by C. M. Steele
Rain
Gimme Series Novella Three
C.M. Steele
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Epilogue
Copyrighted © 2019
All Rights Reserved
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is purely coincidental.
Cover design: C.M. Steele
Cover Image: Deposit Photos
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Owen Parker works hard to get what he wants. And he wants her—the beauty that strolled into the bar with his foreman.
Casey couldn’t believe that her trip to Chicago for spring break would end up with her body and soul owned by a sexy stranger.
When one look steals your entire being, and a rainstorm has her wrapped up in your arms, what could go wrong?
This is a fast-paced, sexy story with no drama, just insta-lust, insta-love, and sugary sweet romance.
Chapter 1
Casey
I look out of my hotel room and see cars everywhere. It would be at least an hour before my cousin shows up. I shoot him a reply. Yes, I’m sure. I’ll take the train. No need to drive all the way here. Mike works hard for a construction company, and I don’t feel right making him drive all the way here through the massive congestion on the roads. Besides, I’ve never taken the train before.
Even my flight in, I was picked up by a cab and driven to my hotel. Expensive, but at least it was quick. Then again, I arrived at about ten in the morning when people are at work. Now it’s a five o’clock world.
This trip is all about fun, so I plan to make the most of it. I’ve been through a lot over the years that forced me to grow up early. My father split when I was ten, leaving us to struggle. Unable to handle the pressure of being alone, my mother spends her time looking for the next meal ticket. And she hit the jackpot on the last one.
After slipping on my coat with everything I could need, I leave my hotel and head down the street to the Thompson Center.
Be safe. He finally responds back. Take the Orange line. Meet me at 35th/Archer.
“What could go wrong,” I mutter to myself, keeping my head down as I pass tons of people on the street? I’m making my way down a busy downtown Chicago street on my way to the train station.
“Umph,” I groan out adding a “Sorry,” as my shoulder bangs into someone coming from the opposite direction. They don’t call this the city of big shoulders for nothing. I’ve been clipped at least three times in a matter of a block. How do people do this?
Why are there so many people around? I text Mike.
Tucking my phone in my pocket, I approach the entrance, and an older man opens the door, holding it for me to enter. “Thank you.” He winks then follows behind, rushing past me and over to the turnstiles and through them.
My eyes can’t stop looking around as people move in a hurry. “Okay, now to figure out how to get on the train,” I mutter.
An attendant sees my internal dilemma and approaches. “Can I help ya?” she says with a smile.
“Sure, I need to get on the Orange Line, but I have no idea how to do that.”
“Not a problem. From out of town?”
“Yes, visiting from Texas.”
“Great. Welcome. First, you need to decide how often you’ll need to take the train.” For the next three minutes, we go over the options that I barely understand because she talks really fast. The line behind us is growing, and I hear grumblings, so I go with a seven-day pass since that’s almost the length of my stay.
“Thank you,” I tell her, hurrying through the turnstile.
Everything moves fast here.
There’s a massive crowd gathered at the edge of the platform, making me nervous. All it would take is a tiny shove or a stiff breeze to see them tumbling over.
I stay back, but even that space is filling up.
It’s five on a Friday Mike finally answers my text.
Fuck, should have come on a Tuesday or something. I text back, shaking my head at the growing crowd.
A train stops, and that’s when I see it’s mine. “Shit.” I run, but all of those people on the edge beat me to it.
It’s so crowded that I hear someone say, “Let’s wait for the next one.”
“It’s two minutes away,” the other says. That sounds like a good idea to me, so I wait as well.
As soon as it shows up, Mike actually calls.
“Hey there, little lady.” That was a terrible John Wayne impression, but I’m too busy trying to get on the train to make fun of him. “How’s my city treating you?” he asks.
“Hi, cuz. My hotel is posh as hell, but this city is so damn crowded. Shit, I thought staying back home would be crazy with all the spring breakers at Padre, but damn, this is just a regular weekday here, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, well we have a warm spell. So more people out roaming on payday.”
“Well, I’m on the train now, and it’s packed from front to back,” I mutter, trying to not let on how uncomfortable I am with all these strangers.
“What stop are you on?”
The train lurches for once then moves, and I catch a glimpse of the sign as we exit the station. “Clark and Lake.”
Mike releases a chuckle. “Awe, Case, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Grab a wall or a seat if you can. Because shit. It’s going to get even more packed, but maybe on Halsted, it’ll ease up.”
“Shit, are you for real?” I let out an exaggerated sigh.
He laughs again like it’s funny that I have people touching me and a little too close I might add. “Get off on 35th, and I’ll pick you up there.”
“Okay, I’ll make my way there when the time comes. See you soon.”
“Be safe, Case.”
