Текст книги "Shaken, Not Stirred"
Автор книги: Sawyer Bennett
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Текущая страница: 10 (всего у книги 19 страниц)
Chapter 15
Casey
I never imagined in my life that I would consider being a biker babe. Well, and really… I’m not even sure what that means, but I know I do love riding on Tenn’s motorcycle. I haven’t done the whole braless, Harley tank top thing yet, but I could be persuaded if Tenn thought it was hot.
Admittedly, I was nervous the first time I got on his bike but then I warmed up to it, and now I may possibly be addicted. I’m sure it has absolutely nothing to do with the powerful engine rumbling between my legs or the hot, muscled man that’s sitting in front of me.
I’m surprised Tenn is even up and about today. I didn’t expect him to get so drunk at Andrea’s party last night, and I blame that completely on my brothers. They fed him beer after beer and proceeded to tell him every embarrassing story they could think of about me. I’m not sure what they were hoping to accomplish, but I’m pretty sure telling him I had a lazy eye when I was six years old wasn’t helping.
And sometimes, alcohol can be a blessing or a curse when it comes to loosening inhibitions, and I’m still not quite sure how I feel about it loosening Tenn’s tongue last night. He was drunk, but I’m sure he was being completely straight up when he said he was falling hard for me.
He’s not the first man that has said words of that nature to me.
He is, however, the first man that I’ve kept around after saying those words, and I can only take that to mean that for some reason, my psyche simply accepts Tenn and what he’s telling me. I simply have to accept the fact that I’m changing and I’m becoming open to the possibility of actually having the first real relationship of my life with a man.
Let’s see… since meeting Tenn, I’ve gone out with a man that doesn’t have a lot of money, I’ve invited him into my home, I’ve slept in bed with him all night, and hell… I’ve even cuddled.
Me… Casey Markham. A cuddler.
I’ve also shared something with him that I haven’t even shared with my best friend. Or my family for that matter. Tenn Jennings is the only person on this earth that has somewhat of an understanding of why I did the things I did when it came to men. He may not know it all, but he at least knows more than anyone else, and that right there tells me something.
It tells me I was being truthful when I told him last night that I was falling for him.
Because I am so fucking falling for him.
We cruise down the main drag on the way to my house. Tenn had picked me up after work, having spent part of the afternoon looking at the garage that was for sale after I’d put him in contact with a commercial realtor I knew. He offered to take me out for dinner, but because Zoey is coming tomorrow, I want to make sure to get the house absolutely cleaned and the guest bedroom made up. For some reason I don’t even want to fathom, Zoey’s mother insisted on bringing her, so that should be oodles of joy meeting Tenn’s fruity ex-wife.
I look at the grocery store as we slide by, thankful that I did my grocery shopping this morning. The parking lot is absolutely packed but Saturdays on the beach are big grilling and party days. Just as I start to turn my gaze back to the road, I catch a glimpse of a familiar face walking into the store, and my blood fires up nuclear hot from a surge of anger.
Jeff Parkhurst.
Without thinking, I tap Tenn on the shoulder and yell at him above the wind. “Turn around and go to the grocery store. I forgot to pick up something.”
He nods and gets us turned around, the sound of the engine barking loud at such a slow idle as we pull into the lot. “Just drop me off at the front door and I’ll run in really quick,” I tell him, and a spark of guilt fires up that I’m not being honest with Tenn as to why I’m here.
But fuck… I don’t know why I’m here. I just saw Jeff, got swamped with fury, and now feel the unmistakable need to confront this douche.
I get off the bike when he brings it to a stop, quickly take off my helmet, and hand it to him. “You need anything?”
“I’m good,” he says with a smile, but then asks, “What are you getting? You had me lug up about forty bags of groceries to your house this morning.”
“Um… milk,” I say and start to turn away.
“You got milk,” he says, and I turn back to look at him impatiently. “Yeah… but I only got skim and I like whole milk with my coffee.”
And damn… more guilt with how easily that lie came out of my mouth.
“Gotcha,” he says with a nod toward the rear of the lot. “I’m going to go find a spot to park over there.”
“Okay,” I say, and then I spin toward the automatic glass doors. They swish open, and a blast of icy air conditioning hits me. I’m not sure if it’s the chilled air or the ice in my veins, but I rub my arms a bit to warm them up.
