Cassidy
:
65 Vouchers
THE FIRST MONDAY back to work after our romantic weekend was tough for me. I wanted to live in the erotic cocoon Carter had built for us over the past few days, but I had a living to make and a child to support, so it was back to the grind for me.
It had been a weird day, one I wasn’t entirely sure I should (or could) process. The morning had started with an anonymous box of chocolates left gift–wrapped on my desk, a somewhat inappropriate note, which I knew wouldn’t have come from Carter. One, he knew I hated that particular brand of chocolate, and he would have signed the note with “Bolt” or something of that nature… this one was signed, “All my love, your future lover.”
Lover? Really? God, it was so gross. Soon after I’d logged into my computer, I got a few texts from a blocked number that kind of freaked me out a bit, and I knew I was going to have to talk to Carter about it eventually.
The cherry on top of my shitty day, however, was when I walked out of work to find two flat tires and a broken back window. I pulled out my cell phone and called Carter.
“Babe, you okay?”
“Not really,” I grumbled.
“Where are you?” He sounded panicked.
“I’m still at work. I’m okay, honey, just a little stranded. I came out to find two flat tires and broken back window.” I glanced up at the sky, grateful it was clear and acting like an actual summer day.
“We’ll be right there. Stay put.”
“Okay. Can you grab my dance bag, please?” I asked. “I’m going to have to go straight from here.”
“Sure, babe. Give me fifteen minutes.”
“Okay, thanks. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
We hung up and I dropped my phone into my purse.
“Cassidy?”
I turned to see Tom walking toward me. He really was one of the best–looking men I’d ever met. I didn’t fully grasp his hotness on the video conference… he was much better looking in person. His father was British and his mother was Korean, which was a beautiful combination, and since he’d been raised in London, he had the sexiest accent in the world. He’d been helping to implement a few of my suggestions for better workflow and I found him easy to work with, funny, and very kind.
“Hey, Tom.”
10:42 Mon, Feb 9
Chapter 78
“You okay?” he asked.
I sighed. “Car trouble, I’m afraid.”
“Let me drive you home.”
“No, I’m fine. My boyfriend’s on his way.”
“I didn’t realize you were seeing someone,” he said, frowning.
83
55 vouchers
I was a little taken aback by his observation. He was an executive, I was an insurance analyst, we weren’t even on the same floor of the building and, other than our professional interaction, we didn’t have much to do with each other. I had seen him a few times since he started, but usually in the main kitchen or passing in the hallway when he had a meeting. He’d visited the week after he started, but with the workload, we hadn’t been able to have lunch. So, outside of the phone and email conversations, we hadn’t really spoken much and certainly not about personal things.
“Yeah, I am,” I said.
He stared at me as though he was trying to memorize me. It was a little disconcerting.
“Anyway, Carter’s on his way, so I’m all good,” I added.
“How about I wait here with you until he gets here?”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“I’m happy to,” he said. “Can’t leave a beautiful woman to wait alone.”
Well, that was a little inappropriate, professionally speaking. On a personal level, though, it was kind of flattering. Working in a predominantly female department, rumors abounded about Tom, but he had a reputation as being pretty buttoned up and unapproachable. All of this information had come from Janie, who’d helped organize his move from our New York office. I thought it was a little weird that he’d been with the company for less than a month and chose to move from such a big city to Vancouver, Washington of all places, but I never voiced my thoughts. I just listened to the women titter on about him and wonder if he were single, married, or perhaps open to a one–night stand.
None of it really mattered or applied to me since I was never in the market for a man… I had always needed one of those about as much as I did the plague, but then Carter showed up and I was done.
“So, tell me a little about yourself,” Tom said. “I know you have a son.”
“I do.” I smiled. “He’s almost seven and he’s awesome.”
“And is your boyfriend the father?”
He stepped closer to me and I found myself moving away. I don’t know why, but I felt a little weirded out by him. Luckily, I didn’t have to answer his probing question when I saw Carter’s truck driving towards us. He pulled up behind my car and climbed out. I couldn’t help but shiver. Dark jeans, motorcycle boots, tight, white T–shirt, and his cut, he was incredible.
