Into The Dragon's World - Brittany White Page 0,8

obligation. She leaned forward and tapped the driver’s shoulder. “Hey...you can let me out here, please.”

“Wait! What are you doing?”

“I’m going home.” Casey opened the car door. “Thanks for the ride.”

“You’re not going by yourself!” Brady scrambled out of his side of the SUV and stood in front of Casey, blocking her way. “What if your stalker comes back?”

“So what if he does?” Casey sidestepped him and strode angrily down the sidewalk. They were just a few blocks away from her building. “He won’t do anything in broad daylight, for God’s sake.”

“Casey! Stop!” Brady caught up to her and blocked her again. “What did I do?”

Of course, Casey thought sourly. A man screws up and doesn’t even know what he’s done.

“You haven’t said ten words to me since I got in the car. You’ve been staring out the window like there are a million other places you’d rather be.” Casey shook her head and held her arms out at her sides. “So, what else am I supposed to think?”

“I’ve got some things on my mind—”

“Great. Go off in your chauffeured SUV and think about them.” She dodged around him and started walking again. He came up behind her and grabbed her arm. She whirled around, ready to fight. He must have seen the sudden anger in her eyes because he let go and backed away a few steps.

“Casey, I’m sorry.” He met her gaze with the full force of his amber eyes and immediately, her righteous outrage wavered. “I didn’t mean to make you feel that way.”

Casey studied him for a few moments. She had the feeling that, for just a split-second, she’d seen the real Brady hiding behind the hard-ass facade. The one that she’d glimpsed the night before. She believed him, even though she wished she didn’t.

“Okay.” She nodded. “Okay, fine. Let’s just get this done.”

6

Casey

“Casey,” Brady said as he entered her apartment. “I hate to tell you this, but you are a world-class slob. Are you sure this place hasn’t been robbed?”

Casey looked around her apartment. It was the standard tiny New York City apartment: small bedroom, trifling kitchen, wee living room, and a bathroom that was literally just a water closet. Every flat surface was covered with some kind of garbage—soda cans, fast food bags, crumpled tissues—and anything that wasn’t strewn with trash was littered with clothing. Was she supposed to have a maid service?

“It’s not that bad.” Casey locked the door behind them. “It’s just lived in.”

“Yeah, by a wild animal.”

“Ha-ha, you’re hilarious,” Casey said flatly as she rolled her eyes and went to the bedroom. Brady followed. “You can wait out there, you know.”

Brady shrugged. “No problem. I’m good here.”

The proximity of Brady to her unmade bed inspired a whole new round of images. Brady lying naked atop the sheets, crooking a finger and commanding her to join him. Their bodies intertwining in the bright light of day, lazily kissing and touching each other. Her hand drifting down the flat plane of his belly to graze against—

“Casey!”

Casey jumped, cheeks scarlet. She had to stop doing that. If she insisted on fantasizing about him, she could at least have the decency to do it when he wasn’t right there looking at her.

“What? Sorry...huh?” Casey smiled to hide her embarrassment. “Sorry...just kind of...drifted off for a second.”

“I asked if you think you’ll need new locks on your doors.” Brady crossed the room to the bedroom window. “Fire escape. That’s not good.”

“It’s not?”

“It’d be easy for somebody to get into your apartment through here.”

“So, what should I do? Nail my windows shut?”

Brady shrugged. “That’s an idea.”

Casey collapsed onto her bed, falling backward to stare at the ceiling. “I don’t want this to be happening to me.”

“Pretty sure nobody does.” Brady sat beside her on the bed. “Last night...was that the first time he approached you physically?”

“Yeah, if you mean attacked me.” Casey rolled her head to look at Brady. “He was my English professor. I had no idea he thought about me like that.”

“Some guys don’t need a reason.” Brady looked around the room. “I don’t think you’ll be safe here.”

“I haven’t got much choice.” Casey sat up again, trying not to notice the warmth emanating from his thigh as it brushed against hers. “I can’t just move in with Jasmine. I mean, I love her, but we’d kill each other after a week.”

“Stay at the club, then.”

“Wait...what?” Casey twisted on the bed to face Brady. “No…”

“Yes.” Brady smiled faintly. “You can sleep up in the office.