“Marty wasn’t sure.”
“There wasn’t any evidence, just one eye witness.”
“Who was never going to testify in case the same thing happened to him.”
Reid nodded, feeling wary of her reaction. She was angry, he could see that, but he wasn’t sure who was the focus.
“Marty thought your mom was planning to leave your dad when it happened.”
Reid nodded again. “He must have figured it out. It took me over twenty years to make it to California after that.”
Cassie walked toward him, hips swinging, and he wished he didn’t want her as much as he did. He wished he didn’t admire her. He wished he hadn’t missed her. He wished she didn’t affect him the way she did and make him wish for what he couldn’t ever have.
“You had so much swagger,” she mused. “Everyone thought you were so tough, so indifferent. So bad, bad, bad. But really, you were injured.” She nodded. “My uncle Marty used to say that a beaten dog will always bite first.”
Reid pushed a hand through his hair. She couldn’t be going to forgive him for what he was and for where he’d come from. She couldn’t be still thinking they could give it a try. “It doesn’t matter, Cassie. It’s ancient history.”
“There’s nothing ancient about it. Lots of people in Montrose River still think you’re bad—or that maybe you’re going to become your father.”
“Well, they’re not the only ones who wonder about that,” he said, without intending to admit as much.
To Reid’s astonishment, Cassie placed her hand on his chest, then reached up to brush her lips gently across his. “You aren’t like him, Reid. You’re a kind and gentle man.”
“I’m a worthless piece of shit,” he corrected softly. “And I’ve been told it enough times to believe it.” He walked past her then and headed for the shower.
“I don’t put a lot of faith in your father’s opinion,” she called after him.
“And I can’t just forget it!” Reid said. He pointed to his own head and heard his voice rise in frustration. “It’s there, Cassie, imprinted on my brain, a chorus that plays over and over and over again. I’m worthless. I’ll never amount to anything. I can’t just shut it off. I’ve tried!”
She folded her arms across her chest and looked unconvinced. “What about the scholarship?”
Reid exhaled. “He always said it was pity money.”
“Never watched you play, did he?”
“No.” He had to admit it, though he didn’t like making the concession. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does,” she countered fiercely. “If he’d ever seen you play, he would have known better.”
Reid frowned. “The last time I talked to him, he told me it would all go to shit. There were NFL scouts coming and I was excited and he told me not to be stupid. He said I got that from my mom and that it would never amount to anything. Then he died and it was like he was making sure of my failure.”
“Your knees.”
“The incident. He could have planned it. It had his malice all over it.”
“Do you believe in ghosts?”
“No! But in the end, he was right. The scholarship didn’t amount to anything. I didn’t go pro. I didn’t get the brass ring or the gold star or whatever the hell metaphor you want to use. I failed.”
“You seem to be doing all right.”
Reid exhaled and stared at the marble counter. “Appearances can be deceiving.”
“I like what I see.”
“Because you only see the surface.” His tone turned savage. “You’re wrong, Cassie. You’re seeing something in me that isn’t there, and you’re not acknowledging what is there. I told you I’m not a hero and if you knew everything about me, you wouldn’t imagine that you loved me.” His eyes narrowed. “We made a deal and I’ll stand by it. I’ll go to that wedding with you, even though I think you can manage it alone. I’ll have sex with you this weekend if that’s what you want. Or you can tell me to fuck off right now and I will.”
“And then?”
“And then we’re done.” He felt volatile and on edge. It had to be because she’d struck a nerve. “Either right now or Sunday night, that’s it. Agreed?”
“I understand your view,’ she said, her tone crisp. “But I don’t agree. The way I see it, I have two days to change your mind.”
“Do not go there!” he roared, raising his voice as he never had before her. “Don’t you see? I become him when I’m with you!”
“No.” Cassie was unafraid and Reid was astonished. She walked across the suite and tapped him on the chest. “I’m not afraid of you, Reid Jackson. You’re not a violent man, but you’re trying to scare me off.”
He opened his mouth to argue but she placed her fingertip across his lips.
“You’re trying to do the right thing, because you don’t believe love is for you. You’re trying to protect me from you, but you don’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I do.”
“You think no one will ever love you for yourself, and I intend to prove to you that you’re wrong.”
“You can’t,” he argued with heat. “You won’t.”
“Your mother loved you for yourself.”
“And she died!”
“Everybody dies, Reid, sooner or later. That doesn’t mean no one can ever love you.”
He wanted to argue but Cassie locked her hands around his neck and kissed him. He fought against her touch for less than a heartbeat, then a shudder rolled through him and his hands closed around her waist.
She tasted so good. She felt so right.
It was impossible to resist her, but Reid knew he had to do it.
“I’m damaged,” he muttered, when she gave him a chance.
“You’ll heal.”
“Lust isn’t the same as love...”
“No, but it’s an excellent start,” she replied.
Reid was exasperated, but Cassie kissed him again. He felt her smile into their kiss when he groaned and surrendered to her touch.
This wasn’t changing the deal.
This was just sex.
And even though he didn’t believe that, Reid couldn’t step away from temptation.
