SEVEN
CASEN
This is probably the worst migraine I have had in a long time. Maybe the worst I have ever had. When I wake up I’m unsure of what all happened last night but then the flashbacks begin and I sort through every damn thing I did wrong.
Let’s start with allowing Reece to take me anywhere. Every time he suggests going out I should know just say no. Not to mention the fact that Reece didn’t tell me it was for Trinity. Even if I knew that Embyr told them she wouldn’t be there I’m absolutely fucking sure I wouldn’t have gone. He caught me at a weak moment.
Then there was Casey. I shouldn’t have led her on but I never gave her any sort of impression that I was interested. That aside, I don’t like to treat women like that. I’m better than that.
Which brings me to Embyr. The only excuse I have for my jealousy is because I’m still hung up on her. That much I can admit to myself. Her name, her face, her presence sends me into a spiral that is out of control. And her pussy. Dammit if it didn’t feel good on my fingers, thrusting memories of my cock buried inside her. It makes me hard right now despite the headache.
I drag myself, and my erection, to the shower. The cold water does nothing to help so I give in and turn it warmer. Reaching down I grab my cock, close my eyes, and stroke. As hard as I try, I can only think of Embyr as I glide my hand up and down. My pace quickens when I envision her brown eyes, the ones that had been hidden behind the green, looking up at me from her place on her knees. I imagine her mouth wrapped around my dick and my hand on the back of her head. I hit the back of her throat, causing her to gag, and the sound I envision that would emanate from her makes my right hand jerk faster and a hot stream of come shoots out my release.
“Fuck.” I growl, draining every last drop, my shoulders dropping as tension slightly releases.
My cell rings from my nightstand after I finish toweling off. I don’t really want to talk to anyone right now. The shower didn’t help with my headache.
KATE’s calling.
Fuck. I need to answer this. She is still going through a lot of the grieving process. She spent a lot of time here after Ian died but eventually went back to her job and apartment. Kate and Ian’s parents aren’t any closer to finding the asshole that shot him.
“Hello,” I answer quietly, rubbing my free hand down my face and taking a seat on my bed.
“Casen?” Her voice is distressed. I stand up, ready to take on whatever she is about to say. I’m immediately scared and nervous something else has happened. I can’t take much more.
“Kate, what’s wrong?”
She’s crying. I can hear it behind her breathing. “I forgot.”
“Forgot what? What’s going on?” She doesn’t say anything and I’m trying to be nice by holding out how irritated I am that she is taking forever to answer me. “Kate?”
More crying before she finally answers, “I forgot I asked Ian to take me to a friend’s wedding today. I asked Ian to go because I had just broken up with my ex. After he died a friend of mine said he would take me but now he’s sick. I don’t want to go alone.” She hiccups a sob. “Please, can you go? I don’t know if you have to work.”
Crying. It can be my kryptonite sometimes. I’m not working and have no excuse not to go since there are no pressing plans. I could pop some Tylenol and do this for her. It wouldn’t be right for me to just let her go alone. Ian is gone and Kate is like a sister to me. “I can take you. Just tell me when and where you want to meet.”
“Okay.” I hear a smile in her voice. “Thank you. You don’t have to go to the ceremony but I’d love if you joined me for the reception. It’s at three o’clock.”
I look at the clock, finding it’s close to twelve o’clock. Jesus, I can’t believe I slept that late. “Text me the address, Kate, and I’ll be there.”
“Thank you.”
It’s three o’clock on the dot when I walk into the hotel where the wedding is taking place. I spot Kate immediately. She looks beautiful in a one-shouldered pink chiffon dress that comes about four inches above her knee. Her blonde hair is pinned up and her light pink shoes bring her closer to my height. Meeting halfway, she pulls me into a lengthy hug.
“Thank you so much,” she says into my shoulder. “You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”
I lean back, taking her appearance in more closely. “You look stunning, Kate. Beautiful.”
She blushes before giving me the same once over, raising a brow. “You don’t look so bad yourself, Casen.”
I’m wearing the same suit I wore to Ian’s funeral. I don’t have many opportunities to wear it.
I hold my arm out for her. “Shall we?”
She grabs on. “We shall.”
The reception is nothing like anything I ever would have expected. I’ve never seen so many people in one room at a time. With close to fifteen hundred guests, it’s overwhelming for me. Not that I don’t like crowds – crowds I can handle. It’s the sheer size of the room. From the street, you would never think the hotel has a room of this magnitude.
Kate drags me between the tables. “We’re at table seventy. It’s just over there. I think they are about to do introductions of the wedding party so we can grab some drinks afterward.”
