Page 13 of Finding English

Chapter 6

As he knocked on the door of Cassie’s modest single story home on Friday night, a ripple of excitement skirted up Henry’s nape, along with nerves he couldn’t remember feeling in so many years. He hoped tonight would be the start of something significant with Cassie.

They had continued to work side by side all week. The air of attraction filling the space, but also the ease of friendship and genuine compatibility. He liked her a lot, and not just because she had a spectacular body or a rich laugh that made him want to spend hours listening to the sound. Cassie was wildly intelligent and brilliant at her job, but that she could switch from a conversation about kids’ TV to molecular structure in a heartbeat was damn sexy.

Underneath all of that though, Henry sensed a vulnerability about her that came from something she wouldn’t share. A secret she guarded so tightly that it seemed to be second nature for her. He saw the tiny shadows of her past when she let down her guard and wanted nothing more than to shield her from whatever caused them.

Tonight he would take her mind off all her worries and allow her to be free for a few hours. Cassie had said she loved games and puzzles and was huge quizzer in her college days. He hoped he’d arranged the perfect first date for her.

He saw a shadow move behind the door and straightened, smiling as she swung it open. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her wearing a simple green and white palm print dress that hit just above the knee, a modest vee at her neckline giving a hint to the curve of treasure hidden from him. She wore cream wedge sandals on her feet, with her coral toes showing. The shot of desire at seeing them was a surprise to Henry.

“You look breathtaking.”

Cassie looked away shyly at the compliment, and he hated it as much as he loved it. Hated it because it meant she was unused to such things and a woman like Cassie deserved that, loved it because it made her more real.

“Thank you. You look very handsome too.”

Henry laughed as he pointed to his jeans. “These old things?”

As he wanted, it had her laughing at him and instantly relaxing. “Let me grab my bag.”

Cassie held the door open, and he entered as she walked down the hallway toward her bedroom. He wandered into the living room and looked at the pictures of her and Michaela—from Cassie with a bump that made the edges of the need he felt for her scrape along his nerves, to the birthday party he’d heard talked about a few weeks ago. What he didn’t see was any other family, making him curious about her parents and where they were and if she had siblings.

“Ready to go?”

He swung around, and she had a mint green cardigan over her arm, a smile on her face. “Absolutely.”

Henry watched her lock up, taking more care than most would, which he liked. He already felt overprotective about Cassie and Michaela. He moved to the car door, opening it and helping her in, noticing the soft, smooth skin on her thigh and trying not to groan with lust.

He slammed the door and rounded the hood to climb in.

One he’d backed out of the drive of the little house, he turned to her. “Did Michaela get off okay?”

Cassie nodded. “She was so excited to spend the night at Hope and Calder’s. I think she has a little crush on Billy.”

“Why does the thought of Michaela dating make me want to buy a shotgun?” Henry only half-joked.

The sound of Cassie’s belly laugh had him glancing her way. “Said like a true alpha male.” There was no anger or disappointment in her voice.

“I guess I can be overprotective sometimes when I care about something or someone.” He was laying his cards on the table, showing her he cared about them without coming out and saying it and scaring her off.

“It’s one of the things I like about you, as well as your sexy British accent.”

It was Henry’s turn to laugh now, and he gave in to the urge to take her hand and link his fingers with hers, happy when she didn’t resist.

“Where are we going anyway? You said not too dressy, but now my natural inquisitiveness is going crazy.”

“Wait and see. We’ll be there soon.”

Cassie sighed. “Fine, then tell me about your life in the UK.”

He stopped at a light and glanced across at her, the warmth of her hand in his settling something deep inside. “What do you want to know?”

“Tell me about your job, your friends.”

“Well, my job is not hugely exciting. Hereford has some crime but nothing big, less than ten suspicious deaths per year and they’re rarely actual crimes. We have the usual drug problems and associated violence and but no gun crime to speak of, unless you count farmers shooting things that worry their sheep.”

“You said you have a Special Forces base?”