Page 8 of Catching Mr. Right

“Mandy. It’s good to see you again.” His hands grip my waist and I almost lose all semblance of cool. They set off butterflies in my belly. Holding me at arm’s length, he catches me with his blue-eyed gaze that makes my belly flip, and asks, “Do you know where Summer is?”

“I’m not sure. She was dancing.” I run my fingers over his bicep where the sleeve is cuffed. So much man meat. “We should dance. I bet you’d be fabulous at it. Especially dirty dancing. We could take off our clothes and—”

“Here’s your drink.” Casper pushes a tall glass of pink liquid between Sam and I. Both brows are pulled tight, and his jaw is clenched worse than a sphincter with a constipation issue.

“Why are you following me?”

“You didn’t grab your drink.” He shrugs and pushes a hand into his pocket. “Plus, I didn’t think it was right to let you go off with some stranger.”

“Oh, right. Well, he’s not a stranger. He’s Sam. And we didn’t go off. We’re at Mayhem.”

“This is Sam?” Casper glares at him. “Is this the guy?”

“And you are?” Sam eyes Casper warily.

A deliciously mischievous shiver runs down my spine as they size each other up. Or at least that’s what I think they’re doing. Shoulders pull back, both men fully at attention and taking stock of the other without moving a muscle. A girl can dream about two guys fighting over her, can’t she? Even though Cas is just being his usual uncharming self.

“Casper.” A hand is thrust in my direction, only to be caught up by another strong masculine hand in front of me. “I’m Mandy’s boss.”

“You’re a school principal?” Sam asks.

“I’m volunteering for the season,” I say. “In the kitchen at Bennington Ranch.”

“Where Summer works?” Sam looks at me askance over my shoulder.

“That’s right.” I nod.

“And you’re head chef?” Sam turns to Casper.

“Very good, man. You can put two and two together,” Casper grouches.

“Don’t mind him,” I tell Sam. “He’s always crotchety.”

Except for earlier when he allowed me to touch his face. I press my fingertips to my own lips. He definitely wasn’t grumpy then. He was nice, practically sweet.

“Am not.” Casper folds his arms across his chest and rocks back on his feet.

“You should hear him in the kitchen. It’s fuck this and fuck that, and damn, you’re stupid.” I pull a face at him. Honestly, he hasn’t been awful since we had the conversation about my parents, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to let it go.

Sam smirks and blows a burst of air out his nose. “Normal kitchen shit, then?”

“Yeah.” Casper cocks his head to the side. “Travelled around a bit these last few years, cooking wherever I landed. You’re in the industry too?”

“I run a restaurant in L.A. Maybe you’ve heard of it. Josef’s.”

“I’ve heard of it,” Casper admits, then raises a solitary brow at me. “So your man’s a chef?”

“Smart, aren’t I?” I grin at him.

“Who lives in Los Angeles and couldn’t manage to teach you to cook?”

“For now.” Although I could make my home in L.A. It might even be nice to live in the City of Angels. But I have Summer, so I bet I could talk Sam around once I have my hooks in him. I just need a plan this time.

“Mandy and I aren’t together.” Sam shakes his head as if amused. “She’s just friends with my kid sister.”

“Ouch. We’re a little more friendly than that.” I’m not worried about it. Given more than a couple weeks I could totally change his mind.

“My mistake.” Casper stares me down, every inch of his face becoming like granite. “I don’t know where I got that impression from.”

“Me either.” I only told him Sam was my dream man. I didn’t say anything about having caught him yet. I’m an optimistic realist. It’s only a matter of time before Sam realizes he wants me, and when he does I’ll be available.

“All right.” Casper, points a thumb over his shoulder as he walks backwards. “I’m going to head back to the ranch. See you Monday?”

“Yep.” I cling to Sam’s bicep and give him my full attention. I have no idea what Casper’s problem is, why he’s so anti-social and moody most of the time, and other times almost… genuinely nice. But I don’t have time to try to understand him. I have to give my undivided attention to Sam if I have any hope of landing him. “So how long are you in town, Sam?”

---