Falling for You (21 page)

Cassidy tipped the wiggling gray contents of her shell into her mouth. As it slid to the back of her mouth, her gag reflex triggered. Quickly, she spit the oyster into her napkin, trying to be discrete.

“Do they also say they’re slimy?”

“Not your thing I guess. At least I had the decency to swallow your pizza.”

Is he upset that I didn’t like what he ordered or that I didn’t eat the aphrodisiac? It would take more than that, surfer boy.

Two waiters materialized on either side of the table. The first whisked the oysters from the table and the other placed two new plates in front of them. A few leafy greens and some mixed vegetables lay in an artistic pile in the middle of a large plate. A deep red dressing drizzled in a zigzag and a petite triangle of cheese finished the dish.

“Enjoy your dinner,” the waiter said.

Dinner? This isn’t dinner. This is the salad that comes after the appetizer and before the dinner.

“Hopefully you’ll like your salad a little more than the oysters.”

Cassidy ate her salad in silence, enjoying the mix of sweet and savory as the ingredients mingled together in her mouth.
Would it kill them to stick a little chicken on here?
“That was … nice.” She wiped her mouth with her napkin.

“Good. I figured why bother with steaks when you girls are always watching what you eat. It’s such a waste when you pick at your meal instead of actually eating it.”

Wine. I need to drink more wine. Stupid surfer boy must be used to dating anorexic waifs in California. I like steak. I eat steak.

Cassidy sipped her wine and remembered that this date was only a sham. She wasn’t here for Brad anyway so if he was a total idiot, it didn’t matter. He would be someone else’s idiot soon enough and she’d finally be rid of him for the last time.

Then she could have Evan. Wonderful, kind, super-hot Evan. Evan, whose biceps bulged deliciously while he held the camera.
Yum. He’d make a good snack later …

“Cassidy? Earth to Cassidy.”

Cassidy’s attention snapped back to Brad.

“Where did you go on me? I want to know exactly what you’re thinking right now.”

“Nothing. Just enjoying the view. It’s so gorgeous, it’s hard to stop looking.” Her eyes flickered from the mountains to catch Evan’s gaze. A knowing look flashed between them as instantaneous as a spark from a match. Apparently they were both thinking about other things they’d rather be doing right now.

“I think our dessert is ready.” Brad reached across the table and refilled her wine glass. “Let’s take our drinks and move to the bed where we can be more comfortable.”

Brad took her hand and helped her out of her chair as she grabbed her wine glass. He led her to the sun bed and sat down, patting the mattress for her to join him.

Crap. How am I going to get out of this one?

She prepared herself for what she knew was going to be a completely awkward situation, and sat, carefully perching on the edge of the bed.

Brad chuckled. “That can’t be comfortable. Come and lie on the pillows with me and really enjoy the view.”

Cassidy gingerly climbed onto the bed and lay back against the pillows. Brad stretched out beside her, one arm tucked behind his head, the other holding his wine glass.

“This is the life, huh? Nice wine, a beautiful woman, and a great view. The only thing missing is the ocean and this night would be perfect.”

That’s uncharacteristically sweet.

“Do you miss the ocean?” she asked. “You must’ve gotten used to spending a lot of time at the beach again since going back, huh?”

“I miss it more than I expected. But she’ll be waiting for me when I’m done here, and I’ll be back in the water before I know it, hopefully with a hot new babe beside me on a board of her own.”

“Is being a surfer a requirement for a girlfriend? You know that’s not something I’m going to do anytime soon.”

“No, it’s not a requirement, but my next girlfriend has to be willing to at least try. I love the water and I can’t imagine being with anyone who feels differently.”

“Then why are you keeping me around? You know I’m not getting back in the water again after what happened with the canoe.”

She’d been twelve at the time. Her family was vacationing at the Finger Lakes again and had borrowed a couple of canoes from other campers. A water fight broke out. Everyone laughed. Cassidy stood to splash Keira but had flipped the canoe instead. Cassidy remembered hitting her head and then everything going dark. They told her later that her father pulled her out of the lake unconscious. She’d been terrified of water since.

