by Mari Carr
Casey had to give her props. She shook off her hurt quickly.
It was time to lay the cards on the table. Casey lifted his hand and waved toward the door. “You know, he didn’t always used to be such a jerk.”
“Actually, he doesn’t usually act like that. Maybe the heat’s made him cranky?”
Her words set his mind at ease and confirmed his suspicions. The real Gabriel was still lurking beneath the surface—and if anyone could reach him, it was Jordan.
“Maybe. I was wondering, Jordan. Would you want to go out with me sometime?”
She smiled. “You mean like a date?”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, unable to resist touching her. “Exactly like a date.”
“I’d like that.”
“Tomorrow?”
She nodded. “I have a hair appointment in the morning and then I was going to do a little bit of shopping at the mall.”
“Why don’t I meet you after you get your haircut? We can shop together and then do lunch.”
“You really want to go shopping with me?”
Casey nodded. “Sure. Why not?”
He followed her out of the closet and let his plan play out. Jordan was the perfect woman for his friend. All Casey had to do was continue to prod at the only emotion he’d seen his friend recently convey.
Jealousy.
Chapter Four
Casey leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. It had been a busy morning and he was glad to have a chance to sit down and relax. When Jordan shopped, she went after it with more enthusiasm than a five-year-old in a toy store.
Soft hands landed on his shoulders. “Tired?” Jordan asked.
His nod was followed by a groan when she massaged his tight muscles. “That feels so good,” he said.
She tightened her grip. Damn. He loved a deep massage. Jordan’s fingers worked magic on his weary body.
“I want to thank you for coming with me today. Nice to have a man’s opinion on clothes. My very own hot-or-not meter.”
He glanced over his shoulder. “You picked out some pretty sexy outfits. It was no hardship looking at you in them.”
“I’m glad you think so. Can I ask you something?”
He started to say, “Anything,” but before he could reply, Jordan moved in front of him. She stepped closer, hiked up her short skirt and straddled his lap. Her legs were open over his, her pussy perfectly lined up with his cock. The only things separating them were her panties and his jeans.
“Jordan?”
She bent forward and bit his earlobe. “What do you think of this skirt?”
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her it would look better on the floor, but she robbed him of speech once more when she placed her lips against his. He accepted her light kiss then deepened it.
His tongue touched hers and he savored the lingering sweetness of soda on her breath. He placed his hands on her waist and pulled her even closer, pressing his cock firmly against her.
She moaned as she picked up a rhythm of her own, rubbing him with her pussy until he saw stars. Jesus. She was magnificent. Too much more of this and he’d come from just her dry humping.
“So good,” he murmured.
Jordan’s soft laughter surprised him. “I’m glad you’re enjoying your lunch. Personally, I’ve never gotten that worked up over a McDonald’s hamburger.”
Casey glanced up. He found Jordan looking down at him.
He quickly picked up his burger and leaned closer to the table to conceal his rock-hard cock. “Um, yeah, well, you’re missing out.”
What the hell was wrong with him? He was sitting in the middle of the mall food court having the mother of all sex fantasies about the woman he planned to hook up with his best friend. Thank God he’d placed a paper napkin on his lap before losing his fucking mind, or there would be some fairly obvious evidence of where his thoughts had wandered.
Jordan joined him at the small table. She’d opted to wait in a longer line for Chinese. Placing her shopping bags on the floor, she opened her food and chopsticks and dug in, oblivious to his horny state.
“I want to thank you for your help today.”
Her comment sent his mind right back to the gutter as he recalled his fantasy. “Sure.”
He swallowed heavily and tried to will away the hard-on that cut off all flow of blood to his brain. His jeans were digging into the sensitive flesh. He was in agony.
Jordan reached up and ran her fingers through her hair. “You’re sure you like this new style?”
He smiled. She’d look good bald, but he didn’t say that. “It looks terrific. What prompted the change?”
“I’ve always wanted to try some red highlights. My natural hair is pretty damn boring.”
“I don’t think your hair is boring.”
She accepted his compliment with a dismissive wave of her hand. “It was completely devoid of life and I was tired of ponytails. I figured it was time I went for a jazzier style.”
“Good for you. So did the hip hairstyle prompt the new clothes too or are we in the midst of some makeover show that I don’t know about?” He pretended to glance around for hidden cameras.
“I’ve been in a rut for a very long time.”
“What kind of rut?” he asked.
“I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. If you’d asked me last week if I was happy, I would have said yes. And that would have been true. Then yesterday, Stephanie and Jayne pointed out some hard truths to me and it’s like the light went on.”
“What hard truths?”
She blushed, not answering immediately. Her silence sparked his curiosity even more.
He watched her think about her answer and worried she’d try to change the subject or fib. “Be bold, Jordan. Tell me the truth, not whatever half-baked lie you’re conjuring.”
She gave him a rueful grin. “I suck at lying.”
“So don’t. I won’t judge you.”
“Can you keep a secret?”
He crossed his heart with his finger. “Scout’s honor.”
“I haven’t dated in a very long time.”
