Taking a Chance

by April Zyon

  “No, I like them medium rare. As for the rice.” She looked at the clock. “I should be ready to go in about nine minutes. So, you tell me, how long you thinking on the steaks?”

  “Ah, I can’t tell you that,” he said softly. “It’s a trade secret. But they will be ready for the meal, right on time.” She felt the brush of his lips to her neck before the heat of his body moved away. “I’m really glad you stayed on the juicy side of medium. Makes this so much easier, and I like you even more.”

  “That’s a very good thing. I want you to like me as much as humanly possible. I have a feeling that I’m going to need every ounce of your like as I can possibly get when your mom finds me sleeping in your bed in the morning.” She was only mostly teasing.

  “Hardly,” he said with a snort. He pulled a container from the fridge, which when opened, revealed several steaks. He dug out two and stacked them on a plate. “Mama has never interfered in our lives, unless it was about our safety or the safety of someone we knew. She and Pops raised us to know our own minds, make educated decisions, and to deal with any and all consequences that came from those decisions. We didn’t always like it, but we did what was necessary. Personally, I think it made us pretty damn decent adults.”

  “Good, well there is that.” She bumped her hip with his and grinned. “I think that their rearing of you made you a great adult. I happen to really adore the adult that you have become.” She and looked up at him. “Especially when you kiss me, and touch me. Yep, adore it.”

  He grinned down at her. “Oh really? Well, that is very good information for a man to have at his disposal. I plan on kissing you some more later, just so you are forewarned. I’ll toss the steaks on the grill and then be back in to set the table. If you’re thirsty, grab anything you want from the fridge.” Lifting up the plate, he headed back outside.

  She watched him as he left again, her eyes moving to his ass. She grinned. “Wow.” She found herself fanning herself again and grinning like an idiot. The man seriously had some effect on her, like a crazy effect that had her desperate and needy.

  She was watching as he tossed the steaks onto the grill, flames shooting up. The man didn’t even flinch, though he was positioned in a way that led her to believe he’d at least done that a time or two. He headed right back into the house after shutting the grill's lid. “You know, you’d likely be getting more done if you weren’t ogling me, sweetheart. Yes, I could feel you watching me,” he said with a grin. “It’s like a caress, I’ll have you know.”

  Laughter spilled from Cassidy’s lips. She couldn’t help it. “Oh lord.” She snickered. “Yes, you bet your ass I was ogling you. I was watching everything that you did because you are sexy as hell. Seriously, you are hot, Travis, and I enjoy watching you.”

  He made a face at her, his cheeks growing pink as she watched. For a moment, she wondered if Travis was uncomfortable. He was moving closer to her, stopping as he reached her side. “Thank you for the compliment, but they really are not necessary.” He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek before moving around her to open the cupboards.

  “I know that they aren’t necessary, but I have to tell you that I like to give them to you a great deal. I have to tell you that I happen to enjoy having you watching me, too, so anytime that you want to…” She trailed off with that being unsaid because she really would be happy to have him ogling her anytime and any day of the week.

  “I’ll remember that,” he told her. Carrying the dishes and utensils to the table, he began to lay everything out. “I do happen to like looking at you as well, Cass. You are one hell of a sexy woman. That little hip thing you do, damn fine.”

  Cassidy laughed and winked at him. “Well, I’m glad that you like how I look. The hip thing?” She waited, and when he showed her, she grinned. “Never realized that I did that, but I will make sure that I do it far more often.”

  “Well, it has to be genetic because I see women do it all the time. Varying levels, though,” he said. He set the last knife on the table before turning to look at her again. “There’s the casual one you all get when you’re on a mission. Then there’s the one that has guy’s eyes bugging out of their heads. It’s some sort of rolling, slinky, nearly sexual movement. It’s fucking amazing to watch.”

