by Evan Grace
He held out an empty measuring cup. “I actually came over to borrow a cup of sugar.”
Casey laughed. She knew she was blushing, but there was nothing she could do about that. “Sugar?”
“Sure.”
“I’m sorry about before. Shoving you out the door.”
He let himself inside. For the second time that night. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t make a good first impression.”
“So, you’re going to bake me a cake with my sugar? Apologize?”
“I could give it a try.” He nodded at her legs. “I see you do own pants.”
Still standing at the open front door, Casey rolled her eyes. Thank god she had the mind to pull her new yoga pants on. “You’re not here for sugar, are you?”
“We could call it that.”
“Oh, god. Get out.”
“But―” He reached behind his back and tugged something from his back pocket. “Don’t you want this?”
There it was. Her brand-new vibrator, vibrating and twirling, and god, that looked fun, in the hands of her dream man, the man she had thought about while touching herself for weeks.
And he wanted some sugar. From her. With her. God, she couldn’t think straight with him in the room. With him looking at her like that.
“Look.” She crossed her arms over her chest, hoping the action didn’t push her breasts up, but judging by his eyes, it had. Casey cleared her throat. “I think you should go.” The words sounded strained. Like someone else was talking through her.
He looked both shocked and impressed and tossed the toy on the sofa. “Of course.” He raised his hands and walked toward the door, backwards into the hallway as if he were a criminal.
But when he looked at her, he was anything but innocent. He had a smirk on his face, a look that told her he wanted her, and he knew he was going to have her too. “Casey. Fuck, baby. I’m next door if you need me.”
The way he said fuck; the way he called her baby, so personal; the deep timbre in his voice did something to her belly, lower.
But she was struck speechless by the sweetness that was shining through his rough exterior.
The door closed.
She slumped on the couch, picked up the vibrator, and flipped the switch, watched the short and rather thin plastic cock wiggle and shake.
Since she blew her shot with the real thing again, she might as well give this one a try. She spread her legs apart and dropped her head back on the sofa. Closed her eyes. She imagined Jason standing in front of her. Shirtless. In her mind, he had a dusting of soft hair on his pecs that trailed down his body and disappeared under those tight jeans.
Casey yelped at the sensation of the vibrator when it touched her, even through her yoga pants. It was nice, but it wasn’t real.
She groaned. This would never work.
Chapter Seven
Jason
“Shit, shit, shit.”
Every time Jason’s mind drifted back to Casey, and it did that a lot, he was flooded with the sense of a missed opportunity. She seemed like a sweet girl. Never mind that she was sexy as hell. Her eyes, her smile rendered him speechless. But it was her quiet confidence that drove him wild. And because he had thought with his dick and not his brain, he had lost his chance with her. Twice.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Jason looked up from cleaning the shop just to flip Aaron off.
Aaron returned the favor. “Hey, I’m not the one talking to myself.”
Jason rolled his neck. “I fucked up yesterday.”
“What’d you do?” Aaron was a good two hundred and fifty pounds, bald, and tatted head to toe, but he was always a decent sounding board, a caring guy with a good heart.
“You know my hot neighbor?”
“The smoking hot redhead with glasses?”
Jason chuckled. He must talk about her a lot. “Yeah.”
“You finally grow some balls and ask her out?”
“In a round about way.”
Aaron sat down at his desk, leafed through some of the sketches for his appointments that day. “Flowers, man. I’m telling you. Marlene would never have married me without all the flowers I sent her.”
“I feel like I owe her more than that.”
“What the hell did you do, Jason?”
“There was a mix up with a sex toy.”
Aaron laughed, held up his hands. “Forget I asked.”
But Jason wouldn’t forget his advice. Flowers.
Chapter Eight
Casey
“Flowers? For me?” Casey felt her face warm. She had never been sent flowers before.
“I guess so.” Warren set the mixed bouquet on her desk. Without her permission, or any tact at all, he grabbed the card and read it aloud for everyone in the office to hear.
“Sorry about yesterday. Come over for cake tonight. Real cake. XO. Johnny Anaconda.”
Russ laughed loudly. He knew his porn stars.
“Give me that.” Casey swiped the card from Warren’s hand. “And keep it down.”
When she was alone, back in the safety of her cubicle, she allowed herself to smile. Though she had no idea how he knew where she worked, Jason, the tattooed bad boy next door, was courting her. He had apologized for his forward behavior and wasn’t turned off by the two times she had shoved him out the door.
He wanted her.
Likely, he just wanted to have sex with her and realized she required a little more work to get there.
Regardless, a big part of her, mainly the part under her work appropriate pencil skirt, wanted to show up at his door tonight.
“Hey, Case.”
“Jesus, Russ.” Her heart was pounding and not in the good kind of way. “Don’t you knock?”
“You don’t have a door.”
She resisted the eyeroll. “What do you need?”
“Are those flowers from the real Johnny Anaconda?”
“Go away.”
“I’m just saying. If you know him, do you think you could get me an autograph?”
