Some Guys Have All the Luck

by Deborah Cooke

  “You’re not my man and that’s a very good thing,” Cassie retorted. “I like you best as a friend.”

  “Awww, thank you. You’re a good bud, too, Cassie.”

  She scoffed, because she knew he expected it. “Flattery won’t get you anywhere.”

  “Of course, it will. You already said you’d work on this and you’re on vacation. I call it a win, and will take it for the team.”

  “Send me the stuff, then practice your dance moves. Oh, and I have an idea for the next billboard.”

  “Awesome! You totally rock, Cassie.” Cassie smiled, imagining him doing a fist pump at the reception desk. “Tell her, Sonja.”

  “Cassie knows I think she rocks,” Sonja, one of the F5 receptionists, said from close at hand. “I’m betting on Hunter tonight, by the way.”

  Kyle gasped as if wounded. “You wouldn’t!”

  “I will,” Sonja said. “Ask Cassie if her tattoo is working.”

  Cassie resisted the urge to scratch her tattoo. It seemed really itchy since she’d gotten to town, but there was no way she’d tell Kyle that. He’d decide that Chynna’s addition of a little heart, which was supposed to bring true love to the recipient, was working.

  She knew it wasn’t.

  “You heard the lady,” Kyle said to Cassie. “Is it?”

  “In Montrose River?” Cassie asked, doing her best to sound incredulous. “It’s not supposed to incite miracles, is it?”

  It did itch, though, come to think of it. Should it be doing that so long after it had healed?

  Kyle laughed and then ended the call. Cassie dared to leave Emily for a heartbeat and got out her laptop and booted it up. Tori had connected her to the house’s internet server the day before, and Cassie watched the files flow into her email from Kyle. He liked to pretend he wasn’t serious, but she knew there would be not only excellent data compiled in his reports, but some insightful questions and observations. He liked to joke, but over the years, Cassie had seen him make enough intuitive and unexpected connections that proved right in the end to trust Kyle’s gut.

  Maybe he did have his finger on the pulse of the nation.

  She sat in the hallway, reading avidly as little Emily slept.

  Seven

  Millie was late with her rent so Reid stopped by the salon to collect. She was always a good tenant and he knew she’d pay, but she had been on vacation at the first of the month.

  “You didn’t have to come yourself, Reid,” she said, hurrying to get the envelope at the front desk. “I was going to drop it off after closing today.” She gave him a radiant smile, and Reid wondered if she had some kind of plan. It was Friday.

  Maybe he was just getting paranoid.

  He was the most eligible bachelor in town, he supposed.

  “No problem,” he said easily. “I was just around the corner and thought I’d stop in.”

  “Sorry it’s late.” Millie was blond and curvy, and she’d gotten a tan on her vacation that suited her well. She had a great smile and was a nice person.

  Yet Reid had never been attracted to her, particularly.

  On this day, the color of her hair made him think of Cassie’s thick blond locks and the silken feel of her hair in his hands. Mmm.

  He dragged his mind out of the gutter with reluctance.

  “Well, you were away. Once in a while, things happen.” Reid checked the amount and nodded, intending to take it to the bank right away. He flicked a glance at Millie who was still standing in front of him. “Is there a problem if I deposit it today?”

  “Oh, no!” she said, blushing a little. “No, I just wanted to talk to you a little.”

  She smiled.

  Reid stifled the urge to groan.

  “Good vacation?” he asked politely

  “Wonderful,” she enthused. “Cozumel was perfect.”

  “Good.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Although it was just us girls.” She bit her lip and fluttered her eyelashes. “A little male company would have been welcome.”

  “There must have been some guys at the resort.”

  “But I’m not interested in long distance relationships.”

  It was on the tip of Reid’s tongue to say that he wasn’t interested in relationships at all, but then a woman raised her voice in the back of the shop. “Is this color supposed to stay on so long, Millie?” she asked and Reid recognized Tori’s voice. “Because it’s starting to tingle.”

