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“Ride home with me and JJ. We can go grab something to eat and then I’ll swing by your apartment and drop you off.”
Jamal could see her hesitate and he sent a prayer up to the heavens that she would say yes. He wanted more time with this woman. Maybe if it happened, he could get her out of his head.
“I don’t know, though,” he said, tapping his chin as if in deep thought. “If I take you home you will have to sleep in your own bed and I know how much you liked sleeping on my couch. I could take you back to my place if you ask nicely.”
Jamal was rewarded with an eye-slitted glare. “Thatwas an accident. And totally your fault, by the way,” she said.
“Whatever you say, Bambi. But I know how much you liked it. Don’t worry, though,” he said with a wink. “Your secret’s safe with me. So, dinner? I’ll even let you choose.”
Cassie rolled her eyes at his remark. “We can go anywhere I want?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Fine. But only because I want to hang out with JJ.Not. You.”
Jamal grinned and sent a silent thank you to the Man upstairs for answering his plea. He didn’t care if she said yes because of JJ or even the thought of a free meal. He was just glad he got to spend all day with a woman who was working her way into his heart one snarky comment at a time.
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CHAPTER TWENTY
“So, what’d ya think, Cass?” JJ ran up to Cassie, her bat bag swinging back and forth in sync with her steps. “Am I good or what?”
“JJ, what have I said about being humble?” Jamal rolled his eyes at his daughter.
“That your play will speak for itself,” JJ said with a sigh. “But dad, I just wanted Cassie to be impressed with me.”
Cassie pulled the girl in for a hug. “Oh, honey, I wassoimpressed with you. You were by far the best one out there. Pinky promise.”
JJ’s smiled from ear to ear. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Guess what, kid? Cassie even said she would go eat with us.”
“Sweet! High five, Cass!”
Cassie slapped hands with JJ and walked over to where Irma, Melvin, Kyle and Callie were standing. “Hey, Cal. I’m gonna hitch a ride back to my apartment with JJ and Jamal,” she said.
Callie raised her eyebrows at her friend. “Oh, really? Isn’tthatinteresting?”
Cassie stuck her tongue out at her friend. “What? It’s just dinner and a ride.”
Callie stared at her in an obvious ‘I totally don’t believe you and you’re in denial look.’ “Whatever you say, Cass. I’m just going to say I won’t be surprised if I find you asleep on his couch in the morning. Or possibly somewhere else.”
“What are we discussing?” Kyle asked, walking up to the duo and pulling Callie in close to his chest.
“The probability that Cassie will wind up waking up in Jamal’s house tomorrow morning.”
“In or out of his bed?” Kyle asked.
“Guys!Nothingis going to happen! We’re just going out to eat and then he’s dropping me off at my apartment. That’s all.”
Both her friends looked at her disbelievingly. Cassie threw her hands up in the air. “He’s got his daughter with him, for goodness sake! Good lord, you two! You get back from your honeymoon and you thinkeverybodyis doing it!”
Callie and Kyle grinned at her. “Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it,” Callie said mischievously.
Cassie thought about what Jamal looked like the times she’d seen him shirtless, his chiseled muscles glistening with sweat when they played catch or when he had nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Her heart raced at the thought and her breath hitched. The thought of being with Jamal was – well, it was the most amazingly delicious thought.
