“Evan,” she whispered. “Evan, we … we have to stop.”
His lips pressed to hers again, silencing her protest. He didn’t want to leave now, maybe not ever. This felt so right, so good.
Evan’s pocket vibrated. Sighing, he pulled his mouth from hers and reached into his pocket with one hand while holding Cassidy close with the other, not ready to let her go. The caller display flashed onto the little screen.
Ah, shit.
“Hey, Chip,” he said clearing his throat, trying to sound normal.
“Where are you guys? We’re almost ready to get started.”
“We’re leaving the house now. We’ll be there soon.”
“Well, hurry the hell up.” Chip hung up on Evan for the second time.
Evan tucked his phone back into his front pocket and hooked his arms together behind Cassidy’s back. She peered up at him, her eyes heavy-lidded.
“That was Chip. We have to go.” He raised his eyebrows and grinned at her. “I think we might be in trouble.”
“In more ways than one, it seems.” Cassidy motioned to his arms wrapped around her.
“This is trouble, but only if we tell him.” Evan leaned forward, his lips hovering above hers. “I don’t plan on telling him about this.”
His lips claimed hers again. She mumbled something quietly. He ignored her and kissed her harder, deeper than before. After one final peck on the lips, he stepped back. The expression on her face was a reflection of his desire.
“Telling would be bad,” Cassidy muttered.
“We have to go.”
Evan walked out of the bathroom and grabbed his camera gear. Cassidy followed behind him with her purse and slipped into her shoes. He held the door open for her as she grabbed the last chocolate croissant. Watching her take a bite as she passed in front of him made the taste of Cassidy’s mouth flood his mind again.
“I never knew chocolate could taste so damned good,” he whispered in her ear as she passed through the doorway.
Closing the door behind him, he mentally tried to force the last few minutes out of his mind. He had to focus on work or Chip would know something had happened. No one could find out. So much for not getting involved with Cassidy.
Chapter Fourteen
As they walked into the crowded room, Cassidy stole a quick glance at Evan. He appeared calm and completely at ease — and sexy. So. Damned. Sexy.
She tried to mirror his expression, worried if she didn’t the others would take one look at her and know what had happened between them. They hurried to join the group standing in front of a giant clear tube-like structure in the middle of the room. Everyone seemed to be eyeing it with trepidation.
What the hell is that thing?
Cassidy had no idea where they were. She’d been so focused on not thinking about Evan and that absolutely-mind-blowingly-amazing kiss, she hadn’t paid a moment’s attention to where they were actually driving. Now she wished she’d seen the sign on their way into the building.
She hadn’t paid any attention to where they’d been kissing, either. Thank God they’d kissed in her bathroom, away from the spying cameras in her bedroom. A chill ran down her back at the thought of how close she’d come to making a serious mistake with Evan, like kissing him in full view of the cameras in her room where Chip would surely find out. Chip could not find out.
Chip rushed over to greet them with a scowl on his face. “What the hell took you guys so long?”
“Sorry, Chip,” Evan apologized before Cassidy had a chance to respond. “I knew Cassidy was pretty tired because of her injuries. I should have checked on her earlier to make sure she was awake.”
“Damn right you should have. She’s your responsibility. Your mistake cost us forty-five minutes of filming time.”
“I won’t let it happen again.”
“See that you don’t, or I’ll find Cassidy a new cameraman.” Chip walked away, leaving them staring after him. Evan’s jaw tightened in silent response.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Cassidy whispered. “It’s my fault we’re late, not yours.”
“It’s fine, Cassy. Don’t worry about it,” he whispered back. “I’ve worked for Chip before. He’s not going to fire me. One time I showed up ready to film with the stomach flu so he can cut me a little slack for being late once. Join the other girls and blend in before we get in more trouble.”
