More people arrive after we all stand for the national anthem, and so by the second quarter of the game, Cass and I are pressed together at our thighs, hips, and arms.
“Just like old times, right?” I ask her, resting my hand on her knee. Thankfully, she doesn’t pull away from my touch or tell me to move it.
“Yeah, old times when you were Mr. Popularity and I was your tagalong friend everyone called a freak.”
“Nobody called you a freak,” I assure her. “If they had, I would’ve knocked them out.”
“They thought it and said it behind your back,” she informs me. “Everyone thought I was pathetic for…never mind.”
“What?” I ask when she stops abruptly. “Why do you think they thought you were pathetic? I never got that vibe.”
“Forget it,” Cass says. “Let’s just watch the game.”
The truth is I don’t have any idea what the score is or who has the ball. I’m too focused on the heat growing between where mine and Cassidy’s bodies are touching, wanting to kiss her but too afraid she will reject me. She seems so tense, like I’m making her uncomfortable.
God, I wish I could read her mind. That would make this so much easier than making a fool of myself.
Part of me is also scared she won’t turn me down. What if things are great between us until we end up in bed and it’s…awkward? Would that ruin our friendship? Probably. Knowing Cass, she would shut down and avoid me, which is the last thing I want.
So, do I take a chance and see if she feels the same about me? Or do I keep my mouth shut and let everything stay the same, so I don’t lose my best friend?
Chapter Fifteen
Xavier
After another grueling day of conditioning, while still waiting for a confirmed fight, it’s finally the night of our high school reunion. I’m not all that thrilled about having to talk to the jackasses we went to school with a second night in a row, but Cass seems pretty excited and I’m glad to be her date. It was nice to have her at the gym watching today too. I don’t know what I would do without her supporting me, so no matter how much I want her, I’ll keep my feelings to myself, so we’ll stay friends.
I’m dressed in my black pinstripe suit with a white button down that Cassidy picked out, just waiting for her to come downstairs. I swear she’s been getting ready for, like, two or three hours. And I don’t mind waiting, but I just don’t see what she would do to take that much time since she always looks great.
I’ve just poured myself a glass of scotch and am throwing it back, preparing myself to make chit-chatting with fake ass people easier when Cass walks into the kitchen and I nearly choke on it.
“Wow. You look…” I start before the burning in my throat sends me into a coughing fit.
“Like a cheap hooker?” Cass asks with a wince as she glances down at her sexy, red dress. Red and black are our school colors, but unlike the conservative, less revealing dress she wore last night, this one is tiny. The hem is cut off at around her mid-thigh, revealing her long, lean legs, and it’s completely strapless so that the top of her chest is bare, and her cleavage is…magnificent. As usual, when she goes out now, she’s wearing contacts, but her hair is down for once instead of in her normal ponytail, flowing in blonde waves over her shoulders, a few strands brushing along the top of her tits. There’s only one way to describe her — Cassidy’s a fucking knockout.
And my control is slipping. It has been for days just being close to her. And now this dress showing so much of her sexy skin? I’m a goner. All the worries about a ruined lifelong friendship go out the window. Instead of reasons not to cross that line with Cass, the fact that we’ve been such great friends for so long now makes it seem like a damn good idea. She’s amazing and my favorite person in the world. Why wouldn’t I want to kiss her and be with her? Only an idiot wouldn’t see that everything I’ve ever wanted is right in front of me. I’m an idiot for not noticing it sooner.
“So?” Cass asks when I remain speechless through my internal conflict. “What’s the verdict? Too much skin?”
“I was going to say that you look stunning,” I tell her, causing her surprised green eyes to lift to mine.
“Stunning?” she repeats.
“Come on, Cass. You obviously saw yourself in a mirror. Don’t be so modest.”
“I don’t ever dress up,” she says. “So I don’t know if I’m doing it right or if I’m trying too hard and ended up on the slutty side of the spectrum.”
“No one would dare call you slutty,” I assure her. “If they did, and I were within earshot, I would beat the shit out of them.”
“I think you’re underestimating our former classmates,” she mutters. “Ugh, let’s just go and get this over with!”
“Our Uber ride should be here soon,” I tell her after pulling up the app on my new phone. Since we both plan on drinking tonight, it seemed like getting a ride to the school and back would be the best idea. Not to mention how convenient it would be to make out with Cass on the way home after we survive the reunion. Maybe I’m being overly optimistic, but who knows.
We haven’t been in our old decorated gym for more than ten minutes when I see Cassidy dancing with some tall, lanky dickhead. This new development apparently happened while I was taking a piss.
Not that I know for a fact the guy dancing with Cass is, in fact, a dickhead. I’m just guessing based on the placement of his flattened palm on her lower back like he’s considering sliding it lower.
Seeing another man’s hand plastered to her has my hands balling to fists by my sides, with the urge to go over and knock the fucker out.
I didn’t even have this sort of hostile reaction when I walked in and caught Camilla fucking Arnold. I wasn’t even angry that day or even all that surprised. I think part of me knew Camilla would screw me over eventually.
But here, tonight, with Cass looking so gorgeous, showing so much skin I want to maul her, I would love to turn into the Tasmanian devil and knock out every man in the room to keep their eyes and hands off of her.
That’s when it hits me that I care about Cassidy more than I ever did for Camilla. I’m not just lusting after her either. My love for Cass goes much deeper than a friend wanting to protect her from assholes.
I love her.
I’m in love with Cass and I want to be with her, to hell with the consequences. I would like to hope that she cares about me as much I do her after what she said when she kissed me the other night. Cass must just be scared of taking the leap, wondering if I feel the same way. Now I know I do. It just took me a little longer than her to figure out we would be perfect together.
Without another thought, I march right up to the dancing couple and clap my hand on the asshole’s shoulder.
“I’m cutting in,” I tell him, not asking for permission as I pull him away from Cass.
“Yeah, okay,” he agrees since I’m almost half a foot taller and outweigh him by about fifty pounds.
“Xavier…” Cass says.
Whatever else she was going to say dissolves into a gasp when I take his place and put my hand on the small of her back to pull her upper body flush with mine.