by Becky Harmon
“Will you read?” he asked.
“Why don’t we take turns?”
“Okay, but I’m not very good at reading out loud.”
“That’s okay.” She smiled at him. “I’m not either, so we’ll learn together.”
They were halfway through Chapter Three when Dillon stuck his head in the door to say goodbye. He ruffled Chase’s hair. Cassie poked him in the gut when he reached for her head.
Greg walked in as Dillon was leaving and flopped down on the sofa. “Did you have an idea for dinner?”
“Not really.” She closed the book and started to stand.
“No.” He put his hand out. “You guys keep reading and I’ll make something. Is spaghetti okay?”
Cassie looked at him in surprise and Greg laughed. “I’ll use a jar of sauce and I think I can boil water.”
Cassie looked at Chase. “You like spaghetti?”
“Yep.”
“What?” Greg asked, giving him a hard look.
“Yes, ma’am. Spaghetti is one of my favorites.”
Cassie laughed. “Is there anything you don’t eat?”
Chase tilted his head in thought. “I’m sure there must be, but I haven’t found it yet.”
Chase settled back into the chair and Cassie opened the book. Her mind drifted while Chase read aloud. The ringing phone pulled her back. Greg grabbed it before she could stand.
“Lake View Resort.”
Cassie smiled at him for using his sweet voice. Last summer she was always giving him a hard time about how he answered the work phone. She wanted him to sound inviting so guests would feel welcome to call for assistance.
“Hmmm…well, there should be one.” Greg paused. “We’ll be right over…No, that’s okay…We’ll be right there.”
Greg hung up the phone. “Cabin One can’t find a corkscrew.”
“They probably don’t know how to use the one in their drawer. Chase and I will take them a corkscrew.”
Cassie grabbed a corkscrew from the office drawer, and she and Chase walked to Cabin One. Cassie searched her memory for the name of the woman standing on the porch. Chris. And her husband was Shawn.
“We’re sorry to bother you,” Chris said as they approached the porch.
“No problem at all.” Cassie motioned Chase to the porch swing. “Can I come in for a second and I’ll show you how the fancy gadget works?”
“Sure.” Chris pushed the door open and stepped aside to allow Cassie to enter.
Cassie placed the corkscrew she had brought on the counter and opened the kitchen drawer beside the sink. She pulled out the foil cutter and the straddle-style opener. “May I?” she asked, pointing at their bottle of wine. When they nodded, she showed them how to work the opener.
“Interesting,” Shawn said, picking up each piece and looking at it.
“I like these because they don’t stretch the cork if you need to put it back in and you don’t get pieces of the cork in your wine.”
“That’s neat,” Chris added.
“But…” Cassie held up the corkscrew. “Just in case.” She laid it back down on the counter and turned to leave. “Enjoy your evening.”
Chris laughed. “We will now that we have our wine. Thanks again.”
* * *
Cassie and Chase returned as Greg was draining the spaghetti.
Cassie put plates out and Chase set the table. While they ate, Chase and Greg talked about their day and then made plans for their bike ride the next morning. After the table was cleared, Cassie and Chase returned to the recliner and their book. Greg took a shower and changed into a nice shirt and jeans. He bolted out the door with a “see you later” before Cassie had another chance to talk to him. She liked his independence, but she hoped he wouldn’t be too surprised to discover Jo was a woman.
* * *
Cassie heard Greg returning as she quietly exited Chase’s room. She had read to him until he couldn’t hold his eyes open any longer. It was clear he was trying to wait until Greg returned, so she sat with him until he fell asleep. She watched from the doorway while Greg rubbed Chase’s head and whispered softly to him. Chase stirred enough to roll over and then settled back to sleep. Greg followed Cassie to the living room where he flopped onto the couch.
He gave her a little glare. “You could have warned me Jo was a woman.”
Cassie laughed. “Did you embarrass yourself?”
“Almost. Luckily she was the only one there, so it only took me a minute to realize she was Jo.”
“So what did she say?”
