Chapter 11
LEO
Ahorn beeped outside, and I looked up from my project to see Bryce and Dash’s SUV in the driveway.
I grabbed the cleaning cloth I’d been using to wipe down the top of the desk and shoved it in my back pocket, then headed for the front door. The air bit into my arms as I met Cass by the rear side door and helped her out.
“How was it?” I asked.
“Wonderful.” She smiled. “You have incredible friends.”
“We’re your friends too.” Bryce climbed out and shot me a smirk. “We like Cass more than you. We took a vote at the shower. It was unanimous.”
“I voted with the women,” Dash said.
“Incredible friends,” I deadpanned with a grin. “Do we need to bring anything in?”
“A lot,” Cass said. “Too much.”
“Pfft.” Bryce scoffed. “This is your first baby. It’s part of the deal to get swamped with gifts at your baby shower.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s our pleasure.”
Cass started for the back of the rig, but I caught her elbow. “Head on in. I’ll get this.”
The sweet smile she gave me was one I’d seen a lot in the past two weeks. Normally, I’d kiss her for it. Except with Bryce and Dash here, that kiss would have to wait. Cass and I had landed on an unspoken agreement.
We didn’t talk about the sex. With each other and certainly not with others.
Though there had been a lot of sex. A lot. It had been the best damn time I’d ever had with a woman.
Cass had been working long hours, trying to finish up on a transcription project before the baby was born.
I’d come home from the garage and usually find her typing at her laptop.
She’d put it away and we’d have dinner together.
Darkness would fall and we’d disappear into my bedroom, spending hours worshiping each other’s bodies until she fell asleep.
She always fell asleep first. Maybe it was the pregnancy, but by nine o’clock, she’d be conked out.
For too many years, my nights had started at nine, so while she slept, I’d watch TV and wonder what was happening at The Betsy. Except last night, when I’d started on a project for Cass.
Dash passed me with his arms loaded with gift bags all in varying shades of pink.
“Holy shit,” I said, joining Bryce at the back of the SUV. “Overboard much?”
“Shut it. There were a lot of people there, which means a lot of gifts. Kids require stuff. Something you’ll figure out soon enough.”
Along with Bryce, Genevieve, Presley and Scarlett, Cass had invited her aunts and cousins to the shower. Claudia, of course, had helped with the planning and she’d invited a few friends who’d known Cass since she was a kid.
I hadn’t realized until Cass had shown me her invite list just how much family she had in Clifton Forge. Who knew what they all thought of me—probably nothing good.
The Clines ran with one crowd in town. I ran with another. Cass was the bridge between those worlds, and if I were a better man, I’d burn that bridge to the ground and set her free.
“How are you doing?” Bryce asked as we each began looping bags over our arms.
“Good.”
“How are things with Cass?”
“Also good.”
She gave me a small smile. “She’s sweet. She’s young but not na?ve. She’s got a little fire to her too.”
“Yes, she does.” Bryce had no idea. I’d been stoking that fire with my bare hands the past two weeks.
“Has she talked about the Warriors at all? The kidnapping?”
“No. Why?”
“Claudia pulled me aside today. She’s worried. Cass hasn’t talked about it with anyone. She’s trying not to press but . . . Scarlett told me what happened. Talking from experience here, being taken from your home messes with your head.”
Bryce had been kidnapped years ago by Marcus Wagner. It had been part of his scheme to ruin Draven’s life. Marcus had taken Genevieve too, planning to kill them both in the mountains to start a war between us and the Warriors.
“She can’t keep that inside, Leo. It will haunt her.”
I blew out a deep breath and nodded. “I’ll talk to her.”
“Thanks.” Bryce took her load to the house and I followed behind.
It took us one more trip to empty out the SUV and pile everything into the living room. “That’s a lot of pink.”
“I’m so glad I had boys.” Dash clapped me on the shoulder. “We’ll get out of here. I’m going to The Betsy for a beer tonight.”
“Oh, you are?” Bryce raised an eyebrow.
“Baby, I earned it. Did you hear a peep from me or the boys today during your party?”
“You left. You took them to the garage.”
“Exactly.”
She rolled her eyes and laughed, then went to hug Cass goodbye.
“Assume I’ll see you tonight?” Dash asked as I walked him to the door.
“Uh . . . yeah.” Why not? I hadn’t been out in weeks. Cass would fall asleep and I could go have a beer. Play pool. Catch up.
“Thank you, again,” Cass told Bryce as they came to the entryway.
