“Then go and do something useful somewhere else. As for you, Nick,” he says, turning to me. “Please try not to harass my physiotherapist.”
“What, me?”
Casey bursts out laughing.
“Come on. I feel good today.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Casey tells him, taking his arm and accompanying him through to the living room.
“Nick,” Ryan’s grating voice almost gives me a heart attack. “Dad needs these sessions. If you have to ruin everything, could you at least wait until he’s feeling better? I don’t think we’ll find anyone else like her.”
I’m close to throwing my fist into his face and ruining that stupid fucking face of his; but, firstly, Chris would throw her fist intomyface. And secondly, this time, I think Ryan may be right – and I’m not just talking about the therapy.
I don’t think there’s anyone on this planet – no, in thisgalaxy– like Casey. The problem is that there are loads of Nicks – thousands of them, each a bigger arsehole than the next. It wouldn’t even take her two minutes to find another one.
* * *
She opens the front door,and I tear my gaze away from the hood of her car.
“Were you waiting for me?” she asks, laughing.
“Who else?”
She slowly approaches me, keys in hand. “I have to go. Dad’s cooking dinner for us and our neighbour. It’s a big occasion.”
“I can’t imagine your dad dating.”
“To be honest, she does most of the dating. Sometimes men just have no idea what to do with their hands.”
“I know where I’d like to put my hands, now,” I tell her, sliding my fingers through the belt loops of her jeans and pulling her against me. She puts her hands on my chest and looks up at me.
“I think I know where I’d like to put mine, too.”
“Fuck, Casey. Don’t do this to me.”
“Or what?”
“Well, your car’s right here.”
“You really liked seeing me on top of you, didn’t you?” she says, teasingly.
“I like most things – as long as you’re involved, and I’m inside you.”
I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll come and pick you up tomorrow at seven.”
“What are you planning, O’Connor?”
“I’m not fucking telling you! You’ll have to wait and see.”
43
Casey
Islide into his car, closing the passenger door behind me.
“No sneaking around tonight?” he asks me.
“Dad’s out.”
