Page 9

Chapter Nine

I n the early hours of the morning, I wake to Cass rubbing my back. His fingers lightly skim over my skin in circles, sending chills up and down my spine. I fight the urge to shiver beneath his touch. My mind wanders to the events of last night. I have so many questions. Where has he been? What was he doing? He said he was working but I’m not buying it. Was he doing things with the club?

I also don’t want to ruin the mood of this morning before it even begins, so I lay here silently for a few minutes, allowing Cass to believe I’m asleep before I begin stirring.

I shift beneath his fingertips as they trace that spot on my neck and make me shiver. I roll over to face him. He’s lying on his side with one hand on his cheek and the other around my waist.

“Good morning,” he says, his voice cracking.

“Good morning,” I turn my head to say it, breathing away from him.

“What are you doing?” Cass gives me a puzzled look.

“I don’t want you to endure my morning breath.”

“Oh, come on. I bet it’s not that bad,” he says.

“Oh no. It is bad. So bad.”

Cass leans over and puts his face over mine. “Let me see.”

I shake my head in protest. “Mm-mm,” I hum, turning my face to the side, mouth shut tight.

Cass slides his hand down to my ribs, poking me.

I let out a laugh. “Stop!”

Cass rolls away, chuckling.

“See, I told you!” I say.

“No, it really isn’t that bad. Actually, it kind of smells like popcorn.”

I cock my head sideways at him. “Okay, you’re delusional and I’m going to brush my teeth.”

I roll out of bed and slip into the bathroom to brush my teeth. When I’m done, I run around the corner of the bathroom door and pounce right on top of Cass. I open my mouth directly on his nose and let out a long breath.

“No more popcorn,” I say, cheerily.

Cass sticks a finger in my mouth, making me abruptly jump back and laugh. I roll from on top of him back into my spot next to him.

“Want to talk about yesterday?” I ask.

Cass’s smile fades and I instantly regret asking the question.

“I’m sorry that I left you here alone yesterday. There was so much I had to get done and I’m sorry I didn’t call or text. I didn’t have my phone with me most of the day, and by the time I got back to it, I figured you would have been long asleep.”

“It’s okay. I slept all day and woke up and you weren’t here. Then I decided to venture off to a bar and found one of your prospects there. He then refused to let me leave alone and brought me back here, and, well, then you showed up a little bit later,” I say, leaning over to kiss him.

“No, no, no,” he says, shielding his mouth with his hands. “I have to get rid of this dragon breath before I kiss you.” Cass climbs out of the bed and makes his way to the bathroom.

Cass sneaks around the corner just as I did earlier and pounces on the bed.

I giggle. “You got me,” I say smiling. His face is mere inches from mine. His breath on my lips is tantalizing.

“Something on your mind?” he asks, his tone changing from playful to seductive.

My hips move without my permission, giving Cass all the validation he needed. His mouth covers mine and my tongue circles his as I try to suppress the moan threatening to escape. The electricity coursing through my body makes the earth feel like it stopped dead in its tracks and the only people that are here, on the entire planet, is the two of us, completely lost in each other.

Cass places one hand on side of my face and the other on my hip. In one swift movement, he rolls us over, placing me on top of him.

“Just put me where you want me,” I whisper. I straddle his waist, putting both of my hands on his face as I place my lips back on his. His hands wander down my bare back, chills replacing his fingers with every movement. I kiss his neck, gently, just under his earlobe. His hips respond, pushing against the warmth between my legs.

Nothing separates us. No clothes, no blankets, it’s just skin on skin. The soft skin of his hard cock pressing against my leg has me so ready for him. We moan simultaneously as he presses upward, his cock skimming the wet skin of my pussy lips.

I kiss my way down his neck to his chest. Then to his stomach. Then just above his cock. Cass twitches beneath me with each placement of my lips to his skin.

I lick around his cock, taunting him. He moans for me and it’s the sexiest damn sound. “Oh, fuck yes. More baby, please.”

I lick my way up his shaft before taking his length into my mouth. He whimpers as I take all of him in and halfway down my throat.

“Give me my pussy baby,” Cass grits, his voice barely audible.

