Craving Cassie Ch. 02

"Cassie, I don't care how many guys you've slept with, as long as you haven't slept with them while we've been together," he told her in all fairness. "I care about you. I care about you as more than a friend. I'd like to know if you feel the same way about me."

It was the moment of truth, and Cassie, no matter how drunk she might be, recognized that. It showed in her eyes, which suddenly reminded him of a deer's caught in the headlights. She fidgeted, looked everywhere but at him, then smiled and stood up to start pacing. "Why are we talking about this stuff anyway? Let's just have fun, the way we usually do. Hey, is there a game on tonight?' she asked, glancing hopefully toward his television.

He stood up and cornered her physically as well as emotionally. He was willing to be patient with her as long as she gave him a reason to be. "Cassie, why did you come here tonight?"

"I just, you know," she finally looked at him. "I missed talking to you."

"That's a good thing," Kevin smiled, feeling encouraged, finally.

"Look," she said, turning away and rubbing her arms with her hands, as if she were cold. "I told you I was only interested in a casual relationship when we met. I'm not good at girlfriend-boyfriend stuff. I make a lousy girlfriend, even I know that. So can't we just be friends who sleep together when we get the itch? Isn't that easier, anyway?"

She smiled and slid her hand up his chest. He caught her hand and disagreed, "No, it's not." He felt like a fool as he admitted, "I've been knocked for a loop this past week, not knowing if or when I'd hear from you again. I can't live with that kind of relationship. Not anymore. I'm getting too damn old to play those kind of games."

"What are you – a woman?" she scoffed. "Isn't what I'm offering every guy's dream come true? I don't get it."

"I'm not most guys," he agreed. "Look, we can take this slow. I'm willing to wait on the more as long as I know it's a possibility."

"More, like what? Like living together?" she asked hesitantly.

"Maybe, yeah. Maybe even marriage someday. Cassie, I'm ninety percent positive I'm falling for you. I'm falling hard. I've never cared about anyone the way I care about you, and how long have we known each other? A month? That's pretty serious."

"I'm not sure I even know how to do serious," she admitted. "Look, I think maybe you were right. I should just leave. I don't think this is going to work out, and I don't want you to get hurt if I stick around and decide later I can't handle it."

"Cassie—"

"No," she pushed him away when he went to touch her, to comfort her. "I'm sorry, Kevin. You're a great guy, and you're gonna make some woman very happy someday. I'm sorry, but that woman isn't going to be me."

***

Kevin pulled his mind back from his memories of Cassie and turned to look at her sitting now in the passenger seat of his truck. She hadn't said much, which spoke volumes, so he knew she was pissed at him.

Let her stew, he told himself and turned his eyes back to the road. His methods were unusual, maybe, but you couldn't just sit a woman like Cassie down and rationally advise her on how to protect herself. He'd done what he had to in order to protect her, as much from her own pride as from Pete Hendricks. He was taking her somewhere safe. Heather and Jake knew all about it, and they'd promised to call Kevin on his cell phone when Pete was caught, and he would be, of that Kevin was certain. Pete wasn't a career criminal who knew how to evade capture for long. Sooner or later he'd do something stupid like go home or back to work and end up on the police radar.

Kevin sent Cassie another glance and reached into his jacket for some gum. She was taking in their passing surroundings, not that it would do her much good. It was dark outside and getting darker where they were going. She wouldn't be able to recognize anything if she had the sudden notion to try to head home. She turned and her eyes shot sparks at him.

"Quit staring at me," she told him. She shifted in her seat and went to brush her hair out of her eyes but couldn't because her wrists were still taped together. "I don't see why you won't cut my hands free. I could have made a fuss when you put me in the car, but I didn't, did I?"

"Nope," he agreed, and was surprised she hadn't. He popped a stick of gum in his mouth, chewed it a bit, and sent her another sideways glance. "I suppose I could cut you free now. We're miles from anywhere. You could try to escape, but you'd only get lost and end up in worse shape than you are now."

She held out her wrists. "Just do it," she ordered.

He pulled the truck over and complied. Cassie winced when he pulled the tape off – he'd hated to use it, but it was all he'd had on such short notice. She sighed and grudgingly muttered, "Thanks." She blew a breath out and nodded toward his jacket pocket. "Can I have some of that gum?"

He eyed her warily, wondering if she was trying to play some kind of trick. "I didn't think you liked gum."

