Page 8 of Always Heated

Travis bites his lip to hide his smile, but it still meets his eyes.What the hell does he find so amusing? “You’re right, I didn’t choose you when I should’ve, but it’s always been you, Cass.”

“So, I break up with my boyfriend, and you’ll wife me up? You hardly know me. Sure, we grew up together, but we never dated. For all I know, you’re terrible in bed. Then where would I be? Married to a man who doesn’t know how to properly fuck me? I’d rather be single.” His eyes darken and he leans in to kiss me, but I stop him with my fingers to his lips. “I don’t think so. You don’t get to come in here and pretend we’ve been something and demand I break up with Zack. You had years to choose me.” I reach behind me to the door handle and tug it open. “Goodbye, Travis. Your three minutes are up.”

With a wolfish grin, he steps back for me to open the door. “The pact was if we’re not married. You’re not, and neither am I. We haven’t dated, but that ends now.”

As he steps onto my porch, I protest, “I can’t date you. I have a?—”

“Boyfriend? Fiancé? Zack’s a great guy, but you’re not going to marry him. See you around, wildcat.” He struts back to his truck with unmatched swagger.

Asshole.

I close the door and rest my back against it. Sliding down the cold wood until my ass hits the floor, my heart is beating a mile a minute. The audacity of that man! He thinks he can come in here and turn my world upside down…

He doesn’t just think it, he ruined everything.

travis

. . .

Driving home from Cassidy’s, I glance over at the brown bag stuffed with DVDs and can’t help the smile on my face. She wants a leading man? I’ll give her one.

I pull into my driveway and throw my truck into park, then grab the bag and rush inside. I’m not sure I’ve ever moved so fast in my life. Dumping the bag out onto the couch, I shift the cases until I find one that feels like Cassidy. It has a blonde woman with a gold dress—close enough. I pop the disc into my gaming system, and while the opening credits begin, I make my way to the fridge for a beer.

After the first thirty minutes, the movie isn’t inspiring. There’s a woman writing a column for her magazine and trying everything in her power to get the man to break up with her. It doesn’t apply to my situation, so I try for another.

This one has a woman who looks like she has a stick up her ass. Another thirty minutes, and it’s also not helpful—she’s engaged to her assistant to avoid deportation. Again, it doesn’t help.

The next one I try, fits my predicament perfectly. There’s even a marriage pact! Except, the guy ends up with the young, blonde chick when he should’ve ended up with his best friend. I’m not loving how it played out, especially with me being the friend, not the one engaged.

Good thing it’s fiction.

I grab another DVD and it’s one I remember from when I was a kid; my mom loved it. I already know the story: Small town girl makes it big and is engaged to some rich prick. She goes back home and falls for her ex-husband, except he never signed the papers. While it’s not exactly what I’m dealing with, there’s some kind of love triangle, so I give it a try, watching until the end. She chooses her first love, which is promising.

If I can prove I’m better than Zack, it could show Cass she’s supposed to be with me. I pull up my messages and send a group text to Ingrid, Cass, Zack, Ashlyn, and Caleb.

Axe throwing tomorrow, anyone?

Ingrid

Cay and I are in, if Pop can watch the kids.

Ashlyn

That sounds like fun! What time? I get off at 4:30.

Ingrid

Can you bring me blueberries, Ash? I need them for Sunday breakfast.

Ashlyn

Absolutely!

Zack

I’m in if it’s after 5.

I’m off tomorrow, so whatever works for everyone, works for me.

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