“She said, ‘Hi, I’m Jo.’”
Cassie laughed. “You’re so funny. What did she say about a job?”
“She said I could work a few hours a week on a trial basis. Carl, my boss in Pensacola had just called her, so she was surprised I came by so soon. Right now she’s shorthanded and has to cover Saturdays herself. She said if I come by about noon, I can stay for a couple of hours.”
“That’s great, Greg. Did you tell her you were staying here?”
“No. I want her to hire me for my ability and not because I live with the only other lesbian in town.”
She quickly covered her surprise at his words and threw a pillow at him as she stood. “Think you’re so smart, don’t you? That’s fine. Stand on your own two feet then.” She rubbed his shoulder as she passed him. “See you in the morning.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chase was waiting for Cassie at the bottom of the stairs on Wednesday morning ready to read more of their book. They quietly ate cereal and toast before feeding the dogs and settling back into the recliner. When Dillon and Shelley arrived, the boys went with Dillon to the barn and Shelley followed Cassie back upstairs.
“You’re not wearing that, are you?” Shelley asked as they entered Cassie’s bedroom.
“What’s wrong with what I wear every day?”
“That’s what you wear every day.” Shelley laughed. “Wear a button-down shirt.”
“This is a button-down shirt.”
“That’s a flannel shirt. It does not fall into the button-down shirt category.”
Cassie was giving Shelley a hard time; she had planned to wear a different shirt and it was already hanging on the door of her closet. Cassie disappeared inside and discarded the flannel shirt and T-shirt before pulling on the light purple button-down shirt.
Shelley jumped off her bed when she returned. “Much better. Now how do you smell?”
“I took a shower this morning.”
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
“Honestly, Shelley. Do you think I’m incapable of presenting myself appropriately?”
“Look. Dillon and I have decided that we like her, and we don’t want you to blow it.” She walked into the bathroom and picked up the bottle of cologne.
Cassie darted out of the bedroom before Shelley could spray her more than once. “I don’t want to smell like a brothel.”
Shelley followed her back downstairs, and Cassie was pleased to see she had left the cologne in the bathroom.
Shelley crossed the room and stuck her nose into Cassie’s neck. “Hmmm. Acceptable.”
Cassie stepped away from her. “Stop that!”
“You have passed inspection. Now go.”
“The boys want to go for a bike ride today. Please make them take a radio.”
“Greg knows what he is doing, and Dillon brought shorts so he might go with them. Now go.”
“If I’m too close to dinner time, I’ll grab something to bring home with me. I’ll call first, though, and see if you and Dillon want to stay.”
“Fine. Now go.”
* * *
Kathleen stared at the early morning sky through her bedroom window, her mind on Cassie. It had been almost two weeks since they had seen each other, and even though they had talked on the phone she still felt the distance between them. Trying to decide how she was supposed to act today was making her anxious and she closed her eyes, concentra
ting on their last physical connection.
Memories of Cassie’s fingertips stroking her body made her stomach muscles tighten and her body arch with desire. She held the feeling for a moment before she collapsed back onto the bed and groaned, rolling onto her stomach. As much as her body craved release, she knew her own touch would not satisfy her needs. Would there be time to get Cassie alone today? Should she even try? Would Cassie want to?
All the times they had spoken on the phone, Cassie had not mentioned a need for Kathleen other than having her assist with Chase and Greg. Maybe she had simply been too worried about them, but what if she thought their weekend was a mistake? Or only a fling? Kathleen was not a stranger to flings, but she couldn’t make herself think of Cassie that way.
She got out of bed and dressed in gym clothes, grabbing a breakfast bar on her way out the door. A workout would clear her head and rid her body of excess energy before her meeting with Cassie.
* * *
Tiffany was all smiles when Kathleen entered the suite. “So…she comes to visit today?”
“She’s not coming to visit. She’s coming to fill out paperwork for Chase.”
“Don’t forget the forms for Greg too,” Joyce added, entering the office balancing a box of doughnuts.
