Page 40 of Reaching His Heart (The Sartoris 3)

Once she was dressed and had grabbed one of the croissants Cason bought the day before, she headed out of the house. Neil leaned against the BMW and nodded to her.

“Good morning, Neil,” she said. “He’s not up yet, but I left the door unlocked.”

“Thanks, Ms. Solette. Have a good day.”

She continued to her own car, but of course she didn’t have the keys. Her personal bodyguard, which Cason had insisted she keep, had taken them and readied the car. He held the door open for her, and she climbed inside. The argument that she could drive herself had been lost months before when she decided to give in to Cason and become his lover.

Cason spent more time at her duplex than at the mansion because that was the one thing she put her foot down about. She refused to move into the mansion, and she refused to let him pay for any of her bills. She supported herself, and he could like it or lump it. To her surprise, he hadn’t fought over her decision. No, he picked his battles, and he won most of the others, which included her and Joseph having a bodyguard. Period.

“Solette, I didn’t think you would be in today.” This was from her friend Qui Qui. Up until recently, Solette had avoided working at the same place as her friend because Qui Qui’s work ethic left a lot to be desired.

I’m one to talk.

Solette called Qui Qui friend, and she liked to get her advice sometimes, but she took it with a grain of salt. Qui Qui could be pretty selfish a lot of the time, and her interest in Solette seemed to come too often as a means of entertainment more than real affection. Solette would have preferred no one at work, including Qui Qui, know about Cason, but that wasn’t Cason’s style. Whenever the mood struck him, he arrived at her job with flash and presence to take her to lunch. The first time it happened, the news was all over the center in seconds, and Qui Qui actually behaved as if Solette had betrayed her in not telling her about him. Solette had to spill everything, especially with a bodyguard following her around. One could then cut the jealousy in the air with a knife. None of the other ladies she worked with knew how Solette would give anything to have Cason love her, even if he was dirt poor.

“Don’t start, Qui Qui. I’m always here and on time. My personal life has never gotten in the way of my job.”

“Girl, you know I’m only kidding. Besides, wasn’t it your personal life mixing with your job that got you with him in the first place?”

Solette glared at her, and Qui Qui laughed as if it was another joke.

“

I thought you were thinking about marrying Joe Sr.”

“We’ve had this conversation—months ago.”

Qui Qui popped a stick of gum into her mouth and began popping it. “All I know is, Cason is all for getting you into bed, but has he ever asked you to marry him? Did he ever tell you he loves you? I heard Joe Sr. tell you he loves you so many times. He even went to counseling for you to try to be a better man. Plus, he might not have millions, but he has always taken care of his son, and that’s a fact.”

“Then maybe you should marry him!” Solette snatched a folder off the counter where she laid it and stomped down the hall to make her rounds. She’d had enough of Qui Qui’s digs at her. Right from the first, Qui Qui never let her forget she was just a body to Cason. Well, she was sick of hearing it. The question was, how long was she going to stay the way she was now?

She got to the end of the hall and ducked around the corner. Instead of entering her patient’s room, she leaned against the wall and shut her eyes. Was Cason using her, or were they using each other? Yes, she loved him, and she enjoyed every second in his presence, both making love and going out with him. Although Solette hadn’t admitted it to Qui Qui, Cason never once told Solette he loved her. That hurt most of all. He didn’t try to convince that he would never love her and would never ask her to marry him. He just never approached the subject at all. As far as Cason was concerned, she was his—no definition, no length of time, just his.

“I have a feeling he likes keeping people guessing all the time,” she muttered, annoyed. “Let them wonder while he enjoys himself!”

Her cell phone buzzed, and she looked down at it. A text message from Cason.

Little Mouse, you left without waking me again. Very naughty of you. Send me a selfie to make up for it.

Her heart ached. It seemed like Cason couldn’t get enough of looking at her. She wondered when it would change. Sighing, she took a picture of herself and sent it to him.

Now shirtless.

She rolled her eyes.

Don’t hold your breath. I have work to do. Talk to you later.

He didn’t respond, but she knew he would get her when she saw him again. This was their game. Cason made a demand. She gave him what he wanted. He had offered to reward her in gifts and money. She refused, but it didn’t stop him from making demands. Her love for him made her give him exactly what he wanted.

* * *

Later, Solette left work to find instead of her bodyguard Cason and Neil waited for her. Neil’s posture showed his alertness to their surroundings, and Cason stood with both hands in his pockets as he chatted with two young women. The ladies giggled and flipped their heads like horses every few seconds. Solette was used to this as well.

Cason seemed to sense her approach. He looked up, and those beautiful blue eyes locked onto her. He muttered something to the ladies and scooted them aside to meet Solette. She started to speak, but his big hands grasped her at the waist and dragged her to his chest.

“You made me wait all day,” he growled and slanted his mouth over hers. His tongue invaded her mouth, and she was lost. He took her with such aggression and enjoyment, all she could ever do was hang on for the ride, overwhelmed at how much he made her feel with the simplest of touches. When her lips were good and numb, he raised his head just enough to move to her neck and breathe deeply. “Why do you make me wait, Solette?”

Her heart slammed against her ribs. “I h-have to work.”

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