  A timer rang then and Millie glanced over her shoulder. “Sorry. Got to go.”

  “Of course. Customers first.” Reid raised his voice, curious despite himself. “That you, Tori?”

  “It’s me.” He saw fingertips wave over the top of the last chair. “Getting gorgeous for date night with Nick.”

  Reid frowned. “Don’t you have company?”

  Tori laughed. “Cassie is babysitting and giving us a night out.” She appeared then, her head wrapped in a towel and her eyes alight. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

  “It is,” Reid agreed. “That’s what friends are for.”

  He wondered how Cassie was doing with the baby.

  He wondered what else Tori and Nick had planned.

  Reid rationalized that seeing Cassie twice on the same day wasn’t a whole lot different than one long date and thus not a violation of his one-time-and-only-one-time rule.

  He began to form an objective and to think about putting the pieces into place to make it come to fruition. Cassie wasn’t leaving for two whole days. Maybe they could negotiate another meeting.

  Reid stopped at the bank then went to see Nick at the garage, whistling under his breath.

  Cassie’s phone rang as soon as she’d waved Tori and Nick off for their date. Once more, Emily was fed and changed, dozing in her arms.

  Thinking it was Kyle calling to answer the questions she’d emailed him, she just answered. “Hello.”

  “Chicken or fish?” Reid asked.

  Cassie found herself smiling at the sound of his voice. “Why?”

  “Chicken or fish,” he repeated.

  “It depends.”

  “On?”

  “How fresh the fish is, what kind of fish it is, and how both of them are cooked.”

  “You city girls,” Reid said as if he was complaining, but there was humor in his tone. “They’re both battered and deep-fried. Chicken or fish?”

  Cassie wrinkled her nose, then had a thought. “Not from Pappy’s.”

  “Of course, from Pappy’s. Where else would I go for chicken or fish?”

  “Where else, indeed.”

  “I thought you might have missed the taste of home.”

  “I have missed Pappy’s, actually,” Cassie admitted, not making any comment about home. “Do you deliver for them now, too?”

  “Not routinely, no.” Reid cleared his throat. “Only when I’m negotiating.”

  Cassie laughed. “Ooo, what are we negotiating?”

  “I heard that you did a nice thing today, and I think nice things should be rewarded.”

  “If you’re standing in Pappy’s, you’re going to get thrown out if you say what I think you’re going to say. Unless something has really changed, Joe Papanopoulos has no sense of humor about dirty talk.”

  Reid laughed.

  “So, I’ll say it,” Cassie offered. “You’re going to bring me dinner in exchange for sex.”

  “You always were a smart lady.”

  “And I’m going to agree,” she continued. “But only if you pick up me and Emily and we go to your place. I can’t do it at Tori and Nick’s. They might come home.”

  “They aren’t coming home soon,” Reid said smoothly. “I gave them the keys to the honeymoon suite at the Montrose Inn.”

  “They have to come back before morning!” Cassie said, rising to her feet in panic. She glanced down at Emily, who continued to sleep.

  “Relax.” Reid lowered his voice to that perfect rumble that did things to Cassie’s knees. “Nick and I had a l
ittle chat. They won’t be back before midnight.”

  “But the baby...”

  “Will be just fine,” he said with a conviction that Cassie thought was undeserved.

  “What do you know about babies?”

  “Possibly more than you do.”

  “Everyone knows more about babies than I do.”

  “See?” Reid’s tone became firm. “We’re not going to my place, because that would be complicated.”

  “How complicated could it be?”

  “Well, Tori might call the house and freak out that you’re not answering, thereby destroying the nice thing you’ve done for them.”

  “She’d call my cell phone.”

  “We’re not taking the baby elsewhere,” he said with resolve.

  “Well, we’re not leaving her there alone.”

  “Think about what you’re suggesting,” Reid said. “It’ll be a lot easier for the baby to stay home and keep sleeping in her familiar environment. Trust me.”

