16. Cassidy
Cassidy
Waking up in Trenton’s bed is like waking up in a five-star resort.
Waking up with his arms around me isn’t half-bad either.
“It feels like I’m sleeping on a cloud. A big, fluffy cloud, floating through the sky.”
Trenton’s laugh is raspy with the sound of the morning still wrapped around his throat. “I’m glad you like it. It’s one of the only things I splurged on in this place.”
“Worth it.” I scoot back to get closer to him, relishing in the warmth of his massive body surrounding me. “Can we stay here all day?”
“I wish.” He groans as he presses his erection against me. “I have a press conference this morning, and then I’m going to meet Toby and his mother at his school.”
“He’s going to be so excited to meet you.” I reach back and grip his hair while he bites my neck. “Find out who his bullies are and shove them in a trash can.”
He chuckles as his hand snakes around to cup my breast. “I don’t think that’d go over too well for me in the media.”
“No, probably not.” I drag his hand down my stomach and slip it under my panties. “How much time do we have?”
“Enough time to make you come.”
“Watch this.”
I click send, and wait for Trenton to open his phone. Aarya and I watch from the bar as he pulls out his phone from his pocket.
He looks damn good tonight, with the sleeves of his black shirt rolled up on his forearms.
“Look at the way he smiles when he sees your name on the screen.” Aarya nudges me. “That boy is smitten.”
“He’s not smitten. He’s horny.”
“Right. Keep telling yourself that.”
As soon as Trenton opens the link I sent him, his eyebrows jump and he turns his phone away from his friends sitting next to him. Then his thumbs fly across the screen before a text pops up on my phone.
Trenton: I’m convinced you live to torture me.
Me: *angel emoji*
Trenton: You’re an angel who looks like sin.
Me: That was a good line. I think I’ll add that to my book.
Trenton: When do I get to read this book?
Me: When it’s done.
Me: We still have some more scenes to recreate. What do you think of the video?
Trenton: I’m in.
Me: You didn’t even watch the whole thing.
Trenton: Doesn’t matter. If it involves seeing you naked, then I’m in.
“Who’s the guy who just walked in and sat down next to Trent?”
I glance up from my phone. “That’s Alexander Krum. They call him Krum Cake.”
“I call him sex on a stick.”
I chuckle and slip my phone back into my purse. “Come on. Let’s go say hi. I haven’t met him yet.”
Aarya and I take our drinks and walk back to the boys’ table. They have their own VIP section upstairs overlooking the dance floor below.
Trenton stands and wraps his arm around my waist. “This is Cassidy, and her friend Aarya.”
Krum pushes to his feet and shakes my hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m halfway through your book. It’s excellent.”
My eyes widen. “You’re reading Say You’ll Stay too?”
Trenton squeezes my hip. “All the guys are.”
I dig my elbow into Aarya’s ribs. “Would you look at that? Professional hockey players are reading my book, yet my own best friend hasn’t.”
She scoffs. “I’ve read your sex scenes.”
“Not the same thing.”
Krum’s head tilts. “Why haven’t you read her books?”
Aarya shrugs. “I’m not into reading. And I can’t stand that Hallmark channel romance bullshit.”
His eyes narrow. “You think love is bullshit?”
“I didn’t say love is bullshit. I just don’t buy into all that romantic crap. It sets these unrealistic expectations for women. No guy is going to do the things you read in a book. It’s damaging for a young girl to read that and assume a man is going to come along and sweep her off her feet.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Men can be romantic.”
She laughs. “I’ve never met a man who has done any of those things.”
“Then you haven’t been spending time with the right men.”
“There are billions of people in the world—there’s no way that there’s one end-all-be-all for each of us.”
McKinley joins us and slaps Trenton on the back. “Come on. You can’t tell me there’s no such thing as love. Just look at these two love birds. They’re fucking adorable.”
My cheeks heat as I look up at Trenton. “What do you think, Neighbor Man? Do you believe in soulmates and the romantic bullshit I write?”
“I believe in love.” His dark eyes meet mine and hold my gaze for a moment before he answers.
“I believe in caring about someone so much that you’d do anything for them.
I believe in putting someone’s happiness over your own.
I believe in showing them every single day how much they mean to you, even if it’s in little ways to let them know you’re thinking of them.
So, whether romance means flowers and jewelry, or taking a lavish trip to Greece, or simply showing up when they need you, I think the right person will do those things for you when he loves you.
And if it’s real, no one and nothing could take that love away. ”
My lungs constrict and suddenly I’m struggling to breathe.
