It’s my car or I’m not going anywhere.
Even with the unexpected nuisance of her mom’s call, Cassie still found excitement in the option of going nowhere with Taryn. That would mean Taryn would have to come up to her apartment and entertain her here instead of whatever she had planned.
“Five thousand is nothing to you, Cassandra. You wouldn’t leave me out in the desert with a stranger and no way to get home, would you?”
You better have a cool car or I’m not going anywhere either.
Cassie looked back out the window to see Taryn leaning against her motorbike with her arms crossed. She’d bet Taryn had a pouty face on, and she smiled at the thought. She also bet that Taryn would be impressed with her car, and the impromptu morning sex session receded into the horizon. “Put the guy on the phone and I’ll get his payment details.” Five thousand was far from “nothing” to her, but Cassie wanted to find out where Taryn was taking her, and she wanted to get on with enjoying her plans for a change. She indicated the phone to Taryn and held up five fingers to show she wouldn’t be much longer.
“You’re a good daughter. I knew I could count on you.”
Cassie closed her eyes. She only heard those words when she was giving her mom something or getting her out of another hole. She spoke to the tow truck guy, noted down his bank details, and made the transfer on her phone. When she brought her cell back to her ear, her mom had already gone. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. So maybe one day, she’d take Rachel’s advice and not be there to play rescuer.
Cassie went back into the kitchen to grab her bag and car keys then locked up and headed downstairs. She motioned toward Taryn when she exited the building and the heat wrapped around her like a heavy blanket. “How can you wear leather on a day like today?”
“Safety first.” Taryn patted the seat of her enormous bike. “Are you sure you don’t want to ride in style?”
“I’m sure.” She nodded toward the parking structure beneath the apartment building. “You can leave your bike down here.”
“I need to see your wheels first, miss. I have a reputation to uphold and sponsors to appease.”
“Fine. Come with me, hotshot.” Cassie hooked her arm through Taryn’s elbow and tugged her back toward her building. Taryn’s leather jacket felt supple and warm against her skin, and she leaned into her. A few nights ago, they’d had sex with Taryn just wearing a tie; the image of them doing the same with Taryn wearing only this leather jacket made Cassie throb. The thought that she would be making that happen later today made her smile widely.
“What’s making you smile so big?” Taryn asked.
“The thought of having sex with you later and you wearingjustthat leather jacket.” Oh, the freedom in that sentence alone made her even more excited to get home. “Are you sure you don’t just want to go upstairs right now?”
Taryn stopped and swung Cassie around. She wrapped her arms around Cassie’s waist and kissed her hard and deep. “I have other plans that don’t involve much clothing, but when we get back, I’d be more than happy to oblige your fantasy.”
Cassie placed her hands on Taryn’s chest and was once again impressed by how firm it was. “I have a long list—how much time do you have?”
Taryn grinned. “Time is a slippery mistress, and you only have a finite number of heartbeats, so I can’t answer your question with any degree of accuracy. I do know that while I’m here in Vegas, any spare time—if there is such a thing—is all yours.”
Cassie frowned. “Let’s talk more about that in the car when—”
“Ifwe’re going in your car.” Taryn removed her arms from around Cassie’s waist and gestured toward the garage shutters. “Let’s see what you’re hiding.”
Cassie strolled toward the parking structure and opened the shuttering. “I think you’re going to be mildly impressed,” she looked Taryn up and down, “though you might find it a little tight for your height.” They went inside, and the temperature cooled considerably in the concrete depths. “We can put the top down so you don’t bang your head.”
“Huh, we’ll just get sunstroke instead.”
“You can always keep your helmet on if you want to avoid that.”
Taryn laughed. “That might make me look a little ridiculous, and—”
“You don’t want to lose any sponsors by not looking super cool? I understand.” Cassie swatted Taryn’s shoulder, and she simply shook her head. Cassie liked making Taryn speechless. “Here we are.” She pressed her key to unlock the doors and threw her tote bag in the backseat. “Cool enough for you?”
Taryn looked vaguely impressed. “A Fiat 124 Spider… Not bad. But haven’t they stopped making them because they’re so unreliable?”
“That makes this one a classic, and she’s never let me down. I had the leather seats swapped out for regular bucket seats, of course. No one in their right mind wants leather in Las Vegas…” She flicked a hungry look at Taryn. “Not seats anyway.” She got in, started the engine, and flicked the switch for the roof to retract. “What do you think? Is it good enough for a hotshot like you to be seen in?”
Taryn nodded and put her hands on the edge of the driver’s door. “Sure you don’t want me to drive?”
Cassie arched her eyebrow, and Taryn held up her hands and edged away before jogging around to the passenger side and jumping in.
“I want to get wherever we’re going in one piece, thank you,” Cassie said, enjoying the all too quick view of Taryn’s ass.
“You should know that I’ve never had a single accident on the road. I’m a great driver.” Taryn reached across and ran her hand over the steering wheel. “I know how to handle an Italian lady like this.”
