Chapter Seven
“Do you need to wear the dress?” Slade asked.
Cassie gave a twirl and chuckled. “Do you like it?”
“I think you look beautiful.”
“You don’t sound happy about that.”
“I am. I’m very happy for you.”
“Then what’s the problem?” she asked, tucking her hair behind her ears. “This is my very first official date.”
“What about Chuck?”
“That was a double date. So not the same thing. At least I don’t think so. We’re meeting at an Italian restaurant.”
“I know. I’ve got all the details, and I will be sticking around to make sure everything is okay.”
Cassie moved toward Slade, and threw her arms around his neck. “I really do appreciate you being an amazing friend.” She pulled away, and when she went to move, he grabbed her tightly.
Closing her eyes, she tried to ignore her own reactions to his closeness. She didn’t want him to pull away, or leave her alone.
He released her, and she didn’t look straight at him. She couldn’t, not right then.
“If at any point you’re not happy, I want you to let me know.”
“You want me to give you a kind of code?” she asked.
“Yes.” He stared at her for several moments. “I want you to wave at me.” He lifted his hand and gave a wave.
She laughed. “You want me to do that.”
“Yes, and then I’ll come to your rescue and get you out of there.”
“You’re such a good friend.” She was so nervous. “Are you ready to go?”
He hesitated, and she waited. “Yeah, I’m ready. Let’s get this show on the road.”
“I’m so nervous.”
“What is this guy’s name?”
“He said it’s Greg.”
“And you don’t believe him? If you don’t believe him now, there’s no chance of you ever doing so.”
She laughed. “I don’t know. I guess right now, I’m kind of freaking out because all I’m seeing are all the horror stories of what other women have gone through.” She also didn’t like the fact that she was feeling guilty.
That one hug from Slade had caused a lot of mixed feelings in her.
Pushing some of her hair out of the way, she licked her lips, and then clasped her fingers together. All the time she was aware of Slade sitting next to her.
They spent a lot of time together now. When they were at work he’d often join her while she was finishing the crossword. For lunch if he wasn’t out, they’d eat together. Somehow their grocery shopping had also come together. In fact, she spent more time with Slade than with anyone else.
Daniel had even commented on how they finished each other’s sentences.
“So, erm, any special woman going to be paying a visit?”
“Nope. No woman.”
She hadn’t heard any of his sexy adventures in his backyard for some time. He always found a reason to visit her, and they’d sit for hours, chatting, laughing. He’d even helped her maintain her vegetable patch.
He found a parking space near the restaurant, and they walked together. She wore a modest heel, and a really tight dress that showed off her curves. This had been a luxury purchase that Jessica convinced her to buy.
Once inside, she told the maître d’ that she was waiting for someone, and it turned out Greg was already there.
“I’ll be at the bar,” he said.
The maître d’ took the lead, and then she was moving toward the window seat of the restaurant, but still close to the bar. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Slade take a seat, and it helped her to relax a little.
“You’re Cassie Love?” the man said, standing tall.
“Greg?”
“Yes, that’s me. Your picture didn’t do you justice.” He took her hand, and pressed a kiss to her cheek. He moved the maître d’ out of the way, and pushed her seat under the table.
She felt a little uncomfortable, but she had put that down to all this newness.
“I’m really sorry. I’m so nervous. If I say something stupid, please ignore me,” she said.
“Is this your first online date?” Greg asked.
“Yes, it really is. Does it show?”
He laughed. “Just a little, but that’s more than fine.”
“Is this your first?”
“No. You’re my fourth.”
“Oh, well, then you should be a pro, and can totally lead the conversation, right?” She smiled, and this made him laugh.
“I wouldn’t call myself a pro. Fourth date could mean I’m really bad.”
“Or I’m really lucky. Fourth time’s the charm.” She grabbed her water glass, and took a sip.
Why did I let Jessica talk me into this?
I’m so fucking nervous.
She was so nervous she was even thinking curse words. Her heart was racing, and at the same time, she felt like she was betraying Slade. She looked toward the bar, and saw him playing around with his cell phone.
He wasn’t paying her all that much attention.
“Would you like some wine?” Greg asked.
“No, no, thank you. I’m not much of a big drinker. I think it said that on my profile.”
“Yes, it also said you worked as a receptionist in a sheriff’s office. That must be exciting,” he said, leaning forward.
She didn’t know what to do with her arms. Should she cross them, and lean forward, showing interest? That would put her elbows on the table, so wouldn’t that be rude? What about if she crossed her arms? No, that would show that she was defensive.