"How would you even know?" She held out a hand and wiggled her fingers. "I'm dying for a smoke. I need something to put in my mouth."

Kevin couldn't help but smile at the thought that popped into his head. It was naughty, dirty and totally inappropriate. His cock twitched at his unspoken thoughts. He handed her the gum. "Did you finally give the habit up, or are you going to drive me crazy wanting some cigarettes?" he asked.

She eagerly popped the gum into her mouth, made a face as if she were chewing ambrosia, and sighed. "Gave it up a few years ago. I didn't want Faith to be around it."

"Good for you." Satisfied she wasn't going to try and flee, he directed the truck back onto the road. "Is that all you gave up?"

"What, you mean sex?" She sent him a mean look. "None of your business."

He smiled at her. "I was actually thinking about your potty mouth."

He wasn't sure because it was so dark, but he had a pretty good idea the unshakeable Cassie Ross got embarrassed then. She turned away, was quiet for a second, and then said, "I've been trying to watch my language too. I was doing pretty good until all of this sh—stuff happened."

"I don't believe it. You've turned into a regular choir girl." She sent him another glare, and he chuckled. "I don't mean to give you a hard time, Cassie. I think it's great."

"Yeah, well, a saint like you would," she muttered.

He chuckled and sent her a suggestive smile. "I'm hardly a saint." Especially around her, he thought, and tried focusing on the road.

Kevin almost missed the exit he'd been looking for. When they managed to get up the drive, Cassie, seeing nothing but trees, asked, "Where are we going, or is the hostage not supposed to ask things like that?"

He smiled at her wit. "We're going to my friend's cabin."

When the headlights put a spotlight on the cabin, which was small and rustic-looking, Cassie murmured, "Who's your friend – the Unabomber? Geez."

She hopped out of the truck as soon as he put it in park, and he tensed, prepared to spring out after her. He realized how ridiculous he was being when she only moved toward the cabin, taking it all in with interest.

Kevin grabbed his bag and the bag he'd packed for her and followed her up the steps. "I know it doesn't look like much, but it's got all the basics – bathroom, kitchen, fireplace, electricity," he said.

She pushed past him, turned on the light, and surveyed the interior, which was, thankfully, nicer than the exterior. Cassie's eyes lingered on the bedroom loft before she turned and looked at him with an expression he couldn't read.

"OK. We're here. Now what?" she asked, arms crossed and looking bored.

"Now we enjoy a little time away from the chaos of everyday life," he said and tossed her the gym bag he'd filled with her clothes and toiletries. "Consider this a vacation of sorts."

"A vacation?" She pretended to consider it. "No offense, but my idea of a vacation involves the tropics, a five-star hotel, and plenty of tequila to go around. This doesn't exactly compare." She opened the bag he'd handed her, arched an eyebrow seeing the choice of clothes he'd packed – mostly skimpy t-shirts, jeans, some lingerie, etc. – and then tossed it aside. "So are Jake and Heather going to show up with the kid? Are we going to build a bonfire and all sit around and sing 'Kumbaya'?"

"I'm afraid not." He smiled. "Heather is going to watch after your shop while you're gone, and Jake is participating in the great manhunt for your pal Pete. I'm afraid it's just you and me, sweetheart."

"Got everything planned out all nice and neat, don't ya?" She glanced around, then back at him. "Just how long are you planning to keep me hostage here anyway?"

"As long as it takes," he said, moving to light a fire in the fireplace. It was a bit chilly inside the closed-up cabin at night. "And you're not a hostage."

"Oh I see. So I'm free to leave anytime I choose," she clarified in that smart-ass tone she was so good at. "Glad you cleared that up."

She moved toward the doorway with purpose, and he was right there to stop her. She narrowed her eyes at him and tried to push past. He blocked her exit again.

"Good grief," she complained. "Can't I just take a look around outside? Geez."

"Uh-uh, sweetheart. You get out the door and you're making a run for it," he guessed.

"As if." She crossed her arms and pointed out, "For one thing, I'm too out of shape to run. This afternoon proved that. For another, I'm not crazy. I can't hotwire that truck, and I don't have a car of my own. I could probably make it to the road, but I didn't see much traffic on the way here. I doubt anyone other than a total perv would stop and pick me up if I hitched. Should I continue?"