I do as directed; I turn around and straddle Cass’s face. The moans from him only get louder as his tongue flicks over my clit. I tease him in return with my tongue, circling just the head then taking all of him slowly. It’s a game now as Cass sucks lightly on my clit and then slides his tongue down into my entrance, playing slowly in and out of me.

I press myself into a sitting position, putting my weight on my hands on either side of Cass so that I don’t suffocate him. I stroke him with my hand, using my saliva that’s coating him as a lube. Cass moans beneath me as I long stroke him. My hips move faster with every satisfying noise Cass makes.

I dip my head back down, taking him back into my mouth. Having him in my mouth and knowing I’m pleasing him, that I’m the one making him moan does something feral to me. I grind my pussy on his mouth, building up to the release I so desperately ache for.

Cass’s hands on my thighs tighten, guiding me faster. I can’t hold out any longer, coming on his tongue. I shove my mouth to the base of Cass’s cock, moaning at the feel of his cock down my throat, enhancing my orgasm.

Cass’s hands fist in my hair, tugging me off him. Too entranced in a state of ecstasy, I don’t fight him on it. I cry out as my orgasm continues to rock through me and Cass licks every last drop. Cass grabs me and flips me beneath him as my body relaxes from my orgasm.

He slams both of my legs to his shoulders and pushes inside me. The feel of him inside, mixed with the sensitivity from his tongue on me just moments before, sends me spiraling into another orgasm.

“Yeah. You’re coming again for me. Give me that sweet cum, baby,” Cass commands, picking up his pace. “I feel you coming for me. Make me come, baby,” Cass pumps his hips hard into me as I continue riding the wave of my orgasm.

“Come for me, Cass,” I demand, and my tone reflects that. Cass’s eyes widen and then close as he spills inside me. I move my hips to meet his as he comes hard. He slams into me slowly, releasing more cum inside of me with each thrust.

“Oh. My. God. Woman, you are so fucking sexy.” Cass says breathless.

I simply grin because I’m not sure I have the energy to speak. The sound of his heart hammering in his chest at almost the same pace as mine is relaxing, comforting even.

I run my hand across his forehead, catching a drop of sweat before I trace my fingers up and down his back. He slowly climbs off me and disappears into the bathroom. I stay still, lying right where he left me, satisfied and happy while I listen to the water running in the bathroom.

Cass returns with a wet, warm towel in hand offering it to me. I place it between my legs then stand to clean myself up.

I saunter into the bathroom to wash the towel out and Cass follows right behind me. I bend over to turn the shower on, aware of Cass’s eyes searing into my skin with every move.

“Want some company?” he asks, raising his eyebrows at me.

“Of course.” I take his hand as I step under the stream of hot water.

“Good, cause he’s awake again.” Cass motions downward, revealing that he is very much so still hard and ready.

“No, no. There’s at least a six-hour hold,” I say, my hand positioned in the center of his chest. His chest rumbles with laughter.

“What do you mean a six-hour hold?”

“You broke your toy. You have to wait six hours before you can play again.”

“That’s not fair,” Cass pouts.

“But that’s how this works.” I stomp my foot and cross my arms. Cass’s pout turns into a half-ass smile as he fights it.

“You’re so damn cute.”

He closes the distance between us, and I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him playfully on his cheek.

“Yes ma’am. I’ll be good,” he says, placing his hands firmly on my hips to emphasize that they would stay there. I put my back to him, letting the water beat down on my face, then my chest.

I pour the tiny bottle of shampoo into my hand and lather my hair. Cass’s hands intertwine around mine, moving in sync with them for better access to massage my head.

“That’s so relaxing,” I whisper. When Cass stops, I realize I had relaxed into him, leaning all of my body weight against Cass’s chest.

“Sorry,” I say with a grin and stand up to rinse my hair. I lather a rag with the bar of soap and turn to face Cass.

“Turn around,” I say quietly. Cass obeys immediately. I begin with his shoulders, working my way down his back and when I’m done there, I guide him back around to face me.

I put my hands in the center of his chest and begin to bathe his chest, then his stomach, and down to his throbbing erection. Cass’s head lulls back against the shower wall and he takes in a sharp breath.

