Valentine's Day Kisses : Boxed Set

by Addison Moore

  “Crap.” Piper stops in her tracks and pinches her eyes close a moment. “I knew you were seeing her.” She yanks Buddy back and hands me the leash. “Is that why you’ve been so coy about this new girl? Because there is no new girl?”

  “No, I just want you to drop the attitude around her. I’ve forgiven her, and so should you.”

  “That’s funny because she never asked for my forgiveness. When she hurt you, she hurt me, too, Cade. I don’t know why you’d let anyone crap all over your heart, and then give them the chance to do it again. But this time, you’re going to be the only one getting hurt because I’m not playing her stupid game.” She stalks off into the night.

  “Piper, wait. Come back. I’ll take you to dinner.”

  “I already ate!” she screams so loud her voice echoes through the treetops. “Why don’t you take your nasty little girlfriend to dinner? Maybe she could feed you a little more bull.”

  And just like that, she disappears into the murky darkness.

  “Crap.” I pull Buddy over and give him a quick scratch. “Piper would really love Cassidy if given half the chance.” But Sammy broke Piper’s heart. I’m not sure if Piper will ever be open to accepting, to loving someone I bring into my life again.

  Buddy barks and tangles himself around my ankles.

  “All right, boy. Let’s do this.” Buddy and I get a little run in for the night.

  Cassidy never makes it over.

  The big trio and I miss the crap out of her.

  The next day, try as I might, I can’t catch a glimpse of Cassidy on campus. Just before I left, I made two revolutions around Prescott Hall, brazen enough to make any stalker proud. By the time I get home, I think about shooting her a text, inviting her to dinner, for coffee—hell, I’d go basket weaving in a minefield if she wanted me to.

  I’m sitting on the porch, tossing a tennis ball to Buddy, when a familiar pair of faces walks over—Owen and his friend, Rex.

  “Dude.” Rex slaps me five. “Is this your place? I’m just a few doors down.”

  “No way? Come on in.”

  I lead us inside, and Buddy happily follows as both Owen and Rex give him a greeting.

  “Can I get you something cold?”

  “I’m good.” Rex tosses the ball to the other end of the room, and Buddy slips and slides until he’s retrieved it.

  “I’m good, too.” Owen gets up and takes a seat on the couch. “So we’re all set for this Saturday around five. Marley asked if she could invite a few people to liven it up a bit, and I told her I wouldn’t mind. It’s her place, and your brother is pitching for it. I’m just picking up the cake.”

  “Make sure it’s double chocolate, or she’ll have your ass in a sling.” I can’t believe I’m giving the guy that’s sleeping with my sister advice on how to stay on her good side. I guess as much as I want Piper to accept Cassidy, she wants me to accept Owen—and I finally get it. If he ever hurt Piper by way of cheating on her, my heart would be broken, too. And if he even thought of getting back together with her, he’d be a dead man. I would most definitely try to talk some sense into her.

  “I’m having Roxy bake it. It’s going to be perfect.”

  “Awesome.” Roxy is Cole’s girlfriend from down at the Black Bear. Apparently, the bakery she runs from her apartment is a sugared-up force to be reckoned with. “And what’s for dinner?”

  “Wyatt’s having the Black Bear cater. You don’t have to bring anything.”

  “If all goes well, I’ll be bringing a few girls.” I offer up a greedy grin. Before I can explain, there’s a knock at the door, and my stomach bottoms out. I jump up and see that familiar blonde head of hair peeking up from the peephole. This is the perfect time to start introducing her to my friends.

  “Dude.” I nod over to Rex. “Would you mind putting Buddy in the first bedroom on your left? My girlfriend doesn’t really get along too well with him.”

  “Not a problem.” Rex is quick to comply.

  “Girlfriend, huh?” Owen stands to greet her. “I’ve heard all about this chick from Piper.”

  “Don’t believe what you hear.” I swing the door open wide, and Cassidy beams back at me.

  “Hey, baby!” She kicks out her hip, looking hotter than a forest fire in a tight red dress, a pair of earrings sparkling as bright as her eyes. “You want to take a little drive tonight over to that sauna in the woods? I’ve got a teeny-weeny, tiny polka dot bikini I’m just itching to take off.”

