Chapter 4
Channing
“Imean it, Halloway. Don’t fuck this up.”
Brooks’ words keep replaying in my mind the entire flight. I knew once he found out I was going with Cassidy, on what should have been her honeymoon, he would have an issue with it. Sure, he wanted me to tell her how I felt, but I don’t think he meant for me to do that on an intimate vacation with Cassidy.
She needed a life raft and like any friend would, I knew I could be that life raft. Give her the vacation and support she needed.
Even if this week may kill me.
The plane wheels touch down on the runway as the captain announces our arrival in Cabo San Lucas. We deplane and collect our bags from baggage claim before making our way toward the arrivals pick up, thinking we’re going to get a cab to wherever we’re going. Yet, Cassidy walks toward a group of professional-dressed drivers holding signs. One who is holding a sign for Mr. and Mrs. Burch.
“Shit,” she mumbles under her breath. “I forgot to call the car service and hotel to change the name on the reservation.”
We stop mid-step as she releases a shallow breath. It kills me seeing her like this. Living with the reminder of what that douchebag did to her.
“Do you trust me?” I ask, grabbing her hand and entwining our fingers.
“What?”
“Do you trust me?” I ask again.
She looks at me as if I’m losing my mind, which may be the truth, but I have to do something to take her mind off things. “I mean, yeah. Always have.”
I nod in her direction before continuing to walk toward the man with the sign. “Just go with it,” I whisper as we slowly approach.
“Mr. and Mrs. Burch,” the driver says while opening the door.
I give the guy a firm nod before gesturing to Cassidy with a mischievous smile. “After you, Mrs. Burch,” I say, with a bit of sarcasm as she throws a look of shock my way.
She’s hesitant at first, but eventually, she slides into the backseat. I shut the door and walk around to the other side of the car, sliding in next to her. She shifts in her spot and eyes me curiously.
“What?” I say, shrugging in my seat.
“What?” she says, her mood instantly souring. “What the hell was that?”
“Relax, Reynolds. It’s all in good fun,” I say, as the driver gets into the driver’s seat. “And good fun is what we should be having this week,” I say, giving her thigh a playful squeeze.
The drive to the resort isn’t long and before I know it, a personal butler and drinks are welcoming us. Cassidy really went all out for this surprise honeymoon she had planned for that worthless fuck.
I mean I wouldn’t have pegged Cabo as a destination honeymoon location, but the resort Cassidy had chosen is top notch. Private villas. Personal butler. All-inclusive straight down to the excursions you can do. It’s a far cry from the spring break episode you’d see on Laguna Beach.
Yeah. I went there. Not all TV is complete trash. That shit was straight up entertaining to watch. I mean what teenager wouldn’t want to be on TV and get to go on crazy-ass trips like that. Especially parent-free trips. Yeah, I’m getting a little off track here, but who can blame me? I’m floored by this place.
We follow our butler down the beautiful decorated, secluded path before reaching the villa. Pushing the door open, he waits for us to enter. The villa is just as breathtaking as the main resort. It’s large with an open concept filled with crisp, fresh white open walls tastefully decorated in local artistry. The sitting room, which is just off the entryway, opens to a large kitchen. A dining room is just to the left of the kitchen, leading to large French doors leading out to a private deck and pool. A perfect oasis for a couple. The opposite side of the villa opens to a large bedroom. Complete with a large king bed, placed strategically underneath a large skylight, while just off to the side of the room is an attached master bathroom housing a large walk-in shower and a free-standing, large claw-foot soaker tub.
“Excuse me, se?or,” Cassidy says pulling me from aw. “But… do you happen to have two separate villas next to one another?”
Okay. Not what I was expecting, but she makes a good point. This is a vacation between friends. Not the honeymoon she had been expecting to be on.
“My apologies, se?orita, but we don’t have any availability until later this week. We’re completely booked even in the regular resort.”
Her shoulders visibly sink. She nods in understanding before turning to stare at the bed covered in red rose pedals. Pulling a hundred from my billfold, I thank our butler and walk him out of the villa.
Sharing a room with me can’t be that bad. I mean I didn’t think it would be a problem, but one look at Cassidy, and I can tell she’s internally panicking.
“I can always take the pull-out couch.” I hope to break some tension in the room.
She shakes her head in protest before turning to face me. “No. I invited you on this trip. You should take the bed.”
“Nope. Sorry, not happening, girl scout,” I say, walking into the kitchen, pulling a bottle of water from the fridge and taking a long swig.
“We could always share?”
Water spews from my mouth as I cough uncontrollably. “Oh my God… are you okay?” she says, running over to me to pat my back. “That was such a stupid suggestion.”
Not a stupid suggestion at all.
In fact, it would be one I would have suggested myself, but I quickly remembered why this would be a terrible idea. “It’s fine. I’ll take the couch.” I plop down on the comfortable pullout. “So, why don’t you say we change and hit the beach?”