“Is this what you had in mind?” I ask, turning my head sideways inquisitively.

“What I had in mind wasn’t anything like...this. This is amazing,” Cass whispers.

I set the washcloth down on the shelf in the shower after lathering my hands with it. My hand strokes his length slowly, taunting Cass with every motion. He leans against the wall, eyes closed, lip trapped between his teeth. His tongue snakes out as he lets out a moan when I stroke him faster.

“You’re so fucking good at that. Oh my god, Lilly.”

I lather one hand with soap again while working him with the other, switching hands to make sure to keep it smooth and pleasurable for him. The sound of my name rolling off his tongue has me pooling between my thighs again. Cass’s fingers tightly grip the nape of my neck, pressing his lips firm against mine, his tongue inviting mine to dance. I swirl my tongue around his while my hand swirls the tip of his cock.

His hand glides down my body but I grab his wrist, pinning his hands above his head. He’s always the one in control, but it’s my turn for a taste of it. I nibble his earlobe lightly, my hand still sliding up and down him.

“Fuck,” Cass breathes on an exhale. His hands slide with ease from my grasp. They find my hips roughly, shoving me around. His palm rests in the middle of my back, bending me over.

He slowly inches inside me, somehow moving slowly and controlled despite how turned on he is. His pace is slow and he pumps in and out in long strokes.

“Cass, you feel amazing,” I moan, arching into him.

“Yeah. You like this dick? Feeling every inch of it?” he asks, his pace hard and unforgiving.

“Yes, baby. Yes,” I cry.

Cass is hitting spots inside that I never knew existed, sending me to a state of euphoria I’ve never experienced before.

“Harder baby,” I demand, hungry for the orgasm that’s waiting for me.

“Like that, huh? Is that what you want?” he asks, thrusting into me as hard as he can.

“Yes!” Cass’s grip on my thighs is tight and as he pounds into me, I’m no longer able to hold back.

“I’m coming, baby,” I cry. “Choke me. Please choke me, baby.”

I want to feel his hand around my throat at the exact moment that sweet orgasm I’ve been waiting for unravels inside me. Cass lifts one hand from my hip and snakes it around my throat.

“I’m going to come for you Lilly,” Cass growls. The sound of his voice behind me, the way he’s taking me, claiming me, I’m bathed in ecstasy as it washes over me like a wave in a hurricane—forceful, sudden, and fierce.

“Fuck yeah, I’m coming.” Cass hips jerk as he comes again.

His hand is still gripped around my neck as my orgasm lingers. Everything around me seems distant. The sound of the shower echoes and I can hear myself breathing louder than usual. Spots of black and white begin to cloud the outside of my vision and suddenly I feel a pain in my ankle.

“Lilly. Lilly!” I can hear Cass’s voice, but it sounds like he is off in the distance, muffled as if I were stuffed into a large drum.

“Hmm?” I murmur, struggling to open my eyes. I can barely make out Cass’s silhouette. Suddenly I feel cold. Something is very cold. What is that?

When my eyes finally open, I’m sitting in the shower beneath a stream of ice cold water. Cass is standing next to the bathtub, looking at me with concern etched onto his face.

“You scared the shit out of me,” he exhales, sighing with relief.

“I’m sorry. What happened?” I ask, forcing myself to sit up. I grab onto the side of the tub and Cass helps me into a seated position.

“You let me choke you too hard, I think, because your whole body just went limp. I grabbed your arms to steady you, but you were already on the floor.”

I smile a shy, lustful smile. “Oops.”

“No more choking you for a while,” Cass says definitively.

I reach my arm up for Cass to help me up. “But—” I protest.

“No ma’am. You went white as a ghost, and it freaked me out. I thought I killed you.”

I step out of the shower with Cass, who wraps a towel around me. He keeps a hand on me, keeping me steady and ensuring I don’t fall. My ears are still ringing but I feel fine. The complete relaxation that courses through me is gratifying.

“I’m good. I’m not going to fall, and I feel fine.” I smile sweetly at him.

