Page 15 of Catching Mr. Right

“Summer, come dance with me?” She curls her fingers in a come here gesture.

I tread closer while her friend shakes her head and bites her lip to keep from laughing. This is the friend who’s also the sister of that jackass, Sam. Does she know that her brother is the reason Mandy is clearly drunk so early in the evening?

“Cas?” Mandy screeches, waving frantically at me. “What are you doing here? Do you like wine? Will you dance with me?”

“Sure.” I navigate between tables to reach her, while shooting a glance down my nose at Summer, who frowns as though she has no idea why I would be unimpressed by her laidback approach to Mandy’s behavior. Reaching my drunk apprentice, I slide a hand around her waist, something I told myself mere hours ago I wouldn’t do again. It’s only because she looks like she could use a hand to steady her that I touch her at all. But hey, I’m not complaining. Once my fingers find the small of her back, I press her closer. Instinctually. Protectively. Maybe just because part of me wants to be this close to another human being. To her while she sways to the music. If only for a minute before I turn her focus to another man. “How about one dance and then you let me take you home?”

“Okay.” She curls her fingers in the open collar of my shirt and nuzzles my neck. I’m pretty sure she also sniffs me, but again I’m not about to complain. This is only a few stolen moments, like this afternoon was one stolen kiss. It’s enough to get by on when I’m on my own.

Who knows how long the song lasts. A few seconds, a couple minutes. Long enough for my skin to feel like a live wire, and my chest to get so tight it burns. When the music ends I abruptly step back, but I don’t let go of her. She blinks slowly up at me, still swaying a little. It reminds me of how she looked earlier in the kitchen before I kissed her. I hadn’t planned on doing that, but I’d wanted to. And now? I force a cough to clear my throat. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yes.” She nods.

“Good,” I tell her, moving us closer to Summer so that we can collect Mandy’s purse and phone. “Because I think you’re starting to frighten the winos, and they don’t scare easily.”

“Are you planning on kissing me again?” She asks, and it’s loud enough that Summer stares at me.

“What?” I snap at Summer, ignoring Mandy’s question, because no, I am not going to kiss her again, and it would be for the best if she didn’t think about it at all. And if I didn’t think about it either. “It’s not like she’s dating your brother. The guy wouldn’t know what to do with a woman like Mandy.”

“Probably not.” Summer smiles. “Do you?”

“Yes.” I have a fairly good idea of what Mandy Pearce probably needs. The first part of it starts with a C and ends with a K. The second part is a guy who not only knows how to keep her big mouth full, along with the rest of her tight holes, but can show her that she’s necessary. But that isn’t me. And it isn’t my stupid fucking cock either.

“She hasn’t had dinner.” Summer gathers her bag. “She had a bite of cupcake, but the wine hit her hard.”

“How much did she have?”

She chews her lip. “Four on my count. I tried to persuade her to order food. She’s a cheap date.”

“You didn’t try hard enough,” I grumble. Seeing her this upset over some loser grinds my gears. Seeing her this upset, possibly over my actions, makes me want to lash out. “I need her in the kitchen first thing in the morning. I need her sober.”

“Don’t worry about him.” Mandy laughs at me. “He’s always so serious. He kisses like the future depends on it, though. I swear to God, he makes—”

Summer clamps her hand over Mandy’s mouth while she retorts, “Have you tried to convince her to do something other than what she wants? Because it isn’t exactly easy.”

Mandy drags her hand off her face. “Cas yells a lot. It’s sexy. Are you always so bossy?”

“Close to it,” I agree, gruffly. I’ve worked so hard to be brusque and abrasive that I’ve gotten it down to an art form. It normally ensures people stay the hell out of my way, and now one little girl finds it attractive? I have to work twice as hard to keep her away from me, have to push her into the arms of a guy who probably isn’t the best man for her, but at least is who she wants.

“In the bedroom?” She lets go of my shirt, and mimics me as well as she can with her empty belly and skinful of wine. “I’m Cas, and I like to make women cry when they’re in bed with me. Down on your knees, little girl, and take it like a—”

This time I clamp my hand over her mouth. My heart’s pounding so hard, my pulse racing at the words that came out of her mouth. She’s so close to the truth, and she doesn’t even know it. She’s poking fun, and my whole world ended because of a very similar situation. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Okay,” Summer agrees, and leads the way out of the wine shop.

Mandy pulls my hand from her face and laughs. “I’m Casper. Look, I’m on a horse.”

As soon as we hit the landing that leads to the street, I scoop her up, toss her over my shoulder, and push past Summer to the stairs. She trails behind us as I shove through the door and onto the street.

Mandy squirms and pushes at my back. “I’ve always imagined being tossed over some randy guy’s shoulder. And you don’t even have to pretend you’re a caveman.”

“Goodbye, Summer.” I wave over my shoulder at her as I traipse down the street.

“Do you need help?” she calls after us.

“Nope. But you should tell your brother that he isn’t going to have to worry about Mandy Pearce anymore. She has a new dream man.”

“What?” Summer yells.

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