“Will do.” I hang up and tuck my phone in my coat pocket. I have on this cute puffy white jacket that has all these hidden pockets, so I didn’t bring a purse with me. Seeing how packed this train is, I’m glad I didn’t have to carry one. It would be easy pickings for a thief.
I bump into people as the train speeds up and slows down. By the time I edge my body out of the train at 35th/Archer, I’ve already apologized at least twenty times for all the banging into people. I don’t know how people do this every day.
I rush down the stairs and see Mikey standing past the turnstiles. He wraps me up in a hug and spins me around. “It’s so good to see you,” Mikey cheers as he sets me on my feet again.
I stare at him and
twist my head. He visited us last year, and I feel like he’s changed somehow. “Same to you. You look different. Could it be that girl I heard about?”
“What girl?” Now it’s his turn to side-eye me.
“The one Aunt Gloria told my mom about.”
“I don’t know what those little gossip queens were talking about.” Wow, he can’t lie at all. I smirk which only makes Mike blush. I’ve never seen him do that. “Hey, Case, let’s get out of here.”
“Fine. I don’t want to miss meeting her.”
“There’s no her,” he grumbles.
He leads me to his new Jeep Patriot, and then we drive on down to a bar not too far from the train station. “Do you usually go to the bar on Fridays?”
“I join them every other week.”
Once he finds a parking spot down the street, we walk about half a block with the sun still beating down hard which is making me a little too warm, but I’ll wait until we get inside.
“Are you ready to have fun? Don’t worry about any of them. These guys are a blast to hang out with. Think James and Jake,” he explains, trying to make me relax. If they’re anything like two of my cousins, then it’s going to be a fun night for sure. Off-color jokes, teasing, and just a total riot—I can’t wait to meet his friends.
He holds the heavy bar door open and lets me in first. My eyes scan the low-light room. It’s a small place with three booths and a pool table. It doesn’t take long for my gaze to land on a bunch of men sitting at a large table and then to the one standing next to it.
I freeze when I see his profiling smile. I didn’t know they made them like that up here. He looks like all he needed was a cowboy hat and boots, and he’d belong in Texas. The scruff on his face bends into the laugh lines around his mouth. A dimple appears on his cheek just below his left eye as he chuckles at whatever they said. My heart races as his head turns toward me. My world shifts around me, and I feel like time has stopped.
His presence is more than just seen, it’s felt. I can sense a metamorphosis in me. The reason for coming to Chicago for spring break went from fun to bliss. I have to meet him, pray he’s single, and hope that that look in his eyes means precisely what I think it does. I’ve read it many times, seen it in movies, but never experienced that territorial stare in person. His eyes demand ownership of me, and I’m ready to sign over the rights.
Chapter 2
Owen
It’s the first time I’ve ever joined the crew for a drink, but they just finished a massive build two days ahead of schedule, and they need to be rewarded. Jake is fucking with me about mixing with the riffraff, but I wasn’t always the boss, and they knew that shit. They just wanted to bust my balls.
I’m laughing along with them when I feel the shift in the air. My head moves to the door, and I nearly drop the beer in my hand as I take in the woman entering the bar. Who the fuck is she? A low rumble rips through my chest. Whoever the fuck she is, she’s mine.
I take in her outfit, and my balls feel heavy. Her tight black leggings are practically painted on her slender stems. Then in walks Mike Miller, my foreman coming right behind her, and my expression hardens.
She turns to him and smiles, begging me to fire him on the spot. Yes, he’s a fantastic employee, but he has his hand on my woman. The mother of my children.
I straighten myself, set my beer on the table, and move toward them with determination. There’s nothing going to stop me. Not even common sense comes into play. I haven’t even spoken to her. She could be everything that I find annoying or be no brighter than a rock, but damn my heart is doing the jig. Did you ever feel the air in the room change because someone walked in? I’m not talking about the smell, but the thickness, the energy shift.
My body aches to know hers, and my mind wants to learn every hope and dream and make them happen. First to get rid of my competition. A feral need to destroy my hardest and most dedicated employee takes over me. Fuck, I wouldn’t give a shit if he was my brother. I want her and nothing can stop my hunt now that it’s on.
“Owen, hey, man, didn’t know you’d be here,” Mike exclaims, clapping his hand on my shoulder.
“I said I was coming tonight,” I respond smiling at my woman with intent in my eyes. “What’s your name?” I ask without skipping a beat, stepping into her space. I don’t want to know who she is because any answer other than “yours” is the wrong one.
“Casey,” she says just above the din of the room.
“My cousin is visiting from Texas,” Mike interjects, emphasizing cousin. My head turns to the beast in front of me, smiling and nodding.
“Cousin. Good,” I mutter aloud. “I’m Owen Parker.”
“Hello, Owen.” I take her hand and bring it to my lips. She gasps and her pulse picks up as I get my first taste of her skin, and her eyes reveal how much she likes it.
