by Amber Lynn
In all, it took about an hour for the two of them to get everything done, and not once did someone offer to help. Casey continuously muttered to herself about how she missed Jessica, who Dylan found out was the party planner she’d worked with previously.
“For being new at doing this stuff, I think we did okay,” Dylan said as they stood back and admired their work.
He was admiring, anyway. Chances were Casey was cataloging everything that looked wrong.
“It will do. I need to go start getting dressed before the media shows up. Depending on how long his date takes to get ready, my dad will be here soon too, and I have to go over some last minute things with him.”
Casey went to go back inside, but Dylan reached out and halted her progress.
“Do you ever slow down? I know I haven’t known you long, but I’m not sure I’ve seen you take a breath. Your brain is constantly moving.”
Dylan was used to rigorous training schedules, but eventually he took a few minutes each day to unwind. Casey looked to where his hand rested on her shoulder and then up to his face. There was something about her emerald green eyes that answered his question.
“Maybe tomorrow I’ll relax, but there’s no chance of it happening today.”
Dylan’s hold on her wasn’t enough to keep her still for long, evident as she started marching again. There was something about her eyes that made him think she had the weight of the world on her shoulders, and he didn’t think it was necessarily because of the event they were getting ready for.
Most of the women Dylan met were all about partying, or figuring out ways to get their talons into him. He’d built up enough armor over the years that there was very little chance anyone would figure out a way underneath it, but Casey had surprised him.
“If you need any help relaxing, I’m decent company,” he said as he followed her.
“But am I? I think you’ll find out tonight that there’s a reason I don’t have very many friends.”
She picked up her things and directed Dylan to do the same. Then Casey led him down a hallway with various doors on either side. Everything was painted bright white, but the bulbs in the hallway gave off a yellow glow that made it feel warmer than normal bulbs would have.
“I’m hoping you’re not totally averse to making a new friend. I think it’s pretty obvious that I’m hoping to go on a real date with you at some point, but your somewhat prickly personality is telling me I should be fighting to just get my foot in the door as a friend.”
“I wouldn’t say you’re obvious, but I’ve seen you staring at me a little too long a few times. It’s too bad that you’re off limits for me. I’m not looking for a friend or someone to date, but I was considering letting you screw my brains out earlier. The fact that you aren’t available to me just punctuates how today really isn’t going my way.”
Dylan had trouble thinking about anything other than the fact that she said something about screwing her brains out. Dreams coming true came to his mind, but she’d said he was off limits. He needed to work around whatever roadblocks stood in their way, not only for the mind-blowing sex she’d unintentionally painted a picture of in his mind, but for the relationship he’d spent months developing with an imaginary person.
“Since I don’t get naked on first dates, this is you. I’ll be across the hall if your zipper gets stuck. I’m guessing you don’t need help with anything else.”
Casey opened a door before Dylan had a chance to reply to her thoughts about their relationship or his ability to dress himself. Just because he was capable of stepping into pants and putting his arms through sleeves, didn’t mean he couldn’t use some help with those actions.
He looked at the door she’d closed behind her and wished he didn’t think she’d kill him for barging in and dressing in the same room. He felt he needed to be aggressive when it came to her, but there was a line he wouldn’t cross. Especially since her father had hinted she may have a weapon of some sort.
Instead of making a romantic move, Dylan followed directions and entered the room she’d indicated. He wasn’t sure what he expected to find, but he should’ve known it was a dressing room. The banquet hall held weddings, so obviously there were rooms for people to get ready in.
Dylan hung up his bag and unzipped it to reveal his tuxedo. He’d bought one the first time he’d been invited to an awards show, in hopes it meant he’d win some awards over the years, and he had. An award for the top goal scorer for the season and two MVP trophies sat in his spare bedroom.
They mostly just collected dust, but every once in a while someone on the team asked to see them, usually a rookie. Dylan didn’t like to flaunt what he’d accomplished, but he thought showing the kids the trophies proved they were attainable.
He stripped out of his clothes and worked his way into his old standby. The shoes he’d been wearing were shiny enough that they worked to finish off the look. Dylan used the full length mirror in one of the corners of the room to tie a bow around his neck.
Dylan looked in the mirror at himself a little differently than he ever had. He’d always been a bit cocky about his looks, but Casey didn’t care about looks, at least not enough to instantly give him a chance. He wasn’t sure if trying to part his short brown hair differently would make him appear more serious.
“Are you decent?” Casey asked as she knocked on the door.
Dylan hadn’t expected her to be ready for at least another half an hour. He stopped messing with his hair and turned to the door.
“As decent as I’m going to get.”
Casey opened the door and scooted inside. Dylan’s tongue seemed to swell as he felt like he was swallowing it. That was his explanation for the giant knot in his throat that manifested when he saw Casey in her dress.
What he saw was by far superior to his purple plastic wrap idea. Casey had transformed into a princess in her tight, deep purple dress. Dylan wasn’t fluent in different kinds of dresses, so he didn’t know the technical term for what she was wearing, but it was stunning.
