Page 102 of Danger and Dominance
“I’m okay.What’s going on?”Not sure how she felt about the men’s scrutiny, she wedged herself slightly behind Master Gavin, with Brenda on her other side.Brenda, unlike Cassidy, wasn’t nervous at all.She was very obviously checking both of the men out.
“This is my pain-in-the-ass brother, Manuel, and his pain-in-the-ass best friend, Ian.And they are leaving.”She glared at them.They each waved at the mention of their name.The clean-shaven one was Manuel, and the bearded one was Ian.Manuel winked at her, but Ian turned his attention back to Claudia almost immediately.
“We’ll leave as soon as you agree to let us take you out for your birthday tonight,” Ian said, his voice simultaneously teasing and coaxing.“You know you want to.I’ll even pay for your drinks.”
“I don’t need you to pay for my drinks, Mr.Richey-rich.I can afford my own drinks.”
“A beautiful lady shouldn’t have to buy her own drinks, especially on her birthday.”
Claudia made a gagging noise, rolling her eyes before looking over at Cassidy, who was watching with fascination.
“If Mr.Smooth here tries any of his lines on you, just ignore him.He spreads his charm around like herpes.”She turned her attention back to Ian.“I can buy my own drinks, thanks.And who says I’m a lady?”
“I definitely don’t,” her brother joked.“But Ian’s right, it’s your birthday.We should go out and celebrate the day you blessed the world with your glorious presence.”
“If it makes you feel better,no oneshould have to buy their own drinks on their birthday, not even you,” Ian quipped.He turned toward Jennifer at her desk.“Don’t you agree?”
“He’s not wrong,” Jennifer said, looking at Claudia, who scowled at her.
“Traitor.”
“Hey, don’t blame me just because I also want an excuse to go out with my friends and celebrate one of them…” Jennifer looked over at Cassidy, smiling encouragingly.Her gaze was soft.“You look like you could use a night out, too.”
“A night out where?”David asked as he walked into the increasingly crowded lobby.The moment she heard his voice, something inside Cassidy relaxed.He really did represent safety to her.
In fact, it was all she could do not to throw herself into his arms, knowing that’s where she would feel the safest.She managed to contain the urge but barely.If his grandmother hadn’t been there, she wasn’t sure she would have been able to resist.
“Wherever the birthday girl wants to go,” Ian said, grinning and reaching out toward David.Their hands slapped together in a greeting, and they pulled each other in for one of those brief, one-armed guy hugs.He then did the same with Manuel, but his gaze kept flitting over to Cassidy.She did her best to smile at him.
Please don’t make a fuss in front of everyone.
She’d already endured enough humiliation for the day.
David
Even though he wanted to gather Cassidy in his arms, David resisted the impulse.There was something about her stance that made him think she was holding back.She was also hovering very close to both his grandmother and Gavin, and he wasn’t going to push them out of the way just to get to her.
Maybe once Manuel and Ian were gone, though he had a lot more trouble shifting them out the door than he did Gavin and Leah.The latter were happy to accept his reassurances, both of them giving Cassidy a hug and an admonishment to take care of herself before they left.His grandmother patted Cassidy’s arm.They all tried to ignore Manuel, Ian, and Claudia’s conversation, which was mostly Ian flirting with Claudia and her sniping back at him, the way they always did.
Ian flirted the same way he breathed air, and for some reason, it really got under Claudia’s skin, which just made him flirt with her even harder.Not that it stopped him from flirting with every other woman who came within ten feet of him.
Not exactly relaxing to David, but it seemed to be amusing Cassidy, andshewas slowly relaxing and smiling, which was the only reason he didn’t kick the duo out.Surprisingly, Claudia didn’t either, and she normally lost patience with them before David did, so she must have also noticed the effect on Cassidy.
Once Gavin and Leah were gone, he was about ready to say goodbye to Ian and Manuel when Jensen sauntered in from the hallway.He must have been in the breakroom because he had a bowl of popcorn in hand.
“Ooh, that smells good,” Ian said, stepping sideways around an exasperated Claudia to see what Jensen was holding.“Can I have some?”
“You like spicy stuff, right?”Jensen asked.
“Yeah.”
“Then you’re fine.”Jensen held the bowl out.
Claudia’s eyes widened, and she tried to reach for Ian’s hand to stop him.
“Wait!”
Seeming to realize that she was going to deprive him of his desired treat, Ian used his arm to block her, quickly grabbing a handful and stuffing it in his mouth before anyone could stop him.
