by Abbi Glines
My out-of-practice fingers began to numb and I slowed to a stop. The wetness on my face surprised me. They weren’t sad tears. Not this time. This time they were happy tears. Maybe there would be a tomorrow after all.
The sound of clapping startled me and I opened my eyes to see my daddy standing in the doorframe. His eyes were watery and a smile tilted up each corner of his mouth. “That’s my girl,” he said in a husky voice thick with emotion. “You don’t know how good it was to come inside and hear that sound.” He pressed his lips together tightly and inhaled deeply through his nose. “I look forward to hearing more of that.” He nodded once in approval and then headed on down the hall to his room.
Chapter Thirteen
Cage
I pulled Eva’s badass little Jeep into the parking spot reserved for my apartment unit. Eva’s dad was gone for the weekend on a deep-sea fishing trip so I’d brought her home with me. The moment I’d finished work I’d washed up and changed and we’d headed out. I wanted her to go out with me tonight and meet my friends. I also wanted her in my bed. My nice big king size bed. Having her in my space suddenly seemed real damn important.
“It’s right on the water?” Eva gasped as I reached behind her seat and grabbed her small suitcase.
“Yep and I intend to get you out on that beach in your hot little bikini with me while we’re here.”
She smirked at me then opened her door and got out.
I walked around the back of the Jeep so I could grab her hand. The idea of her being here made me ridiculously happy.
“It’s almost nine. Will your friends still be out? Or will everything be closed?” she asked as I led her to the stairs. Innocent little country girl was used to everything closing down with the sunset.
“We’re at the beach Eva. There’s a nightlife here. I doubt anyone is even at Live Bay yet. Band doesn’t normally get started until ten.”
“Oh,” was her simple reply.
When we reached the door to my apartment I unlocked it and prayed Low had gotten someone over here to clean it for me.
The fresh smell of Pine Sol hit my nose and I relaxed. I knew Preston had used it a few times last week and I didn’t know what he might have left behind.
“It’s so big,” Eva breathed in awe. I looked around and didn’t think it was all that big but I wasn’t going to argue with her.
“Oh and you can see the water,” she squealed and ran over to the window overlooking the gulf.
I sat her bag down on the new leather couch I’d hardly used since I bought it. I needed a kiss. Eva was here all in my personal space and I wanted to celebrate.
“Come here,” I whispered as I came up behind her and turned her around to face me.
I dipped my head down so I could press a few soft kisses to her lips then reached up and cupped her face with both my hands before I deepened the kiss. Her eager mouth opened willingly and the taste of her made me just a little crazy. It always did. Being this close to her just got better each time. Her two hands crept up my shirt until she found the barbell I’d inserted back into my nipple after my shower just for her. I’d wondered how long it would take her to search it out.
I grinned against her lips and a small laugh escaped her. She thought my nipple ring was naughty and something about that fascinated her.
Eva pulled back and looked up at me. “What time do we need to leave?” she asked, still rubbing her thumb over my nipple. It was a little hard to form coherent words when she did that.
“In about thirty minutes,” I replied.
With a sigh, she stepped back out of my embrace. “Then I need you to direct me to a bathroom so I can freshen up and change.”
“You can change in my bedroom. I’ll even help you. It’s full service around here,” I replied, reaching out to take her hand and pull her back toward me.
Shaking her head, she backed up just out of my grasp. “If you want to take me to meet your friends then I need to get ready.”
“You look incredible just like that but if you must go change then use the door off the kitchen and the bathroom connected to it.”
I watched her as she grabbed her bag and headed back to my room. I had never actually brought a girl here like this before. Low didn’t count and every other female that had been in my apartment had been with someone. They weren’t here to get dressed in my room or sleep in my bed. Not once had I ever considered it. Bringing girls into my personal space had never appealed to me.
Eva
The parking lot was packed with cars. I tugged on the hem of my black skirt. I wasn’t sure how everyone would be dressed. Cage wasn’t much help in choosing an outfit. He liked everything I tried on and he was wearing a pair of jeans and a snug fitting light blue tee shirt that did amazing things for his eyes.
He had driven my Jeep here because he said he’d need to park it. Now I understood why. He pulled around back into the “employee only” parking.
“What are you doing?” I asked, horrified. I was not leaving my Jeep here to get towed.
Cage reached over and squeezed my knee, “Relax baby. I’ll make sure they know this is my car. It’ll be just fine.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. He opened the door and got out. I wasn’t okay with this. Cage walked around the front of the Jeep and opened my door. “Get your pretty little behind out of this Jeep.” He stepped up and slid his hands over the tops of my legs. “Or we could stay out here a little while longer and I could enjoy this skirt you decided to wear.”
Laughing, I slapped at his hands. “I want to go in but I’m worried about my Jeep.”
Loud squealing startled me and I snapped my head up to see a skinny blonde with very little clothing on and really large boobs running toward us. I was a little afraid her boobs were going to bounce right out of her top. What was she doing?
“Caaaaage!” she added to her loud squeal. Unsure who she was I waited. Cage turned around at the sound of his name.
“Pris,” he replied as she barreled herself into his arms.
