “I can tell.” I sat next to her then took a huge bite right out of her hands. “And it is good.”

  She glared at me then took a small bite.

  “Come on. That was lame.”

  “I’m a lady,” she said in fake offense.

  “Pretend you’re a shark and take a huge bite.”

  “Like Jaws?”

  I nodded. “Exactly.”

  She smiled then took a big bite of the candy bar. She chewed slowly because she had so much in her mouth. “Shit, that’s good.”

  She didn’t curse often, and I liked hearing it. We took turns taking bites until there was none left. She had chocolate sauce on her face. My immediate reaction was to wipe it away with my fingers, but I held back. “You got chocolate sauce on your face.”

  She licked it away, getting every drop.

  Damn, that was hot. Seeing her tongue do something so sexy made my spine shiver. I never had a reaction like that to another person. When I realized I was getting hard, I pushed the thought away. I respected Cassandra, and I wanted this to go somewhere. Acting that way wouldn’t get me anywhere.

  “You’re cute,” she said.

  What? I am? “Oh.”

  “You’re trying so hard to be a gentleman. Your effort doesn’t go unnoticed.” She gave me a nice smile then put the wrapper aside. “You want to watch a game?”

  I got to be on a date and do what I would be doing if I were home at the same time? That was the most awesome thing in the world. “Sure.�
�

  She turned on the TV and put on a Knicks game. She kicked off her heels and got comfortable on the couch.

  I eyed her in my periphery. I wanted to snuggle with her, but was that appropriate? Would that be too fast? It seemed like she liked me so I decided to go for it. I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her to my chest.

  She gave me the biggest and brightest smile as she rested her head on my shoulder and wrapped her arm around my waist. A quiet sigh escaped her lips. I felt warm inside. We cuddled together on the couch and watched the game.

  As it grew late, we somehow laid on the couch, her body lying on my chest. My arms wrapped around her waist, feeling her slight form. She was tiny in comparison to me, petite. Her eyes were closed, so I stared at her. Her hair was sprawled across my chest. The distinct smell of roses emitted from her, making me feel relaxed. I relished in the moment and ran my fingers through her hair. I never touched a girl like this before, not before sex or after. I could have gone out with someone else and got laid tonight, but I didn’t want that anymore. And sharing this moment made me realize I didn’t want that ever again. It was lonely and depressing. I wanted someone I could watch a basketball game with on a Friday night. Someone I could share a Snickers bar with. Someone who ate all their food like a real person. Someone who didn’t dress like a slut to get my attention. I had a strong feeling Cassandra was that person.

  14

  Scarlet

  I walked into Sean’s office then shut the door behind me.

  Sean looked up from his desk. “Hey, baby. What a surprise.” He stood up then straightened his tie before he reached me and gave me a big kiss. “What are you doing here?”

  “We’re going to lunch with Mike.”

  “We are?” he asked.

  “It’s a double date. We’re going to meet the girl he’s crazy about.”

  “I can’t imagine my brother being crazy about anyone.”

  “Well, he is,” I said firmly. “And she sounds perfect for him.”

  “Mike didn’t mention her to me. That’s weird.”

  I shrugged. “He probably assumed you’d tease him.”

  “Well, obviously. It’s payback time. He picked on me for getting married so many times.”

  “You know why, right? Because he was jealous.”

  “Whatever. I’m still giving him a hard time.”

  I gave him a hard look. “Sean, be nice to Mike this one time. I can tell this girl is important to him.”

  He sighed. “Fine. For you.”

  “Thank you.”

  He looked at his watch. “When is this going down? Because I want a quickie.”

  I rolled my eyes. “When did the romance die?”

  “The fire is still burning, baby.” He guided me to the desk then pressed his erection against my stomach. His hand moved up my shirt and grabbed my breast. He massaged it and squeezed. I knew I shouldn’t enjoy it but I did. I felt the heat burn between my legs.

  Sean pressed his face into the crook of my neck and kissed me, sucking the skin and cherishing it with kisses.

  The door opened and Mike came inside. “You guys ready?”

  Sean immediately dropped his hand from my breast and glared at him. “Knock! It’s not that fucking hard.”

  Mike smiled. “Just stop fooling around with your wife every time she comes to work. That would solve the problem.”

  Sean glared at him. “This girl is going to get an earful of embarrassing stories about you, including the Lucinda story.”

  I gave Sean a firm look. “Sean…”

  He sighed. “You’re lucky my wife likes you.”

  “Let’s go,” Mike said. “She’s meeting us in the lobby.”

  ‘The lobby?” Sean asked. “Why?”

  Mike ignored him. “Let’s go. I’m starving.”

  We took the executive elevator down to the bottom floor then stepped out. A blonde stood in the center, her purse over her shoulder. Her hair was pulled back, slick and straight. Her slim waist curved out into wide hips. Even through her skirt and blouse, I could tell she was in shape—super fit. Her breasts were perky and noticeable. She had a natural grace and elegance to her. To say she was beautiful was an understatement.

  I leaned toward Mike. “She’s hot,” I whispered.

  He smiled. “I know.”

  Sean narrowed his eyes at her before he gave his brother a venomous look. “Cassandra?” The anger was in his voice. “I told you to leave her alone.”

