by Petrova, Em
Running into Theo.
The youngest McCabe brother showed what he thought of her. Nothing. All the flirting he did was for sport. He was out to get laid, nothing more. It’s who he was.
Still, she didn’t have a right to be upset. She would do the same had the roles been reversed. In fact, she did. Wasn’t that the reason she ended up at Mike’s?
It sure as hell wasn’t for chitchat.
As she eased into a sitting position, memories rushed through her mind. How she entered Mike’s apartment when he opened the door. How he closed the same door and approached her. His lips had covered hers, followed by his body.
Damn, he had an amazing body…
Gripping the sheets, she remembered every vivid detail. Those details included the sound of their clothes hitting the floor, the sound of the condom wrapper opening, and the feel of his hands when he lifted her against the wall and slammed his cock inside her.
She’d let him have his way, taking control of her body. It resulted in him carrying her to the bedroom. Her thighs wrapped snug at his waist, and her legs crossed above his ass.
Once the mattress cradled her back, she lost herself in his thrusts. Those swift thrusts caused their skin to slap together. God, she loved that sound. The harder he pounded her, the more excited she grew.
She still wasn’t certain how she’d ended up atop him, but it didn’t stop their stride. She rode him. Hard. And deep… Desire took control. She grew insatiable as the ache between her thighs increased. It didn’t stop until she came.
And she did the moment Theo entered her mind.
“Damn it.”
Jumping to her feet, she left the bed in her wake and found the bottle of aspirin in its usual spot. It hadn’t left the nightstand since she’d placed it there four months ago. One quick sip from the water bottle beside it and the pills slid down her throat. It wouldn’t take long for the medicine to rid her of the headache.
Too bad there wasn’t a pill to get Theo off her mind…
If incredible, hot sex with Mike couldn’t do it, nothing would. She thought about calling to check on Ally, but doubted it would help. Besides, Ally might bring up the Jonah fiasco. That particular conversation would provide no distraction. Cassie would only dig herself deeper into thoughts of Theo.
A series of trills buzzed from her cell. She surveyed the room, unable to find where she’d placed it. Instead, she followed the sound, creeping around the room like a tigress ready to pounce. She must have dropped it before she went to sleep because the noise came from the floor.
By the time the fifth trill sounded, she shoved her hand down a knee-high boot near the foot of the bed. She clasped the rectangular object and pulled it from the boot in time to see a missed-call bubble on the screen. The letters within spelled Mr. O.
“Mike,” she grumbled, remembering how he explained that the O in Mr. O stood for orgasm.
She’d never forget the night they met. How they flirted all evening. How he fixed her the best Manhattans she’d ever tasted. How he entered his phone number into her contacts and told her to call whenever. But the final hook that reeled her in came when he whispered in her ear.
“The call will cost you a set of panties, but the orgasms are free.”
Her skin tingled from the memories. All the countless panties she’d spent on those calls were worth it because Mike kept his promise. He always made her come.
In one night, the desire she had for him changed. His jealousy, along with the insinuation of a commitment, had her sneaking out of his room like a teenage girl past curfew. Now he was awake and knew what she did. She couldn’t talk to him. She needed time to process everything.
“This stupid headache.” She grumbled the words, lifting her hand to her temple. “Why won’t it go away? I didn’t drink that much.”
As she ran her fingers through her hair, they collided with a metal object. Her scalp burned and she sucked in a breath. “What the hell… Oh…it’s the hair comb.”
Untangling a few stray hairs, she worked the comb loose and held it in front of her. The tension in her temples lessened. No wonder she had such a wicked headache. She never slept with anything in her hair.
She brought the comb closer and studied the details. Layers of Black Hills gold made up the camellias’ petals, giving them a rosy tint and the leaves minty ones. The satiny texture of the pearls graced her fingertips. The diamond baguettes sparkled in the light. All in all, the piece was magnificent. They didn’t make hair accessories like this anymore. There was no stamp on the comb reading Made in China.
Its original owner must have paid a hefty price. The pin was exquisite. It should be a family heirloom, prized and protected for many generations to come. Instead it was a piece of jewelry, most likely passed between strangers, which ended up in a musty old shop.
Of course, later generations went through harder times. Perhaps the last family member who possessed it had to sell it to pay for something important. The shop owner didn’t know much about the pin’s origin. The only information she had to offer was a legend connected with the camellias.
“Longing for you…”
Cassie whispered the words while stroking the edge of the pin. Believing in the legend meant believing every person had a true half—a counterpart with whom they could face whatever came their way. The legend spoke of true love.
She broke into rich laughter. How sappy a notion it was to think true love existed for everyone. It did for people like Ally and Jonah, but for her?
“Yeah, right.”
As she turned toward her jewelry box, she didn’t take two steps before another thought came to mind. Perhaps she shouldn’t dismiss the legend as quickly as she wanted. Farfetched or not, it could explain Mike’s weird behavior. If that was the case, then she’d walked out on the chance at a real relationship. And for what, some stupid attraction she’d developed toward Theo?