Reid tried to frighten her, but Cassie wasn’t shaken. He insisted on being on top. He even held her wrists together, trapping her beneath his weight. He was trying to make her feel vulnerable, to show her that he could have injured her, but he was so protective of her that his own body undermined his intended message. He braced his weight over her. He studied her to confirm that she wasn’t afraid. He kissed her, those slow mesmerizing kisses that were like a kind of homage and melted her bones.
And he took her to orgasm over and over again.
He came only once, roaring with satisfaction.
And then he left her on the bed, marching to the bathroom with a resolve she recognized. “Your clothes are in the other room,” she called after him, remaining on her back and kicking her feet in the air.
“What?” He looked around the door frame.
“You’re going to armor up by putting on all your clothes, keeping your gaze averted all the while. You don’t fool me, but I thought I’d help.” She got up and didn’t put on her kimono. “Should I help?”
His eyes narrowed. “No, thanks,” he growled and disappeared. She heard him brushing his teeth and smiled as she gathered his clothes. The shower started to run and she decided not to follow him there.
Yet.
“Maybe you want a clean shirt,” she suggested when the water stopped.
“Are you trying to piss me off?”
Cassie laughed at his indignation. “Maybe. When you get all riled up, you usually kiss me and give me an orgasm. I could have another before I go to work.”
He glared at her and returned to the bathroom. She heard his electric razor and dared to join him, tying up her hair before she had a shower. He was looking, which reassured her.
Cassie was ready to use every weapon she had i
n this war.
“You’re trying to change the deal,” he accused finally.
“I’m opening a new negotiation,” she corrected.
“I’m not interested.”
“Message received.” She toweled herself off then kissed the back of one of his shoulders. He didn’t flinch, just watched her in the mirror, his gaze simmering. “I’m feeling persuasive, though.”
He made a skeptical sound deep in his throat, but before he could answer, his phone rang. He went into the main room to retrieve it and answered, standing with his back to her.
The view was so fine that Cassie didn’t understand his words at first.
“I didn’t call Shannon because I didn’t want to,” Reid said tersely.
Cassie blinked. “Shannon?”
Reid spared her a quick glance but didn’t reply. His lips tightened as he listened to whoever was on the other end of the line, then he turned to glare at the view again.
Shannon?
“Shannon from college?” she asked aloud.
Reid turned, putting his hand over the phone. “What do you know about Shannon from college?”
More than she wanted to know.
There was a squeak from the phone and he frowned.
“She is a woman,” Reid told the caller.
Then he exhaled, and his eyes blazed. “I’m in San Francisco, and yes, I came here to be with a woman who is not Shannon, and yes, she’s standing right here...”
There was another squawk from the phone.
Who was he talking to? Who was he telling about her? About them? And what was this about Shannon?
“No, I will not let you talk to her,” Reid said with heat.
There was an argument from the person on the other end of the line.
“Let me talk to whoever it is,” Cassie said, knowing Reid wouldn’t share the details.
“You don’t even know who it is.”
“Who is it?” Cassie demanded, her hand out.
“My buddy’s wife.”
“What’s this about Shannon?”
“How do you even know about Shannon?”
“Tell me!”
“She fixed us up. Shannon’s single again.”
“Give me your phone,” Cassie said.
Reid eyed her for a long moment and she couldn’t guess his thoughts. He was annoyed, but she wasn’t sure why or with whom. He muttered something, then surrendered and handed her the phone. “Her name’s Shayla.”
“Hi Shayla. This is Cassie.”
Reid propped his hands on his hips, watching Cassie. He looked disgruntled and cornered.
Well, a man who didn’t like talking about himself certainly wasn’t going to be glad that she and Shayla were going to talk about him.
“Hello, Cassie,” a woman with a Chicago accent replied. “Why don’t I know about you?”
“I didn’t realize Reid had anyone tracking his love life.”
“Love life? That boy has a sex life and nothing more. Just look at what happened with Shannon.”
“Shannon from college?”
“Yes, Shannon from college. I hosted a dinner party just to get those two lovebirds together again and then I heard today from Shannon that he hasn’t even called her. Two weeks later! And he didn’t go up to her room, even though I made sure they were at the same hotel.” Shayla stopped cold and when she continued, there was suspicion in her tone. “You didn’t call him a couple of weeks ago, did you? On a Friday night?”
“When he was in Chicago at a dinner party?” Cassie said, wondering what this was about. “I did. He said he was in trouble with his hostess for taking the call.”
“Not for taking the call, but for ignoring Shannon,” Shayla said, but she was calmer now. “Well, well. If he didn’t call Shannon and he’s with you, maybe I do need to buy a hat.”
“A hat?” Cassie echoed and Reid swore.
“For his wedding,” Shayla said, before Reid seized the phone from Cassie.
“I didn’t call Shannon because I wasn’t ready to call Shannon,” he said, biting off the words. “I had this weekend planned with Cassie and I don’t date two women at once.”
“I thought you didn’t date at all,” Cassie said and got a look for that.
“She just said the same thing,” he complained.
“I like her already,” Cassie said and folded her arms across her chest as she faced Reid down. “When do I get to meet her?”