I immediately start walking across the front of the store, looking down each aisle as I go along. Finally, I see him… halfway down the beer and wine aisle, perusing the various microbrews for sale. Taking a deep breath, I push it out hard and start walking his way. I’m going to tell him off, and I’m not going to be quiet about it.
When I get up close to him, Jeff’s head turns my way, and for a brief moment, just the tiniest of blips really, I appreciate how good looking he is. But I know outer beauty doesn’t mean shit on the inside.
I’m a prime example of that.
Jeff’s eyes round wide with surprise, and he gives me a blinding smile. “Oh, my God. Casey Markham? Is that you?”
Suddenly, my mind goes blank and I can do nothing more than nod at him dumbly. He steps forward and wraps his arms around me, dragging me in for a hug. Weakly, my arms go around his neck as he pulls me in close and murmurs. “It’s so good to see you.”
When he releases me, I take a small step back. His gaze travels up and down my body, making absolutely no effort to hide the gleam of appreciation in his eyes. He even pulls his chin back and says, “Damn girl… you are still just as smokin’ hot as you were in high school.”
Greasy tremors race up my spine as his eyes linger on my breasts, and I have to resist the overwhelming urge to slap him across the face. So many things I want to say but again, he doesn’t give me a chance.
“Listen… I’m only in town for another few nights. Any chance you’d let me take you to dinner tonight?” He says this in a low, husky voice while still staring at my breasts. “You know… for old time’s sake?”
Of all the sleazy, scummy things that he could say to me, that is something I didn’t expect. But then again, Jeff has no clue the bitter feelings I’ve harbored for him for going on eight years. I should blast him out about it now, but when I see the hunger in his eyes and the way he is mentally undressing me… already figuring it’s a foregone conclusion he can take me out to dinner tonight and then talk me in to bed, I am struck with sudden brilliance.
I’m going to make him suffer far more than just a berating from me. I’m going to make him think he’s good enough to have me, and then I’m going to make sure he dies of blue balls when I refuse him.
I give him a bright smile, wrap my finger around my lock of my hair to twirl it all bimbo-style, and cock a hip out sexily. Then I start calculating how to make this all go down.
First, I need information though, because I want to know exactly how far I can make him fall. “So, are you married or seeing anyone?” I ask innocently. Of course, I know the answer to this because Gabby told me he has a fiancée.
And even though I really expected no different, my stomach recoils when he shakes his head and says, “Nope. Absolutely single.”
Liar! What a fucking liar and my anger starts surging again.
“What about you?” he asks as he glances down at my left hand.
I’m sorry, Tenn, I think to myself. “Nope. Single and free.”
“So… how about dinner? And then maybe after, we could um… figure out something fun to do,” he says as he dips his head lower toward me. I actually have to lock my knees to stop myself from inadvertently bolting away from him.
“Dinner sounds fabulous,” I purr at him even as I push past my nausea. “And I’m really looking forward to seeing what kind of ‘fun’ we could have after dinner.”
“Eight o’clock? La Papillon,” he says lecherously, and really… I’m surprised he’s even offering me dinner based on the way his eyes continually rove over me. I expect at any moment he’s going to throw me down on the grocery store floor and start humping my leg or something.
“Eight sounds perfect. Gives me just enough time to get home and get showered,” I say, and then reach into my purse for a pen. I click it on and then take his hand in mine, turning his palm up. “Here’s my address.”
I take my time writing my address and even put a little heart beneath it, quelling my urge to vomit over the ludicrous act I’m putting on. I wonder what the maître’d will think seeing me in there again. I’m sure he’ll remember me from the way Tenn pulled me out of there.
Jeff glances down at the writing on his palm and then back up at me with glittering eyes. I think it’s the first time he’s looked at my face since the hug.
Movement at the end of the aisle catches my attention and I look past Jeff’s shoulder to see Tenn standing there looking at me curiously. I hold up a finger to him to wait, turning back to Jeff to whisper. “Can’t wait to see you tonight.”
“And I can’t wait to see you… all of you tonight,” he says almost on a half moan that gives me the freakin’ willies. I give him a smile, hope he can’t see the distaste in my eyes, and scoot past him.
When I reach the end of the aisle, I turn toward the front door as Tenn walks behind me. “What about the milk, Casey?”
“I decided to stick to skim,” I say offhandedly as we make it back through the automatic doors. I don’t want Jeff to see me with Tenn. I don’t want anything to happen that will thwart my plan for revenge tonight.
“Who was that you were talking to?” Tenn asks casually as we walk side by side through the parking lot.