  Crap.

  “Yes,” I whisper a little too enthusiastically. “But I actually wanted to introduce you to a couple of friends first.” I step outside next to her, sheepishly hoping Owen and Rex will take the hint and split as the two of them come over.

  Owen starts off with a smile, then freezes as his eyes grow ten times their size. Can’t blame him. Cassidy is a stunner.

  Rex steps out and cocks his head a moment.

  Cassidy takes in a sharp breath. “Hello, boys that I have never met before.” She swallows hard as both Owen and Rex stare blankly at her. Cassidy tips her head to the left, and for the first time I see the crappy way people treat her. But I hope to God that’s not what this is about. What the hell is wrong with these knuckleheads?

  “Say hello and leave,” I gruff at the two of them.

  “Hello and leave,” Owen says to her, amused. “Cade here says you’re his new girlfriend. Funny, I haven’t seen the two of you around much.” He presses out a forced grin.

  “We’re keeping it low-key,” she growls it out like a threat, and my stomach detonates. It’s becoming pretty clear the two of them are having their own private conversation. Even Rex looks silenced into submission.

  “Have a nice night.” Owen tweaks his brows at me.

  Rex nods at the two of us. “Have fun.”

  They take off, dragging their momentary confusion with them.

  What if she is seeing someone else? What if it’s some frat boy, and I’ve been the other guy in some unsuspecting love triangle?

  Cassidy melts into my arms, and her chest gives a few wild bucks as if she’s upset.

  Crap. I pull back and lift her chin gently with my finger. “You still up for taking that swim?”

  Her gaze softens into mine as she leans in and relaxes for the first time tonight. “Oh, hon, you already have me soaked in all the right places.”

  We share a quiet laugh as I land my lips over hers, soft like brushing air. There’s a sweetness in this moment that counterbalances all of those dark thoughts I had just a moment ago. If there is some boneheaded frat boy waiting in the wings—too bad for him, because I’m screwing the hell out of his girlfriend tonight. A dull laugh huffs from me. In that respect, that would put me on the same plane as Sammy all those years ago. Nope. There is no other guy as far as I know. Tonight, I’m simply making love to a girl I call my very own.

  Here’s to hoping that title lasts indefinitely.

  Cassidy and I drive up the switchbacks in contented silence. We watch in wonder as the evergreens flank the road like a fortress barricading the two of us from the rest of the world, from all the dark secrets that it may harbor.

  The spring comes up with its steam rising into the sky like a forest full of ghosts.

  We get out, and I pull her close to me.

  “Come here.” A sad smile comes and goes on my lips. Something tells me if I invite her to Piper’s party this early in the week she’ll get cold feet by Saturday. I’d better leave it as a last-minute invite, vague at that. “Do you know that I miss you a little too much when we’re apart?”

  “Oh, come on, stud.” She gives my ear a light pinch. “You know what they say—absence makes the heart beat faster.”

  “That’s close enough—and true in my case.” I chuckle into her lips as she blesses me with a kiss. “You kick-start my heart every time you’re around, and when you’re gone, it simply stops beating. It waits for you.” My lips meander over her right cheek. “I’m only alive when I’m with y
ou.”

  A breath escapes her as her gaze rides up and down my body before meeting up with mine once again.

  “Sometimes, the only time I can truly breathe is when we’re together.” The words come from her so sweet and tender they can only be true.

  “Tell me one thing”—my voice wavers for a moment—“do you want this with me?”

  “Yes,” she belts it out so fast, so loud it comes back to us as an echo. “Come here, you.” She pulls me in, and we evict our clothes achingly slow until I’m in my birthday suit, and she’s wearing that teeny tiny bikini she happily threatened me with.

  “Wear this always.” I run my finger under her strap, touching down over her soft flesh, and she shivers. “Except for now.”

  “Wear this. Take this off”—she purrs into me, warming her soft flesh over mine—“you are just a walking contradiction, Cade James.”

  “Not me. I know what I want.” I swoop her up and carry her to the spring as she gives a little shriek of excitement. I sit us down at the edge and lower us into the heated bath.