  “Well that’s the one that I will need to do often. I really want to ensure that you lust after me often. I want to make certain that you want and need me as much as I do you, because I do, want and need you, that is.” She was nervous. She had never been told that she was sexy, or that anything she had done made a man a bit crazy like he was insinuating. She didn’t know what to do at that moment. She was afraid—no, it was something deeper than that. It was something she didn’t want to focus on at the moment. Instead, she gave him a wan smile.

  For just the briefest of moments, Cassidy thought about her failed relationships. She thought about the way that the men had talked to her, convinced her that they were it, especially her ex fiancé. She knew that it was unfair to liken Travis to that beast, but she found herself uncertain of herself. She felt as if she were not quite good enough and that bothered her a great deal. She fought herself and the feelings she was battling internally.

  Travis was frowning slightly even as his lips twitched. “Why are you nervous, Cass? Because you are nervous, and I can’t believe that you’re just now starting to get all twitchy. So, what’s going on in that head of yours?”

  “I’m so scared that you are going to disappear on me. I’m terrified that I’m not good enough to be in your life. I can’t believe how much I want to have you in my life. It’s an odd feeling to be sure, this need.” Especially since she had never in her life felt this way before. She gasped aloud because she couldn’t believe she had just told him exactly what she had been thinking. She was shocked that she was able to give so much of herself in those words that she didn’t think she would ever say to him or anyone. She wasn’t typically one to admit to her fears, at all.

  Coming right to her, he cupped her face. “Look at me, Cass,” he said gently. “I’m not going anywhere. I want to know everything about you, if this thing between us is real, which I believe it is. I want to find out all your deep, dark secrets, your hopes and your dreams. I’ve never felt such an instant connection with anyone in my life. That makes this incredibly special.”

  “Good, I’m glad that you aren’t going anywhere. I want that as well. I want to know everything about you, I want to know and be a part of your life,” she said quietly. She felt the connection he was talking about. “It is incredibly special, the feelings that we have between each other. I want to experience all of it.” She stepped back and grinned. “For now, though, I think you need to get the steaks before they burn.”

  “They won’t burn,” he told her quietly. “Lifting and lowering the lid or flipping them too often totally fucks them up. It’s all in the timing, and I have…” He lifted his arm to check the watch on his wrist. “Forty-eight seconds to flip them for optimal perfection. Lots of time.” He smiled at her.

  “Ahh, gotcha. Well, I trust you completely on the meat, but I need to give the rice a turn or else it’s going to burn. Go, do your thing outside, and I’m going to finish up here.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Brushing a finger to her cheek, he left her in the kitchen once more. She watched him as he walked back across the deck to the grill. He flipped the lid up and then flipped the steaks before closing the grill again. He didn’t come back inside, but he went over to the railing to hop up and sit on it, grinning at her through the window.

  Cassidy waved back at him and laughed. Once she had the rice and stir-fry completed, she dished them both up onto the plates that he put out for them, leaving the leftovers on the stove after turning it off. It would remain warm if they wanted more. Taking the plates out to him, she winked. “Okay, they done?” She watched him as he balanced perfectly on the railing, and damn if he didn’t look fine sitting there as if he didn’t have a worry in the world.
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br />   “Just about.” He smiled at her. A moment later, he hopped off the railing, checked his watch, and flipped open the grill. Taking off one steak, he slid it onto her plate. The bigger steak went onto his plate. A flick of his wrist had the flames lowering before he shut down the grill. “I’ll take those if you get the door.” Travis took the plates from her and tipped his chin toward the house.

  “Sounds good to me.” She walked in front of him and looked back with a grin. “So, tell me, Trav, you watching my ass while you are there behind me?” She hoped that he was because she wanted his attention on her as much as she could get it.

  “A gentleman never says, but since I’m only a gentleman part of the time, I’ll say that, hell yes, I’m watching your very lovely ass. It’s perfectly shaped, and lovingly hugged by your pants.” When she opened the door, she moved out of his way so he could get past her.

  She felt him brushing past her and licked her lips. “Damn,” she whispered. “Well, I’m glad that you are checking me out because we both know just how much I was checking you out, mister.”

