“You went to a craft store and then made bracelets?” She nods, and when she says nothing further, I ask, “Is that all you did all night?”
Her cheek moves against my skin, and I know she’s smiling again. “No, then we also caught a magic show, which at first we thought might be hokey, but it truly was a good time.”
“Michaelsand a magic show, huh?” My words come out reserved as I internally curse Tony Andersen and his misleading interpretation of the information provided to him.
“I mean,” she says slowly. “We were planning on attending theMagic Mikeshow, butsomeonehad a problem with it…”
I cringe, her words trailing off, the implication of what she knows hanging out in the universe unchecked. Wincing, I close my eyes, then whisper, “Oh, one of the ladies didn’t want to go?”
Her bark of laughter cuts through the quiet like a whip, and I inadvertently jerk in response as she crows, “Don’t play innocent with me, Mr. Rafferty.”
Embarrassed, a nervous chuckle breaks through, but I manage to keep my tone innocent as I reply, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Cassidy slaps me playfully on my stomach then her hand moves south, but I manage to snag her wrist before she can reach her intended target. We tussle a for a moment, but I manage to overpower her, force her onto her back, one of her legs pinned beneath me, holding both her hands up over her head.
I barely dodge her half-hearted head-butt, and I keep my grip tight as I wait for her to relax and her laughter to die down. She’s breathless, still releasing the odd giggle and I shake my head, wishing I could see her face while also grateful she can’t see my own.
“How’d you find out?”
“Declan sent Issa a text.”
“That fucker.”
She laughs again. “I bet he gets that a lot.”
Sighing, I release her wrists, brace myself on my forearms so I can maneuver my hips between her legs. She moves with me, her hands ghosting along my sides before settling on my lower back.
Then she lifts her hips, pushing her pussy against me. “You should give me a little missionary under the covers to make up for the inconvenience of having my plans changed.”
“Is that so?” I ask, thinking my pissy tone might make her a little less sassy. I shift my weight to one arm, intent on reaching the headboard where a light switch is hidden.
“Yeah,” she responds with even more sass than before. “And leave the light off.”
I pause, my hand hovering in the air. “What? Why?”
“So, I can pretend you’re one of those hotMagic Mikedancers.”
Pure unadulterated jealousy zips through my veins. I stab at the button, turn back to her as the light flickers on. “Over my dead fucking bo?—”
She’s grinning. A beaming, self-satisfied smirk of a grin that has my eyes narrowing. She could not look any smugger if she tried, and the fact she’s not even trying to hide it does something to me I can’t quite place.
Which means I need to shut her up.
With my dick.
14
INTO THE ABYSS
REN
The factshe’s likely intentionally baiting me is not lost on me, but this time I’m only too happy to oblige in whatever she has in mind.
“Always running that mouth,” I drawl.
Her smile turns teasing. “And what are you going to do about it?”
“Well,” I reply with a slight huff. “I’m gonna do my job.”