“You’ve got to stop buying these.” Kathleen pulled a glazed doughnut from the box and headed for her office. “You ruined everything I did at the gym this morning.”
“Stop eating them then. They’re for our visitors anyway,” Joyce said as she pulled a doughnut from the box and followed Kathleen into her office. “Have you talked with Ms. Thomas about the girls yet?”
Kathleen sighed, dropping into her chair. Joyce had been harping at her all week to have that conversation, but Kathleen was afraid of Cassie’s response. “Cassie’s been very busy with Greg and Chase. What if she says she can’t take the girls? They’re going to be crushed.”
“We’ll deal with it. Find out today, so we know what we’re facing.”
Kathleen dropped her face into her hands, pulling her face away instantly at the feel of glazed icing on her cheek. She glared at Joyce as she crossed to the bathroom. She hadn’t been able to find a female assistant to stay at Cassie’s for the summer. She had a few more calls to make, and then she was out of ideas. She knew Cassie wouldn’t even consider the girls without an assistant—especially with Chase and Greg already there.
An hour later, she hung up from her last attempt, and Tiffany plopped into the chair across from her. “No luck?”
“Why has this gotten so difficult? Never in the past did we have this much trouble finding kids willing to help out.”
“Have you thought about helping?” Tiffany asked.
“Yes, Tiffany.” Kathleen’s tone showed her frustration. “I’ve been thinking about it constantly. Cassie isn’t going to be willing to take the girls without an assistant.”
“No, I mean you could do it. Be the assistant.”
“What? No.” Kathleen shook her head. “I have to be here.”
“Why? Drive in one day a week if you need to, but really, the phone stuff could be done from anywhere.”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
“What would be a good idea?” Joyce asked, entering the office and sitting down beside Tiffany.
“No, it would not be a good idea,” Kathleen corrected.
“Okay. What would not be a good idea?” Joyce countered.
“I suggested Kathleen be the assistant at Cassie’s for the summer.”
“Well.” Joyce leaned forward. “That would work. Wouldn’t it?”
“Yep.” Tiffany agreed.
They both looked at Kathleen.
“I don’t think…It’s not…I can’t…”
Joyce raised her eyebrows questioningly. “Maybe you should talk with Ms. Thomas about it when she arrives.”
Kathleen looked at the clock on the wall. Ten minutes and she would see Cassie again. Would she hug her? Would she kiss her? Could she kiss her and then stop without touching her more? No. She definitely could not. One taste and she would be out of control.
The chime sounded on the office door, sending Tiffany down the hall at a sprint. Kathleen wanted to follow her. Wanted to run down the hall and jump into Cassie’s arms. But instead she assured Joyce she would take care of everything. After Tiffany introduced Joyce to Cassie, they both left, leaving Kathleen alone with her.
Kathleen met her eyes as Cassie studied her. “It’s really good to see you,” Cassie finally said.
“It’s good to see you too.” Kathleen forced the words out. Seeing Cassie had awakened her body and she wrapped her legs around the chair to keep from rushing into Cassie’s arms.
A rush of desire crossed Cassie’s face before disappearing behind her stoic expression. She took a seat across from Kathleen. “Déjà vu? I feel like I’ve been here before.” She smiled.
Taking a deep breath, Kathleen pulled a stack of paperwork from her desk drawer. “Let’s start with the easy stuff first.” She turned a few papers toward Cassie. “This is the foster paperwork for Greg and Chase. Since they’re both under our care now, you won’t have to fill out the background paperwork again. We have all that already on file.”
“That makes things easier.”
Kathleen slid the papers into a folder once Cassie had signed them. “This stack is to start the custody paperwork for Chase. I don’t think there’ll be any problems except his file shows that his birth mother has appeared every nine months or so to keep a claim on him. You won’t be able to adopt him since she refuses to relinquish her parental rights, but permanent custody shouldn’t be a problem.”
