He could only nod. Couldn’t pry a single syllable out of his throat—because his heart was jammed in there. The van was full—everyone was ready to head to the airport. Except… “Where’s Gigi?” His bones turned brittle, and his skin prickled. Tension strung him so tightly he thought he might crack.
“She took an earlier flight,” Kevin said.
“Are you kidding me?” Macy leaned out the door with a fist full of paper napkins. “But I came prepared.”
Everyone laughed, but Cassian’s hope had crashed and burned.
Kevin climbed into the passenger seat, and Cassian sat beside the actor before shutting the door.
Gigi made her decision.
And it’s not me.
As the van pulled away from the hotel, he sank into the loss.
Macy set her hand on his knee. “You okay?”
“Sure. Tired. Didn’t sleep much last night.”
She gave him a squeeze and picked up her book.
As they turned onto the boulevard, Cassian finally looked up, noticing a group of people gathered at a bus stop, some cars lined up in the McDonalds drive-through lane…life going on around him. Slowly, determination rolled in like the tide.
This is not over.
He’d visit her every chance he had—even if it was only one night between camp sessions.
It’ll never be over.
Chapter Eleven
Cassian nodded to the flight attendant.
“Welcome back.” She gave him a big grin, as he pushed past her. If the jet had a gym, he’d be hitting the treadmill right now.
Anything to break through the tension. Instead, he fell into a seat apart from the others.
Dammit. If he hadn’t already missed the first week of camp, he’d go straight to LA. He needed to see her. Find out what she was thinking.
“Can I get you something?” The attendant seemed concerned. She’d worked for the Cavanaughs for years. She was used to seeing him a lot friendlier. “Coffee? Juice?”
“I’m good. Thanks.”
She gave a nod and moved on.
He pulled out his phone. No new messages since he’d arrived at the terminal twenty minutes ago. Restless, anxious, he needed a distraction. He’d brought a book but knew he couldn’t concentrate. The words would fade, and he’d be right back in that hotel room, fucking Gigi against the wall. His spine tingled, and he shifted in his seat.
He glanced out the window. He needed to do something, so he scrolled through his social media sites, but nothing—fucking nothing—calmed him down.
Where is she right now?
What’s she thinking?
He knocked out a text
Cassian: Miss you.
Then, he waited. Nothing. No response.
That’s fine. He didn’t need her to respond. Just needed her to know he was thinking about her.
“Hey, you guys.” That voice.
Gigi.
Adrenaline crashed his system, making him jittery.
“Hey, girl,” Grant called. “Thought you took an earlier plane?”
“And stay away from you guys? Where’s the fun in that?” She kept walking, until she stopped right in front of Cassian. “That seat taken?”
Holy shit. She’s here.
Wired, he patted the cushion next to him. “All yours.”
She smiled and sat down, the energy between them electric.
“Change of plans?” he asked.
“Yep.”
Happiness streaked across him. “Good.”
“It’s Scraggles’ tenth birthday. So, you know, double digits. It’s a big one, so I can’t miss it.”
“You not only have the ugliest dogs but the worst names for them.”
“Scraggles is a perfect name. He looks all scraggly.”
“Okay, but maybe he’d like a more uplifting name, something that would inspire him to groom better.” Ridiculous conversation, he knew. But without it, he’d be grabbing her ass and hauling her onto his lap.
She’s giving us a chance.
“You’re a nut.”
The flight attendant came by with a warm towel for Gigi. “Morning. How’d the tour go?”
“It was amazing.” Gigi picked it up and shook it open. “Thank you.”
He took the one offered to him. “Thanks.”
As soon as she moved on, he leaned into Gigi, crowding her space, and said, “So, this is happening? You and me?”
A pink flush spread across her cheeks. “Yes.”
He thought his heart might punch right out of his chest. He reached for her hand, turned it over, and pressed a kiss to her palm.
For one perfect moment, she held his gaze, and the connection was so powerful it crackled. He felt the joy of it, but also the relief. Finally, they were together.
But then she got this look of concern and pulled her hand away.
Oh, hell, no. “What was that?”
“Cassian, if we do this…it can’t get out. I’m trying to save my career.” She leaned closer. “And you are, too. The squeaky-clean pop singer can’t hook up with the Bad Boy Quarterback. It’ll ruin us.”
Damn, she was right. Coach would lose his mind if he knew Cassian was debauching the lead singer of the Lollipops. “Okay.” Especially after the threesome debacle. “We don’t have much time until I leave for training camp, and you go back in the studio. So…I’m good with keeping this private, but I want this. I want all of you.” He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss, but the heat coming off her skin, the scent of her, Jesus, it made him crazy, and a simple kiss turned wild.
Her hand came around the back of his neck, and she lifted to get closer to him. He loved it, loved the stroke of her tongue, the desperate sounds she made.
Abruptly, she pulled her mouth away, gripping his neck and pressing her forehead to his chin. “I’m afraid to see if they’re watching us.”
“We’ve been around them all week. They know, and they’re not going to say anything.” Everyone had shared personal struggles. No one would rat anyone out.
She settled back in her seat. “This isn’t going to be easy, you know.”
“What isn’t?”
“Keeping your hands off me. And no dirty talking or looking at me with sex eyes in public.”
“I can’t not look at with you sex eyes, but…I promise, when we’re in Calamity Joe’s waiting for coffee, I won’t wrap my arms around you from behind so you can feel how hard you make me. I won’t tilt your chin up so I can kiss that hot mouth that makes me think very fucking dirty thoughts. And I definitely won’t reach down to squeeze that perfect ass and slide my fingers between your legs just to get that shiver out of you that turns me on so much.” He liked the way she squirmed, liked the desire churning in her eyes. Oh, fuck yeah.
Is this real? Am I really talking to Gigi Cavanaugh about grabbing her tight ass?
She shuddered and gazed out the window.
He leaned closer to her ear. “What about when we’re hiking? If there’s no one around, would it be cool if I put your hands on a tree trunk, pulled down your shorts and panties, and went down on you from behind—right there on the trail?”