10:42 Mon, Feb 9
Chapter 78
“Hey, babe,” he said as he eyed Tom and closed the distance between us.
83
56 vouchers
“Hi, honey.” I had planned on keeping things low–key, but Carter had other ideas and pulled me close for a mind–blowing kiss. I blushed and broke our connection, clearing my throat. “Where’s Mav?”
“I told him to wait in the truck with the dog.”
“Good idea.”
Tom reached his hand out and smiled. “I’m Tom Dale.”
“Ace.” Carter studied him, ignoring his greeting, and Tom lowered his hand.
“I thought you said his name was Carter?” Tom countered.
“It’s Ace,” Carter said, his voice low in warning.
I watched the two men and it dawned on me they were having a pissing contest of sorts. I rolled my eyes and gave Carter’s arm a squeeze. “I only have one spare, so I won’t be able to drive anywhere tonight.”
“Knight’s bringin‘ a truck, babe. He’ll tow it back to the shop.”
“You a tow truck guy?” Tom asked.
“No.” Carter turned toward him slowly. “Are we holding you up from somethin‘, man?”
Tom gave him a strange smile. “No, just making sure Cassidy didn’t need anything.”
“Well, I’m here, so she’s good.”
Tom nodded and turned to me. “You sure you don’t need me to stick around.”
I felt Carter’s body lock and I shook my head. “No, but thanks anyway.”
“Alright, love,” Tom said.
“Did you just call my woman ‘love‘?” Carter demanded.
“It’s an English thing,” Tom said.
“She’s not your fuckin‘ love, get me?” he demanded.
Tom crossed his arms and smiled. I shivered. Creepy.
“Have a good night,” Tom said. “Love.”
Carter struck so quickly, I didn’t see it coming, therefore, had no time to react. Before I knew it, Tom was on the ground, blood spurting from his nose, and still, he grinned like he was demented.
“You ever fuckin‘ look at her again, I’ll kill you,” Carter threatened, standing over Tom.
10:42 Mon, Feb y
Chapter 78
I gasped, reaching for Carter’s arm. “Carter.”
0:0
83
55 vouchers
“Well, aren’t you the big man,” Tom teased as he stood and brushed himself off, pulling out a handkerchief and holding it to his nose.
Ohmigod, this guy was totally weird.
“Have a lovely weekend, Cassidy.” Tom walked away, and I watched in confusion.
I frowned up at Carter. “What the heck was that all about?”
“You watch that asshole, Cassidy, and if he gives you anymore trouble I’ll deal with it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I get that he’s weird,” I conceded, “But did you need to hit him? What if Maverick saw?”
“He didn’t,” Carter said emphatically.
I sighed and glanced at the truck. Carter was right. There was no way Maverick could have seen. There were too many cars in the way.
“Have you never met anyone from England?” I accused. “They say ‘love‘ after everything.”
“Babe, trust me. He’s interested in you, not to mention, warped in the fuckin‘ head, and I don’t like it.”
“You’re being ridiculous.”
Carter didn’t get a chance to argue with me since Aidan arrived with the tow truck.
“You got anything you need in your car?” Carter asked.
“No, I’m good.”
“Go get in the truck, then.”
I frowned up at him. “Are you mad at me?”
Carter sighed. “No, babe. Just go get in the truck, yeah?”
Aidan climbed out of the truck and took in the car. “You okay, Cass?“.
“I’m fine, Aidan.”
“Truck, Cass.” Carter handed me his keys and made his way to Aidan.
I slid into the driver’s seat of Carter’s truck and tried to shake off his sudden change in mood. Maverick was bouncing in his seat as I tried to give him a hug. “Hey, honey.”
“Hi, Mom. Can I ride in the tow truck?”
“Not tonight.” I smiled and stroked the dog’s head. “But let me move Carter’s truck real quick and then you
10:42 Mon, Feb 9.
Chapter 78
can watch them hook up my car, okay?”
Maverick gave a little fist pump with his, “Yeah!” and I moved Carter’s truck.
***
Ace
Knowing that Cassidy (or more accurately, Maverick) wouldn’t stay in the truck, I took a second to make a phone call before either of them could hear me.
“Yo, Ace,” Booker answered.
“Hey, Booker, I need you to check someone out for me.”
