500 Days (49 page)

“
Do you know what the boys
have planned for tonight?” Declan asked as she searched through the
sales rack for a dress she didn’t already own.

“
With them, who knows, but
whatever it is I’m sure it will be fun,” I replied as I floated to
the next rack. Declan eyed me over the circular fixture. “Why are
you looking at me like that?”

“
You. You just seem
different.”

“
Different
how?”

She came around to stand in front of me. Her
eyes searched up and down as she leaned on the rack. “I don’t know.
You just do.”

“
Okay, can we go back to
shopping, now?”

“
I never thought I’d ever
hear you say that,” she laughed. I shoved her playfully as she
moved to the next cluster of sale items.

“
Excuse me, miss. Do you
have a Band-Aid? I just scraped my knee falling for
you.”

I tried to hide my smile when I turned
around to face him. He was wearing his cocky smile, his faux-hawk
was messy and sticking up. He had on a blue shirt that brought out
the color in his eyes. His causal stance told me he was in a
playful mood, but the look in his eyes said he was hungry for
something. From the way his eyes roamed my body I would have to say
that something was me. I took a step towards him and tried to focus
on anything but his lips. I threw him a sly smile. “That was pretty
pathetic. Is that the best you got?” I challenged, slowly moving
closer.

He scratched his chin and looked up in
thought. “How about…I don’t have a library card but do you mind if
I check you out?” I rolled my eyes as he inched closer. “Did you
sit in a pile of sugar? Cause you have a pretty sweet ass.” I threw
my head back and laughed. Casper slipped an arm around my waist,
tugging me closer. “If nothing lasts forever, would you be my
nothing?” My insides turned to mush when he lightly pulled down my
bottom lip with his thumb, inching closer until our lips just
barely touched.

“
My love for you is like
diarrhea. I just can’t hold it in.” I shoved him off of me as he
laughed.

“
Charming.” He pulled me
back and placed the sweetest kiss on my lips. “What are you doing
here and how did you know where I was?”

“
I didn’t,” he confessed.
“I had to pick up a few things and I spotted this really beautiful
girl.”

“
Oh yeah?” I raised my
brows at him. He smiled, leaning down to give me another kiss when
Declan cleared her throat.

“
Are you two going to be
nauseating like this at dinner? Because if so, I might have to stop
by the pharmacy and pick up something to calm my
stomach.”

I tore myself away and
spun around to direct my attention at Declan. “You’re one to talk.”
She crossed her arms. “I can’t tell you how many times I lost my
lunch watching you and Colton make googily eyes at each
other.” Declan dropped her arms and rolled her
eyes.

“
So Casper, are you ready
for this dinner tonight?” Declan asked with a smartass
smile.

“
I’ve already met the
other three and they like me. I’m sure I won’t have a problem with
Jay.”

“
Jack, his name is Jack,”
I said a little worried. Declan shook her head laughing and walked
away. Casper frowned. “Don’t worry baby. I’m sure you’ll do
fine.”

“
Maybe I should meet him
another time. You know when I haven’t just confessed my love to his
baby sister through a door.”

I hooked my fingers into his belt loops and
yanked him closer to me. “Technically it was Jack who you said I
love you to. He was standing behind the door.” I smiled, tilting my
head back.

“
You’re not
helping.”

“
You have nothing to worry
about. My other brothers already like you so I’m sure Jack will
too. Besides, you somehow got Jasper to like you so you’re already
halfway there.”

Casper sighed, resting his head on my
shoulder. Turning his head slightly, he pressed his lips against my
neck. My skin burned where his lips touched. “You start that and I
might be forced to shove you in one of the dressing rooms and have
my way with you.”

He lifted his head and raised a brow at me.
“No, not today.”

“
I should get going.” He
reluctantly pulled away. “What time am I picking you
up?”

I looked back at Declan. She shrugged her
shoulders. “How about I just call you?”

“
Sounds good,” he smiled,
giving me a kiss before he left.

I ended up finding a real cute, red, sweater
dress, along with a pair of tan boots. I pulled my hair half up,
giving it a little poof in the front. Then I finger combed my curls
to give them some separation. I still had about twenty minutes
before Casper and Colton arrived to take us to dinner. I slipped on
my boots and decided to walk around the apartment to break them in
until the boys showed up. Declan darted past me in her bra and
underwear to the bathroom. I laughed when she ran back out and to
her room. “What is up with you?” I asked her.

“
Running late!” she
said.

I looked at my phone. “Declan, you still
have like twenty minutes. What are you freaking out about?”

“
I’m nervous,” she
confessed.

