Page 306 of As the Rain Falls
God, she really does drive me insane. I am obsessed with this girl and taking things slow, one second at a time.
“Hi, you two.”
She stops next to me before dragging her right arm around my torso, pulling me into a hug. I throw my arm over her shoulders, and Cassandra grins at me before rising to her tippy toes.
“Hi, you.”
She presses a kiss to my lips before glancing at Olivia again. It’s short and sweet, not an actual real kiss like the one I truly need, and it comes off as a little possessive. I feel Cassandra’s feet grazing over mine, and when I look down, she is drawing little circles on the floor with her toes, pink-colored nails wiggling nervously.
Olivia smiles politely at her before looking at me again. “So as I was saying before—”
“Are we still going to get ice cream together?” Cassandra interrupts her, her voice soft but firm. It’s definitely the tone that makes me notice something is up. “I’m getting a bit hot waiting for you out there.”
I give her a long look, trying to figure her out. “Listen, Oli. I’m sorry, we kind of promised we were going to get ice cream for everybody earlier.”
“Oh!” Olivia drags out her answer, her eyes going back and forth between Cassandra and me before she swallows hard. “Ice cream. Right.”
“They’re selling my favorite flavor,” Cassandra adds softly, gaze flickering back to her. “I really want him to try it.”
Oh, indeed.
I watch her blush under my gaze, pressing her hand to her flaming cheeks before looking away, almost embarrassed.
“Then, let’s go buy it,” I offer, turning to bump my fist against Olivia’s. “Keep in touch, Saint-Louis. I’d love to help with yourboyfriend’skitchen.”
“I will.”
We wave Olivia goodbye before walking back to where our friends are seated. The sun is angrily tapping against my shoulders, and I’m starting to feel tired enough to want to take a nap.
Cassandra is ignoring me now, though, and that’s a problem.
This girl… I swear.She might look sweet, but she certainly knows how to make an impression. And she likes to keep me trailing right behind her, that’s for sure.
With her gold chain tied to her waist, perfectly molding her soft curves as she walks, she looks every bit like the person I should be kissing and not fighting right now.
“I thought Kayla and Antony left to get us the ice cream.” I keep trailing behind her. “So why should we go instead?”
Cassandra makes a short sound of indignation, and my gaze lowers to her hips again as they sway.She doesn’t say anything else until we reach our spot again. I frown, not understanding what I’ve done wrong this time around.
Sweet Jesus.
“Cassandra!” I call out her name, almost begging her to look at me. “Baby?”
“Don’t.” She rolls her eyes at me. “Don’t call me that right now because I’m pissed at you.”
“What’s up?” I glance at Angelina before sitting down on the towel, and the brunette looks at me sideways before kneeling on the ground and standing up. “Wait! Where are you going?”
“I’m going to look for Mateo while you two talk. He was buying me a juice, but I’m starting to think he might’ve gotten lost again.”
I hear Cassandra laugh at that, and my head automatically snaps towards her. Wanting her to come closer, I try to pull her leg towards me.
She kneels by my side, fixing the way her bikini molds her body as she does so, pouty lips twitching when she sneaks another glance at Olivia, who’s whistling to little kids. They won’t stop trying to go into the water when the tide is already too high for them. It’s safer for them to stay on land for now.
“You look gloomy.” I press my lips together, tasting grains of sand against them. Cassandra uttersanotherdeep sound of indignation. I reach for her arm and squeeze it gently, a silent apology for whatever it is that got her upset. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She glances at me dejectedly now, green eyes narrowing as I try really hard not to laugh. “It’s just… You and Olivia.”
I raise a curious brow, wondering where this reaction is coming from. “You’re a jealous little thing, aren’t you?”