“Jeff.” I answer him honestly because I have no intention of hiding this from Tenn.
Tenn’s hand on my arm stops me in my tracks. “Jeff, as in THE Jeff?”
“That’s the one,” I say, pulling my arm free. “Now hurry… I need to get home because he’s picking me up at eight for dinner at La Papillon.”
Tenn puts a vice-grip hold on my elbow this time and I expect him to pull me to a stop again, but instead, he propels me forward to the back of the lot where his bike is located. His long legs eat up the distance and I have to trot to keep up with him, which is fine by me… I need to hurry so I can get ready.
When we reach the bike, Tenn spins me around and his face is thunderous. “What the fuck? Are you going out with that guy tonight?”
“Yes, but it’s not what it seems because—”
“You’re going out with the same guy that for whatever reasons caused you to lock yourself away from relationships?”
“Yes,” I tell him impatiently. “I had this idea—”
“Jesus fucking Christ, Casey,” Tenn barks at me, and his eyes are blazing with fury. He steps up to me, leaning down before gritting out, “You’re fucking going out with another man?”
“To get revenge,” I assure him quickly and then attempt a confident smile. “Make him suffer.”
Tenn spins away, drags his hands through his hair, and then clasps both of them behind his neck. He turns back to look at me and shakes his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe I’m entertaining this stupid as fuck idea, but just exactly how are you going to make him suffer by going out with him tonight?”
“I’m going to make him crazy with wanting me. I’m going to make him think he actually has a chance with me. I’m going to make him beg like a dog, and then I’m going to tell him fuck off because he’s not good enough for me.”
I think it’s a brilliant plan now that I just said it out loud.
Tenn just stares at me hard, a muscle popping at the corner of his jaw. Then he quietly asks, “And just how are you going to drive him crazy?”
“Well, I’m not sure—”
Stepping back into me, Tenn wraps his huge hand around the front of my throat, gripping me lightly. He pushes up, causing my face to tilt so I can’t help but look at him. “Are you going to touch him?”
“That’s probably—”
His hand squeezes a little. “Are you going to give him a bit of a hand job first? Just to work him up good?”
“Tenn, that’s—”
His hand now tugs on me, raising me on my tiptoes until his nose is almost touching mine. With barely controlled rage, Tenn asks so softly. “Are you going to let him kiss that mouth? Especially after you used it on my cock just this morning?”
“Please, Tenn. You have to understand—”
He releases his hold on me abruptly and asks in a strangled voice that causes my heart to squeeze painfully. “Are you going to do any of those things, Casey?”
“No,” I say immediately, and I know it’s true. While I may not have thought this plan through all the way, Tenn has made me consider my options, and there is no way in hell I can let that sleaze touch me. My body belongs to Tenn and no one else at this point in my life.
“It’s a stupid plan, Goldie,” he murmurs. “I don’t know what this guy did to you, but it’s not worth breaking down everything you’ve been working to build up.”
“What do you mean?” I ask cautiously.
“I mean, you become just like him if you engage in this mind fuck.”
“I am nothing like him,” I snarl, stepping forward. Poking him in the chest, I say, “You have no idea what he did so you can’t possibly know how important this is to me.”
“Then tell me,” Tenn pleads as his arms come to my shoulders. “Tell me what he did and let me kick his ass for you, but don’t go through with this.”
Shaking my head, I turn away and walk up to Tenn’s bike. I grab my helmet and with my back to him, I say, “I’m not talking about it. You’ll just have to trust me when I say it was bad enough that I have to do this. That I think this is the only way I can get some type of vindication. Some type of peace.”
Then I turn to look at him and with imploring eyes, I say, “I’m asking for your support on this and to trust me that I won’t cross a boundary that’s disrespectful to you.”
Tenn’s shoulders sag and he steps up to the bike, grabbing his helmet. He stares at it thoughtfully for a moment and then says with resignation, “The mere fact you would do something like this… that would cause me worry… that would tear my fucking guts up to even think of you making sexual promises to that fucker… well, I’m sorry, Casey… but that’s already disrespectful to me.”
“What are you saying?” I ask as I can feel my lungs starting to deflate in anxiety.
Tenn turns those beautiful blue eyes my way and says, “I’m not sure I can handle it. When I said you’d be breaking down everything you’ve been working to build up… I’m not just talking about you, Casey, and the way you’ve changed. I’m talking about what you’ve built up with me.”
