Page 70 of Second Down Fake

The controller dug into the back of my neck, and her knee jabbed my thigh. Not a perfect hug, but damn near close. She pulled away with a shuddering breath. The excitement faded from her sparking green eyes, replaced with shock and then…well, it sure as hell wasn’t teasing. Her plush bottom lip disappeared into her mouth.

“Cassandra.” Reluctantly, I loosened my grip on her waist and cupped her cheek.

“This isn’t Vegas, Diego,” she said, but instead of pulling away, she slid her hands onto my shoulders and down my chest. Her gaze followed her fingertips.

“No, but does it have to be?” I brushed my thumb over her cheek, willing her to look up and into my eyes.

Her palms stilled, her head giving the barest hint of a shake. “I don’t know. Does it?”

Her tongue slid across her bottom lip, and my grip tightened. I tilted my head, and her eyes fluttered closed.

POP

Her eyes opened. “What was that?”

“Nothing,” I said, leaning forward again.

“Do you hear that?”

I didn’t hear anything besides the beating of my heart. “No. Probably the TV.”

Her hands dropped from my chest. “Where’s your water heater?”

“My what?”

She stood up, eyes scanning the exterior of the room before moving to the door. “Your water heater. I think it burst.”

Shaking my head, I stood as she raced out of the room, walking into a small river rolling through the hallway.

“Fuck!” I swore, running to meet her.

“It’s not a big deal,” she waved away my panic, pulling open a door to the laundry room and releasing a flood. “Your water heater is in here.”

“I can handle this.”

She laughed, eyes dancing back to me. “You know what to do with a busted water heater?”

I didn’t.

“Alright, teach me.” I crowded into the small laundry room behind her. Water gushed out of the tank, providing the bare minimum of distraction from Cassandra’s body so close to mine.

“It’s easy. Just shut the water valve.” She grasped a red handle at the top of the tank and pulled it perpendicular to the pipe.

Nothing happened. She cocked her head.

“So, does it take a while for the water to stop?”

“No.” She grabbed the other handle, shutting the valve. Nothing. “Lift me up. I can’t see the top of this thing.”

I wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her up. Her ass pressed against my stomach as she leveraged her feet against the tank, angling her head to get a better look.

“Well, that’s not good.”

“What’s not good?”

“Where’s the water turn off for the house?”

“My what?”

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