Cassidy’s heart did a little flip at hearing Evan call her Cassy. It was funny how only yesterday she found it really annoying when he called her that, but now it made her feel sort of giddy. Normally she hated nicknames. But she liked the way a nickname sounded coming from Evan. She knew she would like it even more if he were groaning her nickname in bed, but she couldn’t entertain that dream right now.
“Now that we’re finally all here, let’s get started.” Chip stared at Cassidy to make his point crystal clear, as if any doubt lingered in anyone’s mind who he referred to. “We’re moving quicker than usual today since our time here is limited.”
Chip motioned to a door on the left and everyone turned to stare. Brad strolled out in a dark blue jumpsuit accompanied by two other men in matching suits. They strode forward with an air of confidence and joined Spencer in front of the ladies.
“Welcome back to The One,” Spencer said, addressing the group. “We’re here today at Sky’s The Limit Indoor Skydiving Training and Recreation Center. Today you’re getting a special opportunity to do some exciting indoor skydiving.”
Cassidy wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that, but by the amount of “ohs” and “ahs” around her, she assumed the other women thought it was a great idea.
“You’ll each have a turn in the vertical wind tunnel you see behind me. Together with Brad, you’ll soar to new heights and maybe even to love.” When the red light flickered off on the camera pointed at Spencer, he moved to the side of the room to have his makeup retouched.
Susan hustled over with a rainbow of colorful jumpsuits draped over her arms. “I need you to put these on over your clothes. Be sure to empty your pockets and remove any jewelry that isn’t covered by the suit. Anyone with sandals, heels, or boots, please grab a pair of sneakers from that bin over there.” She looked at the tags and started matching suits to girls. She called Cassidy’s name, throwing a suit in her general direction where it landed on the floor in a bright red heap of fabric.
Nice. Why’s she such a bitch to me?
Cassidy wiggled into the one-piece jumpsuit and zipped it up to her neck. It was more form-fitting than she’d expected, and left little to the imagination. She fiddled with the clasp on her necklace before finally getting it open and dropping it into one of the individual baskets provided. The feel of the necklace under her fingertips sent her thoughts back to her room and Evan’s lips pressed hungrily against hers. Her body tingled at the memory of his touch — his kiss.
“Today we have Bill and Austin joining us,” Spencer said, addressing the group again. “They’re the two best flight instructors here at Sky’s. They’ll be helping you inside the tunnel while the rest of you watch from out here through the glass. Now, who would like to go first?”
“Maybe I should be the one to pick,” Brad said, grinning.
“Absolutely. Who will it be?”
Brad walked up to Paige and held out his hand to her. “Care to go flying with me?”
Paige seemed nervous but nodded. After a few minutes getting ready, Paige and Brad held hands and leaned forward into the powerful upward draft. Instructor Bill guided them into the center of the tunnel where they floated on the air like skydivers in a free fall.
Suddenly, Paige flipped upside down in the tunnel. She clung to Brad’s hands, accidentally forcing him to flip over with her. They both lay spread-eagled and suspended in the air on their backs like overturned turtles.
Bill used hand signals to tell them how to flip again, but Paige didn’t seem to understand. Fortunately, Brad got the message and attempted to roll them both back over onto their stomachs, but struggled without Paige’s help.
Paige looked frantic, her face turning red. She tried to shake Brad loose, but only managed to get one hand free and reached for her goggles.
With that, Bill grabbed her by the leg and pulled her to the side of the tunnel and into a standing position. The door to the tunnel opened and Paige jumped out onto solid ground. She gasped for air and pulled her goggles and helmet off, collapsing on the floor. Tears flooded her eyes as she struggled to get her breath.
Cassidy raced to her side. “Paige, are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“I’m … not … hurt.” Paige stammered trying to catch her breath around her tears. “I felt like the wind took my breath.”
The medic appeared to evaluate Paige. Cassidy recognized him as the same medic from the stable. “Hey, Cassidy. You didn’t hurt yourself again already, did you?” He winked at her before helping Paige stand.
