A Hot Mess

by Christy Gissendaner

  He turned to her, hoping she would reveal her true feelings. Sadly, it was not to be.

  “Call me when you get home, so I know you made it safely.”

  Wow. At least she was concerned for his well-being, but it still hurt. “I’ll walk you to your door.”

  “It’s not necessary,” she demurred.

  “I want to.” Dylan took his keys out of the ignition and got out of the truck. He stuffed the keys in his pocket as he went around and opened the passenger door.

  Cait slid out and wobbled on the heels she still insisted on wearing.

  “Be careful. It’s slippery,” he warned as he took hold of her arm to steady her.

  They headed up the sidewalk toward her building. With each step, Dylan felt as if she slipped away from him. He wished she would say something; admit she’d fallen for him too. But she didn’t.

  At the doorway of her first-floor apartment, she turned and threw her arms around him.

  Dylan didn’t question her sudden show of emotion. He embraced her, grateful to hold her once more. He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled the scent of Cait. She was like a luscious fruit, just begging to be picked. The sad part was she was elusive as well.

  He couldn’t wait any longer. He had to know. “Cait, I…”

  She cut him off. “I’m not ready yet, Dylan. I’ve got to think about it first. You’ve got my mind so jumbled I don’t know which way is up.”

  That had to be a good thing, right? Dylan held her tighter. “Don’t take too long, baby. You’re killing me here.”

  “I’m sorry.” Cait pressed a kiss to the base of his throat. “I care about you. You know I do. I just don’t want to risk losing you if it turns out bad.”

  “It won’t turn out bad,” Dylan promised.

  “You don’t know my luck with men.” Cait stopped to chuckle. “Well, yeah you do. I just don’t want us to end up like that, hating each other after a bad break-up.”

  “I could never hate you.”

  “You say that now. But you don’t know for sure.”

  Dylan knew with every fiber of his being he could never hate Cait, but he didn’t argue. He knew she’d been burned in the past by jumping too quickly into a relationship. Hell, look what had happened to her in Vegas. If she said she needed time to think, he should take that as a good sign. It meant she was at least willing to consider it … and she was going about it in a decidedly non-Cait way.

  Cait drew back to break their embrace. “I forgot my bags.”

  “Wait right here. I’ll get them.” He turned and jogged back to the truck. He opened the door and leaned in to grab her bags. He walked back to her doorstep where she continued to wait for him.

  “If you want to unlock the door, I can carry them in for you.”

  Cait dug in her purse and pulled out her rabbit’s-foot keychain. She put a silver key in the lock and turned it. There was a clicking sound, and then she opened the door, pushing it with her foot. She motioned him inside.

  Dylan stepped inside before she did, so he saw him first.

  The bags dropped to the floor, and his fists clenched. “Bastard!”

  Cait brushed past him and pulled up short. “Simon!”

  Cait’s heartless ex-fiancé, the man who’d abandoned her in Vegas the day before their wedding, stood in her living room with a pleading expression on his face. Anger pulsed through Dylan’s veins, slow and thunderous. He wanted to wipe that false look of sincerity off the man’s face.

  “Honey, where have you been? I’ve been worried sick.”

  “I … I…” Cait stammered and seemed unable to respond.

  Dylan put his arm around Cait, who was shaking like a leaf, and drew her to his side. He injected a possessive tone in his voice. He wanted the weasel to know Cait was his now. “She was with me.”

  Simon’s gaze flickered to Dylan and then went back to Cait. “Now, Cait. I know you were upset, but you should’ve called to let me know where you were.”

  Cait tilted her head to one side and seemed to have recovered from her shock. “And why exactly would I do that, Simon? Did you call to tell me where you were when you ran off with Sandy?”

  “Mandy,” Simon corrected automatically.

  Dylan rolled his eyes. Was this guy for real? Did he seriously think Cait would take him back?

  Cait pulled away from him and advanced on Simon. “What are you doing here, Simon?”

  A conciliatory smile crossed Simon’s face. “I was waiting for you. I missed you.”

