Wild Forces: A Friends to Lovers Romance (O-Town Book 2) by Karen Renee (summer reads .TXT) 📕

Pauline hung her head but wheezed out a chuckle.

“Really, numbnuts?” Brock demanded.

“Listen, some of us got bills to pay, Brock.”

His nostrils flared. “An excellent reason for you not to be any richer. You gotta get a handle on your existing cash first.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Whatever. I have plans for this cash.”

Pauline’s eyes met mine. “Oh, really?”

“Yes, but not all of the money, so I’m not sharing my plans just yet.”

“You better share it with someone. Cassandra at a minimum, now that you told me she’s a millionaire,” Brock muttered.

I swallowed the huge bite of pizza in my mouth. “Shut it, man.”

Pauline reached out and touched my forearm. “Seriously, Gabe. If you need an advisor, I have two I can refer you to, and your brother is right. If you have plans for the money, it would serve you well to have someone else look those plans over.”

I nodded. “I understand. I’ll text you when I’m ready to chat with someone about it. First, I gotta have the money in the bank, don’t I?”

She shook her head, but did it grinning. Meanwhile Brock popped a bite of his pizza in his mouth with a sigh.

AFTER PAULINE SAID her goodbyes, and got out of the car, I moved to the front seat. I had just clicked my seatbelt into place when Brock asked, “Have you met Cassie’s family?”

I jerked my head to him. “Where the hell did that come from?”

“Just answer the question.”

“No. What the fuck, man?”

“Nothing,” he muttered.

“‘Nothing’ my ass. Why are you askin’ that shit?”

Brock closed his eyes and shook his head for a moment, then refocused on the road. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

I turned off the tunes. “Well, you did. So, how about you tell me why.”

“Has to do with what I’m workin’ on, so I can’t tell you why. But if you meet both her parents, tell me beforehand. Can you do that for me?”

“Don’t know why I need to, but yeah. I can do that for you. As long as you make sure you and Cecilia shut your bedroom door when you’re goin’ at it. Comprende?”

He snickered. “Comprende. But if she forgets, that’s not on me.”

22Magic Word

Cassie

WHILE I CHANGED FROM my pantyhose, skirt, and blouse into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, I heard my phone chime with a text. After I put my glasses on, a smile curved my lips when I caught sight of Gabe’s message.

Brock and Cecilia won’t be in tonight, and I’m cookin’ STEAKS. Get your ass over here. Pronto, woman!

I chuckled and shook my head. As I slid my feet into my sandals, I texted him back that I would be there in five minutes.

When he opened the door, Gabe’s eyes heated. “Do you know how hot you are in those specs?”

I felt myself blush. “They’re just glasses.”

His head dropped down and he stared at my feet. “Have your feet always been that cute?”

I gently shoved at his shoulder. “Shut up, Sullivan. You are so full of it.”

His head shot up. “I am not. I’ve never noticed how cute your feet are. Noticed how cute other things are about you, but not your feet.”

I pushed past him, and wandered toward his balcony. “All right, Gabey-Gabe. Where are the steaks? I don’t smell anything being grilled. This better not be a bait-and-switch.”

His hands slid along my side and around to my belly. With his lips at my ear, he whispered, “I’d never do you like that, baby. But I thought you were working late. Steaks are marinading. I can grill them now if you really want me to.”

I put my hands over his. “Okay.”

He kissed just beneath my earlobe. “Or, we have forty-five minutes to say hello.”

I tried to turn around, but he held me firm and walked us to his bedroom. “What are you talking about, Gabe?”

Once we were in his bedroom, he kicked the door closed and let me go. “You know what I’m talking about, Cassandra.”

“I do, but then what are we going to do after dinner?”

He dipped his chin to give me an admonishing look while he strode to the other side of the room. I watched him put his cell on the nightstand, and he turned to me while leaning against the window. Then I noticed his vertical blinds were pulled fully open. Half of the pool was visible, and I hadn’t realized his bedroom overlooked the pool.

He chuckled before he asked, “Now who’s getting close to thirty-nine? Or at least acting that age?”

“Gabe...”

Slowly, he shook his head at me. “No, Cassie. You can’t have it both ways. Rub my age in, and then shirk the responsibility of acting the old soul. Neither one of us are thirty yet. Surely, I can take care of you now, and work you up again after dinner.”

A curl of heat rushed from my belly south, and just when I thought it was finished, it zoomed up to my breasts as well. Yes, Gabe could have me before dinner, at dinner, and after dinner. That didn’t mean he needed to know it.

As if he knew my thoughts, he grinned and crooked his finger at me.

“I’m not sure I like this finger-crooking business, Sullivan.”

His brow rose. “Well, we both know how I feel about your ‘Sullivan’ business, so I guess that makes us even. Get over here, Daughtry.”

I pouted as I debated giving him a hard time, but it was short-lived, and I moseyed over to him.

As soon as I was within arm’s reach, he pulled me snug to his body and I was surprised to feel his hardness between us. My hands glided along his chest, and his pecs flexed as I moved my hands.

I glanced up at him. “You’re a nut, Gabe.”

“I’m not,” he murmured, and put his lips on mine.

Whenever we kissed, a thrill shot through me, and I gasped. Gabe never missed that, and his tongue moved into my mouth. I loved feeling his tongue