Page 91 of Moonshine Kiss
“I want you, Cass. Let me prove to you that I’m right for you. Let me.” His thumbs skimmed over my nipples that were already fritzing out from the cold and the kiss.
I shivered against him. “Damn it all to hell, Bowie.”
“Do you want pie or can I have your pieces? I want to try eating my feelings again.” June asked from the back door.
43
Bowie
She insisted on sneaking out the back into my garage under the cover of darkness. A ninja in suede boots and a wool coat.
“You better be keeping a lid on things,” Cassidy told me, climbing into the passenger seat and crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m not putting my career on the line for a date.” She smelled like lemons. I liked it.
It was afirstdate, not justadate, I reassured myself, backing out of the garage. A cantankerous one, seein’ as how it had taken me thirty minutes to convince her to ride with me.
“Cass, honey, I swear there isn’t a soul in the world that knows about tonight.” Now wasn’t the time to tell her that my brothers knew I was planning on courting her. Besides, they didn’t know the specifics. And tonight, Jonah was out teaching some fitness class somewhere. So technically no one knew that tonight was our first date.
“I can’t believe you talked me into this,” she said.
I was used to my dates being a little more enthusiastic about things. I turned on the radio low for some background noise. “Technically, I kissed you into it,” I told her.
“Your mouth was very convincing,” she complained.
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. Reaching across the console, I took her hand in mine. “We’re heading forty-five minutes out of town for dinner in a restaurant ninety-nine percent of Bootleg would never consider stepping foot in,” I told her. “We’re safe. You’re beautiful. And I’m already itching to kiss you again. Let’s have some fun tonight.”
She gave me a long look and let out a breath. “I want to make sure you’re taking this secrecy thing seriously, Bow. The ground can’t get any shakier under my feet at work.”
“Can he actually fire you?” I asked.
“I don’t know if he can with jurisdictions being what they are. But that doesn’t mean he won’t try. He’s making my life miserable as it is.”
“What’s his deal?” I asked. “It seems like it’s more than you being friends with me and my family.”
She looked at me, relief on her pretty features. “It does, doesn’t it? It’s been niggling at me. It’s not because I’m a woman—at least not just because I am. But he’s singled me out for some reason. I feel like he’s playing a game that I don’t get to read the rules to.”
“Ever think about doin’ some digging on him?” I suggested.
She gave me another long, quiet look. “I might do that. By the way, I got a package today.”
“Did you now?”
“Pajamas. Isn’t that a little forward for our first date?” she teased.
First date.Cassidy might not know it yet, but she and I were on the same page. We both knew that tonight was the beginning. This was our first date. The night that would lay the groundwork for our future. Dating. Marriage. Kids. Grandkids. It all started here, tonight.
“Do you like ‘em?” I asked.
She grinned, looking straight ahead, and I felt her grip on my hand tighten a little bit. “Yeah.”
* * *
“I can’t believeyou brought me back here,” Cassidy laughed, looking around the dining room. She looked incredible in a dark green dress that dipped low in the front and floated out at the waist. Her hair was down in honey blonde waves, and my fingers were itching to dive in. The heels on her boots brought her within easy kissing distance of my mouth.
I was having trouble remembering my usual first date moves because I just wanted to strip her naked and kiss every golden inch of her body.
Ever since I’d seen her—felt her—naked that night, I’d thought of little else.More.I wanted it with Cassidy. And I was prepared to earn it, one careful step at a time.
Much as I wanted to find out exactly what she had on under that dress, I wasn’t going to find out tonight. I’d be the gentleman she deserved, attentive, respectful. Hopefully, there’d be a goodnight kiss that we’d both remember forever.