“You’re welcome. See you soon.” Bryce smiled, then took Dash’s hand to leave for home.
Cass sagged against the wall as I shut the door. “That was fun, but I’m so tired. My cheeks hurt from smiling.”
I walked over and put my palms on her face, gently rubbing her jaw with my thumbs. “Glad you had a good time.”
“Your friends really are special. They went all out with the food and mocktails and gifts.”
“Like it or not, you’re with the Kings now. We’re pretty tight and we keep it that way.”
“I like it.” She smiled and closed her eyes. “I think I’m going to take a nap.”
“’Kay. Want to show you something first.” I took her hand and pulled her toward the empty room beside hers.
Though it was no longer empty.
The second Dash and Bryce had come over to pick her up, I’d gotten to work, assembling the bookshelves and hauling in the desk that I’d stashed in the garage last week.
I tugged Cass to the doorway and nodded for her to take a look inside. “So you don’t have to work at the table.”
“Leo.” Her hands came to her open mouth as she took it all in. She walked past me to the desk, running her hands over the smooth wooden surface and the waterfall edges. The walls in this room were a deep green so I’d gone for a whitewashed wood to brighten it up.
Scarlett’s chatter about decorating had sunk in.
“I can’t believe you did this.” Cass’s eyes flooded and tears dripped down her beautiful face.
“Hey.” I crossed the room and wrapped her in my arms. “Why the tears?”
“Because I’m hormonal.” She buried her face in my shoulder, taking a moment to pull it together. Then she sniffled and stood straight. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and dropped my lips to hers.
She leaned in, sucking my tongue into her mouth. Her fingers threaded through my hair, tugging hard. Then I took over, diving in for what was mine.
I kissed her exactly the way she deserved to be kissed—with everything a man had.
Cass was breathless by the time we broke apart and that nap time would have to wait. I picked her up and set her on the desk, then planted a hand over her heart and eased her onto her back.
“Did I tell you I like this dress?”
She shook her head, a smile at the corner of her mouth as her thick, silky hair spread behind her. “Why do you like it?”
I grinned and slipped my hands under the hem to tug off her panties. “Easy access.”
She laughed and looked toward the window. “Are you going to shut the blinds?”
“Nope. I’m going to fuck you on your new desk and if the neighbors happen to look across the street, then they’ll get a show.”
“Oh my God.” She laughed and put her hands over her face. “You know that my parents know one of the couples who live on this street.”
“Babe, don’t talk about your parents when I’m hard.”
She laughed again but the second I slipped a finger through her glistening folds, the time for joking around was over. Cass whimpered as I plunged in, circling her twice before pulling out. Then I unbuckled my belt and unzipped my jeans, taking out my cock to drag through her center.
“Leo,” she moaned, arching to get closer.
I shoved her dress up higher as I eased inside with a slow stroke, planting myself deep. “Fuck, you feel good.”
“Move.”
I gave myself another moment to savor the flutter of her inner walls, then I eased out only to slam in again.
Cass gasped and a visible shudder ran down her arms.
It was never enough. Being inside her never lasted long enough.
I craved more. She demanded it.
This was my firecracker. This was the woman who came alive in my hands. She might tease, but she didn’t give a shit if the windows were uncovered because all she wanted was me.
“Hold on.”
She nodded and gripped the edge of the desk.
Then I pounded into her, the slapping of our skin echoing in the room.
Her whimpers and moans only drove me on faster as I held her thighs apart, pinning her at just the right angle until her body trembled and her head pressed into the wood at her back, arching her throat as she came on a cry.
I squeezed my eyes shut and let go, pouring inside of her until I was wrung out. After the white spots cleared, I glanced at the window. As I suspected, an empty street. But I covered her up anyway, draping the dress over her legs and sliding out to tuck myself away.
“Come here.” I held out a hand and helped her up.
Her hair was everywhere, draped down her shoulders and the sleeves of her black dress. I combed it away as she relaxed into my touch, sated and sleepy.
With her hair pulled away, I let my hands drift to her ribs, splaying across her belly.
It was easier now, touching her. I’d even felt the baby kick a few nights ago and if Cass had been awake, she would have seen me have a moment of amazement followed by one of sheer panic.
I wasn’t ready to be a father. That hadn’t changed. I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing. Maybe most fathers didn’t, and they were just better at pretending than I was.
Instead of dealing with it, trying to figure it out, I focused on what I knew.
Sex.
Sex was easy. Sex was uncomplicated. Sex was fun. Sex with Cass was out of this damn world.