“I know you’re not. See?” Cass scoops me up and carries me to the bed.

“Now. I’m going to get all of our things packed up, give you something to wear, and we will be ready to check out of here and head to the airport,” Cass says, walking around the room.

“Fine,” I roll over and check my phone. “Geez.”

“What?” Cass asks.

“Twelve messages. Don’t they know I’m on vacation?” I laugh.

Cass moves around the room, gathering random pieces of clothing and stuffing them into the suitcase he has on the rack. I don’t have anything with me other than the clothes Cass provided, which means one less bag to carry back with us.

I watch Cass as he moves around the room. He’s wearing my favorite thing ever, only a pair of blue jeans with no shirt on. He’s in his own world and I smile at the sight of him, imagining every part of him I’ve touched, every muscle my hands have brushed. Forcing myself to stop eye-fucking him, I turn my attention to my phone and the missed notifications.

Mindy: Good morning.

Mindy: Guess what day it is?!

Mindy: Wake up!

Mindy: Lilly Amber..

Mindy: I know that you are off in some random state, in some hotel room, with some smoking hot biker that fucks you right and makes you smile, but the real world is out here, it’s still opening day, and I need to speak to you.

Mindy: Lilly. Help. NOW.

Mindy: I really need you to be awake.

Mindy: We have a situation here and it would be amazing if you could get in touch with me.

Mindy: Isn’t your flight soon? Why are you not responding?

I finish reading the nine messages from Mindy, laughing at the impatience of my friend.

“I need to call Mindy. She sent nine messages. Evidently, there’s a situation and she needs to talk to me. It’s probably something to do with the grand opening,” I say.

“Nine? Wow,” Cass says. He’s nearly done straightening up the room, pausing beside the bed. Cass hands me a pair of blue jeans and a black long-sleeve that fits so tight, I swear I’ll have to cut it to get it off.

I dial Mindy’s number and wait for the excited and hyper answer I expect on the other end when Mindy answers.

“Lilly Amber Summers!” Mindy yells when she answers the phone.

“Mindy Leann Hollis!” I retort.

“Okay, let me give you a little rundown of what has gone on in the past day since you’ve been gone. Ryan came in and has helped a ton. She’s amazing. She’s getting the hang of bartending quickly. The other girl they sent in has been doing so much cleaning around here that it’s starting to smell like a Mr. Clean factory. All our orders have come in for liquor and beer. We have a full staff ready to work their asses off tonight, and the only thing missing is you and boss man.” Mindy finally pauses to take a breath, giving me the opportunity to chime in.

“It sounds like you’ve just got it all figured out. How’s business been? Are we starting to get some traffic through there or what?”

“Business has been great. Speaking of, don’t you have a flight to catch?” Mindy asks.

“Yes ma’am. Cleaning up the room now and about to head for the airport.”

“Okay love. Have a safe flight and we’ll see you when you get here!” Mindy’s overly cheerful voice makes me smile.

“Bye love,” I say, hanging up the phone.

“What was so important?” Cass asks sarcastically.

I giggle and shrug my shoulders. “I’m really not sure. I think she just wanted to brag about how great everything is going. I think she just misses me.”

Cass grins. “I’d be missing you too if I were her.”

I filter through the other three messages on my phone, all three from my mom.

Mom: Miss you.

Mom: Hope you’re safe.

Mom: Call me when you can. Love you.

I need to fill her in soon. I do a sweep of the room, making sure that we’ve got all of our items. The last thing I need to do is leave something here in Cali. Well, if I had my things with me. I grab the key card and shove it into my pocket. I’ll save it as a souvenir from the time I went to Cali and did nothing more than sleep all day. Well, and get fucked in the airport parking lot. Cass sneaks up behind me, his arms wrapping around my stomach and his chin resting in the curve of my neck. His beard pokes me, making me shiver and giggle.

He kisses my cheek softly. “Whatcha thinking?”

“Just waiting to wake up from this dream,” I whisper.

“It’s not a dream, I promise.”

“Yeah, yeah. We’ll see.”

My mind wanders to yesterday.

“What were you doing yesterday? I know you said you didn’t want to talk about it, really. But, give me something at least.”