“Okay, who?”
I gave Booker everything I knew on this Tom Dale asshole and hung up just as Cassidy and Maverick made their
way to me.
“Mav wanted to see the tow truck,” Cassidy said. “Who were you talking to?”
“No one,” I lied. “Hey, Mav, you want to help hook the car up?”
Maverick looked up at Cassidy. “Can I, Mom, please?”
“Of course, honey. Just do what Carter tells you to do, okay?”
Cassidy watched us as Maverick helped Knight and me hook up the car. I knew she was worried about my mood, but I was too busy trying to stuff down the intense desire to kill Tom Dale, that I had no energy to talk shit out with her. She didn’t have a fuckin‘ clue the man was sniffin‘ where he didn’t belong. But I did. And I was gonna make sure the dipshit wasn’t an issue.
“We’ll get you all sorted tomorrow, Cassidy,” Knight said. “And someone’ll bring your car back when it’s done.”
“Thanks a lot, Aidan. I really appreciate it.”
Knight hugged her and then took off to the shop.
“Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?” Cassidy asked as I led her and Maverick back to the truck.
“No.”
“You are infuriating sometimes.”
“Just drop it, babe.”
Cassidy scowled, but did as I asked and climbed into the truck after Maverick.
I lifted the dog into the bed, then made my way to the driver’s side and drove out of the parking lot. “Do you have to dance tonight?”
10:42 Mon, Feb 9
Chapter 78
0:0
83
55 voucher
“Um, yes, I have to dance tonight,” Cassidy snapped. “Just drop me off and I’ll get Kevin to drive me home.”
“No.”
“Okay, Tarzan, what do you propose?”
I felt my lips twitch slightly at her irritation. “Mav and I’ll drop you off and go find something to eat, then we’ll meet you back here.”
“Sounds great,” she ground out.
“Great.”
“Great,” she repeated, and I tried not to laugh. God, she was cute when she was pissed.
The dance studio was in downtown Vancouver, so I found a spot with a meter and parked. She kissed Maverick and moved to get out of the truck, but I stopped her. “We’ll walk you in.”
“You don’t need to do that, Carter.”
“I want to meet Kevin.”
“It’s fine,” Cassidy pressed. “You can meet him later.”
“I’ll meet him now.” Carter turned off the truck and climbed out, walking around the hood to help her and Maverick out.
She climbed down and frowned up at me. “You’re a pain in the butt, you realize that, right?”
I grinned and kissed her quickly. “Yep.”
“Come on, Mav,” she said. “We’ll be quick and then you and Carter can go eat.”
“Okay, Mom,” he said, and unbuckled himself.
She grabbed her bag and we followed her into the dance studio. I didn’t like what I saw. Kevin was a bulk of man, barely an inch shorter than me and almost as muscular. He didn’t look like what I assumed a male ballet dancer would look like… he was far more masculine than I had counted on. Fuck!
“Kevin!” Maverick shouted, and ran for the man.
Kevin laughed and grabbed him, throwing him up into the air. “Hey, buddy, how are you?” he asked, and set him on his feet.
“Good. Uncle Carter and me are going to get food.”
“That sounds great.”
I wrapped an arm possessively around Cassidy, but she pulled away and hugged Kevin. “Hey. Sorry I’m late. I had some car trouble.”
10:43 Mon, Feb 9
Chapter 78
:
0:0
“I only beat you by ten minutes,” Kevin said. “It’s all good.”
Cassidy pulled away from Kevin and waved her hand toward me. “Kevin, this is Carter.”
Kevin reached his hand out and I took it with a chin lift.
“Well, you boys have fun,” Cassidy said, and kissed Maverick.
“Want us to pick you up anything, babe?” I asked.
She gave me a sickeningly sweet smile and shook her head. “No, I’m good, hon, thanks.”
83
55 vouchers
I raised an eyebrow and leaned down to kiss her, but she gave me her cheek, so I slid my hand to her neck and guided her lips back to mine. “Nice try,” I whispered, and covered her mouth with mine.
She pinned her lips shut, so I let her have her hissy fit for the moment, but I made sure she knew we’d finish this later.
“Let’s go, Mav,” I said, and led him out of the studio.
AD
