Page 23 of Racing Heat (The Forbidden Heat #2)

~JASE~

Ilead the way to a pizza place by the stadium. Some may say it’s dumb and we should be making sure that we’re not spotted by anyone, but I’m not worried. By now, most of them have gone about their day, and no one will be any the wiser that we’re there together.

At least I hope so.

We both park along the street. I’m impressed with the way she pulls into the space with her Jeep. One of the perks of having a smaller Audi is that it fits into tight spaces. But she does it without issue and hops out quickly. I find her waiting on the curb when I get out.

“Hungry?” I ask her.

“Actually, I am.”

I wink at her. “Play on words?”

Cassie laughs and shakes her head. “For once, no. All I had was a Power Bar on the way to your game. I’m kind of hungry.”

“You’re not much for breakfast?” I ask her, getting little ins to what her life is like when I’m not with her.

“I had half a bagel with peanut butter. I didn’t want to eat too much. Running around and all the heat isn’t the best combination.”

I nod in agreement, and we head inside. The air-conditioning feels so good. I let out a sigh of relief. I know exactly what I’m getting. It’s always the same thing—a deep-dish meat lovers slice with a Coke. Cassie gets a slice of veggie pizza and a lemonade.

“Vegetarian?” I ask her when we’re sitting at the table. We have a red plastic number to let them know where our food can be brought.

“Nope, I just like veggie pizza.” She shrugs and looks around the restaurant before returning the attention back to me. “And when I don’t have to, I don’t like to eat too crappy. You know, save some of the calories for the good stuff. We can’t all eat artery-clogging food.”

“Uh-huh,” I say with a shake of my head. “It’s so yummy. How could I not get it?”

That earns me another laugh. I’m not sure why this time, but I’ve got to figure out what keeps her laughing so that I can keep hearing the sweet melody.

“Thanks for lunch,” she says. “I could have paid for my own, you know.” She pushes gently at my shoulder. Even in the chill of the room, I feel the warmth of her touch after she removes her hand.

“I know that. But you were nice enough to come to my game, so I thought I’d pay for you.”

“Well, I appreciate it.” She grins at me.

“I was happy you could come to the game. It was nice having you there.”

“Did your family come to your games when you lived in Manchester?”

I nod. “Oh yeah. Mom and Dad never missed a game.”

“Any siblings?”

“I have a brother—he’s older than me. Works an office job in finance. His wife, Millie, is great. I have two nieces, Charity and Chanley.”

“I bet you miss seeing them.”

“It’s definitely been an adjustment. I mean, I haven’t even been here six months yet. But they said they’ll come visit at some point. Summers will be easier with the girls’ school, but it’s so fucking hot here. I’m not sure they would appreciate it.”

She nods. “Well, maybe when our season wraps you can go home and see them.”

“That’s the plan. Spend the holidays back around my family. It will be good for the soul.”

She goes quiet and takes a sip of her lemonade. I guess the question part is over for right now. So, I decide to pry a bit.

“Do you have any siblings?” I ask. “Or are you close with your family?”

“I’m an only child. My parents are great.

They’re stoked that I’m playing for the Blaze, but they’re not much for traveling.

I was hoping they would come and visit, but the heat isn’t the best for my dad’s asthma, so I’ll probably see them the next time we’re on the West Coast or something.

” There’s a sadness in her eyes when she finishes, but she just shrugs it off.

“With you being so close to them, I would have thought they would come out here to see you play.”

“Live streaming is great for them. They can watch all of my games that way.”

“That’s true.” I don’t point out that it’s not the same, because I’m sure she already knows that.

Our slices are brought over, and we eat in silence for a bit. I decide that now that I’ve fed her, I have to tell her that Danny noticed us leaving last night. I should let her know the score while I can.

“So, remember when I was in my car for a while when we pulled up to the field?”

“Yeah.” She puts her slice down and looks at me.

“I was on the phone with Danny,” I tell her.

“I’m going to need more.”

I smile at her wit and dive in. “Danny was calling because he saw something last night when we were at the club.” I wait and watch those words sink in.

“When did he notice something?”

“When we were on the dance floor, before I pulled you outside and took you to my car. He was watching us dancing. I shook my head, and he stopped. He stopped watching us, which is what I wanted. I didn’t think anything else of it.

All I could think about was getting you alone, and my car seemed like the best place to do it. ”

Her cheeks heat. I think she agrees with me, but I wish she would say more. When it’s clear she’s not going to I say anything yet, I tell her the rest of our conversation.

“He doesn’t know the details of what we did.

He just knows that something happened between us.

I wouldn’t betray your confidence like that.

I wouldn’t kiss and tell. Not unless you’d like me to.

But Danny does know something. He also knows that you were coming to my game and that I was taking you to lunch. ”

“Did you happen to give him any other details about what you’d like us to do tonight?” Cassie picks up her pizza and takes another bite.

I leave my pizza on my plate. My stomach is twisting into a knot.

I’m so nervous because I’m afraid that once she knows everything that she’s not going to want to spend time with me tonight.

