She could do it. She could.
The last thing she did before packing up and taking off was look at the last time Wyatt clocked in.
October 24th...two days ago.
Two days?
What gives?
Cassie was overwhelmed with emotions by the time she reached Highway 126. Emotions that were uncomfortable and hard to swallow now invaded her reason. Yes, she was in love with him. In her eyes, he could do no wrong and she did not want to be proved otherwise. Yes, she was bordering on dangerous ground. What did she want cleared up anyhow? By driving over to his house, what on God’s Green Earth did she want to be revealed? And when secrets were uncovered, what would make her want to stay? She was on the verge of madness. In the past, sex did not equal instant emotional attachment, and yet, with Wyatt it was almost immediate. Sex between them bulldozed a path to impassioned feelings. She with him and he with her. Why show her how he felt with physical feelings? Why not just shut her down like the rest of the male population?
Cassie pulled over off road to look back at the address she had jotted down on a piece of paper. Thumbing in the address on her cell phone, she entered the numbers to look for the next streets to pull into. All around her were dense trees with mountainous terrain, there was no way she was going to find his street...but she did.
Bluffside Road with an arrow pointing one specific way. Turn here, it told her...turn here…
Driving down the dirt road her heart began to race. What would she find when she got there? A small shack, a traditional home or rickety ole tent? Would he be home to greet her? Would he be happy to see her at his front door? Or would she be walking into a situation she rather not know?
So many questions, not enough answers when the dwelling suddenly appeared in a clearing. It was a ranch-style home, a rather big one, sprawled out across several acres she would assume. She could see his truck parked up on the concrete driveway near what she also assumed was the garage along with several other cars. A BMW, a Jaguar, and a Jeep.
Really?
What the heck was going on?
Cassie pulled up and parked her car on a dirt patch nearest to the front door, not caring if it wasn’t really a parking spot, just caring about the convenience.
Slamming her door shut, she hesitated for a moment and surveyed the rest of the house and the area. It was gorgeous!
Palm trees swaying, tropical foliage and flowers, a water garden, and outdoor patio area. The landscape was impeccable. And he was a janitor? A custodian at Regal High? She knew how much he made. It couldn’t be more than her salary, twenty or thirty thousand over hers. This property was a million-dollar home!
What the heck was going on?
Cassie managed to get to the door then rang the doorbell. Staring through the stained-glass oval she could fathom a shadowy figure walking towards the entrance. It wasn’t him, she thought, determining it was more feminine than masculine.
The door suddenly opened. It was a woman.
“Can I help you?”
Cassie stared at her for a moment. The face she’d seen before...but from where?
“Is Wyatt home?”
The woman casually bent her hip and rolled her eyes down Cassie’s frame.
In this small moment Cassie immediately recognized who she was.
Dawn Dansbury?!
Dawn Dansbury, a leggy, brown-eyed blond just won an Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series. Cassie’s, Liz and Rayna’s favorite television show about first wives and their ex-husband’s, Second Best. They had been watching religiously for the past five years. Dawn Dansbury played Her Honor Justice Beth Morton, Cassie’s favorite character...Hotdamn.
What the heck was going on?!
Dawn smiled before saying, “Sure, he’s home. He’s just in the backyard digging a hole. A pipe burst, and he’s been out there since last night trying to fix it.” She then opened the door wide open for Cassie to walk in through. “Won’t you come in?”
Without thinking, Cassie nodded her head and walked into the great room. The inside was even better than the outside. French country white throughout, with warm neutral furnishings, both bright and clean. Fresh cut flowers, gray hardwood floors with antique accents sprinkled about. It’s what her house would look like if she had several hundred thousand dollars to toss around.
What the heck was going on?!
“Have a seat, I’ll go get him,” Dawn said, about to step away.
“You’re Dawn Dansbury, right?” Cassie spurted out, acting like a silly fan.
Dawn grinned, “Why, yes I am.”
“I didn’t recognize you at first with your glasses on.”