Krum leans in and points to Trenton. “The way he’s looking at her?” He turns his attention to Aarya. “That isn’t fake romance bullshit. That is real love.”
Aarya locks eyes with me, and disappointment seeps into my chest. We both know the truth: Trenton doesn’t love me. We’re just pretending.
Why does that hurt so much?
“Come on.” Aarya grabs my elbow. “Let’s go dance.”
I’m thankful for the distraction from the heavy conversation, and shake it off as we head into the middle of the dance floor.
“You okay?” Aarya asks.
“Yeah, that was just...”
“Intense?”
I laugh and roll my eyes. “Exactly.”
“I don’t know, Cass. From where I was standing, Trent looked sincere. I think you two need to have a conversation.”
“He was just faking it. I will not be the one who catches feelings in this scenario.”
“Not even if he catches feelings too?”
I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head. “I don’t know. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Let’s just have fun tonight.”
She lifts her arms above her head and shakes her hips from side to side. “Got it, boss.”
We dance until my feet are numb and the hair on the back of my neck is damp. It feels good to let loose and forget about everything for a while.
But then two strong arms wrap around my waist, and that feels good too.
Trenton’s familiar scent surrounds me, and his warm breath hits the cusp of my ear. “I’m having a hard time focusing on anything other than you in this dress tonight.”
I grin, rolling my hips and pushing myself against him. “That was the point of wearing it.”
I went shopping this weekend and found an olive-green backless halter dress at my favorite boutique. The rouching on the sides accentuates my ass, and I knew Trenton would love the easy access to my breasts.
It feels like every thought I have lately revolves around him.
It’s more than the porn I send him. I bought this dress because I wanted to drive him crazy.
I surprised him with a BBQ pork sandwich from Hamilton’s after practice the other day because I knew he’d be hungry.
I even found another skating event in New Jersey to send him so we can check it out together.
I’m acting like this relationship is real, like he’s my real boyfriend.
The lines are getting so blurred, and there’s no one to blame but myself. I’m the one who suggested getting sexual. We wouldn’t be this close, this intimate, if it weren’t for me.
Yet the thought of pumping the breaks now makes my insides twist. I don’t want to stop what we’re doing. I don’t want to change a thing.
I just worry about what’s going to happen to my heart when this is all over.
Trenton’s fingers skim my ribs, sending goosebumps flying along my skin as he inches further, and the worries weighing on my mind dissipate in an instant.
“Tell me, baby,” he whispers. “If I slipped my fingers inside your dress, would your nipples be hard?”
I glance at Aarya, but she’s busy dancing with Krum.
I lift my arms and wrap them around the back of Trenton’s neck, leaning my head back against his chest. “Why don’t you see for yourself?”
His hand slides in through the side of my dress, and his fingertips graze my hardened peak. I bite my bottom lip to keep from moaning, though I doubt anyone would hear me above the pounding bass.
“I want to take you right here.” He nips at my neck. “Think anyone would notice?”
I smile and twist around to greet his lips. “Think anyone would notice if we just left?”
Without another word, Trenton pulls me through the crowded room, weaving through people until we get to the exit.
Excitement courses through me as we step outside and the cool night air hits my sweaty skin. Trenton holds the phone to his ear, calling the team’s driver who’s on standby around the corner, and clutches me tight with his other hand.
But a flash goes off in front of us, startling me, and all I see are spots.
“Trenton!”
“Cassidy!”
A frenzy of shouting people surrounds us, snapping pictures so fast, it looks like a strobe light.
Trenton sticks his phone back in his pocket and tugs on my arm. “Come on, this way.”
We barrel through the crowd, Trenton pushing people out of his way to clear a path. The paparazzi shove their cameras in our faces, disregarding personal space or safety.
Then a man grabs my arm, yanking me away from Trenton. I trip over someone’s foot and tumble to the ground, smashing my knee onto the sidewalk. I shield my head with both arms, praying no one stomps on me.
“Get the fuck away from her,” I make out Trenton’s voice above the commotion. “Back the fuck up.”
I’m pulled off the ground and panic seizes me until I see Trenton’s face. “It’s me, baby. It’s me. I’ve got you.”
I grip onto his shoulders, burying my face in his neck to hide from the cameras, and I don’t look up until we’re safely in the car.
“Are you okay?” Trenton grips my face, his eyes bouncing between mine, wide with worry. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t get you out of there sooner. Does your knee hurt bad?”
I glance down. “Oh, shit.”
My knee is already swelling, the skin around the cut turning a light-purple, and blood trickles down my shin.