That I’ll never get that body out of those clothes and into my bed.

That little bit of a hit I got from her last night was just a taste, and there’s much more I need of her.

“No, he doesn’t. He has his own plans with Mac tonight. So, we’re free to do whatever we want, unsupervised by Danny,” I say, trying to lighten the mood.

Cassie is studying me with her blue eyes. I wonder what’s going on in her mind right now. I want to assure her that everything will be alright and that no one else will find out, but that’s not something I can promise.

“Does Mac know?”

I shake my head. “I don’t think so. Danny wasn’t sure, but she hasn’t said anything. I think that’s the kind of thing she would have mentioned to him. Or she would have talked to you about it this morning. She might have removed my balls too,” I joke, trying to lighten the mood.

“Well, that’s true. Does he know we had sex?” She lowers her voice when she says sex, like she’s worried that that’s the worst someone could hear from our table.

“No, he doesn’t. I told him that I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Thank you for that.” She smiles, which wasn’t what I expected from her. I thought she might be freaking out a bit more than she is right now. Maybe it’s that I chose to tell her in a public setting and she’s trying to keep her cool so that we’re not discovered.

“I would never do that to you, especially without your knowledge.”

I love the soft smile that covers her face; the way it makes her eyes light up. “Thank you,” she says softly. “I appreciate you not giving him the sweaty details. I thought maybe you might.”

“No, I wouldn’t do that to you. But why would you think that I would?” I ask.

“I don’t know. I guess because I’ve heard August. The way he explains everything that happens between him and his conquest. Danny has even shared some details about him and Mac. Although, I think she’s proud of having sex with him in his pool.”

“Remind me not to go swimming in there,” I tease.

She shakes her head. “Apparently, he’s put enough chemicals in it that it will kill any bacteria. So, we’re safe.”

“Oh, that makes it so much better.” I pick up my pizza and take a bite. Once I swallow, I ask her, “What else do you want to know?”

“Is he going to tell Mac, or do I get to be the one to tell her about this?” She gestures between us.

“What would you want to tell her about us?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure what to call this.” She shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

“We don’t have to tell her or Danny anything. We can just see where things go from our night out tonight. Then we can decide if there is anything that we want to say about it.”

She nods. “Think it will get around?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t think Danny would tell —at least he said he wouldn’t. He even offered to help us, like if we wanted to hang out with him and Mac at his place. Said he would hide us.”

“Really?” I can see she’s considering the idea. Her eyes go down to her plate. They’re full of worry when she looks back up at me. “Do you think there’s a chance that if Danny noticed something that Nick, Amelia, or Hendrix did too?”

I’ve thought about that lot. In fact, it was on my mind during the game.

Part of me wants to tell her that we’re fine and not to worry about it, but I don’t know that for sure.

I just know that I don’t want the outcome to impact what I have planned for her tonight.

I want the chance to give her the kind of date that she deserves.

And be the English gentleman I was taught to be.

Not the kind who mauls her in the back of my car because I’m so turned on by her body and the alcohol that’s coursing throughout my body.

“I don’t know. I guess there’s a chance that Nick might have noticed.

But we’re not close, and he’s not close with August either.

Not like Danny, August, and me. I think we’re safe with him mentioning something to Danny before me or you.

Amelia…I don’t know. I can’t get a read on her.

And I think if Hendrix noticed something she would have given me shit this morning at practice.

It’s not her style to beat around the bush. ”

“This is true, it’s not.” She sighs.

“We don’t have to go out tonight, if you don’t want to. I don’t want to get you in any unnecessary trouble.”

“Well, I think you might have screwed up that plan when you defiled me in your car.”

I chuckle. “How worried are you about one of them turning us in? Do you want to stop?”

I hold my breath while I watch her consider the options.

“No, I don’t. There’s something about you, Ford. I can’t tell if it’s the way you call me love, how gentle you are even when you take me roughly, or how great you look with your shirt off.” Cassie leans across the table, and I lean in along with her. “This has the potential to be a big mess.”

“It does, but I’m no stranger to a mess,” I reply, tapping her nose.

“I’m in. Take me out tonight and let’s see what you got when it comes to dating. We’ll let the chips fall where they may and see if we can survive the wreckage we’re about to cause.”

Those words don’t quite sit well with me. “You’re damning us before we even start.”

“Yeah, well, the Blaze has a pretty strict no fraternization policy, but I think you just might be worth it.”

I lean across the table and kiss her, people be damned. I’ve wanted to claim those lips ever since I saw her wrapping them around the straw to drink her lemonade. When we pull apart, I say, “You’re just so fucking sexy. I can’t keep my hands or eyes off you.”

She giggles. “It’s going to be a beautiful mess.”

“It sure is. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll survive it.”

Cassie winks one of her baby blue eyes at me. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

It’s right there in the pizzeria that I make a vow that if anyone takes the blame for this, it’ll be me. I’ll never let it be her who loses everything. No, that’s my cross to bear. I’ve done it once and I think I have another hit in me before it destroys me.