  We both give a little howl at the same time.

  “You okay?” My lips find hers before I pull back and inspect the situation.

  “As long as those tree trunks you call arms are wrapped around me.” She runs her cool, slender fingers down my cheek. “Of course, my previous statement puts me at risk of sounding like a damsel in distress—which I promise you I am not. I may sound sweet and look like a cream puff, but I can kick ass with the best of them.” Her cheeks darken with color, and I stifle the laugh begging to tremble from me. I love her. I love everything about her cute, feisty ways. I love the fact she needs to make it clear she’s not a damsel in distress, and yet, appreciates being tucked in my arms. “Anyway—” she bites down on her lip with that mischievous look in her eye that both my man parts and I have grown to appreciate—“you make me feel safe, Cade.”

  There they are. The exact words I think I needed to hear. It’s been such an unsafe world for Cassidy, with her father leaving, the brutal attack she survived leaving its indelible mark for the entire world to see.

  “I want to be that safe haven for you.” I land my lips to hers. “I’m always here for you, Cassidy—always.”

  Cassidy and I indulge in a long, heated kiss, hungry and greedy, as if they had just been introduced. I reach over and pull a condom from my pants, and she takes it from me, opening it with her teeth while those beautiful eyes laugh with approval. It’s a rare moment not to catch Cassidy with extreme joy in her heart. That’s one of the things I like about her best. Her happiness is buoyant, unstoppable, and best of all, it’s contagious.

  Cassidy and I heat that water up a hundred times hotter than it has ever been before.

  Together, we’re building something that can last, something buoyant and unstoppable, something I’m hoping is highly contagious just between the two of us. I think we’re getting close to bringing this home, making it official, sharing that magical word that is about to change everything. There’s no way I’m bringing her to Piper’s party to give my little firecracker of a sister a chance to ruin things between us with her hot-headed emotions. Nope. The longer I can keep Cassidy to myself the better. Besides, she turned a little green when meeting just two of my friends. Meeting a cast of thousands will be far too overwhelming.

  I want to protect Cassidy from everything.

  I love this girl right here.

  Yes, I do.

  Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Mr. Right

  Cassidy

  Bright and early Saturday morning, the day of Princess Piper’s birthday, I get a text from Marley about that interview I’ve been trying to schedule for the last two weeks. It’s for an assignment, but really I just want to pick the ever-loving heck out of her business-minded brain. I love that Hollow Brook is brimming with independent strong women, and that they’re successful in their very own business, makes them that much more of a role model.

  Sorry, but if you can swing by this evening about five, it would be perfect. I know Piper mentioned she was meeting up with Owen and her friends at the Black Bear. I swear this will only take 15 minutes. Plus, this way Wyatt can wish her a happy birthday. He’s a bit under the weather, so it works out great.

  “Check this out.” I flash my phone to Piper, and she openly frowns.

  “That’s fine. At least I’ll get a hug from my big bro on my big day. And then, we can get to the Black Bear, and you can finally meet Cade.”

  My girl parts clench, because Lord Almighty, my parts and I are well-acquainted with every last thing that boy is packing.

  “Sounds like it’s going to be a lot of f-u-n!” And I am suddenly feeling s-i-c-k. I’m pretty sure her birthday isn’t the right time to let her know I’ve been yanking both her chain and her brother’s—literally—for the last few months. I might just have a quick “dizzy spell” and take off to see Caila instead. I could sure use her no-nonsense advice right about now. Caila would never have gotten herself into such a twisted pickle. I can’t believe I’ve let it get this far. I feel like such an ass. They’ll both hate me once they realize what I’ve done. I’m a pariah, a witch, a real life predator that saw what I was after and chomped down on it with my greedy little teeth. I’m a man-eater, and the man I’ve eaten alive—tasty as his hot buns have been—is my best friend’s brother. How exactly did I think this was going to end other than in disaster? Certainly, there is no good way around this. If I had any balls at all, I’d show up at the Black Bear tonight. Thankfully, I’m a lady, through and through, and I’ve decided to opt for a more reasonable solution—run.