No. It was more than attraction. It was an obsession, a sick, twisted obsession that left her consumed by thoughts of him…
Longing for you.
The words replayed in her mind the more she thought about Theo. Maybe the pin hadn’t affected Mike’s behavior, but instead, affected hers.
“No way. Time to come back to the real world, Cassie.”
There was no way in hell she would allow herself to believe in some silly legend. They were meant for entertainment, nothing else. It was time to debunk it, if for no other reason than to prove she wouldn’t be Theo McCabe’s next notch. His belt was already full.
Making a short trek through the hallway, she bypassed the dining room and entered the kitchen. God it was bright. Really bright. It made her head thump even harder. The aspirin wasn’t doing much to ease the pain, which meant one thing. She needed caffeine.
As she busied herself with the coffee filters and water, she glanced at her cell. She wouldn’t be able to avoid Mike for long. He’d been to her house a few times. If he were the least bit curious about why she’d snuck out, he’d come in search of an explanation. It would be better to deal with him over the phone than in person, just in case he was still feeling…affectionate.
While the coffee brewed, she grabbed her phone and clicked the ‘m’ on her list of contacts. After a few quick taps, she pulled up her text box and started typing.
Sorry about last night. You caught me off guard. Wanna hook up later? My place or yours?
She proofread the message before hitting the send button and placing the phone on the counter. Mike would call if he weren’t upset. If being the keyword. Depending on when he woke, he might be unaware of how early she left his bed. If that were the case, then they had no issues, other than his jealousy. Hopefully, it was a one-time thing.
Her phone vibrated against the counter from an incoming text. It didn’t take him long to reply, but it never did unless he was working. As she picked up the phone and gazed at the screen, she read over his message.
Who is this?
Seriously? Guess she’d
been wrong. He was mad. Now he was going to act like he didn’t know her. It wasn’t the first time he did something like this, but the last time he did, she knew it was a joke. This time… She didn’t have time for his games.
It’s Cassie, silly.
She’d keep things civil. No sense in getting pissy. Regardless of whether they kept sleeping together, she did enjoy Mike’s company. Plus, she loved going to Midnight Blues. If they had a falling out, she would feel awkward going back to the bar.
The phone vibrated in her hand as another message popped across the screen.
My morning just got better. Didn’t think I’d hear from you again.
Yep. She was right. He was upset about her leaving. At least he was taking it in stride. He even seemed happy to hear from her. He couldn’t be too upset over what happened.
Sorry. I didn’t mean to leave so abruptly. I was worried over Ally and thought it would be best to come home. I’m sure if I’d stayed, I would be in trouble this morning. *wink*
Placing the phone back on the counter, she grabbed the cream and sugar and mixed it inside the cup. The conversation with Mike was going much better than she thought. Might as well be good-humored about it. If he focused on sex, any resentment he had would be long forgotten.
As she replaced the carafe on the warming plate, the phone signaled another incoming text.
Trouble looks good on you, darlin’. Bet I would too.
And he was back—playful Mike. The Mike that didn’t get jealous or mushy. The one that knew how to make her grip the sheets and work her hips with every one of his thrusts. She missed this Mike last night.
Another text populated the screen.
So what’s up? When do I get to see you again?
Whenever. I’m free all weekend.
She sipped her coffee as she waited on his response, but it wasn’t long before her phone buzzed.
Cool. Maybe I can get you into some trouble. You game?
She chuckled and punched in a reply.
Sounds fun. When and where?
Tonight. Around 9. I have a brief gig at a club near Brunswick. We could hang out after or go somewhere. Up to you.
A wave of confusion washed over Cassie. Had Mike taken on a second job? He worked six nights a week at Midnight Blues. Why would he work at another bar, and in Brunswick of all places?
She beat her thumbs against the screen. Gig? What gig?
The one for my band.
It felt as though a million needles poked Cassie’s skin. Realization sank in as she looked at the top of her phone. Under the clock, she noticed the contact name. What should have read Mr. O read something entirely different.
Theo… Sweet Jesus
She’d been talking to him the entire time, but how? She’d selected ‘m’ in her contacts for Mike, or rather, Mr. O. Why would it text Theo?
As she tapped the screen again, she returned to her list of numbers and scrolled down to the m’s. Mr. O was right where it should be. Yet the contact name before it was different.
Theo McCabe.
Guess she’d tapped his name instead of Mike’s.
Shit.
She’d talked to him as though he were Mike. She said things, hinted to things…
“Great.” she spoke aloud as she gawked at the phone, reading through the texts again. “What a fucking hot mess.”
Thank goodness she hadn’t said anything specifically aimed toward Mike. For the most part, the messages were innocent, until she started teasing him. Now Theo would think she was interested.
But wasn’t she?
“No… Well, maybe a little—no! Don’t do this.”
As if talking to herself wasn’t crazy enough, the fact that she was considering meeting Theo was insane. He’d left with two women last night. The only reason he wanted to hang out was to hook up with her, but he was wasting his time. She wasn’t about to give him what he wanted.
You still there?
