When we step inside, I kick the door shut before moving into the kitchen and setting down the groceries onto the island. Cassi begins helping me unload the bags and she pulls out several items before giving me a puzzling look.
“Bread, cream cheese and jam…Nico Sanders, is this your ego salvaging way of saying you are actually intrigued by the idea of my late night treat?”
I do my best to hide my amused smirk as I shrug my shoulders.
“I know you like them, I figured if you’re here for a few nights, the least I could do was have your favorite snack on standby.”
“Be still my heart, that’s romance right there,” she says with a dramatic sigh as she places her hands over her chest and bats her eyelashes at me.
I shake my head at her theatrics as I finish unpacking the rest of the groceries.
“I figured we could order in for dinner tonight,if you’d like.”
“Well, since you flew me out all this way to have your way with me, the least you could do is feed me, yes?” she smiles teasingly.
For some reason, the joke sits sour on my stomach, though. I pause what I’m doing as I look down at her, cupping her face as I shake my head.
“Didn’t we just go over this? I didn’t bring you out here to fuck you, I could have stayed in Seattle for the weekend and done that. I brought you because I wanted you here, not your pussy. You.”
She blinks at that like she’s surprised, but even with my words, I can tell she doesn’t believe me. Sighing to myself, I shake my head as I press a kiss to her forehead.
“You’re an incredibly irritating woman, do you know that?”
When I pull away, her green eyes are practically glimmering up at me as she nods.
“I’ve been told that a time or two, yes.”
A laugh rips through my chest as I run my hand through my hair and sigh, pulling out a stack of take out menus that have probably been here for over a decade as I drop them onto the counter.
“Pick a place.”
An hour later, we are laying on the couch, our tikka masala long forgotten as we watch some early 2000s comedy that Cassi picked. She also convinced me to build a fire, which honestly was harder than I imagined. I thought I was going to lose my man card there for a minute.
Cassi is engrossed by the show, laughing and giggling every few minutes, glancing up at me from time to time to make sure that I’m still awake. I am, of course. I’m just not the least bit occupied by the show.
Instead, I’m paying acute attention to the way her heart sounds as it beats against me. The soft rhythm of her breathing, how itperfectly matches mine so effortlessly. I can’t focus on anything when her soft curves press against me like they were always meant to. I’ve absolutely lost my goddamn mind, and I couldn’t care less. I’m not just into Cassi Fischer, I’m enamored. I’m infatuated. I’m flirting with a line that is far too close to love for my comfort.
Out of practically nowhere, she bounces to her feet, looking down at me before she pulls me to stand.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“To the kitchen. It’s grilled jam and cheese time.”
I laugh at that. “How are you still hungry? Those portions were huge.”
She pauses, turning to me sharply as she watches me closely.
“Nico, in case you weren’t taught this as a child, there is never an appropriate time to tell a woman when she has had enough food.”
Recognizing the dangerous waters I’m drifting in, I lift my hands in surrender as I nod.
“Yes, ma’am. My apologies.”
She nods like all is well before stepping into the kitchen. She gathers all of the ingredients and slips into a routine all her own. I can’t help but lean against the wall, admiring her as I do. She’s so effortless in the way she lives life. So unapologetically herself. She can make herself at home anywhere she goes. It’s authentic and refreshing and I swear to god, I’m addicted to it.
Grabbing out a pan and some butter, she begins heating it before setting her slop of creations onto the buttered pan. The bread sizzles in a way that has her doing a little happy dance. I push away from the wall, closing the distance between us before I wrap my arms around her waist, holding her close to me.
She smiles as she looks over her shoulder at me.
