“Damien Lucifer.” Adam supplied again helpfully.
“I have no idea who that is.”
“Sorry, my bad… Faye. It’s my nickname for her.”
“We should go.” Cassie tried.
“She’s going away?” Luke asked looking surprised but pleased. Or maybe that was relieved.
Cassie bristled at that, but then, had to remind herself of all the things Faye had done to the poor man and she relaxed slightly. Of course she understood and actually couldn’t really blame him. If she had been him she would have been throwing a wild party and jumping for joy.
“She is going to spend some time with our father in Australia.” Cassie told him courteously. There was no reason why she couldn’t tell him. It wasn’t a big hush-hush secret after all.
“Mmmm... Maybe he’ll be able to straighten her out a bit.” Luke told her.
“What’s that supposed to mean.” Cassie immediately went on the offensive.
“I’m saying she needs a firmer hand than you have got.” She was told promptly.
“Cassie has always been a little soft with her. But then she practically brought her up you know.”
“No I didn’t know.” Luke said. Adam dropped his voice as he continued.
“Well, it’s not like their mother was any good in that particular department.”
“Adam.” Cassie warned her friend, or soon to be ex friend if he kept it up.
Luke’s face visibly relaxed and he added soothingly. “I am sorry, I had no idea you’d had a difficult time. It wasn’t a dig at you. She just needs someone willing to stand up to her.” His voice sounded genuine but it did nothing to soothe Cassie’s raw nerves.
“Huh...” was all Cassie said on that subject. If she had said any more then chances were there would be an argument between the two of them.
That would be a disaster. With a sister like Faye, she needed to remain the peace keeper. If there was ever another situation between Luke and her sister she was going to need to deal with it.
“Oh, don’t mind the party pooper here. She doesn’t exactly get on with her father.” Adam told him.
She was going to kick him in a minute. He had no right telling Luke about her family issues and just as soon as she could she would tell him. “Their father walked out on them and left them with a mother who spent most of her time staring down the bottom of a bottle.”
“Adam.” Cassie’s voice rose as she snapped at him.
“Shame really, but there you have it. We can’t all have fantastic parents now can we.”
“I’m sorry.” Luke told Cassie and he really looked as if he had meant it which made Cassie even more uncomfortable. She wasn’t a charity case and she didn’t need anyone’s pity, especially if it came from Luke Pearson.
“Spent all of their childhood years drunk as a skunk in a bunk.” Adam said now.
“I am going to kill you.” Cassie told him.
“Perhaps this isn’t something Cassie would like openly discussed.” Luke tried to defend her. Which she decided was quite sweet of him.
“Of course you are right, sorry darling. Still, at least you won’t have to put up with Damien Lucifer for a while.” Adam continued relentlessly.
“Adam.” Her voice rose shrilly.
“She hates that nickname for her sister.” Adam told Luke.
“It’s rather fitting.” Luke commented.
“That’s not fair.” Cassie said hotly.
“Don’t mind her. It’s been an… emotionally charged day.”
“It has.” Luke agreed. “How long is a while?” Luke asked as his demeanour brightened up.
Cassie bit her tongue hard, reminding herself that now was not the time to be drawn into an argument with him. She would only prove that she was no better than her sister.
“Months by all accounts. I was telling Cassie tonight that it was a good thing. She needs the break just look at those dark circles under her eyes.” Adam grabbed her chin with his fingers and thumb, and lifted her face upward towards Luke for his inspection. And he pulled on her so that she had to step forward, closer to Luke.
Luke watched her closely. Something gleamed in his eye. She wasn’t sure what it was but it made her tense. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she stood there motionless while Luke took in every line and curve of her face. “Poor thing hasn’t been sleeping and she’s had to put in extra hours to find the money.”
“Can’t Faye pay her own debts?” Luke asked as his eyes narrowed on her face. Cassie wanted to tear her eyes away from his. That penetrating gaze seemed to bore into her soul.