There were no straps on the bodice that formed a heart as it molded to Casey’s chest. Around her waist, a small amount of fabric formed a bow, and the dress remained tight to her body until it flared like a trumpet around her knees.
It was almost all the same color, but around the top of her breasts and the ruffles at her feet was a silky material that shone in the light. The color was perfect against her milky skin, though she probably looked good in every color.
“I’d say you clean up nice, but I’m sure you already know that. You look quite spiffy in that tux.”
“I can’t say I’ve ever been called spiffy, but I’ll take any compliments you throw my way. I’d be stupid if I didn’t mention you look beautiful, even though I don’t think beautiful accurately describes it.” Dylan needed to get a thesaurus so he’d eventually be able to find the right word.
“I suppose I clean up nice too. I need a little help with the back of my dress. I thought I could handle it, but I’m having enough trouble getting air into my lungs that I don’t feel like fighting it anymore.”
“I’ve always wondered how anyone fit into something that tight and maintained the ability to breathe. I’m happy that you’re giving it a go, but if you find you need a little extra oxygen tonight, just let me know. I’m an expert at mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.”
Casey rolled her eyes and turned around. Even more bare skin greeted Dylan’s eyes and all he could think about was touching. He’d expected a zipper, but Casey had to be tied into her dress. There was no way she would’ve been able to do it herself.
“We’re going to have enough fun when people realize we’re here together. I don’t want to think about what Steph is going to do when she figures it out. I need to learn how to tell my dad no.”
“Just how close are you and Steph?”
Dylan held his own breath and he cinched Casey in. He wasn’t sure how tight to make it, but she didn’t complain when he pulled fairly tight
.
“We sit by each other at games, but I haven’t allowed the acquaintance to expand past that. Just like you claim she isn’t your type, she isn’t mine.”
Dylan was shocked she could speak without gasping for breath. His dress shirt fit him snug, but it didn’t serve as a second skin like Casey’s dress did.
“When you say claim that way, it makes me think you don’t believe me. I imagine she doesn’t match either of our personalities for the same reason. For me, I want to find a woman who is actually a woman, and not a wild and crazy adult teenager, who hasn’t figured out there’s a life beyond bar-hopping for guys.”
“Don’t you go bar-hopping for women? I hear most of the team has a hangout spot they frequent.”
Casey turned around, without stepping away, so their bodies were inches apart and the air between them was shared. It was impossible not to tilt his head down to bring their lips together. If she was just a few inches taller, tilting wouldn’t be required.
“Are you going to kill me if I kiss you?” As impossible as it was, Dylan somehow managed to ask for permission first.
In response, Casey stood up on her tip-toes and kissed the right side of his lips. She pulled back hesitantly and he thought that was the extent of their interaction, but Casey quickly went for it and planted her lips directly on his.
Dylan’s first thought was shock. Sure, she’d mentioned the idea of them screwing, as she put it, but she’d been quick to erase any notion of it happening. Her eraser seemed to be a little broken.
After the shock, Dylan was all about being in the moment of the kiss. She was somehow tentative and aggressive, darting her tongue out a couple of times to test the waters and at one point dragging her teeth against his bottom lip.
The kiss only lasted maybe a minute, but it was the longest minute of Dylan’s life, as he did everything he could to not take control. Something about the tentative part of the whole thing made him think it was important that he showed restraint.
When it was over, Casey put her head down on his shoulder and sighed. “I found out last week that I have breast cancer. I don’t know why I’m telling you that, but my doctor seems to think I should tell someone.”
If the kiss had been a shock, her revelation had no words to describe it. It was an odd situation to be put in, but Dylan did what came natural and moved his hands, which had gravitated to her hips, to wrap around her body.
“You haven’t told your dad?”
Casey’s head shook. “I don’t want to tell him, especially not leading up to today. I actually didn’t want to tell anyone, but someone should probably know. Since you don’t know me, I guess you feel safe. It’s not like I need to sit down and discuss options.”
The finality in her voice worried Dylan. “What exactly are the options?”
“The boobs have to go. It’s as simple as that.”
For Dylan it wasn’t as simple as anything. He had no say about things, and that was fine, but he wanted to make sure she’d thought everything out for her own sake.
“Are you telling me this because you think it’s going to scare me away? I don’t mean to redirect the attention back to me. I just want you to know that I only feel the need to learn more information, and I have a lot of questions.”
Dylan didn’t know enough about her to know who was in her life, other than her dad and maybe Steph. If she was turning to him, it was pretty clear she didn’t have a very big support system.
“I’m telling you because as I fought to get into this dress, I finally reached my threshold for things I could deal with. A dress shouldn’t have been what brought me down, but thinking about the fact that in a week I won’t have anything to hold it up triggered something.”
“Which of course sent you running into my arms. Do you mind backing the conversation up a couple steps and telling me exactly what’s going on?”