  “Calm the hell down,” Mike said. “She and I have been getting along great.”

  “We don’t need any drama at work,” Sean said. “I don’t want you to make her uncomfortable.”

  “I’m not,” Mike said. “We don’t even work on the same floor. And, to be frank, I’m pretty damn uncomfortable seeing you have sex with Scarlet every time I walk into your office.”

  “It’s not the same thing and you know it,” Sean snapped.

  I put my hands on each ftheir arms. “Boys, calm down.”

  Sean shut his mouth but he was still angry.

  “I’m not sleeping with her then tossing her aside. I really like this girl,” Mike said. “We’ve gone out a few times. I think you’ll both like her.”

  “You must be serious if you’re introducing her to your family,” I said.

  “Well, no. But since we all work together I thought we could get lunch. And she already knows Sean.”

  Sean put his hands in his pockets, still annoyed.

  “Put a tampon in and get over it,” Mike snapped. “And let’s eat.” He walked to Cassandra then embraced her with a hug. “Hungry?”

  “You know me.”

  “Did you see the Snickers bar on your desk?” he asked.

  “Yep. Did you see the empty wrapper in my trashcan?”

  He smiled. “That’s my girl.”

  Just a sample of their conversation made me realize how cute they were together.

  Mike turned to me. “I want you to meet my sister, Scarlet.”

  She gave me a beautiful smile and shook my hand. “I’ve heard so much about you. Congratulations on the baby.”

  I glared at Sean, silently threatening him. We were supposed to keep my pregnancy a secret until I finished my first trimester. That jackass.

  Sean read my mind. “Mike told her. Not me.”

  Cassandra continued. “Your husband talks about you all the time. It’s the cutest thing in the world.”

  That stoked my ego a little bit. I liked knowing Sean included me in conversations with his coworkers, that I was an important part of his life at home and at work. And he made it clear to everyone he was happily married. I didn’t want any tramps thinking they had a chance with the CEO.

  Sean gave me a soft look. “She’s the apple of my eye.”

  “Awe.” Cassandra watched Sean put his arm around my waist and kiss me.

  Mike pulled her away. “Let’s go before we throw up.”

  “They’re cute,” she insisted.

  “You clearly haven’t walked in on them doing it in the office—five times.”

  Cassandra laughed. “Why don’t you just knock?”

  “Thank you!” Sean yelled.

  “Yeah, whatever,” Mike said.

  We went to a pizzeria and ordered a family size to share. Sean and I weren’t picky eaters and neither were Mike and Cassandra. We ordered a combination and waited for it in our booth.

  Mike had a beer but Sean didn’t order one. He never drank in front of me, wanting to be supportive and not make me feel bad for being denied the things I loved.

  “Have you decided on any names yet?” Cassandra asked.

  Mike put his arm around her shoulder and looked at her fondly. I could tell he was head-over-heels for her. I’ve never seen him stare at anyone like that. From his view, he could look down her top if he wanted. But he never did. I would have to compliment him later. When I looked at Sean, he was looking down my dress. I rolled my eyes, realizing my husband was up
set we didn’t finish what we started in the office.

  “No, we haven’t,” I answered. “But I’ve been brainstorming.”

  “Really?” Sean asked. “What are you thinking?”

  “Okay,” I said excitedly. “If it’s a boy, Homer.”

  Sean didn’t react. He stared at me, processing what I said. “Homer?”

  “Did you just read the Odyssey or something?” Mike asked.

  “Do you hate our child?” Sean asked.

  I glared at both of them. “I like it. It’s not something you hear often.”

  “Because it’s a horrible name,” Sean said firmly.

  “It’s not that bad,” I said.

  “Nope,” Sean said. “I’m not naming my son that.”

  I glared at him. “Fine. How about Elijah?”

  “I like it,” Sean said with a nod. “That’s a good name for a girl.”

  “What?” I asked. “No, it’s for a boy.”

  Mike cringed. “Do you want your son to be gay?”

  I sighed. “I can’t win with you.”

  “I have one,” Sean said. “For a boy, Harper.”

  “Harper Preston,” I said out loud. “Could you give our son a more pretentious name?”

  “What?” Sean said. “It’s not pretentious.”

  “Yeah, it is,” Cassandra said.

  “Sorry, dude.” Mike smiled.

  “Fine,” Sean said. “Alexander.”

  I raised my hand. “Just stop.”

  “How about girl names?” Cassandra asked.

  “Okay,” Sean said. “I have a few. Lillian. And we could call her Lily.”

  “I’m not naming my daughter after a flower,” I said.

  “Lacy,” Sean offered. “I like that one.”

  “Is she a whore?” I asked.

  Sean glared at me. “Fine. What do you have?”

  “Ophelia.”

  Mike shook his head. “Why are you obsessed with Greek names?”

  “It’s pretty,” I said.

  “No.” Sean shook his head. “No.”

  “Boris?”

  “Eww!” Mike shook his head. “I can’t even tell if that’s for a boy or girl. But either way, no!”

  Sean nodded. “I’m not naming my kid that.”

  I sighed. “Stalemate.”

  Sean rubbed his chin. “That sounds pretty good for a boy.”