She turns to head to the bedroom, her luggage dragging behind her. As soon as the door is shut, I let out a strangled breath. How the hell am I going to survive this week? I’ll admit it; my attraction to Cassidy has never gone away. My want for her. It’s still there, and it eats away at me every time she’s near.
I’ve never told her why I could only offer her one night. I’ve never told anyone why I’m a one-and-done type of guy. But being here, with her in this place, vulnerable. It makes me wish I were the guy who could offer her more.
Riding that thought, I pull my shirt over my head before dropping my shorts and boxers. I reach into my suitcase and pull out a pair of swim trunks, bending to pull them on as a gasp erupts from behind me. Quickly, I pull them the rest of the way up before turning to see a startled Cassidy standing in the doorway. Her eyes are darkened with lust as they roam over my chest and down my abs before coming back to meet mine.
“Uh-uh… I’m ready to go whenever you are,” she stammers, pulling herself from my gaze and turning to the kitchen.
I smile to myself before turning to grab a towel. Following her out the patio doors and past our private pool, we make our way to the beach. The resort had set up a private cabana for us with several lounge chairs. She places her stuff on a lounge chair and pulls her cover up over her head.
Holy fuck.
My mind instantly goes blank as I take in her almost naked body. The tiniest triangles, barely cover the nipples of her perky tits, which I swear get better every time I get a glance at them. And don’t get me started on the bottoms. The thong that is doing nothing but showcasing how perfect her ass is.
Shit.
Breath, man. Now isn’t the time for you to pop a tent in your trunks because you’re constantly fantasizing about her stripping out of that barely there suit and stepping into the outside shower after a long day at the beach. Your hand running all over her smooth skin just before you bring her pert nipple into your mouth and grip her ass as you pin her against the wall.
Fuck.
Yeah, not helping.
I sit on the edge of my lounge chair before looking out into the ocean. Think about taking a shot on goal and missing. Miller’s jock strap. Polston’s weird foot fettish. Yeah. Nope, not even that is helping.
“I’m going for a swim,” I say, standing abruptly before walking to the water.
Don’t look back. Don’t look back,I repeat to myself as I reach the shoreline and dip my toes in the water. Wading out till I’m waist deep, the cool water does nothing to soothe the erection I’m now sporting.
I’m an idiot for thinking I can survive a whole week with Cassidy in a romantic villa. I should just call Hayley and have her fly down here instead. Take my place. But deep down, I know that would do nothing to stop my attraction to Cassidy.
She planted herself into my memory the night she decided I was worth the risk. Even after multiple warnings from not only Brooks, but myself. We both knew the score, yet I knew once I tasted her, had her writhing beneath me, begging for more as the walls of her pussy tightened around me as she screamed out my name in ecstasy, I knew I was done. She would be my end game. If only I allowed myself to have that chance again.
Once upon a time, I was that guy who believed in monogamy. That was until I found myself standing at the altar while my bride, the woman who was supposedly carrying my baby, abandoned me without a word to run off with some guy she met in a bar in college. Oh, and did I forget to mention that he was really the father? Yeah… it fucked me up to know that person who I loved since high school was too chicken shit to tell me it was all a lie. Instead, she accepted my proposal. Allowed me to plan this elaborate wedding, plan a life for us and our future child. Only to not show when it was time for the ceremony.
I knew the moment her mom approached me and said she wasn’t coming, I was stupid. I had fucked up and chosen the wrong path for my life. Not entering the draft right out of high school but choosing to stay committed to a person who was halfway across the country at college, deciding that she didn’t want to marry me after all.
I felt like I was stuck in the movie TheWedding Singer.
But God, do I wish I could be the man Cassidy needs. Be the guy I once was.
“Are you avoiding me?” Her small voice comes out in almost a whisper as she wades in the water next to me. Her hair is tied up into a high pony, so it doesn’t touch the salty water.
“Why would you think that?”
She looks at me as if I’m full of shit yet just stares back out to the calming waters. “You kind of took off as soon as I removed my cover up back there.”
She’d be thanking me if she knew what was about to pop out and say hello if I didn’t take off. “Just needed to clear my head.”
“Me too,” she says, looking up at me. “Hey, I really do have to thank you for coming with me. I know this must be hard for you… missing early training camp and all.”
I could have cared less about going to early training camp. It’s just a way for the guys to meet the rookies and start the team bonding experience. It’s not mandatory, but even if it were, I doubt I would have turned down this opportunity with Cassidy. To be close to her when I know I should keep my distance.
“It’s not a problem.” I look back to the shore where our belongings lay. “Uh… maybe we should head back and get ready for dinner?”
As if sensing my hesitancy, she turns back toward the shore and makes her way out of the water. And cue the return of my boner. I try to avert my gaze from her perfectly round ass as she walks out of the water, yet I’m failing miserably and as if she senses my stare, she peeks over her shoulder at me. Her hips give a little more sway as she smirks devilishly.
I am so fucking screwed.