Temptation's Kiss Ch. 05

Chapter 5:

Monday morning started as it usually did for Randon. He'd woken up at eight o'clock, after two restless hours of sleep, ate a huge breakfast, then gone to the club to check and order inventory. His thoughts were on Cassidy the whole time.

There was something about her that made her so much different than the girls he was used to dating. She was more down to earth, but it was something more than that. Sure she was beautiful, but he'd dated beautiful women. There was just something about her that made her so much more interesting to him than the fake women he was used to.

He'd never in his life wanted a woman so much, that was for sure. He'd sure as hell never denied himself a woman he wanted. It was wrecking hell on his system.

No woman had ever made him feel like Cassidy did. She knew he had money, millions in fact, but she acted no different around him than anybody else she was around. She didn't seem to expect anything from him like so many women he'd been with in the past.

"Earth to Randon!"

Randon looked up at his best friend, Logan Thompson. The tall red head man was standing with his arms crossed over his shoulders, and a no nonsense expression on his boyishly handsome face. "Where'd you go man?" he asked.

"Sorry. When did you get here?" Rand asked him.

"About thirty seconds ago. The guys are coming over for poker night. Are you in, or are you going to your new girlfriends house?" Logan asked with a ear splitting smile.

"I'm in. I could use a guy's night." Randon said.

"Great. See you at eight. You bring the beer." Logan said as he walked away.

"I brought the beer last time!" Randon yelled after him, but he knew he'd be buying the beer. He always got conned into it.

A poker night at Logan's included Logan, Marcus, Joshua, and himself. It was an opportunity to take each other's money, drink beer, and talk about women. How could a sane man turn it down?

He went back to work, ordering the inventory he was getting low on, and when he was finished he handed the rest of the night over to his manager Carl.

He stopped by a convenient store on his way to Logan's and picked up two twelve packs of beer. When he was at Logan's he pulled out his phone. He knew it would be way past midnight when he'd get done, and he wanted to talk to Cassidy. It was almost eight, so he knew she'd be home from the bookstore. He dialed her number and waited on her to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hello gorgeous." He answered smiling at the sound of her voice.

Her laugh made his stomach tighten into knots.

"Hey Randon." She said. "What are you doing?"

"Getting ready for poker night with the guys. I probably wont get another chance to call you and I wanted to hear your voice at least once today." He told her. Such lines came easily to him. It shocked him that he actually meant it.

"Well that sounds fun. I was getting ready to go to the movies with Maria, Cora, and Anna." She told him.

Randon put the faces to the names and smiled. He remembered Maria as the talkative one, Cora as the seductive one, and Anna as the quiet and shy one. He'd met them all the night he'd met Cassidy.

"That sounds dandy."

"Dandy?" Cassidy repeated with a laugh.

"Yes, dandy. What are you doing tomorrow?" Rand asked.

"Um, well it's Tuesday so I guess I'm working then coming home and doing nothing." Cassidy told him.

"Well, my mom has a small art show tomorrow night. It's black tie affair. I know its short notice but would you like to go with me? I promise it won't be too painful." Rand asked.

"I don't have anything to wear, but I guess I can pick something up tomorrow. What time?"

"I'll pick you up around six!" Rand said with a grin. He didn't realize how much he'd wanted her to meet his family. And to think he'd only known her for a few days.

Ten minutes later he was walking into Logan's house, ready to take his friends money in a game of poker.

Cassidy looked in the mirror and smiled approvingly at her reflection. Sure the invitation to the art show the night before had been short notice, but she'd managed to clean up good.

Cora had picked out a gown earlier that day for the occasion while Cass had been at work. It was black, simple, sexy, and slinky. The material clung to her body and milky pale breasts rose above a strapless neckline. A simple diamond necklace and matching earrings, a Christmas present from her parents, gave the dress a bit of sparkle.

She wore her hair down in a riot of spiraling curls. Her makeup was smoky and dramatic.

"I look fantastic." She said to herself and spun around with a gleeful giggle. She was female. She enjoyed getting all dressed up to impress people.

Her heart immediately stopped when the doorbell rang and nerves set in. She was going to met Rand's family. She was going to be at a part with the wealthiest people around in less than an hour.

She walked to the door and them minute she opened it and saw Rand, her nerves flew out the window.

He looked stunning. There was no other word for it.

He wore a black suit and white button down with the first few buttons carelessly left undone. His hair was a bit tousled and added to the air of carelessness. His eyes looked like two dazzling emeralds staring back at her.

"Wow. You look unbelievably beautiful."

Cassidy blushed and looked down.

"Thank you very much." She said. "You look pretty good yourself."

"Why thank you my dear." He said with an exaggerated bow.

Less than thirty minutes later they were pulling up at a huge art gallery. Limos were arriving, carrying gorgeous women in gorgeous gowns and dashing men dressed to impress.

"A little art show?" she whispered to Rand. He laughed and grabbed her hand to lead her up the steps to the doors.

"Yes, well it is rather small. Don't worry; you are the most beautiful thing in the entire place. No one will be able to keep their eyes off of you. I'm just glad you're mine."