  Grinning at her, he set the plates down and then pulled out a chair for her. “Why don’t we eat quickly, and then we can get comfortable for the night? Maybe ogling one another a little more once we get rid of a few layers?”

  “That sounds good to me.” Especially the part about getting rid of a few layers so that she could be with him. “For now, let’s eat.” She was practically drooling because of the steak and the scents that assaulted her nose from it. Damn, she was hungry.

  “Did you want something to drink? Water, milk, sweet tea, cola, or something alcoholic?” he asked her as she settled in her seat. He went to the fridge and pulled the door open, looking over it as he waited on her.

  “Yes, a bottle of water would be good,” she told him with a grin. “I don’t want anything to dilute the taste of the steak and sides. I want to experience this, our first shared cooked meal, together.” She was a dork and knew it, but men didn’t cook for her, so it was unique in her mind.

  “Good plan,” he said. He pulled out two bottles and returned to the table. He handed her one as he settled into his chair. “It smells good, Cass. Looks even better. Not exactly my typical side for a steak, but I’m always more than willing to try anything at least once. Sometimes twice if it’s called for.”

  “Thanks. I like colors,” she said with a smirk. “I like colors with food. I know, I’m a weirdo.” She just loved the bright colors of the stir-fry and the texture and color of the rice. “Dig in.” She cut a bite of steak. Taking the bite, she sighed, her eyes closed, and she chewed. “Damn, that’s good.”

  “Told you it would be,” Travis said smugly. He had the right. It was a damn good steak. He took a bite of the stir-fry and chewed slowly, nodding a bit just before he swallowed. “This is really good, Cass.”

  “Thanks.” She winked at him and took another bite and then another. She didn’t speak again until her plate was completely empty and that was only to lean back in her seat and sigh. “God, that was good.”

  “It was,” he agreed. He was already up on his feet stacking the dishes. “I want to get everything in the dishwasher, that way we have all the time in the world just for us. Why don’t you wrap up the leftovers while I scrape off the plates and deal with the grill quickly?”

  “Sounds good to me.” She moved away from the table and looked to him. “Okay, where are some containers for the rice and stir-fry? I have no idea about the kitchen layout, so come on, babe, tell me where I can find them?”

  “Here,” he said. He handed her over a couple of Tupperware containers. Shooting her a grin, he scraped off the plates, gave the utensils a quick rinse, and stacked the dishwasher. While she was still filling up the containers, he went out to the grill. She ended up watching him as he scraped it down, the muscles of his back moving under his shirt—his shoulders bunched up a bit and released, and it was with pure fascination that she watched as the wave of muscles moved all the way down to his ass.

  Cassidy watched him and closed the containers without even looking down at them. She leaned against the counter. “Goodness.” She put her hand to her neck and watched him as he walked back in. “God, I think that I’m going to start to dirty up the grill often so that I can watch you cleaning it.”

  “Oh, lordy, don’t do that. That thing is a lot of work to keep clean,” he said. He took the containers from her and slipped them in the fridge. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get upstairs where we can get more comfortable. We can even watch a movie if you’re not tired yet.”

  “Wait, I want to talk about you cooking for me. I will have to do something to get you doing something like that often. To get you moving so that your muscles bunch and release and that ass of yours gets tighter and your legs flex. Seriously, you have got to show me that trick so that I can learn how to look as good as you do doing it.” She was grinning as she spoke. Finally, she said, “However, if it is a movie that you want to watch, it’s a movie that we will watch.” Mostly so that she could cuddle up next to him. So she could run her hands over his muscles and memorize every single inch of him.

  “You should try working the ranch,” he said. Taking her hand, he tugged her out of the kitchen, hitting the lights as they went. They went up the stairs and to his bedroom. He shut and locked the door behind them and grinned at her. “Now you are at my mercy,” he teased.

  “Oh, I think that being at your mercy will be awesome.” She moved closer to him, her hand reaching out and touching his chest. “I think that I will leave the working of the ranch to you. I think that you being really hard in all the right places is enough for me.”

