curve of her hips, sliding around to cup her bottom.
“Mmmm, nice and tight,” he murmured. “You’ve got a great ass, Cassie Carroll.”
She nuzzled his neck. “And don’t forget. Sensational legs. Or were you just feeding a line to that blonde bimbo reporter?”
Rhett chuckled. “You do have hot legs. Why do you think I let you run a little ahead of me sometimes? It’s a view I can’t afford to pass up.”
Cassie pulled away from him. “What about—” She stopped, frowning. “Come into the light.” She pulled him along and stopped cold in her tracks as they moved into the light.
“Oh, Rhett. You look awful.” She brushed a soft kiss along his brow and then his cheek, stopping when he winced.
“You need a hot shower and plenty of—”
“—you,” he finished, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her near. “Yeah, I’m a little banged up. I guess Zak didn’t read in the script that when Prince Charming moves in for the big rescue, he shouldn’t suffer a single scratch.”
“Zak was plain drunk. Lucid, but he smelled like a whiskey distillery. I don’t know what got into him.”
Rhett shrugged. “He’s had some problems in the past.”
“I guess he wasn’t kidding about going to rehab?”
“No. I’ve talked to him about it before. So has Darin. With his career taking off, now’s the time he better get it under control. He told me to call him in the morning. I think he’s ready to listen to a reality check.”
“When did you talk to him?”
He rubbed her ass suggestively. “About an hour ago. From his hospital bed. He told the cops he wouldn’t swear a complaint against me. Admitted he was intoxicated and provoked the whole incident before the paramedics took him to ER. He told me he wanted to apologize to you.”
Cassie stroked Rhett’s cheek. “Sounds like he’s taking responsibility for everything.”
He gave her a squeeze. “Zak’s a decent guy. I’ll go see him tomorrow. Maybe you can help me find somewhere to take him. If he gets the right help, that’s half the battle. Plus, he’s got solid friends to stand behind him.”
“Any family?”
“Not really. The poker pals are as close as he comes to it. Zak’s dad ran off when he was still in diapers. He doesn’t remember him at all. His mom died in a car crash when he was thirteen. He went the foster home route but who wants to adopt a gawky teenager? Especially one oozing attitude like Zak.”
She grinned. “He does have a smart mouth but it’s going to make him famous.” She frowned. “In the meantime, both of you—and probably me—will be infamous. I don’t know where all those photographers materialized from.”
“Zak won’t care. He definitely belongs to the ‘any news is good press’ school of thought. I can see the tabloid headlines now—Rising Comedian Dukes It Out with Hollywood’s Hottest Actor over Sassy Texan.”
She ran a finger slowly down his chest. “I think Mr. Sexy will be feeling about ninety years old tomorrow morning if he doesn’t get himself into a hot shower right now.”
“You know there’s plenty of room for two, don’t you?”
Cassie beamed at him. “I plan on helping ease every piece of clothing from your body, Corrigan, after which I’ll lather you and rinse you and kiss every inch of your body for good measure. You know we lifelines take our responsibilities very seriously.”
Rhett’s issued a sound of triumph as he scooped her up in his arms. Cassie wrapped her arms around his neck.
“You, Madam Lifeline, will be held accountable for everything you mentioned. Disrobing, lathering, rinsing, and kissing. The whole nine yards.”
“That’s just the basic service,” she teased.
He gave her a sly grin as he marched up the stairs with her. “I gather you’re offering the deluxe package?”
She cocked her head and rewarded him with a saucy smile. “I believe you qualify for the super-duper, ultimate luxury, prime deluxe, special promotion. No assembly required, Corrigan. It must be your lucky day.”
He paused at the top of the stairs. “No, sweetheart. I think it’s going to be my lucky night.” He smiled. “And then some.”
Her pulse leaped at his words. “You’re pretty sure of yourself, Corrigan.”
Rhett’s gray eyes gleamed back. “Never more sure in my life, Sweet Cheeks.”
He set her on her feet and unzipped the back of her snug little black dress, sliding it off her shoulders, nibbling there as he pulled it to her waist and over her hips. It pooled at her feet, leaving her in nothing but her bra