“Very funny, Mr. Funny Man. But it’s not me this time.” Cassidy turned away from the tunnel as Brad got ready to fly with Holly and focused on Paige, who looked like the lone survivor of a Vera Wang sample sale. Not good.
“Feeling better?” Cassidy squeezed Paige’s shoulder.
Paige rubbed her forehead. “I feel so stupid for freaking out. I just couldn’t breathe with the wind in my face. Then I flipped over and I didn’t know how to get back the right way around. God, I’m such an idiot.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, you did the best you could.” Cassidy shook her head at the wind tunnel and laughed. “You know I’m going to suck at this worse than you, right? I’ve actually tripped up the stairs before and now I’m supposed to fly. Yeah. Right.”
A tap on her shoulder made her turn to find Brad. He took her by the hand, pulling her toward the tunnel. “Hey, beautiful. It’s your turn.”
Cassidy called over her shoulder to Paige. “I’ll check on you when I’m done with my flight, fall — whatever.”
As they approached the entrance, one of the instructors stepped forward. “I’m Austin. I’ll guide you through your flight today. I need you to put these on before you go into the tunnel.” He gave her a pair of safety goggles and a helmet.
Cassidy unclipped her hair and let it fall past her shoulders. Her bulky hair clip wouldn’t fit inside the helmet.
“Wow. You’re so hot in that tight suit with your hair all loose and crazy.” Brad cocked an eyebrow suggestively. “I always loved your hair down and sexy.”
“I’ll be sure to add this suit to my wardrobe,” Cassidy said sarcastically, carefully ignoring his reference to the past. She peeked over Brad’s shoulder at Evan. She wondered how that comment made him feel. His jaw had that familiar clenched look.
Cassidy secured her helmet and goggles. “Okay, Brad. Let’s get this over with before I lose my nerve to try.”
Brad took her hand again and climbed into the wind tunnel with her. The door behind them closed, leaving Evan on the other side peering in. By now, Brad had flown four times and looked like a pro. He told Cassidy to lean into the wind and the instructor helped guide them into the middle of the airflow.
Cassidy had forgotten how in control and confident Brad could be. Surfing huge waves had made him brave and fearless when it came to doing anything adrenaline inducing. His hand gripped hers and for a second, sparked a twinge in her heart.
The force of the air hitting her face took her breath away and she instantly understood why Paige had turned into a panicking, chaotic mess. Cassidy floated in the air like a kite in a tornado. She focused on taking small, shallow breaths.
And still she wasn’t freaked out.
In fact, she’d never felt more exhilarated. The material of her suit whipped around her body in the force of the wind. Her arms and legs pushed up toward the roof as she glided on the strong current.
She was overwhelmed with excitement and assumed this must be what it felt like to fall out of a plane, only better — the ground was still safely located only a few feet below her. This had to be one of the most amazing feelings she’d ever experienced. Cassidy wished she could do tricks like the flight instructors. What would it feel like to do flips and spins in the air?
Before she could wonder more, Austin had grabbed her free hand, pulling her up to the side of the tunnel and onto her feet. A moment later Brad wrapped his arm around the small of her back, steadying himself. The door opened and they stumbled out of the tunnel. Cassidy laughed as adrenaline flooded her system.
“That was amazing.” Cassidy said breathless from the wind and excitement.
Brad laughed and wrapped her into a hug. Cassidy hugged him back for a moment before pulling away, still smiling as she tried to remember every second of her two-minute flight, focused on committing the experience to permanent memory.
Then Brad kissed her and all other thoughts fell out of her head.
Cassidy froze as his lips pressed against hers. She tried to move away, but he held her tight. Finally, after what seemed like years, he let go. All she could do was stare at him disbelieving.
Brad smiled. “Now, that was amazing, and just as good as I remembered.”