It was a simple confession and Casey suspected there was more. “Why not?”
She took a deep breath. “Because I’ve been harboring a very deep—and probably not completely healthy—crush on Gabriel.”
He’d asked for honesty and she’d given it. Her revelation should have made him happier than it did. “So you made these changes for him? To capture his attention?”
“Oh my God, no. I realized yesterday my feelings for Gabe are holding me back from finding true happiness. He and I are friends and it’s very unlikely we’ll ever be more than that. I decided it was time I put some effort into my hair, update my wardrobe and get back on the horse, so to speak.”
“So what you’re saying is you used me to help you pick out outfits that will attract other men,” he teased.
She’d spent the afternoon trying on some of the sexiest clothes Casey had ever seen, which no doubt explained his vivid fantasy and current erection. He’d invited her out with the intention of making Gabriel jealous. He’d hoped seeing her with another man would help Gabriel realize Jordan was the woman he wanted. The plan had backfired. Casey’s attraction to her was officially full-blown. What was he supposed to do now?
She put her chopsticks down. “Or maybe I’m just hoping they’ll attract you.”
Damn. So much for his cock deflating. “You did that yesterday with the old Jordan.”
Her cheeks flushed and the smile she gave him was one of genuine pleasure. He resisted the urge to lean forward and taste the soda on her lips firsthand. He shook himself, fighting to recall his purpose.
“Have you ever told Gabe about your feelings?”
She shook her head. “No. It’s been hard to catch him between girlfriends. Besides, we come from two different worlds. He’s caviar and I’m Kraft Mac & Cheese.”
“You two aren’t so dissimilar. You might be sur
“Really?” she asked.
He nodded.
She propped her cheek on her hand. “You guys have been friends for a long time, haven’t you?”
Casey popped a fry into his mouth. “Met our freshman year at USC. Got put together as roommates. It was a bit touch-and-go at first. Gabe’s a complete neat freak, while I tend to be a little more free with my dirty laundry.”
“In other words, you’re a slob.”
He covered his heart, feigning offense. “Such a strong word. We artistic types find beauty in everything, even chaos.”
She rolled her eyes. “Has that excuse ever worked for you?”
He sipped his Coke. “It’s worked with everyone except you…and Gabe.”
“Good for Gabe,” she said, lifting her cup in a silent toast. “So I guess it’s safe to say you overcame your differences.”
“Yep. We got an apartment together our sophomore term and stayed there for the next five years. I managed to score my undergrad degree in architecture with a minor in art, but I stuck around L.A. two more years working in a fix-it shop. Gabriel continued taking classes, earning his master’s in finance. His plan was to take the New York Stock Exchange by storm. I was going to go along with him and strike it rich as a young Henry Moore or Frederic Remington—without all the damn horses.”
“I like his cowboys and Indians.”
Casey was impressed she knew who Remington was. Most women of his acquaintance weren’t up on art, least of all sculptors.
She wiped her face with her napkin. “So what happened then? How did you both end up in Portland?”
“Gabe’s dad had a heart attack shortly after he graduated from grad school. It was a wake-up call—at least for Gabe’s mom, who insisted Mr. Lawson worked way too hard—and his old man decided it was time to hand the reins of the family business over to Gabriel.”
Jordan nodded. “He told me about his dad’s heart attack, but I never knew about his New York goal. It was nice of him to give up his dream and come home.”
“Yeah, it was. Don’t get me wrong. There’s very little Gabe wouldn’t do for his family, and it was no secret he was going to take over for his pop eventually, but sometimes I wonder if he regrets never getting the chance to try his dream job.”
Jordan leaned back in her chair. “So that explains why Gabriel is here. Why are you?”
“I’m the opposite. I actually tried to live my New York dream. I didn’t make it very far. I managed to get a few pieces into an art show, sold a couple. It wasn’t enough to pay the bills.”
“But you said you only minored in art.”
Casey nodded, touched by how interested she was in his story. “Dad owned an electronics repair shop, so I grew up fixing all kinds of stuff with him. My father is way too practical, which is why he insisted I back up my art classes with a major that would provide an income.”
“Hence the degree in architecture?”
He nodded.
“Very wise dad,” she teased.
Casey pitched a fry at her, which she neatly dodged. “Yeah, I guess. Unfortunately, most of his wisdom was offset by my stubbornness and pride.”
“How so?”
“I wouldn’t give up on the art, even though I was failing miserably. I couldn’t admit my dad had been right. Eventually I was evicted from my apartment. I spent more than a few nights on the street.”
Jordan gasped. “In New York?”
“I slept in the park, ate out of trash cans. It was miserable.”
“What happened?”
“Gabe happened. When he couldn’t get in touch with me, he flew to New York and looked for me. He’d visited me a few times before, so he knew my hangouts. He found me at the lowest point in my life and offered me a job. His family owns half of Portland and he needed someone he trusted to help with repairs, renovations and so on. I jumped at the chance, flew to Portland with him and here I am.”
“Any regrets?”
