Chapter 8 ~ Cassey ~
Shortly after midday, my phone buzzed on my desk. It’s a text message from
Quinn, reminding me to meet her for lunch at the Deli down the road. I
grab my purse, power off my laptop and join the bustling lunch crowd mulling about on the sidewalk outside. After I left Kyler standing alone in my
office, I spent a good thirty minutes in the restroom trying to pull myself
together, and make sense of my muddled emotions. I was overwhelmed, and
embarrassed that I had behaved the way I did. I couldn’t tell of I felt embarrassed for sleeping with Kyler the first night I stayed at his place, or if I was
embarrassed that I wanted to do it again. Several times. The way Kyler makes
my body feel, and my inner fears are at war. What the hell has gotten into
me?
As I enter the busy Deli, I spot Quinn at a table in the corer and she waves
me over. Her smile slips when I sit down, and I know she can see the turmoil
wreaking havoc with my mind. I’ve never been good at hiding my feelings
from Quinn, and to be honest, I’m glad I have her to talk to.
“What’s wrong?” she asks, forgoing a traditional greeting.
“Nothing,” I lie, giving her the best faux smile I can muster.
“Don’t lie, Cass, I know you too well. You should be bouncing up and down
because I can tell you have been thoroughly fucked in the last twenty four
hours. So, what did the asshole do?”
“What makes you think it has anything to do with Kyler?”
Quinn’s eyes roll and she scoffs. “Last time I checked, I don’t have ‘IDIOT’
stamped on my forehead, so spill it sister. What’s going on in that pretty little
head of yours? Do I need to castrate him?”
I open my mouthy, but a young waiter interrupts us to take our orders. Quinn
orders bottled water and a chicken salad, and I order a latte and a roast chicken
sandwich on rye bread.The waiter repeats our order and then excuses himself. I
look up to find Quinn regarding me, but it’s with concern rather than curiosity.
“So?” she presses.
“It happened,” I say simply. I bury my head in my hands.
“You slept with him?”
I nod, keeping my face covered.
“Well? How was it?” Quinn asks, leaning closer to me like I’m about to dish
some dirty little secret. When I don’t reply, she pries my fingers from my face
so that she can see me. I squirm in my seat, feeling a slight tinge between my
legs. I knew I would feel a little sensitive this morning, but it’s even more so
now after the way Kyler touched me earlier. My cheeks warm, and I look away.
“Oh my God,” Quinn says excitedly, garnering the attention of a few of the
other patrons.
“It was amazing wasn’t it? I can see it on your face! Tell me he rocked your
world?”
I sigh, relenting to her interrogation and decide to give her all the dirty details
she so badly craves.
“Ok, yes Quinn, you were right. It was amazing, and yes, I’m a little sore.”
Quinn squeals, and this time she earns scowls from the people around us.
“Is he big?” she asks, lowering her voice.
I nod, and she grins in approval. “What else?”
“He found me in my office this morning,”I hesitate, contemplating whether or
not to divulge this next part. In the end, my need to make sense of my jumbled
feelings wins out over my embarrassment and I continue, “and he, uh…he…”
“Spill it!”
“He pushed me up against my desk and made me come with his fingers.” I
look around quickly and breathe a sigh of relief when it appears that no one
overheard me. How awkward would that be?
“You lucky bitch!” Quinn whisper-yells.
The waiter decides to arrive at our table just then, and places our orders in
front of us.
Quinn waves him off, quite rudely I might add, and then continues with, “If
it was amazing, then why the hell does it look like you want to cry? Do you
regret it?”
Do I regret it? No. I don’t. I shake my head, and the meet Quinn’s eyes.
“I ran out of my office after he, well, you know -”
“Made you come against your desk,” Quinn intercedes, a smirk on her face.
“Quinn!” I scold, hearing a gasp from the older lady at the table to next to us.
“I ran out,” I continue, scowling. “And left him in my office. I waited in the
restroom until I was sure he was gone.”
“Is that why you looked so upset when you walked in here?”
“Yeah…I don’t know what happened. He seemed surprised when I said last
night was one time thing, and then he offered me a casual, no-strings-attached,
friends-with-benefits type of thing, I think.”
Quinn’s brows shoot up in surprise. “What did you say?”
“He said he’d give me a chance to think about it, and then we’ll talk about it
later.”
Quinn purses her lips, and narrows her eyes slightly. “What do you want?” she
asks.
I take a bite of my sandwich, and think about my answer. What do I want?
I swallow my food, and lick my lips before replying, “I’m worried that what I
want is wrong.”
“That doesn’t answer my question, Cass.This is me you’re talking to, so you can
tell me honestly, what it is that you want.”
I hesitate, but then answer, “I want it to be with him again, but I’m scared that
it will end up meaning more to me than it does to him. What if it ends up being more than just casual thing for me? What do I do then?”
“You’re jumping the gun here, baby girl,” Quinn says, taking hold of my hand.
