It meant another full day away from her, one more day of her vacation I didn’t get to spend by her side. Our time ticked away and while I wasn’t prone to anxiety, the thought of Cassandra leaving at the end of the week and not seeing her again for another few years had my heart clenching in despair.
She’d only been back a short time, but we’d fallen into old patterns. Everything seemed right with her nearby. I feared I wouldn’t survive if she left again. Not with all my emotions intact. But I couldn’t chain her to my bed either.
“I have to run back into the office,” I said. This is one of those situations where I couldn’t give out too many details. “What’s on your agenda for today?”
She thought for a moment and while she did, her eyes closed like she was about to fall back to sleep, but then they popped open. She glanced at me with wide, bright eyes. “Well, honestly, I haven’t told you yet, but…”
Nothing good ever began with “well, honestly,” but just as she was getting to the good part, my phone made three quick piercing beeps.
I leaned over, grabbing the phone off my nightstand and, dislodging Whiskers enough that she stood up and jumped off the bed. “Shit, hang on, babe.”
The message was from Ridge.
RIDGE: Bakery in an hour.
I sent back a quick text agreeing to be there and then slipped out of bed. “I need to shower before I head into the office and Ridge wants us at the bakery.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll find something to occupy my time. Go for a drive or something.”
“Do you want to join me in the shower? To save water?”
Her smile grew, and she threw back the covers. “Sure.”
My dick perked up. If we hurried and she came fast after I ate her in the shower and then fucked her, there’d be plenty of time to make it to the bakery.
Just as I was quickly forming my plan of attack, my phone beeped again.
SLOAN: Traced Jerico. Looks like he’s on the move.
Before I finished reading the message from Sloan, another came in.
RIDGE: Conference room in twenty.
If Jerico was on the move, we were running out of time. We had no way of knowing where he’d end up next, and if he crossed the border, we’d be out of time.
“Sorry, babe. Change of plans. This just became an emergency.”
Cassandra nodded and then sat back in the bed. “Rain check?”
And that’s how I knew she was the woman for me.
“Absolutely,” I said and then gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
I dressed quickly, and when I glanced back, I saw Cassandra snuggled into the blankets. I wanted to say fuck it to the Kensington twins and get into bed. When we got our hands on this criminal who made me miss naked shower time, I was definitely throwing a punch before we turned him over to the police.
“Don’t forget to feed Whiskers. She likes the filtered water from the fridge better than anything from the tap, and I set three treats beside her bowl for dessert once she’s finished breakfast.” The cat had the most ridiculous name, but she knew what she liked, and I respected that in an animal.
“You spoil her!” Cassandra yelled as I was halfway out the bedroom door.
I popped my head back in and gave her a look, which I hoped said more than my words. “When I get back tonight, we’ll discuss how the chat with your mother went yesterday.” In our talk of shower sex, I’d forgotten her rendezvous with her mother.
Things had been tense between them since Cassandra left Pelican Bay and I hoped they would put the past behind them eventually and develop a relationship if she stayed in town.
“How did you know?”
I smiled. Cassandra had a lot to learn about the new Pelican Bay. “Cameras, babe. We’re always watching.”
22