“Whoa girl.” He grabbed her by the waist. I wasn’t sure if he was doing it because he wanted to or because he was trying to keep her from knocking them both down. She didn’t seem real steady on the hot pink six-inch platform stilettos she was wearing.
“Where have you been?” she asked running her hands down his chest like she was ready to get him naked right now out here in the parking lot.
“I’m working out of town for the summer.” He reached up and pulled her hands off his body.
She pouted when he put her hands back down at her side and took a step back from her. Was she for real? Her bottom lip was stuck out so far she might step on it with those ridiculous heels.
“But you’re back tonight?”
“Yeah, just for tonight,” he replied, taking another shift in his body until his back was touching my legs.
The blonde’s eyes finally tore themselves away from Cage and she focused on me. “Oh, you already got someone for the night,” she started to pout then a slow smile appeared and she leaned into Cage and made sure she rubbed her breasts up his chest. “You know I don’t mind sharing. We could do a threesome. I know how you like one girl to—“
“Uh, NO. Bad idea,” Cage interrupted her and reached back to pick me up by my waist, setting me down beside him. He kept his arm wrapped protectively around me like he might need to keep me from harm’s way.
“Why not? Is she not—“
“Because that isn’t my scene anymore. You can do something for me though. Make sure parking knows the Jeep is mine.”
The girl frowned, slightly confused, then nodded. “Okay. I will. But call me!”
Cage had already started walking us toward a back door.
“Who was that? And did you really have a threesome? Like with two girls at once?” I couldn’t believe what I’d heard. I mean I knew people talked about them but I didn’t think they actually did them. Eww.
“That was Priscilla. She’s a waitress here
. Let’s not discuss my past sex life. I made a lot of mistakes, let’s leave it at that.”
My jaw dropped open, “You so did have a threesome. Ohmygod,” I breathed as he sighed at my reaction and opened the door for me to go inside.
The Cage I knew and the Cage that girl knew didn’t even seem like the same guy. “Come this way,” he said as he placed his hand on the small of my back and led me down a hall toward loud music. “Jackdown is playing tonight. I have friends in the band. They aren’t the best but they don’t suck.”
“You have friends in a band. No wonder you’ve had threesomes.” I couldn’t let that one go. How many girls had he actually been with?
“There they are,” he said with obvious excitement in his voice. He called out over the noise, “Bring me two.” He dropped his eyes to look at me, “Wait. What do you want to drink?”
“Coke,” I replied. He studied me a moment then nodded and looked back up at the bartender who was standing a good distance off but watching Cage for his order. “Make that one and a coke,” he called out again.
Somehow the man heard him over the noise. We walked around the moving bodies instead of through them. I wasn’t sure what to expect of Cage’s friends after meeting the girl outside. Would they all be wild like that? Had I made a mistake coming here?
“Cage has arrived,” a surfer-dude-looking blond guy announced with a huge grin on his face. “And he already found himself a babe and dayum did he do good.” The blond winked at me.
“Eva, the idiot that needs a haircut is Preston. He’s also the same idiot that whistled at you the day the team came over,” Cage informed me, leaning down so he didn’t have to yell.
“Eva,” Preston repeated. “I remember you now. I couldn’t get a good look at you from a distance that day but my instincts were right.”
“He was dropped on his head as a baby. Ignore him,” Cage whispered, making me laugh.
“Hey Eva, I’m Trisha.” A curvy platinum blonde with a pair of the plumpest lips I’d ever seen introduced herself. She seemed nice enough.
“Hello, it’s nice to meet you,” I replied. It was official, every female Cage knew was blonde and had a set of double Ds.
“This is my husband, Rock,” she informed me and I shifted my gaze to meet the amused eyes of a large, muscular, tattooed, bald guy. He wasn’t bad looking if you liked the biker look.
“Low and Marcus coming?” Cage asked as he scanned the packed house.
“Not tonight. Marcus is taking some summer courses online so Low is staying home with him,” Trisha replied.
“You wanna dance?” Cage’s mouth was so close to my ear the warmth from his breath made me shiver. I looked back out at the dance floor and all those people moving in ways I’d never really seen intimidated me.
“Not really,” I said, shifting my gaze back to his. I could tell he was disappointed. This was not my scene and I feared he was going to wish he’d never brought me before the night was over.
“Okay,” he said through a forced smile.
“Here, have a seat. I just saw someone who needs me,” Preston stood up and pulled his empty stool out for me. I glanced back at Cage and he nodded his head for me to go on and sit down. If I wasn’t going to dance I guess he figured I might as well get comfortable.
“I thought Cage was working out on a farm all summer. Where’d he pick you up at?” Trisha asked, leaning forward on the table so I could hear her.
“He works on my daddy’s farm,” I explained. Her eyes grew wide and she shifted them toward Cage.
“Let it go Trisha. It’s different,” was his cold curt response to her questioning gaze.
“Really?” her voice trailed off as she looked back at me. The sudden scrutiny had me thinking that maybe the dance floor was a safer option.
“Where’s the restroom?” I asked, Trisha needing some excuse to go take a deep breath and relax. I knew I must look as uptight as I felt.