Cassidy didn’t respond — she couldn’t. How could she tell him that was without a doubt the worse kiss she’d ever had the misfortune of experiencing? Sloppy, wet, lukewarm. Possibly, it was similar to kissing a Basset hound, although she couldn’t confirm that since she’d never actually kissed a Basset hound. But, if she ever wondered what it would be like, she thought she might draw back on this moment with Brad as reference. How had she kissed him for months and never realized he was so bad at it?
Because I’d never experienced a real kiss until Evan.
“We’ll have to do that again. Alone,” Brad whispered into her ear. Cassidy stood paralyzed by shock as Brad sauntered away, already sweet-talking the next girl. She wished she could erase that kiss from her thoughts, but unfortunately it was seared into her memory. She hoped she wouldn’t suffer nightmares from the ordeal.
She sighed as her eyes naturally glanced to Evan, as they always did. Her cheeks flamed as she realized Evan had witnessed that kiss, too.
What’s he thinking? It can’t be good. He’s doing that thing with his jaw again. He has to know I didn’t want that kiss, right?
Evan had the camera pointed in her direction, but he wasn’t looking at her. He focused on Brad, glaring at him across the room. She didn’t like the pained expression playing on Evan’s face. She liked even less being the person to cause it.
Cassidy coughed, clearing her throat, hoping to pull Evan’s attention from Brad and back to her. She walked to the changing area and unzipped her jumpsuit, thankful to be in her normal clothes again.
Spencer called for the women to gather together beside the wind tunnel.
“Well ladies, you did a fabulous job flying today.” Spencer clapped for the women, as if applauding their efforts. “Brad certainly has his work cut out for him this afternoon. In a little while, we’ll meet again back at the house where we’ll find out who Brad has chosen to be in the bottom three. Then it’s up to America again to decide who goes home and who stays.”
Concerned expressions crossed the faces of her fellow contestants. You didn’t need to read minds to know they were worried about who Brad would choose, but even more worried about who America would vote for after the surprise at the last elimination. If Zoe wasn’t safe here, no one was.
“Now Brad, there’s one more very important thing you should consider while you make your decision. Up until now, it’s been mostly group dates, and we know it’s been difficult to really get to know these girls. For the next challenge you’ll get to have another private romantic da
te with each of the remaining ladies.”
“Oh, that does make my decision harder.” Brad dramatically put his hand to his forehead like he was getting a headache thinking about having to make a choice.
“Yes it does, Brad.” Spencer laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. “If only every man suffered your difficult decisions, right?”
Spencer held a huge smile on his face for the camera until given the all-clear signal then he turned and walked away without another word to the women. Cassidy was always amazed at his ability to turn his television personality on and off like he had a hidden power switch on his back.
Chip walked forward and addressed the group. “I want to see all of you out by the pool at seven, sharp. I expect everyone will be awake and on time for this evening’s ceremony,” he added directly at Evan and Cassidy. “You’re free to head back to the house now.”
Evan switched off his camera and brought it down to his side. He rolled his shoulders back and stretched his neck. “Ready to go?” he asked.
“Yeah,” said Cassidy, following him out of the building and back toward the car.
The ride back to the house was silent. An awkward tension filled the tiny space between them. Earlier, they had to tear themselves away from each other, but now because of Brad’s kiss, it was as if Evan couldn’t get enough distance from her. Cassidy slouched in the seat. They’d had rare time alone, without any prying eyes or ears, and they hadn’t even said two words to each other, let alone talked about what happened earlier in her room.
Cassidy reach for the door handle.
“Cassidy,” Evan said quietly.
Oh good, he’s still talking to me.
“Yeah?”
“Would you mind hanging out in your room for a few minutes so I can have a break? I need to clear my head and it would be easier if I weren’t following you around. Maybe fifteen minutes?”
“Oh, okay.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
Cassidy got out of the car and walked up to her room. Evan followed silently behind her. She got to her door and paused. Should she say something to him? But what? If this was about that kiss with Brad, she didn’t know what to say. It’s not like she could take it back or apologizing for something that had been out of her control.
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