He relaxed. "Point taken." He moved aside and told her, "Don't wander too far. It's dark outside. I might not find you if you get lost."

He watched her – he wasn't crazy either – and could see the wheels turning in her head as she surveyed the dark woods around them. Sooner or later she'd realize she wasn't going anywhere. Maybe then she'd also realize they were alone, together, and Kevin had every intention of making her realize she could trust him with her thoughts, with her body, and especially with her heart.

You see, the real reason Kevin had arranged this "kidnapping" wasn't to protect her from Andrea's husband. It was because he'd realized he and Cassie had a lot of unfinished business between them.

And this time he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

***

Four years ago...

Cassie hit the save button on her answering machine and flopped down on her sofa, contemplating the situation she now found herself in.

She had five saved messages from Kevin on her machine since the night she'd gotten drunk and ended up at his place. She groaned at that memory. She should have just deleted the messages on her machine, but for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to. She wanted to be able to hear the sound of his voice when she got really down, as crazy as that might sound. After all, she was the one who'd broken things off with him. She was the one who hadn't returned any of his phone calls and who had told him she wasn't interested in anything serious.

But still he kept calling her ...

She picked up the phone and knew she had to seal the deal, so to speak. For some reason, Kevin wasn't giving up as easily as all the other guys she'd dealt with in the past. He'd left message after message trying to reassure her he could live with a casual relationship, if that's what Cassie really wanted. She didn't believe him. Kevin Cooper deserved better, anyway. She was so emotionally crippled when it came to love and romance, she would only make him hate her in the end anyway. She dialed his number, expecting him to pick up when he saw her number on the caller ID. Instead, she got his machine, and breathed a sigh of relief that she would be able to do this the easy way. In a calm, casual voice she told him she was sorry she hadn't gotten back to him sooner but she'd been very busy.

"I met this guy – Ben something-or-other – and I've been out with him pretty much every night this week," she lied. "Anyway, I've got a date with him Friday night, but I'm sure he'll be gone Saturday morning if you want to get together later that night. Just give me a call and let me know. See ya, hot stuff."

Pressing the END button, she sighed and closed her eyes, half wondering if she'd done the right thing. If it was right, she wondered, why did she have to fight the urge to call him back and admit everything she'd just said was a lie – that she wasn't that type of woman at all? Even worse, why did she feel like she'd just lost her best friend? Oh, she wasn't completely oblivious to her feelings. She knew she cared about him – more than she had about any other man – but she didn't trust her feelings any more than she trusted his. Even if they gave it a shot and got all lovey dovey for a year or two, the odds said one or both of them would wake up one morning and realize the feeling was gone. Then where would she be? Either stuck in a relationship she didn't want anymore or ousted from a relationship she wanted desperately. No thanks.

Cassie was a loner. She liked being a loner. Well, that's what she had fooled herself into thinking anyway.

Biting her lip, Cassie wondered if Kevin would call her back. Maybe he cared enough to fight for her, even if he thought she was promiscuous and hopeless and fickle. Men liked a challenge, didn't they? She felt a flair of hope that he would call, and she knew if he did call her after the message she'd left, she wouldn't be able to fight him anymore. She didn't want to fight him anymore, she realized with sudden, stabbing clarity. As much as it scared her to death, she wanted to take a chance that what she felt for him was real and lasting, she realized. She just wasn't brave enough to take that leap without a sign from him first. Yeah, she was a coward, and she knew it. A living, breathing study in contradictions.

So she sat on the sofa for the rest of the night, surfing through reruns of old TV shows, chewing her nails, and hoping he'd call. When the night passed with no calls, she decided Kevin might not have gotten the message yet. The next night, she stayed home, holding her cordless phone and waiting anxiously for some sign that he might really be falling in love with her. The days passed. Days turned into weeks.

He never called.

Cassie told herself it didn't matter. It probably wouldn't have worked out anyway.

***

Kevin flipped his cell phone shut and grimaced as he looked back toward the cabin where Cassie was still sleeping like a baby. They still hadn't caught Pete Hendricks, but they were close. The private investigator Jake hired had tracked Pete to a distant relative's house in the next county. The place was now being watched, and as soon as Pete returned from wherever he was at the moment, they would grab him.

On one hand, Kevin was glad to hear it. On the other ... that gave him less time to keep Cassie here, and less time to convince her to give a relationship between them a chance.