“Come on, I’ll show you,” Trisha said, standing up from her stool.
“I’ll be back in a minute,” I said to Cage as I followed quickly behind Trisha.
Chapter Fourteen
Cage
I hoped Trisha kept her mouth shut. I should have offered to take Eva to the restroom. The last thing I needed was for Trisha to share all my shit with Eva. I’d thought bringing her here to meet everyone would feel right. Instead, I was tied up in knots. Seeing Priscilla out in the parking lot had been my warning flag. Eva didn’t know the real me and if she found out exactly how fucked up I was she would go running for good this time.
“I gotta know man, are you really seeing someone, like, on a regular basis? I mean, she’s the damn farmer’s daughter. It ain’t like you can fuck her and leave her. So what the hell is going on?”
Rock was frowning. I couldn’t figure out if it was because of the innocence dripping off Eva or if he was worried about me screwing up my scholarship.
“I’m working on it,” I snapped, wishing he’d mind his own business.
“You’re working on what? Bagging her?”
My head started pounding and both my hands balled up into fists. I leveled my glare on Rock. “It isn’t like that,” I hissed through my teeth.
Rock leaned back and studied me. Then he shook his head slowly and let out a low whistle, “Damn. I thought I’d never see the day.”
“See the day to what?” Preston asked as he set a beer and a Coke down on the table. “Those are yours by the way,” he said, pushing the beer toward me.
“I believe Cage has gone and actually got himself feelings for some girl other than Low,” Rock drawled out in an amused tone.
Preston jerked his head around and looked back at me, “What? You’re serious about the brunette? Well, shit. I was hoping you’d share.”
“Don’t,” I growled in warning and Preston closed his mouth before he could run off more bullshit that just pissed me off.
“CAGE! You’re here!” Amanda Hardy, Marcus’s little sister came up to the table all smiles and glassy eyes. Great, Marcus would be pissed if he knew Amanda was drinking. I’d have to call Low before I left.
“Dance with me Cage,” she demanded, taking my hand and pulling me toward the dance floor. When had Amanda become a party girl? I’d always known her to be a classic good girl.
“She’s trashed,” I said, looking back at Preston with a frown.
He scowled and shook his head. “Just go dance with her. At least if she’s dancing with you she’s safe. I’ve been beating the vultures off her all damn night. I’m about ready to call Marcus. Babysitting ain’t my fucking job.”
I was missing something here but I went on out to the dance floor with Amanda. She pulled me out into the middle of the floor and wrapped her arms around my neck. Then she began moving in ways her brother would kill someone over.
Yeah, I was gonna need to call Low. If she kept this shit up with other guys tonight she’d be waking up in a stranger’s condo.
“I’ve missed you,” she slurred then cackled with laughter as she spun around in front of me and threw her arms back around my neck.
“Last I checked you weren’t a real big fan of mine,” I replied.
“Oh, no! I’ve always been a fan of yours.” She ran a fingernail down my face and across my bottom lip. Her eyes were zoned in on my mouth. Shit.
“You’re not a drinker, Amanda. What’s with you tonight?” I needed to distract her because I was sure as fuck not going to let her kiss me. That was the last thing I needed. Eva was already dwelling on the fact I’d had a threesome. If she saw some girl kissing me I was pretty damn sure I’d lose any chance of her ever seeing me as something other than a player.
“You know what I’ve always wondered, Cage?” Amanda asked, leaning into me. I took a step back and she began to wobble so I grabbed her waist to steady her.
“What’s that Amanda?” I started scanning the crowd for someone to come to my rescue.
“What it’s like to kiss the famou
s Cage York. Girls fall mindlessly at your feet. You must be doing something right,” she leaned up on her tiptoes and I moved back fast. If she fell on her drunk ass then she deserved it. The girl shouldn’t be out alone like this.
“I won’t tell Marcus,” she promised staring up at me. “We can go outside to my car. No one will see.”
I glanced back toward the table. I needed Preston’s help, now. His eyes were looking directly at us and he wasn’t happy.
“Help me,” I mouthed.
Amanda’s hands were now clasped behind my neck again. “I know you want to. Bad boys like you want to do it anywhere they can.”
Holy SHIT! What had gotten into her?
I checked to see if Preston was close when I saw him stalking through the crowd. He reached us and wrapped his hands around Amanda’s waist. “Come on Amanda. I’m taking you home.”
“Nooooo. You’re not my daddy. Go away Preston.” She reached for me and I stepped back again.
“He’s right. You need to go home.”
“But don’t you want to take me outside alone?” she asked in a hurt voice.
Preston shifted his gaze to me and the murderous glare flashing in his eyes was not something I was familiar with. The guy never got mad. What the fuck was with everyone tonight?
“Her idea. Not mine. I’ve got a date,” I reminded him.
Preston smirked and nodded his head at something behind me, “Looks like you might be wrong there. She seems to be having herself a fine time without you.”
Eva was dancing with some guy. Some random strange guy. I’d asked her to dance and she’d turned me down but this dude comes out of nowhere and she dances with him?
Eva
“I still can’t believe you’re here. When I turned around from ordering my drink and saw you sitting over at a table I thought I was seeing things.”