“Sorry, we don’t have time for all that. If you don’t mind, pretend the last few minutes didn’t happen. I just needed to say it out loud I suppose.”
“You honestly expect me to pretend you didn’t assault me with your lips? I can still feel the tingles from your lips touching mine.”
“Yeah, well that’s the only kiss you’re going to get from me, so I hope you enjoyed it.”
Casey stepped away without looking at him. Before she could walk out of the room, Dylan took quick steps to get in front of her and closed the door.
“The rest of the world will wait a second. Is your diagnosis the reason why you said what you did earlier about a relationship?”
She’d mentioned that Steph really wasn’t a close friend, so any claim that she was a roadblock could be overlooked. All she had to do was move where she sat during games and that problem was solved.
“I knew kissing you was a mistake. Look, I’m sure you’re a great guy. You didn’t take advantage of me in a rare vulnerable moment, but that was all that was. There isn’t a chance of a relationship between us. If you feel the need to ask the question again, I’ll make a recording of my voice saying that repeatedly so you don’t forget it.”
Casey didn’t come close to answering his question, at least not to his liking. It was frustrating matching up against someone as stubborn as he was.
“What if I don’t want a relationship? Maybe the tingles I’m feeling are because you tried to poison me. I’m sure without the chemical reaction the kiss wasn’t even that good.”
Casey scoffed, which was better than the shrug he’d expected. All he cared about was her admitting the kiss wasn’t just a run of the mill action.
“It’s probably not a good idea to give someone who yells out semi-death threats at you when you play like crap an idea of another way to kill you. I don’t think I’ve ever considered poison. Do you have any favorites?”
“I can’t say that I do. Can you at least promise you’ll tell me more about what’s going on with you after this shindig is over? You said yourself that you felt the need to tell someone. Well, this someone wants to hear a little bit more than you have breast cancer and are going to treat it by having a mastectomy.” When Casey looked surprised by his word choice, Dylan added, “I’m not a total idiot. I know what a mastectomy is.”
“I’m not sure I buy the part about not being an idiot, but you know more than anyone else, so you shouldn’t push to know more. I figured your first question would be how long I have to live, but you didn’t bother to ask about the prognosis.”
She sounded disappointed, and her eyes revealed a little of that emotion. Winning any battle with her was going to be tricky. He was battling with the part of him that didn’t want to hear that a mastectomy wouldn’t be enough. Since they were at an event honoring her late mother who had died from breast cancer, there was a good chance there was a reason she was being standoffish.
“I like to think everyone should live for the day they’re currently living. Any day that we wake up is a miracle, and no matter the prognosis, we both have the same chances of dying tomorrow.”
“I have to say that statement makes you the most realistic person I’ve ever met. How about you let me out of this room and I’ll think about answering three questions.” The clouds didn’t lift from Casey’s eyes, but she moved the conversation into a direction he didn’t mind.
“Without the snark and the standard ‘none of your business’ reply?”
Three wasn’t near enough, but he’d take what he could get.
“I can’t promise there won’t be snark, but I’ll give real answers.”
That was good enough for Dylan. He opened the door, looping her right arm in his while he completed the task. It was time for the chaos to begin.
Chapter Eight
Katherine had been right about one thing. Letting someone else know felt like a giant weight off Casey’s shoulders. Dylan wasn’t the most logical choice for sharing her news, but as she’d said, he felt safe.
Kissing him was walking on the wild side. A part of her had hoped he’d take things a l
ittle further than the relatively chaste kiss. At the same time, it was nice that he hadn’t taken control of something she felt she needed to do.
“So, do you want to answer questions now, or should we wait until after we’ve danced the night away? And I hope you don’t think that counts as one of the questions.”
Casey hadn’t considered it, but she could probably rack up three questions from him quickly without having to get into her personal situation. Every second she spent with him felt like she was falling deeper into some kind of trap. There was just something likeable about him, which seemed dangerous.
“I hate to tell you this, but I don’t dance. It was my dad’s idea to make this a ball. I was just fine with it being a dinner.”
“Your dad seems to be an interesting guy, with a lot of worry about his daughter.” Casey wasn’t sure how much of that worry her father had shared and how much Dylan was able to pick up on his own.
“Which is why I don’t want him to know about the cancer or the surgery. He worries about me enough as it is. Having him sit through three or four hours of surgery would be torture.”
“But chances are he’ll eventually find out. I don’t know if I’d want to be in the room after the revelation hits him.”
Speaking of the man in question, Casey noticed her father walking towards them once they made it to the dining room. She immediately began scrutinizing the woman who was walking next to him. They weren’t curled together like Dylan and her, but you could tell they were together.
The woman wore a simple black dress with spaghetti straps. There was a sparkly applique across her waist that was hard to make out across the room. Looking past the dress, the woman appeared to be in great shape, with arms that looked in better condition than Casey’s, at least from afar.
Her blond hair was swept up on her head, with only two curls on either side of her face revealing how long it was. Judging an age was difficult, but from far away she didn’t look much older than Casey.