Kathleen explained each group of papers and Cassie signed her name. When the stack was completed, Kathleen stood. She had to get the two of them out of her office quickly. Waiting to kiss Cassie was not going to be an option for much longer. She had tried not to stare at Cassie’s lips while they worked, but her resistance was fading fast. “I think we need to get out of here.”
“Okay.”
“We can take my car.” Kathleen led the way down the hall and out the main door without pausing. She heard Cassie offer a quick goodbye to Tiffany.
“Can we swing by my car to get the box for Greg’s stuff?” Cassie asked.
“I brought a box too so unless you need to go to your car let’s just head out.”
Kathleen was on a mission; she hurried through the stairway door, not willing to wait for the elevator. Pulling open the driver’s door of her black BMW, Kathleen saw Cassie hesitate. “Get in the car, Cassandra.”
Cassie laughed and slid onto the leather seat. The doors were barely closed behind them when Kathleen turned in her seat and pulled Cassie to her. Their lips were inches apart, and Kathleen’s pulse raced.
“Oh my,” Cassie gasped.
Kathleen leaned forward until their lips touched and their tongues met. She hadn’t forgotten the sweetness of Cassie’s mouth, but the taste made her body burn with desire. Cassie’s response was immediate; her fingers quickly found the buttons on Kathleen’s shirt.
Kathleen grasped Cassie’s hands in hers, stopping their progress. She sat up, putting distance between them. “I wasn’t sure I was going to make it out of the office before that happened.”
“I’m glad you did as this could have been a little embarrassing.” Cassie’s gaze drifted to the exposed flesh on Kathleen’s chest. Her hand stroked the top of the black satin bra there, dipping under the material.
Kathleen dropped her head to the back of the seat and inhaled deeply. “We can’t do this here.” Her voice was hoarse and scratchy. “Nor do I want to.” She lifted her head and met Cassie’s hazy eyes. “Would you like to see my place?”
Cassie dropped her hand to her lap. “Yes, but can you leave those buttons undone for now?”
Kathleen smiled and started backing the car out of the parking space. “For now.”
* * *
Cassie watched the traffi
c crawl past outside the car window and wondered why neither of them had been concerned about trying to cross town during the peak lunch hour. The silence between them was filled with sexual tension, and Cassie’s gaze kept straying to Kathleen’s open blouse. She wanted to run her fingers across her creamy white skin and feel the softness she had been dreaming about for two weeks, but something nagged at the back of her mind. She wanted more than an afternoon tryst. She wanted to talk about what was happening between them. She wanted to make plans for a future.
Of course, if they did talk Cassie knew there was a chance Kathleen wouldn’t say the things she wanted to hear. She wasn’t ready for things to end and forcing Kathleen to put words to their actions might drive her away. Maybe it was best to let their bodies do the talking for now. Cassie smiled to herself as they turned into a short drive with identical red brick townhouses lining both sides of the road. Kathleen pulled the car to a stop in front of a small colorful flower bed.
Cassie placed a hand on Kathleen’s arm, stopping her from getting out of the car. “I don’t…I mean…I’m not sure.”
Kathleen touched her hand as she turned to look at her. “It’s okay.”
Cassie raised one eyebrow. The disappointment in Kathleen’s voice was clear. “I want to talk, and if we go inside I don’t think we will.”
Kathleen sighed. “No, I can assure you we will not be talking.”
Cassie wanted to get out of the car and wander through Kathleen’s house, exploring her personal space, but she knew if she did she would be exploring every inch of Kathleen instead. A public restaurant would probably a good thing.
“Mexican or Italian?” Kathleen asked, starting the car.
“Somewhere quiet. I can eat anything.”
* * *
Kathleen put the car in gear and backed out of the driveway. She felt a twinge of regret as her body roared its disapproval in the change of plans. All the hours Kathleen had spent thinking about Cassie over the last couple of weeks and now she had her here. She couldn’t believe she was driving away. Cassie wanted to talk. And so did she. Sort of. She had never been close to considering sharing her life with someone, but from the moment she had seen Cassie she felt a connection unlike any she had ever experienced.