I pull her closer, giving no fucks that Mike stood right there, and I whisper, “Have dinner with me.”
“When?” she pants out as if she’s as equally affected.
“Now,” I demand inches from her lips. I can’t stop this insane urge to toss her over my shoulder and carry her out of this place. The only thing stopping me is it would give people a shot of her ass. Her coat is short, and those yoga pants are painted on. Peeling them off is going to be a pleasure.
“Yes, but…”
I press my finger to her soft, glossy lips. “No buts. Michael, I’ll take good care of her. Goodnight.” I pull them back immediately as her breath grazes my hand. Damn, my cock dug into my zipper with just the slightest touch.
“Um…goodnight,” Michael stutters while appraising Casey’s face for agreement.
“I’ll call you later,” Casey tells her cousin, stepping into his arms for a quick hug. Maybe tomorrow after she screams my name at least ten times. She freezes as if she heard what I said. “Wait, hold up. I can’t leave like that. I don’t know you.”
I intertwine our fingers and stare into her pretty light brown eyes and give her all the important details. “I’m your cousin’s boss, and I’m thirty-two, single, no kids, two loving parents, non-smoker and fucking willing to do whatever it takes to get your sole attention.”
“Mikey, I’m good. I’ll call you.” That’s my girl.
“Fine. Take care of her or boss or not, I’ll cut your balls off,” he warns me, snatching a beer out of the bucket.
“Don’t worry. She’s safe with me.” I cup her waist and lead her out of the bar. I don’t care that she didn’t get to meet the rest of the guys. In fact, I’m glad she didn’t. There’s no way I’m not above firing every single one of them if they got a shot at ogling my woman.
She stops just as we step outside of the bar. We’re alone on the street right now, but I have a feeling there’s a reason for it. As I breathe in her scent, I smell the air around us. It’s about to rain. “Am I safe with you? Something tells me you could ruin me.”
“The only thing we’ll be ruining is the sheets, Casey. I’m not going to lie. I want you naked and in my bed, but first I want to get to know you.”
“Then take me to dinner,” she demands, looking up at that sky as the first raindrops fall.
I bend down and scoop her into my arms and run to my car. She giggles as the rain picks up, drenching us. I hit the unlock and sit her in the passenger seat and then dash around to the driver’s side.
“Fuck, it’s coming down hard.”
“That came out of nowhere,” she laughs, brushing back her wet hair and sending her scent wafting right to me. The look of pure joy on her face hit me straight in the gut.
“Yes, it did. And don’t worry. You still look breathtakingly beautiful,” I panted, pushing my hair back.
“You look pretty hot too,” she confesses. A blush steals over her face, so she ducks her head.
I feel the loss of her eyes on me instantly, and I practically growl out, “Don’t hide your pretty face, Casey.”
She lifts it up with a smile and says, “So where
are you taking me?”
“Well, we’re pretty close to a couple of places. Is there anything you want to try while here?” I ask, wondering what kind of food she likes. Does she eat like a bird or does she enjoy her food?
“Um…well pizza of course, but I’m not that hungry. I ate a little before coming to the bar just in case I had a drink,” she admits, shrugging her shoulders apologetically.
“That’s smart. Okay. I have an idea. Sit back and tell me what part of Texas are you from?”
“I’m from the very tip of Texas, a small town called San Benito, just right next to South Padre and Brownsville.”
“I’ve heard Mike mention it before. How long have you been up here and hiding from me?” Does she usually come up here? How many times could we have met before?
“I arrived this afternoon.”
“Oh, so do you normally come to visit?”
“No, I haven’t been here since I was a kid, but I can’t remember going anywhere other than to visit family. We didn’t have a lot of money or time to travel up here. I’m here for eight days.”
“Well, then I have a lot to show you before then.” I don’t want her to leave, but I want her to choose to stay. That’s going to take a world of convincing.
I know that I’m insane for the way she makes me feel, but no one has ever brought me to this brink before, and I don’t ever want it to end. As much as I want to fuck her brains out, there’s much more to this between us. Selfishly, I want all her attention on us. Tonight’s gonna be some takeout and a movie in my living room. I’ll make it up to her and take her on a real date tomorrow.
We’re almost to my house when the rain picks up. It’s so fucking blinding that I pull over to the side of the road.
“Are we here?” she asks, looking outside unable to see the buildings. There’s not much here in this spot.
“No, I want the rain to ease up before we drive on. It’s too dangerous for us to keep going.”
“That’s smart. I’d hate to get into an accident on my first night here,” she nervously giggles. The rain has isolated us, making it her and I in this tiny space. I can feel the heat increasing with every second that passes. Fuck, maybe I should have pushed through and drove the rest of the way.