Page 5 of Falling for the Boss's Son

“I moved to Kansas City with my mom when I was fourteen.”

He wondered if something had happened to her father or if her parents were divorced, but for some reason, that felt too heavy and tonight he didn’t want that. “Where did you live before you were fourteen?”

“St. Louis.” She looked at him from beneath her lashes and he felt the muscles in his stomach tightening again. “My mom met David and his job transferred him here, so we moved.”

“Was it hard to leave all your friends?”

“Of course, but I went back to visit them when I was with my dad.”

That answered his question on whether her parents were divorced.

“How—”

The doors to his study swung open, causing them both to look up. His sister, now looking slightly pissed off, stood in the doorframe, hands on her hips. “Why are you hiding in here? This is your party. You’re supposed to be mingling with guests.”

Knowing his time alone with Cassie was over, he stood and offered her a hand up. She’d relaxed as they’d sat and talked, but now the awkwardness was back.

“Um. I should go find Brie and Kaden.” She set her glass of wine on the desk and brushed past his sister.

Beks raised an eyebrow in question, but he ignored her as he put the wine bottle away and made his way back to the party.

CHAPTER 2

Cassie spent the rest of the evening avoiding Jesse and pretending she didn’t notice all the questioning looks she was getting from Brie. Her friend had noticed her absence, but apart from asking where she’d been, Brie hadn’t said much. Then again, they hadn’t been alone.

All that changed after Kaden dropped them both off at their apartment. Cassie thought he’d come in—spend the night—but Brie told him she had to be up early in the morning. The universal woman code for I’m not in the mood tonight.

As soon as the lock clicked shut, Brie zeroed in on her. “I’ve been patient all night. Where did you disappear to?”

“I didn’t disappear.” Cassie padded to the kitchen for some water.

“You were gone for at least thirty minutes.”

Had it been that long? It didn’t seem like it. But she tended to get lost in Jesse’s eyes every time she’d meet his gaze. It was as if he’d cast a spell on her or something.

When she didn’t say anything, Brie softened her tone. “Did you two…”

Cassie met her friend’s gaze. “No.” She paused. “He offered me some wine and we talked.”

“You talked?”

Finishing her water, she placed the glass in the dishwasher and headed toward her room. Yes, all they did was share a glass of wine and talk, but it had felt intimate somehow.

She was halfway out of her dress when Brie appeared in her doorway, her hip leaning against the frame. “Are you going to see him again?”

“It wasn’t like that.” It was never like that. Not for her. Guys either weren’t interested in her the way she was in them, or they wanted more from her than she was willing to give. Her dad had taught her not to settle. She deserved someone who treated her like she was special to them.

As her dad’s words filtered through her brain, her thoughts returned to Jesse. While she was with him, she felt a connection she’d never experienced before with a man. It was both equal parts amazing and a little frightening.

Brie walked across the room and took Cassie’s hands in hers. She led her to the bed and sat down, taking Cassie with her. “Look, I know things didn’t work out with Greg.”

“Or Trent. Or Brian. Or?—”

“I know you’ve had bad luck in the men department.”

Bad luck was putting a pleasant spin on things. Her last boyfriend, Greg, was supposed to be out of town on business when she spotted him having dinner with another woman. She’d followed them back to his place, waited for twenty minutes, then went up. He’d given her a key, so she’d let herself in.

Looking back, she wished she’d stayed in the car. The whole experience had been humiliating.

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