  Cassie looked toward the nursery and thought of all the things that Tori carried with her. The baby herself and the diaper bag were the least of it. She’d need somewhere to sleep, and some toys, and...

  “Okay. You’re right.”

  “Good. Chicken or fish?”

  “Chicken. Extra crispy. With biscuits instead of fries. And double cole slaw.”

  “Just like you never left town at all,” Reid teased.

  “Just like,” Cassie agreed, then felt the need to razz him. “Although since I won’t be able to check myself, I need to know. Is my toothbrush still there?”

  “I’ll stop by and check,” Reid replied smoothly. “Would you like it?”

  “Not my favorite souvenir.”

  “Maybe you should tell me what would be your pick,” he murmured.

  “Kitchen sex,” she said, hearing him catch his breath. “Ribbed condom, please.” Reid made a little sound of surprise and Cassie smiled. “You asked.”

  “And I’m glad,” he said. “I might have forgotten one detail.”

  “And your reward is that I’ll wear my boots, just for you.”

  He caught his breath and sounded tense when he spoke. “Fifteen minutes, tops.”

  “And I thought you’d be here in ten. Aren’t you hungry, Reid?”

  He cursed under his breath and Cassie laughed as he ended the call. She put away her laptop, glad she’d already made so much progress on Kyle’s updated plan and went to the washroom. She left the door open so she could watch Emily—who continued to sleep—brushed out her hair, stripped down, and put on the cotton kimono she’d borrowed from Tori. She tugged on her boots and zipped them up, feeling very wicked as she pivoted in front of the mirror.

  The look definitely called for lipstick. She chose a red one, added a little eyeliner, and someone knocked at the kitchen door.

  It had better be Reid.

  She peeked through the curtain and smiled to see that it was. “What took you?” she asked when she opened the door. She saw his eyes widen, then he was in the kitchen, filling it with his presence and the scent of fried chicken. Cassie found herself caught around the waist and crushed against his chest, the chicken shoved onto the counter as Reid claimed her mouth in a demanding—and very satisfying—kiss.

  This was more like it.

  There was a lot to be said for a woman who was unafraid to ask for what she wanted—let alone one who was prepared to do something about it. Cassie grabbed Reid and spun him around as he kissed her. He heard her lock the door and noticed the lights were already turned down, then felt her hands on the front of his jeans. “Now,” she whispered urgently. “Fast and hard against the counter.”

  She opened her kimono and Reid smelled her arousal as she cast it aside. God, she was perfect. The scent combined with the sight of her wearing only those boots was more than enough to ensure that he was ready to go. Just the fact that she said she wanted him with such gusto was thrilling. He kicked off his boots and jeans, and Cassie already had the condom package open. She pursed those beautiful red lips as she smoothed it on, then pulled him close. Reid ran his hands over her, pushing them into her hair, and she gave him a sexy little smile. She leaned back, bracing herself against the counter, and wrapped her long legs around his waist. Reid felt himself shudder.

  “I’m wet,” she whispered, her eyes glowing. “I’m ready. Come on before supper gets cold.”

  Reid grinned and ran his hands up her thighs, savoring the feel of those boots, and then the smoothness of her skin. He cupped her buttocks in his hands and drew her closer, easing into her slick heat. She hadn’t lied. She was hot and wet and ready, the truth of that feeding his excitement.

  There were no games with Cassie and Reid liked that a lot.

  He kissed her quickly, and then more slowly, easing deeper inside her, and decided he would make sure she was rewarded for that.

  It was really good fried chicken, every bit as delicious as Cassie remembered.

  “Maybe I should have bought more,” Reid joked when she claimed another piece.

  “Sex makes me hungry,” she said lightly. “Great sex makes me ravenous.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “I think I’ve already burned off the calories.”

  “Could be.” He offered the cole slaw and Cassie took it. He had another biscuit. Emily continued to sleep blissfully. Cassie had checked on her a couple of times, but it seemed that she really did have this.