“Faye? Pay for the mistakes she makes.” Adam laughed a deep hearty laugh. “Do me a favour. Are we even living on the same planet? This is Faye we are talking about. Unfortunately, it’s left up to poor Cassie to deal with it all.”
“Adam.” Cassie warned her friend who was not being such a good friend as she would have liked right about now.
He let go of her chin and she took a step back, she didn’t get very far though because a hand came to rest on the small of her back and she looked back up at Luke.
He was sporting a very weird look that she could not decipher, and his hand on her back… well. His thumb was stroking her spine and she swallowed as her body sang with giddy joy. She wished he would stop. She should step back. But she seemed powerless to do anything.
“It’s been like that since I’ve known her and that’s been over ten years now.” Adam lowered his tone a little before continuing. “I keep telling her that she should let Faye learn by her own mistakes then she won’t make them anymore. Don’t you agree?”
“Yes.” Luke said, she noticed that his voice had dropped and become huskier.
“But Cassie can’t help herself. I swear she’s not long for this world the way Faye carries on.” Adam sighed deeply. “I try and help out when I can but really, that sister needs to be committed.”
“She needs help, that’s true.” Luke agreed with Adam.
“That’s why we were here tonight. After such a fraught day Cassie was in much need of chocolate and sex.” Cassie smacked Adam’s arm hard and he had to step sideways to stop himself from toppling over. She was definitely going to kill him. “It always works, doesn’t it?” He looked expectantly at Luke.
“Well the chocolate doesn’t.” he commented dryly.
“I knew I would like you.” Adam smiled a big smile. “And you are right, but the sex does. It’s because of the tension that’s released when a woman or… ouch.” Adam winced as Cassie’s foot hit his shin. “She’s cute when she’s embar-rassed. Don’t you agree.”
“There is a certain charm.” Luke agreed with Adam. His hand still on her back, that had now become quite tense. His thumb changing tactic and began stroking her in a circular motion. She held her breath. this was torture.
“Poor Cassie. Having such a sister. I tell you she is going to be worn down and beat by the time she’s forty and probably dead by fifty. All that worry you see. Not good for anyone. Stress accumulates you know.”
“Adam.” Cassie warned her friend again. She didn’t know what he was up to but she had to put a stop to it now before he went too far. Okay, too late, he had already gone too far. But, she knew Adam and she knew that he could go a lot further.
“Perhaps you could help her out?” Adam suggested.
“With what?” Luke asked.
“With releasing all that… tension.” Cassie gasped in shock as her heart suddenly raced in her chest. If there was ever a time for the ground to open up and swallow her up now would be it.
“I’ll see what I can do.” Luke told him.
“That is music to my ears and I think that just might be my cue.” He smiled at Luke.
“Yes, I think it probably is.” Luke agreed casting one last look at Cassie. “It would appear that you are making your date uncomfortable.”
Adam was making her uncomfortable? What about Luke. He was making her very uncomfortable. In a different way
maybe, but still uncomfortable. Luke’s hand began to slip away from her back. As it did so his fingers grazed up her spine slowly. Caressing the skin right up to between her shoulders.
Cassie’s spine arched before she could stop the reaction and a little kind of whimper escaped from her lips. Adam zeroed in on it immediately and smiled widely.
“...Date? Oh... yes... of course.” A large smiled spread over Adam’s face and that mischievous glint was back in his eye. “Well I guess we can’t stand here all day chatting” Adam agreed. “And it looks like we are keeping you from your meal. It was nice to have finally met you.” And before Cassie could say or do anything Adam had put a possessive arm around her waist and corralled her towards the door at a speed that took Cassie’s breath.
“What are you up to?” She managed to hiss at him as they reached the exit to the restaurant.
“Making him think about you and hopefully make him just a teensy bit jealous too. Now that will be a nice little bonus.” Adam informed her and chanced a glance behind him as they got to the door.
“Fat chance.” she scoffed at him.
