Page 50 of Touch Me

“Thank you for that,” Jace says.

“Dinner is done if you’re ready to eat.”

And if you ever want Sunday Brunch all you have to do is ask.

FOURTEEN

UNFILTERED MOUTH

Cassie tossesthe garlic bread into the waiting bowl and throws a towel over it. I grab the salads, setting them on the dining room table. With bottles of water tucked under her arm, she grabs napkins, forks, and the bread.

“Why don’t we eat on the terrace,” she suggests. “It was beautiful out earlier on my lunch break.”

I know.

I set the salads on the table and slide the terrace doors open. She doesn’t wait for me to back away and instead slips between me and the door. My eyes fall shut when I breathe in the summery scent of her as she breezes past me. I have enough sense to open my eyes and take in the sight of her ass in those yoga pants while her back is turned.

Henry follows me out the door, and I struggle to close it behind me while balancing the bowls in my arms. The damn dog glances back, and when he steps in front of me, I swear he was waiting to trip me. Fumbling only a step, I quickly recover before Cassie notices, and I stick my tongue out at him as he grumbles, lying at her feet.

After arranging the table, Cassie takes her seat and closes her eyes, tipping her face toward the sky. The sun has been my savior the last few years, and I can’t help but think that’s why I can’t get enough of her. If she isn’t summer and sunshine embodied, I don’t know what is. The little wispy hairs around her face dance in the breeze, and her skin glows at the sun's attention.

This is the second time I’ve seen her do this today. The first was at the park when she was on lunch. And no, I wasn’t following her. I happened to be out taking pictures. At the park. By the Marshall Building. On her first day of work. I may have gotten a few pictures of the guy at her table for a quick background check later.

Whatever, it’s normal.

Henry preens as Cassie mindlessly reaches down, ruffling his ears before she sits back and crosses her legs to eat. The movement causes her tits to jostle beneath Cyndi Lauper's face.

Now that’s a challenging boner.

I know it’s her moving under the shirt, but all I see is pink hair and a lip snarl. And for the love of all that is holy, does she ever wear a bra?

I divert my eyes to dinner and try to shake off thoughts of Cassie, and her nipples, and Cyndi Lauper.

I know it’s just a salad, but, until she moved in, I hadn’t had home cooked food in so long and everything is cut up in cute little bites andgah... this girl has shaken up my whole world.

“You can live here rent-free forever if you keep cooking.” I choke on my food as soon as the words leave my mouth.

My fucking unfiltered mouth.

Way to lay out your whole hand face up on the table.

Dumbass.

Her eyes light up, and there’s that full smile again.

Worth it.

“How about if I teach you how to really cook while I’m here. No more just watching.” She twirls her fork over the salad. “None of this is gourmet stuff. You could easily learn.”

Not the response I was hoping for. I think they call that a fumble, if memories of my father shoving football lingo down my throat serves me correctly. I really need to learn more about sports. Turning on ESPN every now and then won’t kill me.

“I should definitely pay more attention in the kitchen. You’ll have my complete, undivided attention from now on.”

Her smile stretches from ear to ear, and I felt sunshine pour over me from the twinkle in her eyes. I swear I heard a distinctpinglike when people smile in toothpaste commercials and the fake diamond-shaped sparkle shows up in the corner of their mouth. I’ve never talked so much in my entire life as I have this last week, and every time I open my mouth, I’m reminded why I should revert back to my old ways.

“Anyway, how was your first day of work?”

“Oh, it was great. My boss is a little spacey, but the crew I share a cubicle with took me under their wing and gave me some pointers. Who to trust and who to stay away from—that kind of thing. Two girls and one guy who is absolutely hilarious and he even invited me for margaritas tomorrow. Isn’t that great?”

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