He’s giving me an ultimatum. He’s telling me that if I go through with this, which to my way of thinking is just going to be dinner with me getting Jeff worked up with fake promises, he’s going to break up with me. Clearly, he doesn’t trust me. Clearly, he doesn’t understand or support the importance of this to me.
I stick my chin up and even though I know in my heart this is probably the wrong thing to do, I say, “So be it.”
Tenn’s eyes go distant, and he gives a sad smile. “Get on the bike. Guess I need to get you home for your date.”
I go ahead and climb on, my feelings raging an absolute war inside me that causes my chest to ache and my stomach to roll with queasiness. I’m doing the right thing… I can feel it in my bones. The only way I can let my past go is by standing up for myself and making Jeff understand exactly how it feels to have someone reject you. While I know his ego won’t be as fragile as mine was at the tender age of eighteen, I know it will hurt him just a bit. And at least I’ll be able to expel all of my bitterness at him. That has to be psychologically beneficial, right?
The ride to my house doesn’t take long. Tenn doesn’t turn the bike off and the loud rumble doesn’t exactly make it conducive to a fruitful discussion. But I do try one more time as I take my helmet off and hand it to him. After he stows it in the saddlebag, he turns to look at me.
“Tenn… please don’t hold this against me,” I ask beseechingly.
He shakes his head and gives me a wry smile. “I won’t,” he says simply, and my heart lightens. “I’m going to hold it against me that I even thought to get involved with someone like you. Tired of the fucking games, Casey.”
Tenn doesn’t spare me another glance, which means he doesn’t see the tears that immediately start pricking my eyes. Instead, he puts the bike in gear and rumbles off down the road, and I watch until he fades off into the distance.
My first real relationship already over.
Chapter 16
Tenn
Christ… that woman is maddening.
She’s stupid, ignorant, willful, and bratty.
Heartless.
That’s what she is… absolutely fucking heartless.
She’s a woman that’s been hurt, a voice says inside of me. It changed her into something no one should ever have to be.
Not my problem though. Not up to me to try to change her.
“Fuck,” I yell out to the wind as my bike motors down the highway. I figured I’d go to The Last Call and get fantastically drunk tonight. Maybe Hunter and Brody will be there, and I can rant to them about what a stupendous idiot their sister is.
Or, you could go and stop this shit in progress, a voice inside me says. Drag her ass out of the restaurant. You’ve done it once before.
Yeah, that is so not happening again. It’s different this time because Casey knows I have feelings for her, and she’s choosing to do this despite the havoc it could cause. She’s ignoring my feelings in this matter.
Just like you’re ignoring her feelings, that little voice says.
“Shut the fuck up,” I yell out to the wind.
Just shut the fuck up, I tell myself, so I can rationally think this thing through.
Okay… Casey admitted she’s falling hard for me. I fucking remembered every bit of our conversation from last night, so I wasn’t as drunk as I thought. She’s truly changed and she’s changed because she wants to try to build something with me.
She’s also a smart woman and most of all, I’ve come to see that she has a heart the size of the ocean. She would never do anything to intentionally hurt me.
I trust her. I really do trust her that she would never let this get physical. I expect her plan for revenge is to work him up good over dinner, maybe even spouting some of the dirty talk I’ve taught her over the last few weeks, and then let him down with the force of a plane plummeting out of the sky. I expect his ego will make a resounding splat when it hits.
Is that really so bad? If she does that?
Will it give her closure and remove any further barrier that might present itself to a potential relationship with me?
Now that is some fucking food for thought.
Letting my heart guide my bike, I go ahead and make a U-turn on the highway and head back into the town of Nags Head. I don’t know what’s going to happen inside that restaurant but best-case scenario, Casey walks out with her head held high and vindication in her eyes. Worst case, that fucker tries to do something to her or causes her pain in some way, and I really, really need to be there if that happens.
I sit sideways with my ass perched on the seat of my bike, legs stretched out in front of me. Same position I was in the first time Casey and I were together when she walked out of The Last Call. Except now, I’m waiting outside of La Papillon where I fortuitously got a spot thirty feet from the front door. I know if Casey’s plan goes down, when she walks out that door, she’s going to need a ride.
Glancing at my watch, I note it’s 8:10 PM and figure that she’ll work the fucker up good over the course of dinner. Because it’s a fancy French restaurant, I’m thinking dinner will last a good two hours at least. I know I’m in for a long wait but in my heart of hearts, I know Casey is worth it.