  Cait tossed her keys onto the coffee table and plopped her hands on her hips. “Sure you did. I think you need to leave.”

  Dylan flexed his hands and curled them back into fists. “I’m more than happy to show him the door, Cait.”

  Simon’s cool blue gaze moved back to Dylan. They’d met each other before, but neither had a great fondness for the other. “Excuse me, but I’m trying to talk to my fiancée.”

  “Ex-fiancée,” Dylan and Cait said at the same time.

  Simon took a few steps toward Cait and held out his hand to her. “Don’t be like this, honey. I came to apologize.”

  “Forgive me if I don’t accept your apology.” Cait advanced on Simon and slapped away the hand he held out to her. She poked him in the center of his chest with the forefinger of her right hand. “You left me, Simon. You took me all the way to Vegas, and then you left me to run off with some slut you had just met.”

  Simon’s calm demeanor slipped the tiniest bit. “I said I’m sorry, Cait. What more do you want me to do?”

  Cait swung her hand around to point at the door. “I want you to leave.”

  “You don’t mean that.” Simon tried to touch her, but Cait jerked away.

  “Yes, I most certainly do mean it.” Cait drew herself up to her full height. “Go, Simon. Wait. On second thought, stay here just a moment.”

  Cait strode toward her purse and dug through it. She returned to Simon and held out her hand. A diamond ring glinted in her palm. “Take this with you. Maybe you can find someone gullible enough to actually marry you.”

  Dylan wanted to applaud her, but he knew Cait wouldn’t appreciate it. He hated to be a voyeur to such a painful experience for her, but he was glad he was there to see Simon’s reaction.

  Simon gaped at her, his mouth opening and closing like he couldn’t think of a response. He recovered enough to snatch the ring out of her palm. He stuffed it in his pocket. “You will regret this, Cait. But don’t think you can come crawling back to me. I won’t take you back even if you beg.”

  Cait laughed. “Are you fucking kidding me? There is no way I am ever taking you back, much less begging.”

  Simon ran a hand through his hair, mussing his perfect moussed style. “You are making the biggest mistake of your life.”

  “No, Simon. The biggest mistake was falling for you in the first place.”

  Dylan covered his mouth with one hand, so they couldn’t see his grin. His Cait had claws. He loved that she’d finally put that dickhead in his place.

  Simon lifted an eyebrow in a haughty manner and turned to leave. “I don’t know why I wasted my time with a bitch like you anyway.”

  Dylan had to give Cait credit. She let the slur go right past her without batting an eyelash. She coolly angled her head to watch Simon leave, a satisfied expression on her face.

  Regrettably, Dylan wasn’t that cool. As soon as Simon came near him, he drew back his fist and socked him right in the chin.

  Simon dropped like a ton of bricks, holding his jaw and mewling like a newborn. “My jaw! I think you broke it!”

  “No, I didn’t. But I should have.” Dylan leaned over him and gave him a hard look. “If you come here again, I will break it. You will be eating out of a straw for months as it painfully heals.”

  “You’re fucking crazy,” Simon said as he scrambled to his feet. He shot an aggrieved look at Cait, who was trying her best to stop giggling. “Both of you.”

  “Bye, Simon.�
� Cait called and gave a jaunty wave as her ex rushed out the front door. “Good riddance.”

  Dylan shook his hand to ease the ache in his knuckles. He would have a bruise, but it was worth it to get rid of that jackass once and for all. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be,” Cait said with a shake of her head. “He’s an ass.”

  Dylan studied Cait, who stood in the center of the room with a pained expression on her face.

  “I’m sorry you had to see that,” she said in a soft voice.

  He stepped closer to her. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

  Cait waved her hand in a blasé manner. “I’m not sad about it. Simon was a jerk. If anything, I’m mad that it took me a year to realize it.”

  “Sometimes it takes a long time to realize what has been right in front of you all along.”

  Cait’s expression cleared, and a light appeared in her eyes. “I think you’re right.”

  Dylan grew hopeful. He had not meant his words as such, but he suspected Cait thought he referred to himself. His innocent words were certainly apt to sum up the situation between the two of them

  He leaned in, delighting in the fact she had not run from him yet. “Promise me you will think about what I’ve said.”