Brad shook his head. “I don’t understand why you let that stupid fear run your life. If you’re my girl again, are you going to sit with your ass in the sand your whole life watching while I ride the waves?”

“Or maybe I’d have my own life and I wouldn’t be stuck sitting around watching you. Did you ever consider your girlfriend might have her own plans which don’t revolve around you, or do you plan on finding a puppy to follow you through life?”

The silence was thick between them. She hadn’t meant to be catty, but he made it so easy to dislike him. Why did he always have to say something stupid?

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you wouldn’t have a life of your own. I’m hoping to find a girl who
wants
to ride the waves of life with me. I thought there might still be a chance you wanted to be that girl.”

Cassidy sighed. She’d overreacted to Brad and he hadn’t meant to be jerk to her. He was trying to find the right person like everyone else. She’d forgotten how sweet he could be.

“I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean to jump on you like that. I guess if you mean waves figuratively speaking, then that’s very sweet. But if you’re being literal, I’m not sure what to tell you. I’m not ready to ride any waves yet, but I guess maybe for the right guy, I might be willing to get out on the water again. Eventually.”

Brad rolled onto his side facing her. He clinked his glass against hers and smiled. “Here’s to getting you out on a board one day.”

What could she say to that? She’d forgotten his romantic side, but sitting with him now, it was easy to listen to his idealistic hope for the future.

Brad readjusted himself on the pillows and set his wine glass on a table beside the bed. She sipped of her own wine before resting the base of the glass on the bed between them. He stroked his hand up and down her arm, lingering in the soft fold at her elbow like he’d done many times in the past when they’d been cuddling on the couch in her little apartment.

She closed her eyes and could almost remember the feelings his touch used to spark inside her. So many nights they’d stayed in, enjoying each other’s company. She’d been so lonely when he’d left for California it was like her tiny apartment had doubled in size. Opening her eyes, Cassidy remembered Evan behind the camera and any thoughts of those old feelings about Brad faded a little.

“Cassidy, I’m sorry I left you the way I did. The truth is, I’ve missed you. A lot. I’ve missed us — together.”

I’ve missed you, too.
She glanced at Evan again, uneasiness settling in her stomach with the wine.

“I want to start over, Cassidy. I want you back in my life and I know we’ll find a way to make it work.”

Cassidy’s head spun. How many nights had she laid awake wishing to hear him say those words? Finally hearing he regretted at least a tiny bit of his choice made her feel a little more whole again. Maybe she wasn’t a person who no one would ever love enough to stay with. Maybe she really could have a future with someone — now the question was,
who?

Brad wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her toward him, their lips inches from touching. His hand tangled in her hair. “Cassidy, I want you. Let’s see if those old feelings are still here.”

He moved toward Cassidy so quickly she didn’t have time to move her glass before he rolled into it, sloshing the wine out of the glass and onto her shirt. She yelped as the dark red liquid seeped into her clothes.

“I’m so sorry.” Brad took her glass out of her hand and blotted the front of her shirt with a napkin.

Cassidy leapt off the bed and away from Brad’s groping hands. “I don’t think that’s going to help. I need a clean shirt.”

“Sure, let’s get you back to your room so you can change and then we can continue our date.”

Cassidy tried to hold her shirt away from her skin. It was chilly out on the terrace in wet clothes. But her wet shirt wasn’t the only reason for the chill dancing along her spine. She wasn’t even sure she wanted to kiss Brad again — especially not in front of Evan.

This date had gotten way too serious way too fast and she wasn’t sure she was interested in exploring any old feelings with Brad. She’d spent so long getting over him she didn’t want to bring those feelings up again. They were best left in the past, weren’t they?

“I don’t think so, Brad. I need to take a shower and rinse off. And if I don’t soak this shirt right away, it’ll be ruined.”

He stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Fine. I’ll walk you back to your room.”

They left the terrace and walked back to the room in silence. Cassidy couldn’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t lead to Brad thinking she wanted to carry on the date. She hadn’t planned on spilling her drink all over herself, but it had worked as a great excuse to end the date early and without a kiss. If her blouse was the only victim in all of this, then it was a small price to pay.

