Page 99 of Company Ink

Cassie: Yes

Cassie: My answer is yes

Cassie: Come to my room

I throw my phone on the bed and head to the bathroom, leaving puddles of water in my wake. I take off my drenched hoodie and toss it in the tub, my entire body vibrating. There's a knock on my door.

Well, someone's eager.Grabbing a towel from the rack, I dry my hair as I head towards the door. This is going to be a bitch to explain.

I swing open the door and frown.

"What're you doing here?" I ask Blake whose chest is heaving, lip twitching, water dripping down his face, his strikingly intense eyes burrowing into me. "Blake?"

thirty-one

bad timing

Blake pushes past me, storming inside my room. "Go away! I don't want to talk to you!" I hold the door open for him.

Blake plants his feet firmly on the floor, not budging. He runs both hands through his wet hair, his clothing dripping all over the floor.

"You are the mostinfuriatingwoman I have ever met in my whole fucking life!" he yells, and I immediately shut the door.Shit, he's being loud.

Blake begins pacing back and forth like a madman.

"You're unbelievable, Cassie. Truly! Sure, when it comes to dishing out advice, you're all for it, but taking it? Oh God, it's like talking to afuckingwall! And why the hell do you never listen to me? Huh? I told you, you were paddling too hard, but did you stop? No, of course, you didn't! Because you're Cassie, and you do whatever you want without thinking about the consequences of your actions!"

Blake marches towards me and I circle around him like he's the hunter and I'm the prey. He's swearing at me! Blake doesn't swear. I'm lost for words. I don't know what to say.

"You're always so happy and smiling and fucking bright, but when things get real, what do you do? You run away. And you know why you ran? Because you hate that I saw through you. That I saw you.You, Cassie. Not this happy-go-lucky, 'I don't give a shit about the future' façade you put on. Okay, so you feel guilty about Ness, that's fine. That's normal, but you need todosomething about it. Figure it out. Deal with it and move on, because, like it or not, Cassie, the world keeps on spinning regardless of how you feel!"

Blake's out of breath, panting, walking towards me, his eyes glistening with determination, grit, and something that makes my breath catch in the back of my throat. My eyes well up.

"You're wrong," I whisper, fighting back tears. "You're wrong—"

"I'm not." Blake stops in front of me, his hot breath blowing in my face. The scent of mint, sea salt, and ocean engulf my lungs.

My heart hammers in my chest as his hand grabs the back of my head, his fingers sifting through my damp hair. Hunger flashes in his eyes as his lips collide with mine, sloppy, uncoordinated, urgent. Our teeth crash and scrape, his hand on my waist, squeezing, roaming, gripping my wet clothes. I gasp, parting my lips, Blake seizes my tongue, our breaths hot, bouncing, panting. I swing my arms around his neck, my nails digging into his flesh, our mouths salty from the ocean, from my tears. Yet sweet. So,fuckingsweet.

Blake pulls away first, staggering backward, covering his face. I'm left frazzled, shaking, melting, hot and bothered, and wanting more.Holy shit.

I try to catch my breath, my balance, my grip on reality. "Blake...I—" Words. How does one use them? "I—uh..."

Blake paces back and forth, my eyes following him, trying to read him. What's he thinking? Why did he—Why?

"Blake?" I breathe, touching my swollen lips. That was real. It happened. "Are you—I mean... Do you—"

Blake shakes his head, his azure eyes flickering around my face. "Cassie, I—"

Suddenly, the creaking sound of the door swinging open draws our attention, our heads snap towards it. Fuck.

Adrian.

He's holding a bouquet of roses in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other, confusion plastered on his face.

"What're you doing here, Pearson?" Adrian asks, studying us with curious eyes. "Why are you both wet?"

Fuckity fuck. No. God no. What did I do?

---