Chapter Thirteen #2
He stepped closer until her back brushed against the metal shelves. “You bit me. Hard,” he said, voice low.
She lifted her chin. “You deserved it.”
A small chuckle rumbled in his chest. “Maybe.” His gaze dropped to her mouth. “It was worth it, darlin’.”
A static charge jumped through her body. She hated the way he noticed it.
His smirk sharpened. “Is there something you wanna say to me, Casey?”
“No. I have to get back to work.”
“You’re pissed because you think I see you as any other chick, right?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Yeah, babe, it does. If it didn’t you wouldn’t be pissed.” He reached out and skimmed his fingers over her cheek. “And I don’t see you that way.”
“You could’ve fooled me,” she mumbled.
“I had a lot on my mind with work and club business. It doesn’t mean I didn’t think about you. Why do you think I stopped by?”
“Boredom?” she snapped.
“No,” he said, drawing her into his arms. “Because I wanted to see you, to talk with you.”
She fought the instinct to rest her head against his shoulder. She stiffened, then softly pushed away. “Well, we talked, so have a good life.”
“Come on, Case, don’t be that way.”
The nickname startled her as a deep warmth engulfed her.
“I actually came by to ask if you want to go out to dinner tonight.”
“You’re asking me on a date?”
“Yeah. Is that a problem?”
“No. I’m just surprised.”
“Why? Don’t you eat?”
She chuckled. “Of course I do. I guess I didn’t expect that from you.”
“What? Eating or dating?”
She rolled her eyes. “Dating.”
“I don’t. You’re the first woman I’ve asked out to dinner in about ten or more years.”
Glancing away, she said, “Yeah. Right.”
He stepped closer to her and lifted her chin so she had to meet his eyes. “I want to take you out to dinner tonight.”
“Dinner,” she muttered, still in disbelief.
“Yeah, like in a restaurant, a table, food. You sitting across from me… no biting.” A grin spread across his face. “Unless you want to, but in that case, I get to bite back.” He ran his fingers through her hair.
Shaking her head, she laughed. “You’re too much.”
“So are you,” he leaned down and kissed her softly and then pulled away. “When are you done working your shift?”
“In a couple of hours.”
He let his hand drop and stepped back. “Give me your address and phone number. I’ll give you my number. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“And if I don’t answer the door?”
“Then I’ll knock again. And again. Then I’ll break it down.”
Her stomach flipped with equal parts irritation and desire. “I bet you would do that, wouldn’t you?”
“Fuck yeah.” His smile was pure wicked heat.
“I’ll meet you at the restaurant,” she said.
“Like hell you will. I’ll pick you up in my cage. My bike’s in the shop.”
A sliver of disappointment snaked through her; she wanted to ride behind him on his Harley, her arms tight around him, the feel of the wind rushing all around them.
“Okay,” she said. “Against my better judgment, I’ll go out to dinner with you.”
“You know you want to.”
“You keep talking and I’ll change my mind.”
He winked and took out his phone.
A few minutes later, he turned for the door, looked back at her, winked, then walked out of the storeroom.
Casey waited for the door to shut before a huge grin spread over her mouth. Her phone vibrated the minute she returned to the register. She glanced down, expecting to see Rags’s name light up on the screen, but Zoe’s name flashed instead.
She swiped to answer. “Hi, Zoe. Sorry I didn’t get back to you earlier. I’ve been… busy.”
“With work?”
“Sort of.”
“What does that mean? Did something happen?”
“Not really. I mean, Rags showed up at the nursery.”
A sharp inhale. “Oh shit. I knew he’d get in contact with you. What happened?”
“We talked. And then he kissed me.”
Zoe gasped and then giggled. “I knew it. And then what?”
Casey grimaced. “I bit him.”
Silence. Then Zoe burst into laughter. “You bit him? Why?”
“Because he pissed me off,” Casey said. “Because he ghosted me and then just strolled in here like nothing. Because he just grabbed me.”
“But still…”
Casey groaned. “I don’t want to want him.”
A small sigh came through the phone. “I know, but you do want him. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“I hate that he gets to me.”
“He gets to you because you actually like him. And that scares the hell out of you. Stop pretending and admit it. It’s okay.”
Casey rubbed her eyes. “I didn’t hear anything from him for two weeks. And then he walks in today like… like I’m supposed to fall into his arms.”
“And did you?”
Casey paused. “A little, I guess.”
“So how did you guys leave it?”
Casey’s stomach twisted. “He asked me out to dinner. He’s picking me up at seven.”
“You have a date?” Zoe laughed. “I love it!”
“I’m sort of freaking out here,” Casey said.
“I know, sorry,” Zoe said. “I’m just excited for you. If he didn’t care about you there’s no way in hell he would’ve shown up today. Am I right?”
“Probably. But he may be enjoying the challenge,” Casey said.
“I don’t think so. Because he sure in the hell wouldn’t be taking you out to dinner with that smart mouth of yours, and now your sharper bite.” Zoe giggled. “Sorry, but you have to admit it’s funny.”
“You should be the one going out because you’re way more excited than I am.”
“You’re going to have a good time. And this gives you both a chance to get to know each other,” Zoe said. “I can see and feel the attraction between you both.”
“I don’t know.”
“Maybe just let this be what it is. See how it plays out without overthinking it or crowding it with the past.”
“Easier said than done,” Casey said.
“Just give it a try, okay? Give me a call tomorrow and let me know how it went. If it’s a total disaster, call me tonight,” Zoe said.
“Are you going out with Ryan tonight?”
Zoe sighed. “He’s taking me to Greystone’s for dinner.”
“That’s fancy. I hear it’s one of the best steakhouses in town.”
“In the county. I’ve been dying to go there, but, well… I guess you can’t have everything in a relationship.”
“You should at least be happy to be in a relationship with the guy.”
“I am, it’s just that it’s starting to show that we don’t have a lot in common. I’ll see this through Christmas, then my New Year’s resolution will be to move on.”
“It sounds like a good plan. Try and have a good time tonight,” Casey said.
“Same with you. We’ll share details tomorrow. Have fun and relax.”
Casey slipped her phone into her purse and tried to busy herself, anything to calm the somersaults in her stomach every time she thought about the date. She glanced at the clock: five hours until he picked her up. Why did I agree to this? Because she wanted to. Because she wanted him.
With a sigh, she straightened her shoulders and waved the next customer forward.