“Never!”
“Not even at your wedding?”
“No, because you won’t be there.”
There was silence for a moment, then Cassie cleared her throat. “Wait a minute. You’re going to marry someone and you didn’t think you needed to mention that to me?”
“It’s not arranged. It’s been suggested.” He took a breath. “And I like the suggestion. It’s logical. It’s a negotiation that will work.”
“But you loved her.”
Reid shook his head. “I thought so, but I was wrong.”
He loved her, but he was going to marry Shannon.
To save her from himself.
“You stupid man,” Cassie said. “You are a fool, and I hope you’re miserable.”
“It’s the only sensible solution,” he began to argue, but Cassie didn’t want to hear his excuses.
She decked him, heard his nose crack, and saw his eyes widen as the blood started to flow. He didn’t retaliate but she hadn’t expected otherwise.
“I deserved that,” he said and Shayla’s voice squawked out of the phone, ignored by both of them.
“You did,” Cassie agreed. “See you Sunday,” she said and headed for the bedroom. She paused on the threshold. “Unless you’re going to break the deal.”
“Not me,” he said, holding the towel under his nose. He was unrepentant, though, his eyes flashing with anger and his lips set. Cassie glared at him and that familiar heat rose between them. “Shannon looked pretty in the pictures. I hope you’re happy.”
His eyes widened and she knew he was spooked that she’d looked him up. “Where did you see pictures?”
“They’re on the internet, for anybody to see. You’re famous, Reid Jackson, and Google is my friend.”
With that, she left him to his phone call, dressing quickly and packing her bag with decisive gestures.
She felt him come to the doorway. “You can stay here if you want,” he said quietly, more of a gentleman than he gave himself credit for being. He shrugged when she turned to look at him, his thoughts safely hidden away. “You like the view. I’ll get another room and meet you in the lobby Sunday morning to drive to Santa Cruz.”
He spoke as if they were acquaintances, which was like a dagger to Cassie’s heart.
“Maybe the swelling will be down by then,” she said.
Reid winced. “I can hope.” She took a deep breath, knowing she should apologize, but he held up a hand. “Don’t. I deserved it.”
“You think you deserve everything bad, don’t you?”
He shrugged, his gaze shadowed, and her heart squeezed.
“Ten?” she asked brightly instead of confessing her love again.
“Ten,” Reid agreed. “You can drive.” Funny how the possibility didn’t fill Cassie with pleasure any more. “And I can drop you at the airport Sunday night, just as we planned.”
“Because you keep your promises.”
He nodded once and their gazes clung. Cassie couldn’t stand it. “I have to go to work,” she said and he nodded again, standing aside to let her go. If she’d hoped that he might touch her or kiss her or otherwise try to soften their parting, she was only to be disappointed.
But that would have been misleading, she reminded herself as she blinked back her tears in the elevator alone. And Reid didn’t mislead anyone.
“Hey, Cassie,” Kyle said, swinging into the office of F5W on Friday afternoon. Cassie was on her laptop, checking the final arrangements, the phone tucked beneath her chin. He hung on the doorframe, eyes spar
kling, and she smiled at him despite her mood.
“You look like a kid in a candy store,” she said. “Or Tigger high on something.”
Kyle laughed. “I need to ask you a favor. Are you on hold?”
“Ten minutes and counting. Love this brand of customer service. Go ahead and ask.”
He shook a finger at her. “You’re cautious. I like that.”
“A learned response with you. You could ask anything. I’m not agreeing until I know exactly what it is.”
Kyle braced his hands on her desk and sobered. “Will you sing?”
“Here? Now?” Someone finally answered the line and Cassie held up a finger to Kyle. He waited while she solved the latest crisis for the opening. “I hope they’re all so easy as this,” she said half under her breath, sent a text to Theo, then met Kyle’s gaze. “I’m all yours.”
“Promises, promises.”
“Ask.”
“Will you sing at the wedding?” He perched on the side of the desk she was using. “You have such an awesome voice, and we won’t have a band.”
“A capella. Interesting.”
“Not necessarily. Jason is compiling a dance mix we can play on the boom box. He could add some background music for you.”
“A bit would be good. It’ll keep me in tune.”
“As if you need that.”
Cassie smiled at his enthusiasm. “I assume you’ve picked some songs.”
“Lauren wants At Last for the first dance.”
“Ooo, Etta James. I like that choice.” Cassie grinned at him. “Considering how long she waited on you, it’s kind of an apt choice.”
Kyle laughed and pushed a hand through his hair. He looked cute and excited, and Cassie was happy for him. “Yeah, well. The deed will be done soon enough.”
“Just one song?”
“Well, I don’t want to impose. You are a guest.”
“I like singing.” Plus singing would give her an excuse to be away from Reid for a few moments. Maybe he’d even miss her. Cassie thought that unlikely but refused to dwell on it.
“From this Moment,” Kyle suggested and Cassie scribbled it down. “Come What May.”
“Nice.” She looked at him. “Duets, though.”
Kyle wrinkled his tone. “Can’t you just sing them alone?”
“Sure. What else?”
Some Guys Have All the Luck Page 27