The door to the restaurant swings open, and I blink my eyes as Casey strides out. My eyes cut down to my watch. 8:11 PM.
Well, damn.
Casey looks left, then right, possibly considering the best place to get a taxi, when her eyes roll right over me. She pauses, and then her gaze snaps back my way.
“Thought you might need a ride,” I call out to her.
She stares at me a moment and I can read nothing on that beautiful face. She looks gorgeous, wearing the same little black dress that she wore the other night when I pulled her out of this very restaurant and fucked her in the alley.
Casey throws her shoulders back and starts my way. My eyes focus in on those long legs, her feet encased in stilettos that give me very dirty thoughts. The thought of that little dress riding up her thighs as she sits on the back of my bike starts to get me hard.
“What are you doing here?” she asks tentatively, crossing her arms over her chest protectively.
I stand up from the bike, and her face tilts to look at me. My fingers reach out and trace the edge of her collarbone a minute, and then I drag my gaze up to her eyes. “Figured you might need a shoulder to cry on, although I was really kind of hoping I’d have the opportunity to kick this dude’s ass for you.”
She smiles as her eyes cut down quickly. Putting my finger under her chin, I nudge her gaze back up. “What happened in there?”
She shrugs her shoulders, and then throws her hands out to the side. “I couldn’t go through with it. I knew it would hurt you, and I couldn’t do it. But why are you here? I thought you made it pretty clear that this was sort of a deal breaker for you.”
My hand drops from her face, and I shove my hands in my pockets. With a shrug, I casually say, “Yeah… well, I sort of worked it out in my head after I got done being pissed. I understand why you needed to do it and I also realized I trusted you not to do anything that would betray me.”
“Oh,” she says softly, looking back down to the pavement and then back up again to me. “So where does that leave us?”
“I think it leaves us exactly where we were the minute before you hatched this idiotic plan,” I tell her simply. “Although… I am still completely willing to go in there and stomp the shit out of him for you.”
Her eyes crinkle up, and she nibbles on her lower lip. “That would be kind of awesome, but I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“I’d gladly take an assault charge for you,” I tell her gallantly, although I’m sure my dad would blow a gasket if I got arrested. “So… what excuse did you give him why you were leaving early?”
She looks up at me coyly and says, “I didn’t. Told him I had to use the restroom and then I jetted.”
I throw my head back and laugh. “Oh, Goldie… you’re brilliant. You’re a hot mess, but you’re brilliant.”
Just then, I see the door to the restaurant open over Casey’s shoulder and the douche himself comes out. Just like Casey, he looks left and then right, utter confusion on his face.
“Looks like your date is looking for you,” I tell her, and then give a nod in the direction of the restaurant. “Want me to handle this?”
She huffs out a gust of frustration but shakes her head. “Nope. I got it.”
Turning away from me, she starts toward the restaurant at the same time his eyes land on her. I can see the confusion melt off the guy’s face and sizzling lust replace it as he eyes her up and down. My fists clench and it takes every bit of willpower I have not to leap forward to strangle the fucker.
“Casey… what are you doing out here? Our drinks just arrived,” he says as he takes a few steps to meet her. He loops an arm around her shoulder with the intent of steering her back inside, and I start to take a step forward. Casey shrugs his hand off though, so I halt myself and wait.
“Jeff… I’m going home,” she says matter-of-factly. “The truth is… I never intended to do anything with you tonight, so I figured I’d save you a buck and just go ahead and leave.”
The guy is so self-absorbed that he doesn’t even notice me standing there ten feet away. He doesn’t notice me and the menace that is pouring off my body in waves, otherwise, he wouldn’t attempt to touch her again. His arm comes back to her shoulder and he says, “Come on, baby. Thought we were going to have fun tonight?”
Before I can make a move, Casey steps away from him. She takes a deep breath and says, “Look… I only agreed to come out with you tonight with the intention of getting you worked up until your balls were blue and then leaving your ass.”
The guy is kind of thick because he says, “Work me up, huh? Now that sounds fun and I’m sure we can avoid the blue balls thing, right?”
Casey narrows her eyes at him and places her hands on her hips. “Are you dense or do you just think so much of yourself that you can’t see when someone is plainly not only not interested in you, but is actually completely disgusted by you?”
He blinks at her… large eyes as round and blank as a fucking owl’s. “I don’t understand.”
“Because the only person you really care about is yourself, Jeff,” Casey says, and then she steps up to him and snarls, “You’re a pathetic loser.”