“That’s where you are wrong my dear. He’s still standing there clenching his fists and there is thunder brewing in those rather aesthetically pleasing eyes of his.” She made to turn round but Adam held her firm and marched her out the door. “No you don’t”
“Why are you doing this?” she asked unsure what had gotten into her friend tonight. There were times when he could be a little over the top. But tonight he had been so far over the top.
“You really aren’t that naive are you?”
“Adam...” Cassie began but Adam cut her off immediately.
“It’s quite simple my dear girl. He will now spend all night tossing and turning thinking about poor little Cassie. How rotten your sister is, and how you deserve better. Then he’ll start thinking about you going home with me...” Adam paused for effect. “... and that, dear friend, will drive him crazy.”
“Crazy.” Cassie repeated unconvinced.
“Crazy with jealousy.” Adam continued with a flourish.
“I think, dear friend, you are living in cloud cuckoo land.” Cassie told her friend. Adam shook his head as they rounded the corner and into the car park where Adam’s silver Mercedes was parked. He took his keys out of his pocket and the car beeped.
“Mark my words come tomorrow he will be so wound up that he’ll find a way to accidentally bump into you. With any luck you’ll be having copious amounts of sex by the end of the week. Or my name’s not Adam, and it is.”
“What if your plan doesn’t pan out and he doesn’t bite?” she asked him as they arrived at the car. Adam opened the passenger door and turned to look at her.
“Trust me on this. He will bite.”
“How do you know?”
“Darling when he looked at you he looked hungrier than a shark.”
“Nice.” She said.
“I guarantee you or your money back. Now be a good little girl and get in the car so I can drive you home.”
“Of course sir.” She curtseyed before lowering herself into the seat and Adam closed the door behind her.
She watched Adam walk around the car as she put on her seat belt. The driver door opened and Adam got into the driver’s seat.
He turned the key and started the engine. He put on his seatbelt and pulled out of the car park.
Cassie noted that he slowed the car down and drove extra slow passed the restaurant. Cassie bit back a smile as she guessed that it was for Luke’s benefit. Adam was making sure that they were spotted one last time. “I can’t believe you did that.” She told Adam as he gave a little wave in the direction of the restaurant. Cassie did not dare look but she knew Luke must have been looking.
“Will you ever pluck up the courage to approach him?”
“After everything that Faye has done? Not likely.” Cassie conceded sadly.
“Well then someone had to do something and seeing as I seem to be the only sensible one here I guess it fell to me to do something on your behalf.” Adam told her and he actually sounded serious, like he believed in the supposed sacrifice he had just made for her.
“Sensible?” Cassie queried rolling her eyes and shaking her head. “...Now that is the funniest thing you have ever said.” She told him
“Are you dissing me?” he asked mocking a hurt look.
“What the hell does dissing mean?” Cassie frowned.
“It’s...” he shook his head. “...Never mind.” He told her.
“You’ve been hanging around those teenagers again.” She guessed.
“It’s part of my job to hang around with those teenagers. I’m a social worker.” Adam turned the car off the main road and headed in the direction of Cassie’s home.
“Now there was a change of career I didn’t see coming.” Adam had come from an influential family who, whilst not mega rich, was more than comfortable.
Adam had studied art at university just because he hadn’t really known what he wanted to do. It was only in the last three years that Adam had made a dramatic change and had begun training to be a social worker.
Cassie was proud of her friend and only wished she could learn to be that strong. Perhaps she would finally be able to stand up to Faye and make her stop her behaviour.
“I didn’t either, but it’s done me the world of good. I’m making a difference you know...” Adam shifted in his seat.
“I know. Good on you. I wish I could be that brave.” Cassie told him.
“You are. You just don’t know it yet.”
Chapter 13.
Luke cursed loudly into the silence of the room and reached for the pillow under his head. In frustration he yanked it from under him and launched it through the air.