Time to take a big leap of faith, he decided after checking on Cassie and finding her still asleep and snuggled up in the covers like a cute little girl. At least someone had gotten some sleep. His back was still stiff from sleeping on the floor next to the door, and his eyes felt like someone had tossed a cup of sand in them. Funnily enough, Cassie hadn't tried to sneak past him the two or three times he had dozed off last night. Maybe she'd been asleep all night, but he didn't think so.

Reluctantly, he left her a note and placed it where she couldn't miss it if she woke up – on the pillow next to her, weighed down with a rose he'd picked outside. Yeah, he knew it was cheesy and sappy and cliché, but he was getting desperate to make a dent in her armor. Maybe she would even appreciate the gesture, since she liked flowers so much, he thought.

Half an hour later, he was anxious and worried that perhaps he'd made a mistake leaving her alone. She still had her cell phone – he'd never taken it away, although he'd given her restrictions on when and how she could use it. It was entirely possible she'd woken up, called someone to pick her up, and would be gone when he got back.

Loading his package into the truck as he left the general store near the cabin, he caved in and dialed her cell phone. She answered on the third ring. She sounded sort of funny.

"What's wrong, Cassie?"

"What makes you think something is wrong?" she asked, and he pointed out how strange she'd sounded when she'd answered.

"Well, the phone scared me half to death, Kevin. I wasn't expecting anyone to call," she admitted in a huff, and he thought he heard the sound of splashing water in the background, so he asked, "What are you doing, anyway?"

"If you must know, I'm in the bathtub, soaking my muscles and trying to get my head to stop pounding," she told him.

"You...you're in the tub?"

"Yes, I'm in the tub. I couldn't leave this place without trying it out once," she said, and he remembered her commenting more than once on how uncommon claw-footed tubs were these days. "Speaking of which, where the hell are you?" she demanded testily.

"Oh, I had to go pick up some things to keep us stocked," he admitted, although he didn't clarify what he'd picked up. Talking to her now, he wondered if he should continue with his plans, and smiled, knowing he should and would.

"I should be back in a few minutes. I'm not too far from the road that leads to the cabin. I, uh..." his voice trailed off. He cleared his throat. "So, are you still in the tub?"

"No, Kevin, I just got out of the tub to get dressed. Now I'm in the bedroom." He could hear the smile in her voice now, and he smiled too.

"So, um, what are you wearing?" he asked casually, feeling a little thrill at the image that came to mind as well as the idea of flirting with Cassie over the phone. "Nothin', I suppose. You haven't had much time to get dressed," he pointed out.

He could really hear the smile now when she said, "Actually, I just put on an old robe I found in the closet – an old, ugly, ratty-looking robe that covers me from chin to toe."

"A robe, huh?" He smiled as he directed the truck closer to the cabin. "Hmmm. Well, not ideal, but I can work with that."

"Huh?"

"Lay down on the bed, Cassie." He dropped his voice down to a deep, whispery, seductive sound. "Imagine I'm undoing the sash – with my teeth ..."

She laughed and told him, "You're an idiot, Kevin."

"Can't blame a guy for trying."

"I'm hanging up now," she told him. "I don't want to get caught half naked when you walk through the door."

"Hey, I wouldn't mind. Really."

"Bye, Kevin."

Feeling more confident about what he had in store for her, he turned up the radio and whistled along with the tune as he drove the short mile back to the cabin. He was half hoping she would let him catch her changing when he walked in, but she was fully dressed, curled up in the chair, and flipping through the small selection of channels on the old TV when he got there. He smiled at her, and she rolled her eyes but smiled too.

He sat the bag of items he'd purchased on the table, and she groaned. "Please tell me those aren't a week's worth of groceries."

"These aren't a week's worth of groceries."

"Seriously?" she perked up and had to come inspect for herself. He, however, jerked the bag out of her reach before she could peek inside. She crossed her arms and glared at him. "OK, Cooper, what's in the bag?"

"A surprise," he told her.

"I hate surprises," she argued. "Let me see ..."

He swatted her hand away and pulled the bag into safe territory. "Be a good girl and you'll find out." Ignoring her protests, he took the bag and hugged it to his side so she couldn't get to it. "Do me a favor and go take a walk or something. You'll get a surprise when you come back. Just give me fifteen minutes to set things up. That's all, I promise."