There was no way she would admit the truth behind the name on the card. “I’ll ask.”
Russ’s face lit up. “Are you serious? I’ll buy you lunch for the next week.”
“Thanks, Russ.” Casey smiled and picked up the card again. Come to think of it, cake sounded perfect.
Chapter Nine
Jason
“Looking for more of my mail?”
Jason was unable to hold back his smile when he heard Casey’s sweet voice behind him in the lobby.
He locked his mailbox and turned to face his little firecracker. Goddamn, he loved those work suits and how she wore her long hair up in a sexy twist.
“I love how cocky you are,” he said. “Had I known that when you moved in—”
Casey laughed. “You would have stolen my mail weeks ago?”
“Maybe.” Jason slid his hands in his back pockets, noticed her eyes taking in his body, his tats. “Actually, I was afraid you would stand me up tonight.”
“So, you waited for me in the lobby pretending you were checking your mail? Isn’t that stalking?” she asked.
“I don’t think so.”
Casey’s smile was gorgeous, and while he loved that she was sarcastic and flirty, her cheeks had been flushed since she walked into the apartment complex. Still shy. “Thank you for the flowers, Jason. They’re beautiful. Cheer up my cubicle.”
“Yeah? Good to hear.”
“How did you know where I work?”
“I might have swiped a business card from your coffee table.” He held up his hands. “Sorry. Again.”
“You’re forgiven. Although you caused quite a stir at the office, Johnny Anaconda.”
He was unable to hold back a snort. “God. Sorry. I was just trying to make you laugh. Your boss didn’t fire you over dating a porn star, huh?”
“Okay, whoa. Dating?”
“You’re missing the point.”
Casey laughed with hi
m. “My co-worker wants your autograph.”
“Really? Is she cute?”
She swatted his arm. Touching was a good sign.
“His name is Russ, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he showed up at your place of business to have the signature tattooed on his very tiny buttocks.”
“Well, if it’s going to bring me work, I’ll have to sign something for him, huh?”
“Maybe.” Casey stepped into the elevator and leaned her back against the wall, closing her eyes. He followed her in and wasn’t ashamed to stare at her face. Her delicate features. That cute turned-up nose, soft lips, and a dimple in her chin he hadn’t noticed until now.
“Hard day at the office?”
“Just long.”
He let that easy joke slip.
“But Russ bought me lunch.”
“Nice.”
Her eyes opened, slow and lazy, and the look she gave him was so damn sexy, his breath caught. It was how he imagined she would look waking up beside him.
“Listen, I will come over for cake. I just need to get out of these work clothes.”
“You look hot.”
“Oh, a romantic.”
The elevator door pinged, and Jason followed her out, trailed her to her door. “I’m trying, Casey.”
“I know. Give me an hour?”
Jason quirked a brow. “I could have you undressed way the hell faster than that.” And then he dropped his head. “Fuck. I’m sorry. Pretend I didn’t say that. I’m trying hard to behave. I’ll see you in an hour?”
Casey bit her lip in what had to be a failed attempt to hide a smile. “I’ll try for forty-five minutes.”
Chapter Ten
Casey
“Knock, knock.”
Her hands were shaking. Her whole body was wracked with nerves.
She had no idea what tonight was going to bring, but she was excited. Casey had done the smart thing and sent a text to Jessa, letting her know where she would be tonight. In case.
But with Jason, despite his bad boy looks and his relentless flirting, Casey wasn’t afraid. There was a gentleman buried under all those tats and leather.
She had showered and changed into her favorite worn jeans and a plain white tee. Her hair and makeup took up the rest of the hour. And a half. Shoot. She wanted to look nice, but not like she was trying too hard. There was no way he would believe that now.
“I thought you were standing me up,” Jason said after he opened the door. He stepped aside and let her into his place.
“No.”
She went to look around, as he had done at her place the day before, but he caught her hand in his before she could get too far.
“Casey?”
“Yes?”
“Please don’t be nervous.”
“Who said I was nervous?”
“You are visibly shaking.”
When she didn’t answer, he took her hand, pulled her toward his black leather couch, and sat down. She took the seat beside him, kicked off her shoes, and tucked her feet under her.
“Condoms?”
Jason laughed when she pointed out the box on the coffee table. “I signed them for Russ.”
“No way? Really? Let me see.”
He passed it to her, watched her face as she looked at the box of magnum condoms. She could feel his eyes on her.
“Russ. Your support rubs me the right way. Yours, Johnny Anaconda.” Casey laughed. “This is gold. I love you for this.”
His eyebrows shot up. “I’m glad you like it. Think he’ll buy you lunch again? You know, considering you’re dating his favorite porn star.”
“He’s already got me covered for this week, but I might get some fancy coffee out of this. Maybe a muffin.”
“Glad I could help feed you.”
She laughed, blushed when she realized she was holding a box of condoms, and then set it back on the glass table. “Thanks.”
“I just hope he doesn’t want to meet me,” Jason said.