  “How could I not?” Cait’s laugh was soft. “But I promise I will.”

  Dylan pressed a fleeting kiss to her lips and then pulled away. He hoped it would not be their last.

  “I should probably go.” Dylan motioned with his thumb. He didn’t want to, but he also didn’t want to camp out on her front stoop, begging her to let him in. “I’m sure you have a lot of stuff to catch up on.”

  “Yes, I’ve got to unpack the new wardrobe you bought me. Do laundry, water my plants.” Cait rolled her eyes. “You know, the usual.”

  “I will get going then since you’re such a busy woman.” Dylan tried to force his feet to move.

  Cait reached out to stop him. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

  Dylan ran through a mental list of his calendar. “I’m free until Monday.”

  Cait nodded and bit her lip as if she were nervous. “Can I come see you?”

  “Sure, anytime you want.” Dylan wanted to do a fist pump in the air, but he managed to restrain himself.

  Cait was acting odd. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but she definitely had something up her sleeve.

  “Well I’m going to hit the road. Call me, and we’ll get together tomorrow.”

  He turned, hoping she would call out to him. He’d played it cool, deciding not to push her. It would be up to Cait to make the next move.

  But he walked out the door, and she didn’t try to stop him.

  * * * *

  Later that night, Cait lay in bed. She couldn’t sleep again.

  Ever since Dylan had left, she’d felt out of sorts. She knew it wasn’t the scene with Simon that kept her up. It was the way she’d left things with Dylan that ate at her consciousness.

  He’d said he loved her. Cait was still in shock, but she needed to get her jumbled thoughts in order, so she could figure out if she felt the same.

  It was true she enjoyed being with Dylan. Sex was awesome, so that was a point in his favor. But love? Could she … did she … love Dylan?

  Memories ran through her mind, their shared childhood, their tumultuous relationship as teenagers, and their easy friendship up until now. Where did that leave them?

  Cait didn’t want to rush into a new relationship so soon after Simon, but her heart continued to prod her in Dylan’s direction. She wanted to take a chance with him, to give him her love. She shouldn’t hold back.

  Tossing back the covers, Cait rushed across the room and grabbed her cell phone. Thank goodness her luggage had finally been delivered. She unhooked the cell from the charger and jumped back in bed, throwing the blanket over her chilled toes. It was cold that night, and she longed for a nice pair of thermal socks.

  She dialed Dylan’s number and rubbed her toes together as she waited for him to answer.

  He did after the second ring. “Cait?”

  His voice was rough with sleep, and Cait’s heart melted at the vision of him lying in bed beside her. “Hey.”

  “Hey.” He cleared his throat and made a sound as if he were stretching. “What time is it?”

  Cait glanced at the clock on her bedside table. “A little after midnight.”

  “Is something wrong?”

  “No.” Cait gripped her phone tight as she prepared to make her admission. “I miss you.”

  Dylan gave a soft chuckle. “I miss you too.”

  “I know it’s late, but do you want to come over?”

  Dylan sighed. “Cait, if this is just a booty call…”

  She cut him off. “No. I want to see you. It’s not just about sex.”

  “Well a little sex would be okay.”

  “Is there such a thing as just little sex?” Cait’s chilled toes tingled with anticipation. “So are you coming?”

  “Let me think about it.”

  Cait’s mouth fell open. “What is there to think about?”

  Dylan laughed. “I’m just kidding, baby. I’m coming.”

  After she got off the phone, Cait flew into a whirl of activity. She picked up her discarded clothes and stuffed them in the hamper. Then she made her bed up and took a steaming hot shower. Curls of steam lifted from her body as she toweled dry. She brushed her hair and put on a light coat of lip gloss. She drew the line at further makeup. This was no movie where everyone wore fake eyelashes and blush to bed.

  She spritzed floral body spray and then slipped on the sexy nightie she’d chosen. It was black with pink lacing and floor length, but a slit in the hem extended to the top of her thigh. Cait felt like an old-timey movie star as she twirled around in front of the mirror. Maybe she should rethink her makeup stance.

