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

may be neither here nor there, but I had asked Ryan about this station last night before I left, but he brushed me off. When I got in this morning, he had emailed me to say his assistant would handle all media invoices moving forward.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, he says it’s because I’m headed back to class soon.”

“How about you text me that phone number and whatever station info you have, all right?”

“Sure.”

“Now, I’d like a hug.”

I moved around the counter to him, and after a long hug, he whispered in my ear, “Thanks for picking up Mom-cat, honey.”

I pulled away from him, fighting the sting at my eyes. “No, Dad. Thank you for taking care of her like that. And, for taking care of her while I’ve been—”

“Cassie, caring for Mom was never a hardship. I’m just sorry I wasn’t here the evening you picked her up.”

I smiled weakly. “It’s all right. Gabe was here for me.”

He let me go. “Oh, really?”

I rolled my eyes, but smiled. “Yeah. We’re, um, more than friends now.”

Dad smiled. “Good. When do I get to meet him?”

Three heavy knocks sounded from the door. “I’m thinking... now, since that’s probably him.”

Gabe

CASSIE OPENED THE DOOR, and her eyes looked like she might cry which alarmed the hell out of me.

“Jesus, Daughtry, are you okay?” I asked, as I wrapped my arms around her to give her my signature bear hug.

She lightly pounded a fist on my shoulder. “Sure, I am, Gabe, but, I’d like to introduce you to my Dad.”

My spine straightened, and I looked over her shoulder to see an older man standing at the kitchen counter. His short silver hair accentuated his brown eyes. He was watching us closely. I smiled, and let Cassie go.

He stepped forward. “Gabe, I take it. I’m John Daughtry, and I’ve heard quite a bit about you. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

I shook his hand, and it was nearly a textbook handshake. Firm squeeze with just the right amount of force. I could see where this man and my Dad would get along.

“Gabe Sullivan. It’s nice to meet you sir. And hopefully, those things you’ve heard have all been good.”

He smiled. “Yes. This is unlikely, but is Warren Sullivan your father?”

I grinned. “Yes, he is.”

“He still consulting?”

My head wobbled. “Not technically. He retired officially three years ago, but he’s been known to do an odd project here or there.”

“Well, it’s good to hear someone retired. My wife would like for me to do that, but I just don’t think I can putz around the house all day.”

I really had no idea what to say to that, since I was looking down the barrel of working for the next forty-five or fifty years, I was certain. Luckily, Cassie jumped into the conversation.

“Dad, you wouldn’t putz around the house. You’d be watching CNBC or day-trading at a minimum.”

He chuckled. “You know me well, Cassandra Ivy. On that note, I’ll get out of your hair.”

She walked him to the door and I smiled to myself, since now I knew her middle name. When she closed the door she groaned.

“I can’t believe he mentioned my middle name in front of you.”

I chuckled. “I think it’s great.”

Her eyes bugged out for a moment. “Gabe, in many gardening circles, ivy is a type of weed. Seeing as that middle name was my mother’s idea, I have no doubt that’s why she did it. She resented me from birth.”

I pulled her to me, lowering my face to hers. “It’s fucking beautiful, just like you, baby,” I said just before I kissed her.

After I had my fill of her, I pulled away. “Now, what is that magical smell wafting from your oven?”

“Chicken taco meat.”

I grinned. “I definitely love you.”

She tilted her head back and laughed a throaty laugh while she swatted at my chest. “You’re awful.”

“Awful hungry, Daughtry... and not just for food.”

Her eyes widened. “Well, I’m starving, so that’ll have to wait until after dinner.”

I cocked my head a little. “You don’t get hangry, do you?”

She gave me her side-eye. “You don’t want to find out, Sullivan.”

I swatted her ass. “What’d I tell you about callin’ me ‘Sullivan’?”

She pressed into me. “I don’t care what you told me. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, baby.”

Then she moved away, I admired her ass in her khaki shorts and fought to get my dick to stand down.

After we washed the dishes from her chicken tacos and black beans, I led her to her bedroom. I toed off my flip-flops and leaned back onto the fancy headboard of her bed.

I patted the space next to me. “C’mon Cassie. Get comfy. I got a treat for you tonight.”

Her eyes slid to the side and back to me as a skeptical look crossed her face. “I’m not so sure your idea of a treat for me and my idea of a treat for me are the same thing.”

I smiled and shook my head.

“Seriously, Gabe. I didn’t think you had such a one-track mind, but I’m seeing I was wrong.”

“Get over here, woman,” I chuckled.

She climbed onto the bed and moved up it on her hands on knees, and if she hadn’t rebuked me, my mind would’ve been on that one-track she mentioned.

Once she situated herself next to me, she asked, “So, what’s this treat?”

I grinned. “Well, a buddy I have who still lives out in L.A. works for a boutique record label. He sent me an advance copy of an album scheduled to come out next year. I listened to half of it, but you’re gonna fuckin’ love it.”

We spent the next fifty-nine minutes listening to Michael Franti and Spearhead sing songs about being friends, working hard, and being in love. Nearly every song brought more light to her eyes, and she didn’t have to tell me she loved me. I saw it flowing freely from her eyes, which meant, to show her I loved her even more, I made love to her. If