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The shower stops running and I end my call with Ed quickly before Cassidy walks in.
Cassidy opens the door to the steamy bathroom and walks back into the room with a towel wrapped around her. Her wet hair and dewy skin make her look young, innocent, undeserving of my schemes.
"I thought I heard you speaking to someone," she says while drying her hair.
"Yeah, just Ed," I say, playing the weight of our conversation and her part in it. "I was supposed to meet him for a game of squash, but I'd rather spend the day with you," I smile.
I get up from the bed and hug Cassidy from behind, kissing her neck.
I feel lust enter my body, coursing through it and let her go. It feels wrong. I hadn’t thought of my bet with Ed last night so everything felt natural, untainted. But now, still with the taste of that conversation in my mouth, I just couldn't do it.
"I'll order us breakfast. What do you feel like?" I ask Cassidy while I make my way to the bathroom and further away from her.
"I have to get to work," she says. "But first I have to get back home and get my uniform."
I watch her, blissfully unaware of what a scumbag I am. It isn’t fair, she has done nothing to deserve so much cruelty, but I have come so far. I'm so close to making the resort a reality.
"Come on, babe, call in sick. Stay with me," I plead.
Cassidy smiles suspiciously at me, "Fine, you've twisted my arm. My manager owes me one anyway," she says, finding her phone.
I step into the shower and let the water wash over me. Tricking Cassidy into a short-lived, one-sided marriage was how I was going to make my resort happen. But was it really worth it?
The sound of her singing happily as she moved about my room, probably trying to find something to wear riddles me with guilt.
Hiding out in the bathroom isn't going to help either of us. This isn’t the kind of thing you can keep hidden and hope it goes away. Cassidy is too invested in this 'us' that doesn't really exist. Rather now than later.
I walk out of the bathroom and find her sitting on my bed wearing one of my tracksuits. It sits loosely on her and makes her look so small and delicate. This just got harder.
"Hey, handsome, I made breakfast while you were in the shower," she announces with a proud smile.
"I wasn't sure what you wanted so I made a little bit of everything. Bacon, eggs, pancakes, a mini feast," she beams. "I hope you don't mind."
"Oh, and I took these from your closet. I love the dress, but I think I'll save it for special occasions," she says, walking past me.
“Speaking of special occasions,” she starts again. “I’m going to meet my friends for a fitting for Lizzy’s wedding. I’m going to be a bridesmaid,” she says excitedly. “Could you go with me?”
She seems nervous asking the question, as if she’d had to psych herself up to do it.
I don’t want to go with her. I don’t want to be at a stranger's wedding with a woman I barely know, but I agree.
“Not really my scene, but for you, I’ll stuff myself into a tux and go just about anywhere,” I laugh. At least this way she’ll get something out of our arrangement.
She runs her finger down my wet stomach and walks out of the bedroom and down the stairs.
What was a difficult conversation has just become almost impossible. How could I justify hurting her like this?
I get dressed and follow her downstairs and find she really has prepared a mini feast. Cooking up a breakfast I didn’t even know I had the ingredients for.
"Sit, the food’s getting cold," she says, looking over the table as if to make sure everything was there.
"Cassidy, we should talk," I start, sitting down across from her.
The food looks delicious, but I can’t even think of eating anything right now.
"I know, things moved faster than I expected," she says, serving herself some eggs and a piece of toast.
"I mean, spending the night here is the last thing I expected when I got up yesterday," she explains, "but it's not like I blame you for everything. You didn't lure me here or anything. We both just got caught up in the moment."