“If this is what you want now, then take it, and as soon as you feel it’s too much,
then you walk away.”
“Is it really that simple though?”
Quinn sighs. “It’s as simple as you want it to be, Cass.”
“So, what? Do I just walk up to him and say ‘Yes, I’d like to be your fuck buddy
until you get bored and throw my away’?”
“You could do that,” Quinn chuckles. “Or, you can take control and call the
shots. You can tell him what you want, and set your boundaries, and if he’s not
happy then he can go find someone else.”
Admittedly, the thought of Kyler being with someone else doesn’t sit well with
me. It makes my chest feel heavy, an uncomfortable feeling settling in my belly.
“You’re saying I should negotiate the terms and conditions of the sexual relationship I’m having, or about to have, with my boss? That is what you’re saying,
right?”
“Yes,” Quinn replies emphatically. She must see the dubious expression only
face.
“Don’t look so surprised. It’s the twenty first century, and women are far more
forthcoming about they want nowadays. You won’t be the firs woman to think
about having such a relationship with your boss, or any man for that matter,
and I can assure you that you won’t be the last. So what are you so worried
about?”
“That my mother was right every time she call me a whore,” I reply quietly.
Quinn scoffs, popping a piece of chicken in her mouth. “That’s rich,” she says
around the food in her mouth. After swallowing, she continues, “Just because
you want a relationship like this with Kyler, doesn’t make you a whore. It just
means you’re confident enough to ask for what you want.”
“But how do I know if this is something I want?”
“You won’t know unless you try, and like I said, if you start to feel more, then
you can walk away before it gets too hard.”
The waiter comes back to our table one last time, and Quinn pays the bill. I
follow her out into the midday sun, and we fall into step with the pedestrian
traffic heading back toward the Knight Media building. I’m quiet for most of
the walk back, lost in my own thoughts, but then Quinn stops me just outside
the lobby. She pulls me into a hug.
“Cass, for once in your life, stop worrying about the little things, and just go
with what you want.
If it’s having crazy, unattached monkey sex with your boss, then don’t be afraid
to tell him that. You’re a strong, gorgeous, independent woman, and I can
guarantee that you hold the power here, so don’t be afraid to admit that this is
something you want.”
I give her a weak smile. “Thanks, Quinny. Girls night out this weekend?”
“You bet your ass, sister!”
I laugh, feeling somewhat relieved and lighter, after my talk with Quinn. She
hooks her arm through mine and we walk into the elevators. When I make it
back to my office, I close the door and flop down onto the sofa. I laugh at myself, thinking about how ridiculous it sounds to negotiate a ‘fling’ with Kyler.
But, how ridiculous is it really?
We’ll simply be setting boundaries, and determining what we want and don’t
want, to eliminate any exaggerated expectations that may arise.
When I think about it - as if I’ve been able to stop thinking about it - would it
be so bad to get ‘involved’ with Kyler? Maybe it wouldn’t be. Maybe I’m looking for an excuse not to do this, because deep down, I’m terrified of what it will
mean. Then again, why does it have to mean anything?
~ Kyler ~
After spending most of the day stuck in meetings and on conference calls,
the idea of being able to kick back, drink a beer and watch some sports is
enticing. My apartment is quiet when I walk in, and I’m slightly disappointed that Cassey isn’t home. It’s already eight p.m. Thinking that she’s probably
working late, I change into a pair of gym shorts, and decide to leave my shirt
off. The city is hot during the summer months, and it’s a welcomed reprieve
when the cool air conditioned air hits my skin.
I take out some of Cassey’s left over lasagna from the night before and heat
it up before heading over to my leather sofa with a beer in hand. I switch the
television on, flicking through all the sports channels and stopping on a the
highlights reel.
It’s an hour later when the click of the front door alerts me that Cassey is
home.
I stay seated, and when she heads toward the guest bedroom without giving
me a glance, I know she hasn’t seen me yet. She returns a little while later, her
hair piled up in a messy bun on top of her head, and her feet bare. She pads
across the hardwood floors, and opens the fridge. When she takes out a beer,
my eyebrows lift in surprise, and I watch how she pops the bottle cap on my
marble countertop. She takes a long swig, the longest I’ve ever seen a woman take, and then wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. Damn. This
woman is a puzzle, and sexy as sin. The best part is she has no fucking idea.
“Rough day?” I ask, making her jump and squeal. The beer bottle slips out of
her hand, but not before it dispels half it’s liquid content on her red shirt. I
chuckle, and her eyes thin into slits.
“You scared me,” she says, rest her hand over her heart. “And now I’m covered in beer.”
She bends to pick up the bottle, which fortunately didn’t break, and I lean to
the side, catching a glimpse of her gorgeous tits in a red lace bra. Fuck, she’s
going to be the death of me for sure. My cock practically nods in agreement.
Cassey rights herself, examining her wet shirt, and I stifle a laugh at the ridiculous wet spot on her chest. If only it were a white shirt, I muse to myself.
