I run my fingers over her braids, impressed Cason knew how to braid a girl’s hair. “You like Cason, don’t you?”
Rolling over toward me, she touches my cheek, and I’m reminded that the best part of Collin and me exists in her. “Hims pretty.”
Oh, honey, don’t you fall for him too. Then we’re both fucked.
I don’t want to admit it, but there’s a part of me deep inside that’s falling for him. It’s more than a crush. It’s soon, I know. I haven’t known him long, and I fear it’s because he was there when my life was falling apart, and I’m clinging to a reality that doesn’t exist. But it might not be, right? This might be real. Isn’t that how soul mates work? You meet and nothing else matters?
It could happen, riiiiiiiight?
Taking another look at Tatum, I realize that might not be what she needs. No, I can’t fall for him. I shouldn’t. Doesn’t mean I won’t, because remember what Cason said? Bad is so much better.
AN HOUR LATER, I make my way back downstairs to find Cason outside under the pergola with a lawnmower.
He mowed my lawn. At sunset. Look at him out there with the blue and purple sky behind him. He’s beautiful and doesn’t have a shirt on.
Collin never mowed the lawn. He claimed he was allergic. My dad, he was a hardworking man and did everything around the house while working full time. So when I got married, I thought I’d be marrying someone like Noah from the Notebook, and he’d build me a house and make all our furniture out of old barn boards.
Turns out, I married that dude from The Other Woman to a fucking T.
I step outside, blinking in disbelief. “Wow.”
“I hope I didn’t overstep here.” He motions toward the lawn that looks like a baseball field.
Perfect lines on the fresh, bright green grass. One, it’s amazing to have green grass in Arizona. Two. He did a damn good job. “Wow, the lines are amazing.”
Chuckling, he glances over his shoulder at the grass and then sweeps his hand over his forehead. “First job I ever had was taking care of a baseball field.”
“You haven’t lost your touch, I see.”
He smiles, stepping closer to me, his scent intoxicating. A mixture of man, that amazing deodorant he wears, and gasoline. I want to lick his sweat. It’s that bad, friends.
I blink out of my daydreams. “I can take some off your rent for this.”
“Or…” He pauses, and all I see is sweat and muscles bathed in golden sunlight. He’s absolutely stunning in this light. Dark, mysterious, yet so fucking flirty. And then he hits me with his next pitch. “You could let me take you out to dinner sometime.”
Say what?
“What?” I snap. “You said you just wanted sex.”
One shoulder raises. “I’m greedy I guess.”
“No.” I scowl at him. “I’m not dating you.”
“Why not?” He looks offended but amused. “And I never said it was a date. Just dinner.”
Dinner? Look at this guy’s face. No way he’s stopping at dinner. I agree to that and then what? “That’s dating, Cason.” I sigh. “I want to have sex. No strings attached. Why don’t you want that too?”
He swallows and angles my face so we’re eye level. “I want that too, but I want to be able to take you to dinner if I want.”
If he wants? And why am I suddenly excited about the idea of him taking me to dinner? “I’ll think about it.”
Inching closer, he closes the distance between us and brings our bodies together. I can’t think when I’m around him, and I know he’s doing it on purpose. “I need to shower.”
“Okay…,” I breathe, unable to form any other response.
His breathing picks up, his lips touching mine. “You want to join me, or is that too committal for you?”
“Cute.” I kiss him and back up. “And yes, but in my bathroom.”
“Thank God.” He laughs. “We’d still be waiting for hot water in the morning if we use mine.”
I laugh, tugging him with me inside the house. “I told you the plumbing wasn’t great.”
Upstairs, Cason strips down and piles his clothes on the tile floor as I turn the shower on. He steps behind me, pressing our bodies together and running his hand down my curves. He doesn’t say anything as he walks me forward inside the shower.
I run my hands over his shoulders and then lower over his sculpted, lean body, his muscles contracting in his stomach. Hunching forward, his lips