  “It’s not going to be f-u-n.” Piper does a mediocre imitation of me, and I twist my hand in the air, letting her know it’s so-so. Every now and again, when she gets good and irritated, she gives it a go. She’s done it so much so that I’ve actually started rating her. She’s not bad, but she hasn’t shown improvement in a good long while. I think once she discovers the truth about who I’m bedding, her irritation will propel her imitation of me to an Oscar-worthy caliber. “Owen says Cade is dating some girl, but he wouldn’t tell me who. I bet anything it’s that two-timing ex of his.”

  A nervous giggle scratches at my throat. Good God, Piper is ready to bust me a new one, well, not me per se, the so-called ex. Who knows? Maybe Piper would be relieved to find it’s me playing with her brother’s plumbing and not some old girlfriend who once jerked him around.

  “She’s been after him for months. It’s like she’s stalking him.”

  My antenna goes up. “Stalking?”

  “Yeah, she showed up in town, and she’s been begging him to take her back.”

  “Really.” It comes out far more incredulous than it has to. No wonder Cade agreed to keep things low-key. No wonder he got so high-strung at the movies that night! I bet he spotted her in the crowd. My stomach churns just thinking there’s some hussy out there trying to snag my man right from under me. The nerve of this pathetic little thing. I’m practically Cade’s girlfriend. I’m more familiar with his body at this point than I am my own. Hell, I think after Piper’s birthday disaster, I’ll head over to Cade’s house and make my feelings clear as crystal. Of course, I’ll have to fess up to knowing his sister—knowing that I knew exactly who he was when I landed naked in his bed. That will be the hard part, but once that bandage is ripped off clean, we’re off to a freshly mended start. That is, until tomorrow when we have to sit Princess Piper down and let her in on a couple of hard truths. I’m pretty sure she’ll die on the spot when she finds out all those late night heated discussions about Hot Buns were directly related to the boy who’s been gifting her noogies all her life.

  Yes, it will be awkward, but it will be necessary. Sometimes, painful things have to happen for us to move on to the next phase of our lives. Hopefully, that won’t involve a physical altercation such as a mandatory beat down from Piper to me. I like my features just the way they’re arranged, my teeth included. No need to involve emergency
rooms or cosmetic surgeons.

  My hand moves absentmindedly to my scar and lingers there a moment.

  “Hey, is everything okay?” Piper nudges my knee with her bare foot.

  “Yes. Just fine.” I smack her pretty pink toes as if they were roaches. She knows I hate her sticky feet all over me. “In fact, I have to run across the street to see that girl, Roxy. It looks as if all my interviews for my marketing class are happening at the same time. I’ll be back in a second. I promise, I’ll make it quick.”

  I grab my backpack and blow the birthday princess a quick kiss.

  I can’t wait until tonight. Long after Piper has blown out her last candle—most likely after I’ve done a little blowing of my own—I’m finally going to profess my love to Cade James.

  And hopefully by tomorrow at this time, this entire nightmare will be long over.

  As soon as I hit fresh air, that nervous energy that’s been clinging to me all morning eases up just a smidge. I may not have to dish out a lie after all tonight when I tell Piper I’m about to lose my lunch. I was already swaying on my heels back there just thinking about it. Maybe I’ll squeeze that visit with my sister in a little earlier than anticipated. I don’t think she’d mind seeing me twice in one day. I just can’t get my head around what I’m about to do.

  My feet carry me quickly past the dormitories, out onto the old world cobbled walkway that leads past the Hallowed Grounds café, and a friendly face offers a warm wave from the table on the end.

  “Hey, stranger!” I hop over and offer Sammy, my sister-in-Tennessee-arms, a quick hug. “I’m just on my way to Briggs Apartments across the street to do a quick interview for my marketing class. You want to come with?”

  “Sorry, no can do.” She gives a coy little smile. “Tonight’s my big date night with Mr. Right, and, if I want to keep him, I’m going to need to get all artillery ready to fire, if you know what I mean. Can you recommend a good hairdresser? I’ve sort of made a last-minute decision on going the full Monty, hair, nails, cleaning up the landing strip if you know what I mean.” She gives a little wink. “If things go well, and I have a strong feeling they will, I’m thinking this evening is going to end with a—”