Cass sighs, the weight of his head resting fully on my shoulder.

“Club shit,” he says.

“I can live with that.”

Cass growls playfully pretending to gnaw on my earlobe. I quickly press my head to my shoulder to hide my ear from him. He releases his hold around me and scans the hotel room.

“We almost ready to get out of here?”

“Abso-fuckin-lutely,” I smile.

Cass finishes stuffing everything into the suitcase and we’re out the door in five minutes. It doesn’t take long to get on the road to the airport. The guy on the other end of the line is someone from another club or something because after he said something about club shit, Cass immediately took him off the speakers of the car and switched to his phone where only Cass can hear him.

I zone out, glancing around at the cars passing us until Cass’s voice rises.

“I already told you, Keith. It’s not gonna fucking happen. You have no business with Mack! If we won’t work with you on your name alone then I damn sure ain’t putting my fucking name on the line for you. We aren’t friends, Keith! Get that fucking shit out of your head!”

His face is a light shade of red and whatever Keith says in response fuels his anger more. He hangs up the phone and sets it on the center console before turning the radio up.

We don’t speak for the rest of the ride to the airport. Not because I think he doesn’t want to talk to me, but because I want to let him cool off from whatever encounter just occurred on the phone. It’s the respectful thing to do. At least in my mind it is.

My phone chimes in my lap with a text from Mom.

Mom: Thinking of you today. Love you sweetie!

I think for a moment on what today is and why Mom would be thinking of me. March Eighteenth. How could I forget? Today is the three-year anniversary of my dad’s death. Three long years without him. I swallow back the lump in my throat that only seems to be getting larger with every passing moment. Partially because I miss him, but partially because I was so caught up in everything around me that I forgot that was today.

“Who did it?” Cass asks.

“My mom,” I say quietly, afraid if I speak any louder that my voice will crack.

“Hi, mom,” Cass waves.

I quirk a brow in his direction. “Oh, we’re saying hi to family now?” I ask.

“Why not?” he asks.

I sigh.

“What’s wrong?”

“Mom reminded me what today is. It’s the three-year anniversary of my dad’s death. So, I feel like shit for forgetting and I miss him.”

“I’m sorry, babe. In your defense, you probably didn’t even know what day of the week it was much less the date. Your days got mixed up from the late flight and sleeping all day yesterday.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Cass reaches over and takes my hand in his. It’s comforting to have someone try and understand what you’re going through. He kisses the back of my hand then sets it back down on the center console. I reach over to the radio to scan through the stations while Cass navigates us through the light traffic.

We arrive at the airport and the first thing I notice is the palm trees dancing in the wind. They seem to be waving, carefree. It makes me hope that people perceive me in just the same light. Cass opens my door and gives me directions on where to go inside while he returns the rental.

I make it to the terminal and sit down, watching people move hurriedly through the airport. I watch couples, families, and people alone on their cellphones pass by until Cass arrives.

He plops down in the chair next to me.

“Hi,” he says, winking at me.

“Hi,” I whisper.

Cass chuckles. “You are something else.”

“I try.” I smile and lay my head on his shoulder.

Cass places his fingers beneath my chin, tilting my face up so that his lips fall right onto mine. My lips curve into a smile at the same time Cass’s do and we kiss through smiles. He kisses the tip of my nose as a man’s voice makes an announcement over the loud speakers. I’m too lost in Cass to hear what he said.

“That’s our cue,” Cass whispers.

Rising from the chair beside me, Cass grabs the suitcase, and I follow behind him onto the plane. Our seats are midway down the aisle, and I slide in first so I can sit by the window.

“I guess I’ll let you have the good seat,” Cass says with a smile.

“Good, ‘cause I wasn’t giving it up.”

“Oh, yes you were.” Cass winks at me with a devious grin.

Heat immediately rushes to my cheeks. “My seat. I wasn’t giving up my seat,” I say, correcting my misspoken statement.

Cass laughs. “Yes ma’am.”

As the plane begins to take off, adrenaline courses through my veins. Something about being in the open air is so freeing to my soul, to be on the go again, yet terrifying because I never know what’s next to come. However, it comes with my lifestyle and ultimately, my life. This is my life. It always has been.