What were the damn rules?
Resting her hands in her lap, she forced a smile.
“I wouldn’t call it exciting. It’s a small-town sheriff’s office. A couple of drunk kids, or the occasional, erm, graffiti person. The odd drunk, that’s about it. What about you? You’re a firefighter. That must be really scary but rewarding.”
He nodded. “It is. For the most part, it’s scary. Running into burning buildings isn’t easy, and then when you lose people, that’s even harder.”
“I can imagine. I wouldn’t ever be able to do a job like you do.”
There was a topic that Greg was more than happy to talk about, and she sat listening to him. He spoke of some of the people he’d saved, and showed her a few pictures of cats he’d rescued. There was even a dog as well, a rabbit and a guinea pig.
They enjoyed their meal. She had some kind of pasta dish—she couldn’t even remember the name—while he had a large steak. By the end of the meal, she was ready to go home, and she knew there was no way a second date. It had been fun, but there wasn’t a spark.
“Do you need me to call you a cab?” he asked.
“No, no, my friend is here, waiting to drive me home.” They stood from the table and smiled. “This was fun.”
“Fun but not again?”
“I…”
“Don’t worry about it. We didn’t have that spark really.” He nodded toward her, and left.
It was a strange end to one of the most uncomfortable experiences of her life. She took a seat beside Slade, and ordered herself a shot of whiskey.
“He’s gone?” Slade asked. “What did you say to him?”
“That you’re my pimp and if he doesn’t get gone, you’re going to beat him to a pulp.”
Slade laughed. “What did you really say?”
“That it was fun, it wouldn’t be happening again, bye.”
“Really?”
“Pretty much. It was so uncomfortable, and I didn’t know what to talk to him about. We’d read each other’s profiles, and it all just felt so cold. It was so weird I didn’t even know what I ate.” She shook her head. “Never again. I’m not doing the online dating. Jessica even mentioned speed dating as well. Not happening. This has been a real eye opener.” She thanked the bartender, and knocked back the stinging liquid. “Ready to go home?”
“Yep. I certainly am.”
****
Slade had wanted to do a victory dance when her date had got up and left. He sat down in her sitting room, waiting for his iced cold beer that she’d promised him. His shoes were already kicked off, and he placed his feet on the coffee table in front of him.
They had sat in her sitting room many times eating a box of cheesy chips, and drinking a cold beer.
Cassie entered, carrying two bottles of beer, and a tub of chocolate ice cream.
“Hold on a second.”
He watched as she kicked her shoes off and sighed as she made her way toward him. She handed him a beer and a spoon, taking a seat beside him. Her bottle of beer was on the coffee table. Her feet were curled up underneath her. She rested the ice cream tub on a pillow, and then they were diving in.
“I don’t even know why I let myself be talked into it.”
“You wanted to date,” he said.
“That wasn’t it.”
Slade looked at her, and he saw her cheeks were already bright red. “You can’t just say something like that and not elaborate. I’m a guy. I don’t know what the whole blushing thing means.”
“It doesn’t matter. Forget I said anything.”
He sighed. “What is it? If it wasn’t for the date, then what was it for?”
She took a bite of chocolate ice cream, and her brown eyes stared at him. He saw the conflict in her gaze, and he held his hands up.
“You can say whatever you like, and I won’t judge. I won’t say anything. I’ll keep my opinions to myself.”
“You promise?”
“I promise. I don’t say shit I don’t mean.”
She bit her lip, and he watched as she squared her shoulders. “I’m twenty-five years old.”
“I know.”
“I’ve only been with one guy, and he completely smashed my heart.”
Slade stared at her. “You’re looking for someone to fuck?”
She nodded her head, surprising him. “I’m a woman. I have needs just like everyone else. I don’t want, nor do I need, forever. I just … I want to make memories, different ones than what I remember with Andrew. He wasn’t that great, and I was blinded by lies. I want to feel something. I heard you with those women out back. It sounded like it felt good, and I guess, I don’t know, I figured I’d find someone to do it with.”
Slade honestly didn’t know what to say. His cock was rock fucking hard. Hearing Cassie’s need, and knowing what she wanted, it turned him on.
Sitting at the bar tonight watching her with another man, it had made him assess his own feelings for her. He wasn’t in love with her, and he didn’t for a second see a marriage in their future. She was his friend, and he didn’t want that to change.
What he couldn’t do was deny that she aroused him. He was attracted to her, and had been for a long time, even before they were friends.
Putting his hand on her thigh, he stared into her eyes.