  She’d made iced tea, keeping her boots on just for Reid. He’d put his jeans back on for dinner, but his shirt was open, giving her a view of some prime real estate. He smiled, catching her ogling, and shook the biscuit at her. “That robe doesn’t look like something you’d wear.”

  “Because it’s not mine. It’s Tori’s.”

  He nodded and she wondered what he was thinking.

  “What would you have expected me to wear?”

  “Something silky, in a better color for you. Something that tempted me to touch you again.”

  “Not pink seersucker?”

  Reid nodded. “You’re sexy no matter what you wear, Cassie, and you know it. It’s more a question of your taste.”

  “I brought a silk kimono with me but it has baby yack on it now.” She made a face, hoping yet again that the smell came out of the silk. “It’s hermetically sealed in a plastic bag until I can get it to a dry cleaner.”

  Reid grinned. “That makes sense. She’s pretty quiet tonight.”

  “I know.” Cassie went to check one more time, knowing she was being compulsive but terrified that something would go wrong on her watch. Emily was still sleeping, chewing a little on her fist. Cassie left her boots in the bedroom and got dressed before returning to the kitchen. “Maybe it’s the lull before the storm.”

  “You don’t have long now. It’s already eight.”

  “I hope they have a good time.”

  “I’m sure they will.” At his conviction, Cassie turned to meet his gaze. “Nick was pretty determined to make the most of the opportunity.”

  “Good.” She smiled and started to pack up the garbage.

  “What were you doing tonight anyway?”

  “Work,” Cassie said. “Kyle called today and asked me to help with updating a marketing plan.” She explained the concerns briefly to Reid, not expecting him to nod and get to his feet.

  “I’ll leave you to it then.” He glanced at his watch and she had the feeling that he was avoiding her gaze. “I should go, so there’s no gossip from the neighbors. I’ll take the trash with me.”

  Disappointment welled within Cassie. He’d offered dinner for sex. The transaction was completed, so he was leaving. Wasn’t he interested in anything more than that from her?

  Of course not. They had a deal.

  And he’d told her at the start that he was all about the moment.

  She wasn’t interested in more from Reid either, Cassie reminded herself.

  She certainly wasn’t going to be one
of those weeping women who tried to change the terms.

  But once more wouldn’t be all bad.

  “You’ve only been here a few minutes,” she protested, ensuring there was no accusation in her tone. “How could they gossip about that?”

  “A normal person would believe it was only time for dinner, not for sex and dinner.” He bent and kissed her slowly. His smile sent heat through her and she wondered if maybe they had time for one more round. “But you are exceptional.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered and leaned into his kiss. The amazing thing about Reid was that the more she got of him, the more she wanted. Good thing she was going home in two days. Out of sight and out of mind. She’d forget about him quickly, she was sure.

  He lifted his head, glanced over her with a smile, then stepped away.

  Leaving.

  No second round.

  Boo.

  Time to take a teeny tiny step toward an objective.

  “Going for a run tomorrow?” she asked.

  Reid winced. “I’ll ask my knees in a few hours.”

  Cassie stepped back to consider him, thinking about that toothbrush again. “Is it your knees or that you’ve had enough of me? Don’t shit me, Reid. Tell me the truth.”

  Reid dropped a fingertip to her lips, then replaced it briefly—too briefly—with his own. He made a little growl when he broke the kiss. “It’s been awesome, so let’s go with that. We both knew what we were doing.”

  “Which maybe is why it worked so well.”

  “We both know it’s time to stop.”

  Cassie sighed in reluctant agreement.

  Reid picked up the remnants from their meal, blew her a kiss from the doorway, then left. She leaned against the counter, listening as he started his truck and backed out of the driveway. The light from the headlights swept over the living room window, then the sound of the truck engine faded.

  And he was gone.

  This time, it was probably for good.

  Cassie frowned, knowing she had no business hoping for more, and went to get her laptop. She’d just settled in at the kitchen table when Emily started to cry.

  No, she was wailing as if someone was peeling her alive—and she didn’t show any signs of stopping.