Chapter 51
***Weston***
Iwatched Cassidy chew on her bottom lip as she put the finishing touches on her fourth mug.
I’d painted my little dog and just watched her while she went crazy.
The kids and their tipsy moms eventually left and we were the only two people left in the shop, besides the owner who was sitting at the front desk with a romance novel held inches in front of her face.
“You’re staring.” Cassidy glanced up from her mug and flashed a sexy smile. “You’re bored, aren’t you? I took so long but I wanted to make a mug for all of us.”
I leaned back and winced when the wooden chair creaked. “I’m not bored. I like watching you.”
Her eyes heated. “You know how to give a girl a great date.”
I wasn’t going to admit to her that I’d never bothered planning a date before. Going with someone to a dance or some shit, sure, but planning my own thing? Never. “You deserve it.”
It was telling that her face went blank for a moment as she processed my words. Then her cheeks burned darker and she intensely focused on her painting. I watched her until she finally looked back up and sighed. “It doesn’t feel like it.”
“It doesn’t feel like you deserve someone putting in effort for you?”
There was a flash of sadness on her face, gone as fast as it appeared. “Ignore me. I think the paint fumes are getting to me.”
The owner, who’d clearly been listening in, called out. “There are no fumes, honey.”
I laughed at the annoyed look on Cassidy’s face. “She’s gotcha there.”
“Shut up.” She put her paintbrush down and grinned at the last mug of her collection. “It’s perfect.”
“Great! Now you can both get out of here. Go make out or something. I’ve got a boyfriend to get home to. He’s a big man, like yourself.” The owner winked at me as she scooped up Cassidy’s last mug and headed towards the back. “They’ll be ready to pick up in a week.”
Cassidy looked like she wanted to go grab her pottery back. “Damn. Maybe I should’ve added a little more orange.”
“Too late now, sweetheart. Come on. Let’s get out of here before she starts going into details about the boyfriend.” I took her hand and pulled her towards the exit. “Our date isn’t over yet.”
Pottery forgotten, Cassidy held my hand with both of hers. “Is it food? Please tell me it’s food.”
Laughing, I nodded. “It’s food.”
“You’re not just saying that, are you? That’d be so cruel.”
I rolled my eyes and hoisted her into the truck. “I’m not just saying it. We’re going to hit up this burger place that has the fucking best onion rings.”
“I love onion rings. I doubt they can touch the onion rings I used to get at this little place in LA that I loved.”
“Wanna bet?”
She nodded. “Yep. If I’m right, you let me drive your truck home.”
I scowled. “I’ve seen how you drive. No, thanks.”
“And if you win, I’ll give you road head.”
My dick turned to stone. “Fuck.”
Her grin told me she knew exactly what she was doing. “Feed me, big man. If you’re lucky, you’ll feed me twice.”
“You’re a monster.” I pulled out of the parking lot and grunted. “And look at that. I looked both ways before I pulled out. No cars were run off the road.”
“I was trying to get laid!”
I found myself laughing hard enough that tears filled my eyes.
I glanced over at her and was struck by just how much I cared about her.
She made me feel things that I’d never felt for anyone before and it should’ve scared the shit out of me.
One thing all the shit with The Apex Three had shown me, though, was that once Cassidy cared about someone, she really cared about them and was loyal to a fault.
It felt goofy as fuck to think but I felt safe with her.
“What?” She twisted to face me, fighting the seatbelt. I drove slower. “You have this look on your face that I’ve never seen before. Does your stomach hurt?”
I snorted. “Christ, woman.”
“You’re being weird.”
“Maybe.” I winked at her. “Or maybe I’m just thinking about road head.”
Her cheeks heated and she reached for the seatbelt.
“No. Keep your fucking seatbelt on. You’re going to give me a stroke.” I had to fight the urge to stretch my arm across her chest to keep her safe. I’d clearly spent too much fucking time with the wine moms. “Pretend I didn’t say any of that.”
“Yeah, no. You sound like my dad, West. Is this where you come clean about your daddy kink?” She was having a blast teasing me. “I’ve never done it but you’re worth trying a few new things.”
I thought about her calling me daddy and shifted in my seat.
I didn’t hate it. It was just more proof that I’d lost my mind for her.
I pulled into the diner’s parking lot and turned off the truck.
Looking over at her with my full focus, I saw that she was having fun but she was also shifting in her seat and pressing her thighs together.
She was turned on as I was. Food suddenly didn’t sound as good.
“Stop looking at me like that. You promised me food.” She shoved open her door and gasped when it hit something with a loud clang. “Oh, shit.”
I shut my eyes and sighed. “Just tell me it wasn’t another vehicle.”
“Um, it wasn’t. Someone left a big metal pole here…” She groaned. “I’m just going to see myself out.”
I fought a grin but lost. Looking over at her climbing out of my truck while looking sheepishly at the pole she’d hit, I accepted that if I wanted Cassidy that I’d have to deal with constant damage to my truck, including the fucking glitter.