“Hey. Where’d you go?” Cass asks, tapping my shoulder.

“Huh? I’m here.” I offer him a reassuring smile.

“No, you aren’t, but it’s your lie, I’ll let you tell it.” Cass lifts my hand to his lips, kissing the back of it. My God, I love that. It’s the most sensual, amazing feeling when his lips press to the back of my hand like that.

He then kisses each individual finger in the same manner he had in the truck, making me smile like the damn cheshire cat.

“In your own time.”

And, somehow, that is a language I understand.

I’m too excited to sleep on the plane. Something about being so far up in the air and looking down on the cities below me is so fascinating. It’s crazy to think that we are this high up that everything below looks so small. Yet, as crazy as it is, it intrigues me. Cass is fast asleep within ten minutes, his head resting on my shoulder. The edge he had earlier is long gone and his features have softened in the midst of his nap.

The flight back home is over too soon, and I hate that reality is glaring us in the face so quickly. With reality comes stress. Tonight’s the grand opening, there are two new girls, and there is so much that needs to be done in such a short amount of time.

As the plane begins to descend, I rub Cass’s cheek gently. “Hey you,” I whisper.

He takes a deep breath and his eyes open slowly. Squinting, he takes in his surroundings.

“Grr,” he mumbles, a deep growl coming from his chest. “Hi,” he says as he looks back at me.

“We’re landing,” I say.

Cass sighs and lays his head back on my shoulder. I laugh quietly at him when he starts snoring lightly in a matter of seconds. When we finally land and are on the ground, I wake Cass up again to get off the plane.

Cass leads the way to baggage claim, groggily, with my trailing right behind him. He hasn’t said a word since I woke him up to get off the plane.

“What’s wrong, babe?” I ask, walking with Cass to the parking lot.

“I don’t like waking up,” he grumbles, with furrowed brows and half- squinted eye.

I fight the urge to laugh out loud at how adorable he is. Instead, I smile and try to hide my face in the shoulder of my shirt.

“What’s so funny?” Cass’s voice makes me laugh even harder and there’s no hiding it. I have tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.

“You’re so fucking adorable,” I say.

“Hmm,” Cass mumbles.

Cass opens the passenger door for me and places the suitcase in the back seat. Even grumpy, he’s still a gentleman. “Where’s your car parked?” Cass asks, cranking the truck.

“Umm. Somewhere on the second floor?” I say, more of a question than a statement.

“I’ll drop you there. Then I’ve got to get to the bar and see what’s going on there.”

“I won’t be far behind you, boss man,” I tease.

“I kind of like the way that sounds. It’s almost kinky. Can you call me that while I’m inside you?”

“Umm. We’re going to go with no on that one. Sorry,” I say.

Cass smiles for the first time since we got off the plane. “Fine.”

“Great. My car’s down here on the right.” I point over to the right side of the aisle we’re driving down.

“I see her.” Cass pulls up behind Betty and I lean over the center console to kiss him on the cheek…then the lips.

“Where are you going when you leave here?” Cass asks.

“I need to run to the house first, then to the bar to help Mindy get everything for tonight. I figure everyone will start showing up around eight or nine, so that gives us four hours to get this ball rolling.”

I give him a smile and lean over to kiss him again. I hop out of the truck with my purse in one hand and the keys to Betty in the other. “See you in a little while, babe.”

“I miss you already,” Cass says as I close the door. I get in my car and sit there for a minute, letting the events of California play through my mind. He has no idea. I think I’m falling in love with this man. Okay, maybe more than think. I’m about ninety-nine percent sure I’m falling in love with him.

As soon as I sit down, I grab my cigarettes. This whole no smoking on a plane thing is for the birds. Smoke fills my lungs, and I feel my whole body relax. Cranking Betty, I dig my phone out of my purse. There is a message from Mindy.

Mindy: Are you in Louisiana yet?

Lilly: Yes ma’am. Just landed. Going home then to the bar to help you.

I lock my phone and toss it onto the passenger seat then make my way in the direction of home.