Dawn pulled her glasses away from her nose, “Oh, I use them to read. I was reading a script when you rang the door.”
Cassie’s eyes bugged out. “What happens to Beth?” She asked, not skipping a beat. “I know you can’t divulge spoilers or anything, but can you least give me a hint?”
Dawn crossed her arms across her stomach. “You watch Second Best?”
Cassie let go a smile too big. “Oh yes, I’ve been watching since season one.”
Dawn smiled graciously and began walking away to go fetch Wyatt. Turning around for just a second, she said, “Beth gets arrested.”
Cassie covered her mouth up with her hand and then sits down slowly on a white couch, overwhelmed. She allowed the excitement to settle when reality hit. She was in Wyatt’s home. A home he quite possibly shared with Beth Morton, her favorite first wife. She loved Beth Morton! Beth Morton was a fictional character who defied all odds. A survivor, a judge, and a successful pioneer.
What the heck was really going on?!
Cassie closed her eyes then ran her fingers across the top of her head and hair. This was not happening. She had walked into some kind of Twilight Zone. All around her was perfection; some kind of Fixer Upper episode on steroids. Then the real world hit her like a ton of bricks. Dawn Dansbury mentioned ‘last night’... that meant Wyatt was with her all night.
The love of her life spent the night with Beth Morton...
Chapter Fifteen
“Well, this is original,” Cassie said, standing up from her seat.
Wyatt walked into the living area, “Only if your reaction is.”
Cassie closed her mouth and watch Wyatt wipe his hands off a towel that Dawn handed to him. They were very comfortable with each other, and that did make Cassie envious. She would have to act like an adult here. “I’m here to ask if you want to go for a ride in my Prius.”
Wyatt began to laugh and stepped into her. His grin turned sensual as he said, “That’s cute.” He then leaned into her and gave her a small peck on the lips. “What are you doing here?” He whispered into her ear as he casually drew away. He then quickly turned around and wrapped his arm around Cassie’s shoulders. Turning towards Dawn, he said, “Dawn, this is Cassie Monerrez, you know, the lady I was talking about the other day?”
Cassie concentrated on Dawn at that moment and yes indeed, she did confirm with her eyes that what he said was true. Cassie watched Dawn’s eyes light up with affirmation.
Dawn smiled happily, “That’s right...nice to finally meet you Cassie.”
Cassie squeezed Wyatt hard and then looked up at him. “You almost done out there?”
Wyatt gazed down at her and circled his eyes around her lovely face, “Good timing, I was just covering up the pipe. All done.” He let go of her grip and then began to walk away. “I’m gonna go take a shower,” he said, turning around to face her again. “Stay there. I’ll be back in a moment.”
He wasn’t kidding.
Cassie barely had a minute to talk to Dawn again when Wyatt came strolling down the hallway, with his hair wet, buttoning up a shirt.
“Let’s go outside,” he said, opening the French doors.
Cassie followed him outside to a wonderful oasis and outdoor living room. Couches, loveseats, armchairs, ottomans, dining area, BBQ, tables and one very large fire pit with Caribbe
an blue fire glass. Beyond the concrete lie an impressive escape consisting of a large peanut shaped pool, chaise lounge chairs and a cabana. Cassie sat down on one of the couches and remembered she had to be home by six. “What’s going on Wyatt?”
Wyatt sat across from Cassie and crossed his ankles on the edge of a glass top coffee table. “Nothing, why?”
Not this shit again. It must be woven into every man’s DNA. Some kind of perpetual dodging the obvious merry-go-round shit. “Dawn Dansbury? This house?” Cassie asked, gazing around her.
Wyatt threw his head back. “Oh that.”
“Yes, that.”
Wyatt started to grin. He was just about to say something funny when his mirth was swallowed by conviction and he decided to tell her the truth instead. He really liked Cassie. He more than liked her...she deserved nothing less. “My best friend Lucas, died of a drug overdose ten years ago, last week.”