At the word mine, Cassidy felt her heart leap and her face broke out into an uncontrollable smile. She wanted to throw her arms around him and hold him close, but she comforted herself with tightening her hold on his hand.

Once inside Cass was dragged over to a couple that appeared to be in their early fifties. The woman wasn't exactly beautiful, but she had the most alluring face that was only enhanced by the laugh lines etched into her gold skin. Her hair was black with a few strands of silver. The signs of aging only seemed to add to her allure. She was tall and curvy, her build accentuated by a long ivory gown.

The man at her side was gorgeous, and it was easy to tell he was Randon's father. He was the spitting image of his son; or rather his son was the spitting image of him. They shared the same dark complexion, dark curling hair, and deep emerald green eyes.

"Mom, Dad, this is Cassidy Jennings. Cass, this is my mother, Elle, and my father, Randon Alexander Mitchell the second, or Alex." Randon introduced the couple.

"Oh Randon she is lovely! It's a pleasure to meet you my dear." Elle said with a smile that transformed her face from alluring to stunning.

"She's a looker Rand." Alex told his son with a wink for Cass.

"It's an honor to meet you Mr. Mitchell, Mrs. Mitchell." Cass said and was shocked when Elle pulled her into a warm hug.

"Please it's Elle and Alex. Now how would you like some champagne?"

"I would love some." Cassidy smiled as Elle waved down one of the waiters holding a tray that carried six flasks of bubbling champagne.

"Randon Mitchell! Is that you?"

Cassidy turned at the sound of a high pitched squeal and narrowed her eyes at the tiny blonde woman that grabbed him and kissed him passionately on the mouth. The woman was not taller than 5'3" with obviously fake platinum blonde hair and silicone breasts that were about five sizes to large for her petite frame and were showed off a bit extravagantly in a barely there black cocktail gown.

Cassidy decided to hate her.

"Miranda, how are you." Rand said, and to Cassidy's relief he looked a bit uncomfortable in the presence of the plastic Barbie doll.

"I am simply fabulous my dear. Mine and Andrew's divorce is now final." She told him. No one would have missed the invitation in the statement, or the way she leaned into him giving him a nice view of her high dollar cleavage.

"What was he, number 8?"

"Oh no dear, he was number 6!" the girl, Miranda, said with a look of astonishment.

"I can hardly keep up with your, erm, affairs Miranda. Now, I don't believe you've met Cassidy Jennings, my date." Rand said and he grabbed Cassidy's hand pulling her to his side.

"Oh darling, she's lovely!" Miranda said and with that walked off towards another guy who was more interested in her baser qualities.

"Randon!"

Cassidy fought the urge to groan at another woman's excited voice, though far less annoying than the blonde bimbos.

"Loretta!" Randon laughed and Cassidy turned to see one of her favorite customer's, Loretta Mitchell looking radiant in her pale blue gown that showed off her swollen belly. She was beautiful with her red hair pulled back and her icy blue eyes glowing with pleasure. "You look wonderful." Randon told her, kissing the top of her head.

"She does doesn't she?"

Cassidy looked at the tall dark haired man who came to stand by Loretta. He was obviously related to Randon, and Cass decided it was his older brother. Startling blue eyes turned on her, and a green lit his face.

"Ah, you must be the incredible Cassidy Jennings I've heard so much about. You were right Randon. She is beautiful. How'd you land her?" he asked, giving Rand a good natured elbow to the ribs. "Where are my manners? I'm Chase Mitchell. Randon's older more sophisticated brother. It's a pleasure to meet you." Chase said.

"You look wonderful Cassidy. That dress is just stunning on you!"

Cassidy smiled at Loretta. "You look incredibly yourself. You're positively glowing!"

The rest of the night drug on slowly, but Cassidy didn't care. She was too busy laughing and having a wonderful time with Rand and his family.

Her heart leapt out of her chest when he'd smile at her, whisper something in her ear, or tangle his fingers around hers. He seemed to always be touching her, whether it was run a hand down her arm or twirl a tendril of her hair around his finger.

"Have I mentioned that your beauty takes my breath away?" He whispered in her ear, startling her as she was looking at one of his mother's exquisite paintings.

"A few times." She said with a smile and leaned back to rest against his chest.

"It's true. It's not just you're beauty either. Everything about you takes my breath away. I can't get you out of my head. It's only been a few days and you're all I seem to think about." Rand told her and brushed his lips across her neck, causing a shiver to run down her spine. Cassidy closed her eyes and tangled her fingers with his.

"I think the champagne is going to your head." She informed him on a sigh, grateful that no one else was around.

"No. You've gone to my head. God, Cass I want you so bad I can't breathe. I want to take you home and bury myself so deep inside of you that I forget where I end and you begin. I want to make love to you slowly and I want to make you scream my name. There are so many things I want to do to you, long to do to you." Rand whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair.

"Randon." Cassidy whimpered. "I want you to make love to me."

"Tonight. Come home with me tonight."

"Yes."