  “You sure?” he asked. Using her hand, he tugged her closer to him, his arms wrapping around her waist. At her nod, he sighed. “Oh well, I guess it was too much to hope you’d get in a cute little outfit to come and help me out there, while I’m shirtless, sweating, and working so damn hard.”

  “Damn, well, I think that I could be talked into bringing you water. Talked into giving you something a bit more, too, if you were of a need for it.” She looked up at him. “Is that what you were thinking of?”

  “Sure, that works,” he said. Shrugging, he walked her backward. “I wasn’t really thinking all that much. Pretty much as soon as I started trying to picture you in a pair of shorts, a cute little top, and a pair of cowboy boots, all the blood rushed out of my head. There’s barely enough up there to still hold a halfway decent conversation.”

  “Well, I will have to do that sometime soon. I will have to find a pair of super short shorts and a barely-there top so that I can come out in just that and cowboy boots and steal your hat from you while you watch everything that you will be getting.”

  Travis let out an indistinguishable sound, a cross between a groan and a whimper almost. “Damn it, woman, there goes the last of the blood,” he muttered. Turning, he tugged her with him as he fell onto the large bed, wrapping her up close to him.

  Cassidy was laughing. She wrapped her arms around him as well, and then when he looked down at her, she licked her lips. “I think that we could get the blood flowing once more if we were able to get naked. Perhaps a little mouth-to-mouth would be needed to make things all better?”

  “That’s an excellent plan, actually,” he said. Lowering his head, he brushed his lips against hers. He didn’t deepen the kiss, just brushed his lips over hers gently, back and forth. After a moment, he lifted his head to meet her eyes again. “You know I’m not going to rush you into anything, right? This is going to go at whatever speed you are comfortable with. I want you, good God, do I want you, but I’m not pushing for anything tonight, or tomorrow, or even the next day. After that, though, all bets are off.”

  “I want this. I’ve never in my life jumped into anything like this, but then again, I have never felt this way before. I want this, Travis. I want everything that we could possibly experience together for as long as you will have me.” Cassidy stroked her fingers over his lip
s. “Be with me?” She whispered that request because she was terrified he would say no.

  “Oh thank God,” he groaned out. Dropping his head to rest his forehead to hers, he let out a rough laugh. “I want you, Cass. More than I can say, really. I know this is fast, we just met really, but it feels completely…” He stopped and lifted his head with a frown. “It feels right.”

  Cassidy just nodded. “I couldn’t agree more. It feels right, it feels nice, and God, I want you. Never have I needed and ached for someone like you. So as long as you have condoms, I say that you and I get to know each other very well.”

  His face went blank for a moment before his eyes widened in what she could only call mild panic. “Uh, sure, right,” he muttered. “I’ll be right back.” Pushing up off the bed and her body, he darted across the room through a door. She was guessing it was the bathroom from what she could see from where she lay on the bed.

  Cassidy watched when Travis came back into the room. “Please tell me that you were able to find some? Because I really want you to be with me, but I’m on no kind of birth control.” She hadn’t needed it for far too long, actually…sadly.

  “We have condoms,” he said. He held them up for her to see and gave her a big goofy grin. “It’s been a while since I’ve been here. Figured Josh would have stolen them all by now. Obviously, he finally got out and bought his own.”

  “Well, I am seriously happy that you found some because I don’t think that I would be willing to let you go without being inside of me.” She held a hand out to him. “Now, get back here,” she said with a smirk. “Because I left off getting naked for you.”

  He took her hand and tugged on her fingers. “Come here, let’s get you up and naked. Quickly, too, because I really, really want to see all of you, Cass. I’ve been fantasizing about you all afternoon. It was starting to form into a possibly unhealthy thing.”

  She let him pull her up and put her hands on his chest as she did so. She smirked. “I want to see you naked as well. I need to see and feel you.” She put her fingers to one of his shirt buttons and slipped it free of the mooring. “Right, naked.” She wanted to get naked, but son of a bitch, she wanted to get him naked first.