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“Come home soon, Casper.” She huffs. “I suppose I should go. Your father will be home soon, and I should probably have lunch or something ready for him to eat.” I can hear her getting up from the chair and know I am right about where she is during our conversation. “Oh, and Casper?”
“Yeah, Mom.”
“Do me a favor and try to find some fun while you’re there. Life is waiting for you here, but in my dream, you were hurting and trying to hide it. Don’t do that.”
She hangs up before I can respond, which is probably good. I sit on the couch staring at my phone for what seems like an hour before I hear a soft rapping on the sliding glass door on the back porch. Looking up, I see Cole there in a dark t-shirt and a pair of jeans, smiling at me.
“You gonna let me in?” he calls through the glass.
I take one more glance at my phone, hearing Mom’s words echoing in my mind, and decide to take her advice. She is right. I have an entire life waiting for me back in Maine. A life filled with rules and ideas about what I want it to be. Perfectly laid out.
Cole is right here, staring at me with passion in his eyes. Besides, I’m done trying to push him away. Especially when I want him more than the chocolate he’s holding in his hand, probably to entice me.
“Come in.”
8
COLE
Casper is standing in the middle of her living room, watching me through the glass for a minute before she calls for me to come in. I enter with a smile on my face and a gift in hand for her.
My plan is simple. I’ll give her the gift of chocolate and take off to dinner with my family. The summons from Mimi, demanding that all her grandchildren currently present in the city have to report for dinner, is nonnegotiable. Meaning I won’t be able to coax Casper into a night out. Since our plans have been disrupted, I want to make sure she knows I am thinking of her. Chocolate seems like the perfect thing. Especially since, had I not been required to leave, the chocolate wouldn’t be the only thing getting unwrapped.
“Do you know how to play cribbage?”
That is definitely not what I want to say when I see the way Casper is watching me. The look on her face makes it clear that she wasn’t expecting it either. I’m supposed to tell her why I can’t take her out to make up for our babysitting fiasco. I’m supposed to give her the chocolate and go. Clearly, I’ve lost my mind.
Her desire is right there, written all over her face. All I have to do is reach out and offer her my hand and she’ll take it. Knowing that she wants me does nothing to temper the need I have for her. Except knowing that she wants me, regardless of the way she tries to push me away, is something I’ll be using to my advantage and soon. Unfortunately, we don’t have time for fun and games. Later, yes. So I take my time perusing her body with my eyes. Making sure she knows I want her too.
Yes, I know I am playing with fire… But at this point I’m ready to jump in and don’t give a rat’s ass about the consequences.
“The card game?” I prompt her. “You know. The one with the board, and you have to try and get points by your hand. Like fifteen or thirty-one. Cribbage.”
“Yeah.” She coughs, clearing her throat. “I know how to play. I just didn’t expect you to know. It’s not really a game that most people our age know anything about.”
I rub the back of my neck with one hand and offer the chocolate I brought with me in my other.
“I’m not as good as Emmett or Mimi, that’s for sure. But I can hold my own.” Another little lie added to my pile. By now, I should look like I had Pinocchio’s nose with the way everything keeps adding up.
Casper is adorable in a way that sets my blood on fire and demands my immediate attention. The way her eyes light up with excitement at the thought of playing cribbage has me actually wanting to play. Even if I rarely win. Mimi is a powerhouse, and she makes sure that we all know it.
Casper is wearing an oversized shirt and a pair of leggings that hug her legs magnificently. She’s watching me like a little kid on Christmas about to get the best presents ever. There isn’t a chance in hell that I’m not taking her with me. Not when I see the way she needs it.
“Does that mean you’ll come with me to Mimi’s? For dinner.” I nod toward the door. “We have to be there in like an hour, so you have time if you want to change.” I donotwant her to change. Although I also know I’ve just essentially invited her to meet the most important woman in my life.
Casper takes one look at her outfit and shakes her head. “I’m fine just like this.”
“Yeah,” I answer while nodding slowly, making sure she knows I’m not talking about her outfit. “You really are.”
I take a step forward and kiss her before either one of us can say anything about how cheesy my statement is. While she’s caught off guard, I lift her up and put her on the table that sits next to the sliding glass door, pressing my way between her legs.
Electricity flows through her lips and into mine, making it hard to concentrate on anything but the way her body feels pressed against my chest. My hands wrap around her neck, gently tugging her impossibly closer. When she opens her mouth for my waiting tongue, I don’t hesitate. Roasted caramel and peaches fill my senses, Casper’s unique taste. One I’ll remember until the day I die. She breaks the kiss, pushing against my chest until I blink at her, wondering what the hell has stopped her.
“Fuck me, Cole.”
Her demand breaks any resistance I thought I had. Everything else can wait because I can’t hold back anymore. She leans back, and I take the opportunity to grab her leggings and pull them down her body. She isn’t wearing any underwear, which becomes painfully clear when I see the small patch of hair at the juncture of her thighs.
While I’m busy taking off her pants, Casper isn’t wasting any time. She strips out of her shirt and unhooks her bra before I can blink. All I can do is stare at her, completely perfect in every way. Her hips are full, her body deliciously plump, and I can’t keep my hands to myself anymore.