He takes a hint… takes a cautious step back. “Oh-kay,” he drawls out. “Apparently, you got hit with a little case of the crazies today, so I’m just going to head back into the restaurant—”
“I’m not crazy,” she says quietly. “I merely wanted to confront you for what you did to me all those years ago.”
“What I did to you?” he asks in confusion. “What the hell did I do to you?”
“I heard you that night,” Casey says softly. “At the beach party that I couldn’t go to. I snuck out of my parents’ house and went there… and I heard what you told your friends.”
The guy just stares at Casey with a blank face, completely not remembering anything about that night. It makes my gut tighten in sorrow for Casey, that whatever he did to her, it apparently didn’t mean anything to him because he’d forgotten it.
“I gave you my virginity after you gave me false comfort over my brother going to prison and told me you loved me. Then you turned around and told your friends I wasn’t good enough for you. I didn’t have the “credentials” to be a part of your circle. You said I wasn’t the type you marry, but I was the type of woman you’d fuck behind your wife’s back. But hey… at least you told them I was a fantastic fuck.”
That motherfucking douche bag scummy fucking asshole.
My head feels like it’s going to explode so great is the rage that rockets through my system now that I know exactly what went down. I don’t even think twice but start walking toward the guy with a film of red haze over my eyes for what he did to Casey. For what he said about her.
For fucking hurting my woman.
I’m going to kill him, and he has no clue it’s coming because he’s staring at Casey.
Ten strides from him, the sheepish look on his face morphs and his eyes glint with malice at Casey.
Eight strides from him, and he shrugs his shoulders and says, “What can I say, Casey, you were a fantastic fuck.”
Four strides from him, and he says, “But yeah… you are the type you fuck behind your wife’s back.”
Two strides from him, and I see Casey raise her hand to smack his face and then her hand is striking at nothing but air because I have the fucker by the neck and I’m walking him backward toward the restaurant. Both of his hands come up and try to claw at my one that has him gripped tightly. His eyes bug out of his head and his face goes beet red as he tries to suck in air.
I push him back up onto the sidewalk, where he nearly stumbles but I pull him up, then I’m slamming him up against the exterior wall of La Papillon, knocking off one of the lighted wall sconces to the left of the door. His head makes a nice thudding sound when it smacks the brick and his eyes start to roll in the back of his head.
The door to the restaurant flies open, and the little maître’d comes out to see what the noise is all about. He takes one look at me, I growl at him, and he goes scurrying back into the restaurant.
Swiveling my head back slowly to look at this scumbag, I loosen my grip a tad, let him suck a gulp of air, and then tighten my hold again. His eyes bug once more.
I’m amazed at how calm my voice is since I’m practically buzzing with the need to do serious violence. “Now, that’s my girl there that you just insulted. And do I look like the type of guy that’s going to let something like that pass?”
He shakes his head frantically at me.
“That’s right,” I say calmly… and yeah, with maybe a slight taunt. “So I’m going to give you one of two choices. You can either apologize to Casey or I can stomp your ribs in with my boots, and just so you know… the toes are reinforced with steel.”
I loosen my grip, he wheezes in air, and then I tighten up again. Eyes bug out once more.
“Now, since you currently can’t talk, I suggest you hold up a hand and indicate which option you want… one or two.”
His hand immediately flies up, and he’s holding up one finger while his eyes silently plead. I wait a moment and consider, then I loosen my grip slightly but still keep it tight enough that I can easily pull him away from the wall. He stumbles immediately but I haul him back up by the neck, turn him, and march him back over to Casey, who is now actually reclining back on the seat of my motorcycle, watching me with amused eyes.
“That was really hot,” she says, her eyes sparkling at me mischievously.
“Thanks, Goldie,” I return jovially, and then give old Jeff a little shake. “Now, I think this guy has something to say to you. Right, Jeff?”
His head frantically nods up and down. I give him a little push toward Casey as I release him. Stumbling, he drops to one knee right at her feet. He starts to rise up, but I squat down and clamp my hand on the back of his neck to hold him in place. “Uh-uh,” I admonish him. “I actually think I like you kneeling down before my girl.”
Casey snorts and when I look, her eyes are admonishing. “Now, you’re just being mean, baby.”
“I’m sorry,” Jeff blurts out, and I can feel his entire body shaking under my grasp. “I’m so fucking sorry, Casey. What I said… it was awful. Rude. You totally didn’t deserve that.”