Cassie noted he changed the subject. Good work. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
Wyatt shook his head. “He was more like a brother to me than a best friend. We all grew up together, Lucas, Dawn and I. We were the three musketeers for a long time.”
Cassie leaned back on the cushion of the sofa. “What happened?”
“We were business partners,” Wyatt let go, fingering the fabric on the couch. “After college, we started an ad firm. After he broke his ankle playing basketball, he got addicted to painkillers. After that, he let the business fail. We ended up owing back taxes, short-term loans and his suicide caused me to check out for a while.”
Cassie closed her eyes. He must have been really depressed. “Sounds awful.”
“I was a bum and unemployed for the longest time when Dawn got pregnant,” he said, straightening out his legs and sitting upright. “We got married and I stayed home with Jennifer while Dawn went out on auditions.”
Cassie shook her head, “Admirable.”
Wyatt grinned then ran his hand through his hair, “She got her big break and that’s when our marriage fell apart.”
“Makes sense now,” Cassie said, believing him.
“We decided to continue living together for the sake of raising our daughter.”
Cassie closed her eyes before saying, “I understand.”
“The ranch is mine,” Wyatt suddenly said, watching Cassie’s eyes bug out.
“What?”
“I made several mil before the business failed,” he plainly said. “Bought the property for a steal and gave Dawn the go ahead to renovate. Everything’s paid for, all we pay now are utilities...and broken pipes.”
Cassie gazed around her and noticed the sun about to go down. “I’ve gotta go. I promised I’d be home to cook dinner.”
Wyatt was caught off guard and stood up fast with Cassie. “Wanna go camping? This weekend? Just two days.”
Cassie began walking towards the French doors. “Yes, I do.” She turned around and eyed Wyatt’s approach. This was the reason why all the girls he’s dated in the past were intimated by Dawn and this house. Was she? Quite the opposite. She couldn’t wait to be more involved. The anticipation was chilling.
Chapter Sixteen
Having grown up in Ventura County, Wyatt knew of a secluded place up in the mountains surrounded by Valley Oak trees, miner’s lettuce, sagebrush, and multiple wildflowers. It was a pristine forest, untouched and Wyatt was over the moon to have Cassie there.
He was also very attentive, Cassie had never experienced this side of him before. She quite liked it.
“Are you cold?” He asked her, finishing up the last spike on the tent.
Cassie watched Wyatt hit the tent nail into the ground before saying, “Not yet. But I assume the temperature is gonna drop by tonight.”
“About twenty degrees,” he smiled, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her back. “But I’ll keep you warm.”
“I bet you will,” she quipped, giving him a kiss on his lips. “Where is everyone?” She asked, gazing around the forest full of trees.
“What do you mean?”
Cassie looked out beyond the wooded area and then spotted what she thought looked like water. “Is that a lake?”
Wyatt smiled down at her, “Nothing gets by you.”
Cassie then looked back up at him. “Do you fish there?”
“All the time,” he said, leaning down and bussing the side of her neck.
Cassie dipped her neck sideways to receive his touch. It felt like Heaven to be in his arms. “Why are we all alone here? Did you buy out all the camping spots?”
Wyatt let go of her and started to laugh. “No,” he said, unfolding the chairs and placing them around the fire pit area. “More like bought the camping spot.”
Cassie closed her mouth. “What? You are full of surprises, Wyatt Zander.”
Wyatt began to throw logs into the fire pit. “That’s why I wanted you to go camping. It’s one of my favorite places to stay. I don’t need a five-star hotel when I have all this at my fingertips.”
Cassie gazed around at the campsite again. It really was magnificent. A picturesque postcard. Green, lush, and tranquil. She watched Wyatt pat down an area on a padded blanket he had suddenly laid out on a grassy patch without her noticing. Surrounded by purple wildflowers, the blanket looked more like a comfortable queen on top purple carpet.
Cassie walked over to it and sat half-laying down. “Oh, this is comfy.”
Wyatt laid down the opposite way and reached out to kiss her lips. “It was meant to be.”
Cassie smiled before saying, “This is really nice.”