  Before she could grab her makeup bag, the doorbell rang. She fluffed her hair one last time and went to answer the door.

  A blast of cold air filled the entryway as she opened the door. Her nipples peaked, and she wrapped her arms around herself as she shivered. “Come in. It’s freezing!”

  Dylan stepped inside and shut the door, locking it behind him. He turned to her and he gaped. “Wow.”

  Cait preened in front of him even though her cheeks felt warm. “You don’t look bad yourself.”

  Dylan wore a thick jacket, and a Braves baseball cap. She’d always loved it when he wore caps. He was undeniably sexy when he did so. He unbuttoned his jacket and tossed it over the back of the couch. She wished he would remove his shirt as well, but all in good time.

  Dylan came closer, and he touched the sheer fabric that covered her belly. His hand stole around her waist and clasped her back to pull her in close for a kiss. “Now tell me why you called me over here in the middle of the night, if not for sex.”

  Cait took his hand and led him to the couch. “Please sit. I can’t think when you’re touching me.”

  She perched on the armrest and pivoted, so she could face him. Dylan sat, his long frame making her couch seem tiny. He gave her a questioning look. “Okay, I’m sitting. Now spill.”

  Cait took a breath, wondering how to begin. It was so hard. Normally she did this sort of thing spur of the moment, not planned like it was now. It was a very different approach for her, but hopefully one that would work.

  “When you left, I couldn’t sleep.”

  Dylan lifted a brow. “Too much excitement?”

  “No.” Cait shook her head. Her pulse tripled in its rate. “Well, yes, but that’s not what I meant. I discovered that I missed you.”

  “I haven’t gone anywhere, Cait. I’m right here.”

  “I know, but I want you here with me.” She met his eyes. “Forever.”

  “Wait.” Dylan tilted his head and stared at her. “Are you saying…?”

  “I’m saying I love you.” Cait smiled at him, relieved she’d finally said it, relieved she finally meant it.<
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  Dylan didn’t say anything for several moments. Cait pushed her hair behind her ears and gave him a shy smile. “Well, say something.”

  Dylan’s lip cracked into a smile. “You’re so stubborn. Do you know that?”

  Cait frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  Dylan leaned over to grab her and pull her onto the couch next to him. “I’ve waited years for you to say you love me. What took you so long?”

  Cait wished he would kiss her. She wanted his lips on hers. “I had to be sure.”

  “And are you sure now?” Dylan gave her a serious look.

  “Yes.” Cait gave a nod of agreement. “I’m through with the wrong men. It is time I finally found the right one.”

  Dylan leaned in to softly kiss the corner of her mouth. “Let me know when you find him, so I can congratulate him.”

  Cait lightly slapped his arm. “Dylan!”

  “I’m just kidding, baby.” His lips teased hers, his tongue tracing the seam of her bottom lip before he pulled away to look into her eyes. “I love you.”

  “I love you.” Cait put her arms around his shoulders and held on tight. She’d finally done it, finally found the man she knew she would spend the rest of her life with. “You know, it’s going to be hard to top Valentine’s Day next year.”

  Dylan smiled at her and cupped her face. “I’m sure we’ll find a way.”

  Cait smiled back at him as the vision of their shared future stretched before them.

  “What do you think about eloping?”

  Cait’s mouth fell open. “Are you kidding?”

  Dylan chuckled. “Yes.”

  Cait sighed in relief. “Whew. You scared me for a minute.”

  “When we get married, it will be a gigantic celebration. We are not running off to Vegas.”

  Cait latched onto his words. “When we get married?”

  Dylan nodded. “Yes.”

  “Is that a proposal?”

  Dylan put his finger under her chin to tilt it up for his kiss. “We don’t have to rush into anything, Cait. But yes, I do want to marry you.”

  Cait closed her eyes as he kissed her. Marriage to Dylan? She couldn’t imagine a happier ending.

  “Well since we’re not rushing, I just want to go ahead and let you know that my answer will be yes.”