Cassey’s eyes lift, and I don’t miss the way they linger on my chest. I decide
to make it interesting, and lean back against the couch, stretching my arms
over my head.
“You think it’s funny?” she asks, fighting a smile of her own.
“No,” I lie, shaking my head. “I think it’s hilarious.”
She huffs. “It’s your fault, Kyler. I wouldn’t have dropped it had you not
scared me half to death.” A hint of her Southern accent comes through at the
end, and I wish she would talk that way more often. It’s cute.
“No way,” I laugh. “You’re clumsy! That’s not my fault.”
“I’m not clumsy,” she retorts with a pout.
I laugh at her again, and this time it pisses her off.
“I’ll show you funny,” she mumbles.
I’m about to look back at the television when Cassey starts unbuttoning her
shirt. I watch her watching me, unbuttoning each button one at a time until they’re all undone. She drops her shirt to the floor, and slowly walks over
to me. I look up at her as she comes to standstill next to me, unable to look
away. When her hands start pushing her tight shirt up her legs to her hips, I
shift to readjust my growing erection. Satisfied with the position of her skirt,
Cassey lifts a leg and climbs on the sofa, sliding one leg over my lap so that
she’s straddling me.
“Is it still funny, Mr. Knight?” Cassey taunts. I swallow hard and lick my lips,
drawing her attention to my mouth.
I shake my head no and her mouth lifts into a sexy, mischievous little grin.
“What are you doing?” I ask. My voice is husky, and rough, and I can’t remember the last time a woman did that to me.
“We’re negotiating,” Cassey replies. Her hands slide from shoulders to my
chest and she rubs her thumbs over my nipples. The look on her face is excitement, laced with curiosity, like she’s experiencing this for the first time.
“What are we negotiating?” I ask, mesmerized by the feel of her soft hands
touching my skin.
“Your…” she pauses, thinking about something. “Proposal.”
My mind drifts back to our little rendezvous in her office this morning, and
what it is that I offered her. Sex with no strings.
“Yeah?” I lean forward and give her neck a soft nip with my teeth, licking the
spot to soothe any residual sting.
Her pulse quickens and I feel her thighs clench on either side of mine. Her
fingers thread into my hair, and she yanks my head back to that I can look at
her. Hmmm. She’s feisty.
“What about my proposal needs negotiating? Did something I said, or did
seem unclear to you at all, Ms. Emerson?”
Her cheeks flare slightly, and I resolve to make her blush again later. But with
something that requires a little more physical exertion.
“We need some terms and conditions, Mr. Knight, to avoid any exaggerated
expectations,”she replies. She brushes her lips against mine, but then pulls way
when I try to kiss her. Minx.
“The only term and condition I need is that I get to fuck you whenever, and
wherever the mood strikes, and you of course have the same privilege.”
“As appealing as that sounds, there are two other things I’d like to add.”
“Anything,” I reply quickly.
“The first thing I want is exclusivity,” she pauses, waiting for my response. “I
have no desire to share you with anyone for however long I get to have you.”
I grin like a fool on the inside, knowing that Cassey could be possessive and
jealous, but I keep my face relaxed.
“And the other condition?” I ask.
She sucks her lip into her mouth, a little more hesitant with this condition
than she was with the last. “As soon as one of us start to feel more, we end it.”
Her eyes regard me. After a beat, I reply, “That sounds fair, but I have a condition or two of my own.”
Cassey’s eyebrow quirks, and she folds her arms across her chest.
“I never want to wake up without you next to me,” I say, gauging her reaction.
When she says nothing, I continue, “And you’ll let me spoil you.”
“Spoil me?”
“Yes. Flowers, chocolate, and what ever else I want.”
Her nose scrunches, and I slide my hands up her bare thighs. She stops my
hands before I can reach her thong. “I’m not comfortable with that,” she tells
me. “It’s going to feel like you’re paying me to sleep with you.”
I frown. “Well I’m not. You’re not a whore, Cass, and I have no intention of
treating you like one.”
“Then why me? Why do you want this with me?”
Her insecurities flash in her bright green eyes, and I catch a glimpse of her
fears.
“Because I like you,” I reply simply.
She smiles softly, and looks down, her long brown hair creating a curtain. “I
like you too,” she says, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“You just like me for my body,” I tease. I sit up and wrap my arms around
Cassey’s back, pressing her flush against my bare torso. The action causes her
mouth drop open, and her chest rises in falls in a quick, steady rhythm.
Cassey’s hands rest on my pecs, and she trails them down to my abs. My stomach tightens, and my breath hitches in my throat when her hands dip into my
shorts. Her fingers deftly wrap around my now very hard cock, and she leans
in until our lips brush.
“Well, Mr. Knight,” she breathes against my mouth. “I think no-strings-attached is a game I’d like to play after all.”
Hell. Fucking. Yes.