“Where’s the kids today?”
Cassie cocked her head, “With their dad. Good thing this was his weekend.”
“So, no time restrictions this weekend?”
“Nope,” she said, leaning back into him and kissing his lips again.
“Take your shirt off, I want to suck you,” he roughly said.
Cassie did what she was told and started to slowly unbutton her blouse. “Are you sure we’re alone here?” She asked before she discarded her top.
Wyatt lowered her eyes to the last button, “Quite alone. I own the surrounding fifty acres, too.”
Cassie’s eyes bugged out again, “What the heck?”
“Lie down here,” he cajoled, “Now take off that top.”
Cassie did what she was asked and discarded her blouse to the corner of the blanket. Unclasping her bra, she discarded that as well and watched Wyatt as he let go an arousing grin, laid her on her back and grabbed both her arms and held them above her head.
“God, your tits are amazing,” he said, leaning over and licking one from its underbelly. He then hovered over her and straddled her torso.
With her arms still up over her head his dropped down and began carnally lashing away at her breasts and nipples. With her being totally gripped and under his control, the sensation was paralyzing and instantly warmed the fires down below.
“Omigod,” she let out, “You have the greatest mouth.”
“What this?” He asked, engulfing hers and kissing her deeply.
Cassie broke away and said, “Pull my pants down, fuck me now.”
Wyatt let go a lustful smile and said, “No.”
Cassie jerked her head, “No?”
“No.”
“Let my arms go so I can feel you.”
“No,” he said, biting her neck then trailing his tongue down to her left nipple.
“Omigod!” Cassie shouted out, “No more, I want you now.”
Wyatt didn’t hear her and bussed down to her stomach then back up to her breasts again. Nipples hard and erect from the cool outdoor elements and the wetness of his mouth, he opened her legs with his knees and began sensually pressing up against her pants.
“Omigod,” she cried out, “Will you just fuck me now?”
Wyatt finally released her, and Cassie immediately began pulling down her jeans.
Totally naked now, Cassie watched Wyatt with impassioned eye
s as he discarded himself of his shirt...then his jeans...then finally releasing his rock-hard dick. Cassie didn’t realize it before, but he was huge! Thick, bulky and perfect.
Cassie was caught off guard when he quickly leaned down, opened her legs and began nibbling the sides of her vagina and licking her clitoris. She was about to climax and let out a huge moan when he rolled her over onto her stomach and lifted her torso. Now on her hands and knees, Cassie couldn’t take anymore and brushed her butt up against his hardness. “Get in, will you?”
Wyatt ran his hands down the softness of her back and down to her buttocks and gave her squeeze. “God you’re beautiful, Cass.”
Cassie smiled within and lifted her butt higher. The erotic invitation was all it took, and Wyatt grabbed the sides of her hips and gradually entered her. By slow degrees, Cassie instantly felt full and pushed and pressed, squeezing him hard until she couldn’t hold it in any longer and cried out in pleasure. Pumping just a few moments more, Wyatt reached out and grabbed both breasts and moaned erratically himself.
Coming down from euphoria, they let moments pass when Wyatt finally let go of her only to turn her body over to gently lay his head on top of her stomach.
His weight was divine, his lovemaking felt complete and nothing could have been more sublime until she heard him whisper…
“I love you Cass.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Why work as a janitor then?” Rayna asked, sipping on her chardonnay. The three women were assembled at Liz’s home on a Sunday evening.
Wyatt was scheduled to spend the weekend with his daughter which left some free time open for Cassie.
Cassie had already given the girls the exciting update on Dawn Dansbury and Wyatt’s history and the threesome were all mulling it over.
Cassie brought her own wine glass up to her lips, “Later that night he said that custodial work allowed him ample time to free his thoughts. Less thinking, more manual labor.”
Liz looked over at Rayna before saying, “Yea, but he still could have gone back to be an ad executive. Haven’t you seen Mad Men? Those guys sleep on the couch most work hours!”
Swept Away (The Escape Series Novellas Book 1) Page 6