He rubbed his chin and considered her question. The answer came easily. “Honestly? No. I took my shot, gave it a try. Since then I’ve found a way to make money and do my art. I didn’t give up sculpting. It’s a huge part of my life, but I’m not going to lie. I have a nice apartment, money in the bank and I basically set my own hours. I think in some ways I ended up with more than I ever expected, or maybe even deserve. Sometimes I wonder where I’d be if Gabe hadn’t come looking for me.”
Jordan smiled. “He’s a good friend.”
“The best,” Casey agreed.
“I’m glad to hear you’re okay with your life. I think too many people waste years reaching for what they think will make them happy instead of living in the moment, appreciating their blessings. I’m sure my friends from school look at me and think my life is boring. I’m an accountant in a bookstore.”
“But it’s your bookstore.”
She nodded. “I’m my own boss—well, along with Steph, Jayne and Sophie—and I love that. Love owning something I’m proud of, love being able to make my own decisions rather than answering to someone else.”
He understood what she meant exactly. “It’s good to be in charge of your own destiny.”
“Yes, it is.”
“So this new Jordan is you taking another step closer to a happy future?”
“I think it is. I was living on an impossible dream and trying to convince myself it was enough. Now I’m moving on, looking for something real.”
Casey frowned slightly. “You realize there’s one flaw in your thinking.”
“There is?”
“I took my shot at being an artist. You didn’t take your chance with Gabe. You dismissed it out of hand without ever trying.”
Jordan didn’t answer for several long minutes. “It’s not that simple.”
He leaned closer and grasped her hand. “You haven’t given yourself the chance to find out if he’s the guy for you. You have confidence when it comes to your job, running the store, but that self-assurance seems to dry up when faced with forging a romantic relationship with Gabe.”
“He’s not interested.”
“Have you asked?” Casey wasn’t sure where he found the strength to push her. If he listened to his own desires, he’d be throwing Gabriel under the bus with both hands. But reliving the memory of his time in New York made it even harder for him to give up on his friend. Gabriel was hurting and needed help. It was time Casey paid it forward.
She shook her head. “No. I haven’t told him how I feel. What I want.”
“What do you want from life, Jordan?”
“I guess I want the same stuff every woman wants.”
“Love? Marriage?”
She nodded. “What about you? Are you dating anyone?”
“No, but I’m looking. Like you.” Casey realized she wanted the same things he did. He was thirty-one and anxious to settle down with a good woman, maybe start a family. Just his luck he’d fall for the same woman as his best friend.
For a minute, he took Gabriel out of the equation. How would this date be different if it was just Jordan and Casey? He imagined the possibilities. He’d continue dating her, talking to her, trying to provoke a few thousand more of her innocent blushes.
And he wanted her. Badly.
She ran the fingers of her free hand over his knuckles, the soft touch conjuring up some wicked needs.
“Where does sex fall in your grand life scheme?” he asked.
She flushed at his question and tried to pull her hand out of his. He wouldn’t relinquish his grip. Instead he tugged her closer.
“Why the blush?”
“Typical man. How on earth did you get from love and marriage to sex?”
“It seems to me there’s an obvious connection between those things.”
She gave him an incorrigible smile that told him she was perfectly able to hold her own in the teasing department. “Fine. Yes, I want sex. Lots and lots of hot, sweaty, hard sex. I think about it all the time. Happy?”
Casey tried not to groan with pent-up need. “Hot and hard?”
She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Let go of my hand.”
He leaned forward. “No. So you think about it all the time. You mean you have sex fantasies?”
She blew out a frustrated breath and he sucked in the scent of her orange chicken. His mouth watered for a taste of her.
“If I tell you, will you let go of me?”
He nodded.
“Of course I have sex fantasies. Doesn’t everyone?”
“Are they hot and hard?”
She punched him on the shoulder with her free hand. “God, you are such a pain in the ass.”
“Describe one of them to me.”
She tugged on her hand once more but he tightened his grip. His cock twitched. He’d never get the fucker to go down at this point but he didn’t care. He wanted to hear about Jordan’s naughty fantasies.
“They’re all the same.”
He was oddly disappointed. “All of them?”
“Apparently I’m boring in my fantasies too.”
“So what happens?”
She took a deep breath. “I’m always alone in my office above the bookstore. Uh, a m-man…” She stumbled over the man part and Casey instantly knew Gabriel was the star of her dreams.
“A man comes in, but he doesn’t speak. Instead he kneels in front of me and pushes my legs apart. For some reason, I’m never wearing panties and I’m always in a skirt. Neither of these two things is ever true but that’s how I’m dressed in the dream.”
“I think you should go to work tomorrow in that short skirt you bought today. And you should definitely leave off the panties.”
She grinned and then closed her eyes. Casey knew she was seeing what came next.
“He bends forward and puts his lips on me.”
“Where?”
She shook her head.
“Tell me where he puts his mouth, Jordan.”
“My, um, my—”
“Pussy?” he whispered.
Her cheeks flushed the most delicious red. Casey wondered if he could produce that beautiful color on other parts of her body as well.
She nodded.
“Say it, Jordan. Say the word.”
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