“I think for your sake, it would be best if he didn’t.”
“Could he take me?”
“Beat you up? No. Of course not. He’s half your size. I was thinking he would really be into you.”
“Are you into me?” His voice was low and deep.
“Can’t you tell?”
“No.”
Casey met his eyes. The urge to kiss him took her breath away.
“You hungry?”
She nodded. “Cake, right? What kind did you make?”
“Chocolate with a hazelnut buttercream frosting.”
“Really? Wow. That sounds amazing. Must have taken you all day.”
“Damn right.”
She turned on the sofa to watch Jason walk over to the counter. She bit back a giggle when she saw the famous mauve box from the bakery around the corner. There was no way she would call him out on it, though. A man’s pride was delicate.
“It’s good stuff,” he agreed, carrying over two plates and setting them down. “You want a beer? Rum, whiskey? I think I have wine somewhere. I have no idea why I would have wine, but I believe it’s red.”
Casey laughed. “Which do you think goes better with chocolate?”
“I think beer goes with everything.”
“Beer it is.”
“My kind of girl.” He grabbed two bottles from the fridge. She watched him twist off the caps and then toss them on the coffee table. He sat beside her before clinking the neck of his bottle to hers. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.”
His eyes were locked on her lips as she took a sip. Then he chuckled as she hummed around a bite of cake.
“What?” Now she was feeling self-conscious.
“You’re killing me.”
“How’s that?”
He laughed. “Never mind.”
“That’s unfair.”
“I know.” He rolled his neck, revealed another tattoo leading to his shoulder. “Okay. I’m going to confess something.”
“What’s that?”
“I bought the cake.”
She gasped and then laughed with him.
“You knew, huh?” he asked.
“It’s really good. Has that bakery touch.”
“Yeah. Well, I’m glad you like it, anyway. I’m not good with desserts. Sorry.”
“If it makes you feel any better, Jason, the only cooking I do is in the microwave.”
Eyes on hers, Jason set down his plate and took her left hand in both of his. “Marry me.”
His acute attention on her, his lighthearted humor, and the beer made her relax. “What would you do if I said yes? That’s a legally binding contract, isn’t it?”
“Road trip to Vegas?”
Casey laughed. “You’re crazy.”
“Not the first time I’ve heard that.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “Another beer?”
“Sure.”
Casey turned to watch him walk to the fridge and flushed when he looked over his shoulder at her, catching her in the act.
“How much do I owe you for that box of condoms?”
Jason snorted. “Nothing.”
“They’re not cheap.”
“I had them laying around. It’s not a big deal.” Jason smiled. “You look surprised.”
“No. I―”
He leaned in close, so close she thought he was going to kiss her, but instead, he brushed his lips over her ear. “I’m not a virgin.”
She giggled. Which was happening way, way too much in his presence. “Really?”
“Really. I hope you still want to marry me.”
“Well, you can’t wear white.”
“Fuck.”
They laughed again. It didn’t escape Casey that Jason came to sit a lot closer to her this time.
“Tell me about your work. You’re an accountant?”
“Yeah. Mostly tax stuff for large firms in the city. It probably sounds stupid, but I love my job.”
“That’s not s
tupid. It’s rare. Most people hate what they do. Become a slave to it.”
Casey nodded. “Do you love your job?”
“Tattooing? Hell, yeah.”
“Will you, um, can I see yours?”
“I have a lot.”
“How many?”
“Close to thirty.”
“Wow.”
He reached for the hem of his shirt, and she watched in stunned silence as he peeled it off, revealing his abs first and then his built chest. “We’ll start with the ones north of the equator, okay?”
She nodded but didn’t speak. Her tongue was tied, and her eyes were busy caressing the planes of his body, covered in the most artful ink. She reached out to touch the black and grey angel on his shoulder but caught herself before she made skin to skin contact.
“You can touch them, Case. I don’t mind.”
“How much did this hurt?” she asked. The heat from Jason’s skin absorbed into her cool fingertips as she traced the lines.
“Not going to lie, it hurts, but you get addicted to it. It becomes the good kind of pain.”
“The good kind?”
He chuckled. “Never been inked?”
“No.”
His gaze dropped to her thumb, which had taken on a life of its own and was circling the tribal swirls on his left pec. When she reached his nipple, he jumped.
“Sorry.”
“For turning me on?”
She laughed. “We just met. I don’t really know you. I shouldn’t be―”
“My middle name is Anthony. I lost both parents and a sister to a car crash ten years ago. Five-year plan is to open another shop across town. Believe it or not, I would love to have a couple kids one day. And Casey, my god, I am beyond attracted to you.”
Casey bit her lip. Had no idea what to say. That was a lot of information to throw at a girl in thirty seconds. “Um, wow.”
“Now you know me. May I kiss you?”
She nodded, and before she could speak, his mouth was crushed against hers.
Chapter Eleven
Jason
This girl had him in knots more complicated than the Celtic twist on his back. She had boldness in spades and shocked the hell out of him when she touched his ink.