She was never going to take that next step, and it was down to him to make the move. He took the ice cream and the pillow from her, placing them on the floor.
Cassie didn’t stop him.
If at any moment, she told him to stop, he would. Putting his hand back on her knee, he caressed beneath the dress, but didn’t go far. Resting his arm across the back of the sofa, he stroked her neck, pushing her hair out of the way. Running his thumb across her lip, he slowly slid it inside her mouth. He watched as her tongue came out, and licked it. He pulled out, and then replaced his thumb with his mouth, claiming the kiss he’d been wanting for so long.
Her hands gripped his arms, sliding up to sink into his hair.
This was probably a line they shouldn’t cross, but the thought of her being with anyone else was too much for him. He didn’t want anyone else touching her. Cassie belonged to him in every sense of the world, and no bastard was going to take her from him. Sliding his hand up her thigh, then up her body to cup her breast, he heard her gasp.
That little opening had him plunging his tongue deep into her mouth. She met him stroke for stroke.
He squeezed her breast, feeling the hard bud of her nipple against his palm. There were too many clothes between them. He wanted her naked, beneath him.
“Do you think this is a good idea?” she asked, whispering the words against his ear as he kissed down her neck, nibbling on the pulse that was beating erratically there.
“How are you feeling right now?” He moved his hand back down, cupping her ass as he did.
“It feels amazing.”
“Do you want me to stop?”
“No. I don’t.”
“If it feels so wrong, then I don’t ever want to be right.” He pulled away. Her cheeks were red, and he cupped her face. “Do you want me to stop?”
She shook her head. “I’ve … I don’t want to ruin our friendship.”
He chuckled. “We won’t ruin our friendship. We’ll just have the benefit of helping each other in our time of need.” He moved his hand between her thighs and cupped her pussy. The panties she wore were soaking wet. “I’m going to warn you though, Cassie, I like my sex dirty. I like to fuck and hard, and I love sex. I don’t like it neat or clean. I’m not going to turn the light off, and there’s no way in hell you’re going to hide from me. I like to see what I fuck.”
He watched as she licked her lips. “I don’t have a problem with that.”
“Good.”
Slade tore her panties from her body and tossed them to the floor. Capturing her lips, he found her soaking cunt, sliding two fingers inside. He wasn’t surprised by how wet she was, nor how tight. He began to stretch open his two fingers, pushing them into her, and out, working her wetness over his digits.
“You’re so fucking wet.” He shoved her dress up to her hips, and stared down at her beautifully prepared pussy. Her pussy hair was closely cut, and just an outline around the lips of her pussy, looking so sensual. His cock pulsed as another wave of arousal washed over him.
He held her hips and moved her up so that he could lick her pretty cunt.
Sliding his tongue from her entrance to her clit, he swirled the bud, and moved back down to plunge inside her. She tasted fucking amazing. He’d never liked giving oral sex, but there was something different about Cassie. He wanted her taste in his mouth, and to give her the kind of pleasure no one else ever had before.
“Oh, wow,” she said.
“You ever had your pussy licked?”
“No.”
He smiled against her mound, and then took her clit into his mouth and sucked it hard. Her cries of pleasure echoed around the room, and Slade relished them.
Using his teeth to cause a little pain, he heard her gasp and scream his name once again.
He pushed two fingers inside her as he tongued her clit. Within seconds she came apart, her orgasm coming fast. He’d not expected her to come so quickly, but he wasn’t going to complain.
Flicking his tongue across her clit, he eased her back down on the sofa.
Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes glazed. “That felt amazing.”
“Do you want me to stop?”
She sat up, and moved so that she was straddling his lap. “Our friendship remains the same?”
He held onto her ass, grinding her down onto his dick so she felt how hard he actually was. “It stays the same.”
“We can have anything we want?” she asked, kissing him back, her fingers sinking into his hair.
“Anything we want. You want to fuck down here, or upstairs, in our gardens, I’m all for it. You want to suck my dick until I come down your throat, just say the word. At the end of it, we’re still friends. No judgment from either of us. We both get what we want.”
He stared into her eyes as she looked down at him. His cock was so damn hard that it was starting to hurt where it pressed against his zipper.
“I’ve only been with one person, so I don’t have a whole lot of experience,” she said.
“I told you, no judging. You can practice on me.”
Slade would remember the smile on her lips for the rest of his life. It was utter fucking sin, and it was all his.
“Then I want you to fuck me, Slade. I want you to take me, and make me ache. Get me to make all those noises that women love to make for you.”