She tapped her thumbs against the edge of the phone. She had to get herself out of this meet-up. One-night stands were one thing, but she knew Theo, had known him forever. Despite the attraction she’d felt last night, she wasn’t going to do this. Ally was her friend, Jonah was his brother, and this just wouldn’t end well. She couldn’t meet him.
Come on, Cass. Don’t leave a guy hanging. I really want to see you.
Staring at the new text, she felt her resolve crumbling. Would it really hurt to meet him, maybe have a drink and catch up? If he insinuated something more, she’d decline the offer and they could part ways. No biggie.
9 works for me, but you still haven’t told me where to meet you.
It’s a new place called Red, White, and Blues. Here’s the address. When you get there, ask for JP.
Cassie paid little attention to the rest of the message. She knew the area well enough to get around. It wouldn’t be hard to find the bar, but she would put the address in her GPS just in case.
Guess it was final. She was going. No more debating. For all she knew, she was worrying over nothing. Maybe Theo wasn’t interested in her. They were friends. Old friends. Tonight would be about catching up on the last six years, nothing more.
So what if he was a lot hotter than the seventeen-year-old version she remembered from high school. She could behave when she wanted. Yet something about Theo said it wouldn’t be that easy. His dark curls and perfect smile ignited a fire deep within her, but those blue eyes affected her most. They monopolized her thoughts as well as her body. The fantasy she had last night was proof of that.
Today, it was her wet panties…
Chapter Ten
Cassie weaved between the throng of bodies inside Red, White, and Blues nightclub. It was stuffy, stuffier than she preferred, but it was to be expected. Savannah summers were sweltering. Nights provided little relief, and with a couple hundred people inside this building, she could count on leaving with sweat rolling down her back.
Most of the patrons were departing from the bar with fresh drinks in hand. Some stopped to chat with people they knew while others proceeded toward the dance floor. The stage sat in the far corner and was midway between a set change. It was bigger than the one at Midnight Blues. So was the rest of the building.
As she worked her way through the crowd, she noticed a clock above the cash register. She was five minutes ahead of schedule. Theo must be on time too. He said he would finish his performance by nine, and the empty stage was proof that he’d kept his word.
Too bad she didn’t make it in time to hear him play. She enjoyed his band’s performance at Midnight Blues the prior night. It was the sultry rhythm that had her shaking her ass on the dance floor. Of course, had she known he and Jonah were the ones making the music, she and Ally would have left. Not because she didn’t want to hear them play, but for Ally’s sake, it would have been best.
Still, it would have been a shame to miss the performance. From the moment she heard him belting out lyrics, she was drawn to his voice. It had grown deeper since the last time she saw him, but then, everything about him had changed. Well, almost everything. He still knew how to woo the ladies.
Had Ally not called an hour before she was supposed to leave, she would have made it in time to hear the last song. It would have been rude to hang up on her friend when she’d called to vent about Jonah. If Ally knew she was here tonight…
Ally was in defense mode. She was out to protect her heart from being crushed by Jonah once again. But Ally didn’t have all the information she needed to pass judgment. If she knew the things her mother did behind her back, she would see the situation differently. The guilt of not telling her the truth still weighed on Cassie, but she wasn’t the same girl back then. Paula’s threats terrified her as much as they had Jonah.
Arriving at the bar, Cassie found an empty stool and slid across the spongy cushion. It was the only open seat. Though multitudes of people were waiting for the next performance, many customers were still waiting on their drinks.
Three bartenders worked the crowd, moving swiftly about the floor. Glasses and bottles clinked. Voices buzzed from every direction. Laughter erupted to the left. She observed the room, searching for one particular face in the crowd.
Perhaps Theo hadn’t finished with band business. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be much longer. Halfway down the bar, a couple of men kept turning their heads in her direction. Their beady eyes raked over her body.
Asshats.
She knew those looks. They were vultures, ready and waiting for the kill, their southern charm the deadly assassin. She wasn’t some piece of ass they could swoop in and claim. Regardless of how much she enjoyed having sex, she wouldn’t spread her legs for just anyone. She chose who, when, and where. Neither of them had a shot in hell.
“Evening, darlin’.” A deep male voice drew her attention to one of the bartenders. “What can I get ya?”
“Manhattan, please.”
“Absolutely.”
The second he stepped away, she questioned her choice. She’d grown used to Mike’s Manhattans. The ones she drank elsewhere were never as good. If this one proved to be as bad, she’d order a margarita.
It wasn’t long before the bartender returned and set the drink in front of her. “Here you go, beautiful. Is there anything else I can get you?”
“Drinkwise, no, but I’m looking for someone named J.P.”
“You found him,” he chuckled as he spread his arms wide. “How may I help you?”
“I’m supposed to be meeting a friend here. Theo McCabe. He told me to ask for you and you’d let him know I was here.”
“You must be Cassie Clarke.” His reply caught her off guard. It wasn’t because he knew her name. It was the way the corner of his mouth lifted, the way he glanced at her hair, her face, and her breasts. When she nodded, his lips spread wider. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”
“Thank you. What do I owe you for the drink?”
“Nothing, doll. It’s on the house, courtesy of Theo.”