It flew across the room and he heard the soft thud as it landed on the floor. He couldn’t sleep, damn it. He turned over but then turned back again immediately in exasperation.
Damn he was frustrated. He threw the covers back in irritation. The cool air hit his heated naked flesh. He sat up, bringing up his knees and, resting his elbows on them he rested his forehead in this hands.
That damn throbbing was driving him nuts. He huffed again then, like a panther, Luke padded silently across the room and retrieved the fallen pillow. He tossed it back on the bed and ran a hand through his dishevelled hair.
He had spent the past few hours tossing and turning thinking about... about Cassie damn it. His body was humming. His loins were throbbing. His manhood… standing proud and hurting like hell.
He looked over at the bedside clock. It read four thirty in the morning. He’d been laying there that long? That was just great. He hadn’t managed even a single second of sleep nor had he managed to wind down or relax.
Damn that woman. He thought restlessly. And damn that wretched demon sister of hers. If it wasn’t for Faye and her idiotic behaviour then this thing, whatever it was, between him and Cassie would not exist.
This thing, whatever it was, would have a solution. A solution that involved the two of them in his bed.
These past couple of months Cassie had become a relentless itch that Luke had been unable to scratch. She had managed to creep inside his skin and had wound him up tighter than a coil. So much so, that he was positively fit to burst.
If it hadn’t been for Faye, then Luke would have asked her out. There would have been no reason not to. Instead, Faye had happened and that had taken care of that. Though if it had not been for Faye he would never have crossed paths with Cassie.
Luke strode across the room and headed towards the en-suite bathroom. Hopefully, a cold shower would take care of his immediate physical problem. It was just a shame that it wouldn’t work on his steamy wayward thoughts.
Luke acknowledged, sometime later, that the cold shower had worked for all of five minutes before the effects had worn off and Luke was back to staring unseeingly at the ceiling with a certain something pushing against the sheet as his mind conjured up ero
tic images of Cassie.
Luke’s memory recreated her glossy chestnut hair as it flowed down her naked back. Her face relaxed with a small smile curving those full plump lips and her eyes staring up at him with desire burning deep.
He watched as he took her into his arms. He marvelled at how she arched her back toward him. Much like she had done this evening at the restaurant.
Damn, but he had had to work hard not to take her where she stood. And that noise, that little whimper that had escaped her lips.
He groaned into the silence of the room as his mind conjured up an image of Cassie lying naked in his arms as he kissed her, touched her. Luke shot up out of the bed and headed towards the bathroom. Cursing expletives as he went.
And it was just a few short hours later that Vera found a very grumpy Luke. He was leaning against the kitchen counter and holding a mug of coffee.
“You look absolutely awful.” Vera told him abruptly as she walked into the small kitchen. “Couldn’t sleep?”
“Good morning to you too.” Luke offered dryly. “There’s coffee in the pot if you want some.” Luke told her as he lifted his own mug and took a gulp of the dark strong coffee. Just what the doctor ordered.
“You been up long?” she asked him, casting a disapproving eye over his dishevelled appearance, starting with his untidy hair and moving down over the bloodshot eyes and dark circles.
She took in his crisp white shirt with its lime lines that broke up the severe look. He was also wearing his bleached tight jeans.
The casual look suited him, Vera decided, not that there was anything wrong with the suits he wore. But, like this he looked much more impressive. You could see those bulging muscles for a start. Not to mention that impressive chest of his and those heavy set broad shoulders.
“A while.” He told her bluntly, ignoring the look being cast in his direction. Vera nodded her head at him and pulled a cup from the cupboard and poured her own coffee.
“I see.” she said.
“You see what?” Luke asked her irritably.
“Thinking about pretty little Hazel eyes again?” She turned and smiled sweetly at him. Luke groaned aloud.
“We’re not going to be starting that conversation up again are we?” He was tired. His body ached. His mind was fatigued and he didn’t need Vera getting her point across.
The things we do for love. Page 9