Page 12 of Captivated

Cassie hesitates, then quickly types it in and goes back to crossing her arms and turning away from me to look out the window.

The drive to her place is a quiet ten minutes, and when I pull into the driveway of her duplex, she shifts in her seat, her eyes scanning the front of the house.

“Where’s your car?” I ask, needing to break the silence. “Is someone borrowing it?” There’s no car in the driveway, and I remember her having one. I walked her down to it after our weekend.

“No,” she clips, her anger still going strong.

“Are you mad at me?” I ask in a tone I know she’ll respond to.

“Give me my phone.”

“Not until you tell me why you’re so mad and where your car is.”

“Why are you so fixated on my car?”

“Why are you being so secretive about it?”

“I’m not. I just…” she pauses, trying to find a good lie I assume.

“You just…” I say, wanting her to finish her sentence.

“Stop that.” Her eyes snap to mine, blazing blue like hot flames.

“Stop what?”

“That. Trying to get information from me I clearly don’t want to share or want you to know. My life is none of your business.”

“It’s a simple question.”

“With a complicated answer.”

I soften my tone so she won’t explode on me when I ask, “Did something happen to it? Do you need a new one?”

“What I need is my phone and my bag so I can get out of this car. This was a mistake. What happened back there was a mistake.”

“Not for me,” I tell her seriously, and her eyes narrow, trying to see if I’m for real or not. “I got what I wanted.”

That was a mistake.

I meant I got what I wanted, which was more of her. But of course, it didn’t come out that way.

Cassie’s jaw clenches and her eyes grow angrier.

“I’m sure you did.” She stretches into the back seat and grabs her bag. “Give me my phone.”

I don’t think I can fuck this up further, but I don’t want to let her go like this with no prospect of seeing her again.

“Nico,” she says forcefully, placing her hand palm-up in the air between us.

I take it in mine and turn it over. Cassie’s eyes grow wide as I bring her hand to my mouth and kiss her knuckles. I can see her anger dissipate before my eyes. Her face and eyes soften to reveal her true feelings.

I knew it. I see it.

My eyes never leave hers as I turn her hand back over and kiss her palm. She melts further for me.

I place her phone in her hand and reluctantly let go.

Cassie can be mad all she wants, but I know her better than she thinks.

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