“Good night, Brad. Thanks for the, um, interesting date,” she said, stopping in front of her room door.

“How about a quick kiss to end our evening?”

“I’m not sure I’m ready for that yet. Okay?”

“You didn’t object last time.”

“Last time I didn’t have time to object. I’m sorry. I’m just not ready.” She opened her door and exaggerated another shiver. “I’m getting a chill from being out in the cold in this wet shirt, which is going to be ruined soon if I don’t deal with it. I’ll see you at the ceremony, okay?”

She disappeared into the safety of her room without waiting for a reply, sighing with relief that she’d managed to survive the night kiss-free. Now she had to survive living with Zoe without pushing her out the window.

She also had to find a way to keep her hands off Evan when all she wanted to do was explore every inch of his delectable body. That shouldn’t be too hard, right?

• • •

Evan stood by the window silently filming Cassidy reading on the couch as Zoe buzzed around the room, stopping in front of every mirror to check her reflection and straighten her clothes. Cassidy sank into the corner of the couch, as if trying her best to be invisible.

“What are your plans for this evening, Cassidy? Oh right, nothing.” Zoe asked while touching up her lip-gloss in the mirror. “You know, since you screwed up your date with Brad, you might want to pack your things.”

“Maybe I will. You enjoy your date with Brad. It should be really original since it’s his fourth in two days.” Cassidy smiled. “How does it feel to be chosen last? Silly me. You’re used to being last, aren’t you? That’s why you keep doing reality shows, isn’t it? Because you always lose.”

Cassy has claws.

“He saved the best for last, that’s all. He wanted to get all the other dates out of the way so he could have a real date with me.”

“If I know Brad — and I do
know
Brad — he’s had a line for each girl about how special her date is to him. I wonder what line he’ll use on you.”

“You’re just jealous because Brad realized his mistake letting me go, but he never did with you, did he?”

“You’re right. I’m totally heartbroken that my ex is still my ex.”

They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Zoe fixed a few stray hairs in the mirror before casually answering it.

“Hi, Brad.” Zoe’s voice sounded sweeter than a child eating cotton candy while floating down Willy Wonka’s chocolate river, and equally as nauseating. “Let’s get out of here before Cassidy tries to salvage her chance with you.”

“She’s welcome to join us if she wants another chance. The more the merrier, right?” Brad laughed.

“Wrong.” Zoe practically growled, pushing Brad out the door and slamming it behind her.

Silence fell over the room. Cassidy flipped pages of her magazine and yawned. Rubbing her eyes, she stretched like a cat awaking from a deep sleep.

“I can barely keep my eyes open tonight.” Cassidy yawned again. She got up from the couch and put her glass in the sink, rolling her shoulders like she was trying to ease the tension in them after a long day. “I know it’s early, but I’m going to call it a night. See you tomorrow.”

Evan stood where he was and kept filming as Cassidy walked into her room and closed the door.

One corner of his mouth turned upward in a crooked grin as he clicked off the record button on the camera. He lowered it to his side and gently knocked on Cassidy’s door before opening it without waiting for her reply.

She lay on the bed, her eyes filled with passion and need. Her mic pack was already off and in a pile on the bedside table.

“Tired enough to go to bed before ten, huh?” he joked, stepping into her room and closing the door tightly behind him.

“Extremely tired. I can barely keep my eyes open long enough to get out of these clothes and into bed.”

“I’m sure I can help you with that, Miss Quinn. What kind of a gentleman would I be if I didn’t help a lady in distress?”

“Still trying to save me, huh?”

“About that,” he started. He didn’t want to talk about this now, but he couldn’t go on letting Cassidy think he was some overbearing boyfriend, either. “I’m not trying to be overprotective. It’s just … I lost my sister-in-law in a rock climbing accident. I can’t help but worry whenever I see someone I care about do something dangerous.”

“I’m sorry, Evan. I had no idea.”

“I don’t think you’re incapable. Klutzy, yes. Incapable, no.”

“Well at least you’ve finally figured out the difference.”