“
Nervous about
what?”

“
The dinner
tonight.”

I leaned against the door frame. “Why are
you nervous? I should be the one who’s a wreck.”

She stopped running around long enough to
give me pensive look. “Why aren’t you?”

“
Why aren’t I
what?”

“
Nervous.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m just not. I
already talked to Jack and he knows where I stand with Casper.”

“
And where exactly is
that?” she questioned, curious.

“
Just taking it one day at
a time and see where it goes. I like Casper, a lot. But this whole
relationship thing scares me, especially with someone like
Casper.”

“
I’m just happy you got
your head out of your ass long enough to give it a
shot.”

I picked up the closest thing, which
happened to be a dirty sock, and threw it at her. She swatted it
away, laughing. “Just finish getting ready.” I closed the door and
walked out to the kitchen to grab a beer.

Declan was still getting ready when the boys
arrived. I pointed Colton in the direction of Declan and told him
to light a fire up under her ass. Casper stood by the door. He
leaned against the wooden frame, arms, legs crossed, and a
seductive smile on his lips. “What?” I asked self-consciously.

His eyes roamed up and down my body,
lingering longer on my legs. I held my arms out and did a little
spin. “You like what you see?”

“
Oh, I definitely like.”
He stood up straight and closed the door. He was in front of me in
two quick steps. “I think that might be the problem though.” I
wrinkled my forehead at him. “Because all night all I’m going to be
thinking about is bending you over my couch,” his fingers played
with the hem of my dress. “And lifting that pretty red dress over
your sweet ass.”

I grabbed his hips and pulled him into me,
hard. He let out a grunt. “You are trouble.”

I smiled, lifting up on my tiptoes to give
him a kiss. Casper slipped his arm behind my lower back, keeping me
close to him as his other hand moved slowly up the back of my
thigh. I opened my mouth to let out a small gasp, allowing Casper
access to explore further. His tongue teased its way in, twirling
lightly, taunting me. I could feel my knees start to shake.

Colton cleared his throat. I pulled away,
blushing. I tried to take a step away but Casper held me close to
him, refusing to let go. Declan rolled her eyes when she saw us and
grabbed her purse and coat on the way out. “Let’s go,” she
grumbled. I didn’t know what Declan’s problem was but she had been
in a mood ever since we got back from shopping. I wanted to ask her
what her deal was but I never had the chance. I decided I would
pull her aside later and find out what had her panties in a
bunch.

Colton drove us to the restaurant where we
had to meet my brothers. I knew Casper was nervous. I could feel
how bad his palm was sweating and had to keep wiping my hand off.
“Would you relax?”

“
Your brother is trained
in combat, knows how to assemble an assault rifle, and who knows
what else. That’s a very intimidating.”

“
I promise you it won’t be
that bad. And besides, Jack doesn’t carry his gun on him so you
should be safe.”

He frowned at me letting me know I wasn’t
making him feel any better. I latched my arm through his and pulled
him into the restaurant. The boys were already seated at a table
when we joined them. Before I had a seat I introduced Casper to
Jack. Jack shook his hand firmly and gave him the once over. I knew
he was holding back. I gave him a warning look to behave. Casper
pulled my chair out and sat on my right, next to Colton while
Jaxson sat on my left. Jack sat across from us with Jasper and
Jacob. I took my napkin and placed it in my lap, smoothing out the
wrinkles. Jack had yet to say anything which was making me
nervous.

Jacob and Jaxson talked to Casper while Jack
and Jasper sat there quietly and observed. I looked over at Declan
to see if I was missing something and she just shrugged her
shoulders, clueless. I half expected Jack to start his inquisition,
but he kept quiet the entire dinner while everyone else chatted
about. Casper eventually relaxed and by the time we were done he
was his normal self. He even offered to pay the bill but Jack
refused.

“
See, that wasn’t so bad,”
I said to Casper once we were in the car.

“
The night’s not over
yet.”

I scooted closer to him and placed my hand
on his thigh. He shifted uncomfortably, adjusting his jeans. I
looked at him funny. “What’s wrong with you?”

He threw his head back, letting out a sigh
and closing his eyes. Worried, I leaned in closer, my hand gliding
to his inner thigh. He flinched and took my hand off his leg. I
pouted at him. “You have to stop that,” he growled.

“
Why?” He took the hand
that was on his thigh and placed it over the bulge in his pants.
“Oh,” I giggled. “You want me to ask Colton to drop us off so I can
take care of that?”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “And explain to
your brothers why we’re late. Yeah, no thank you.”

I nibbled lightly on the tip of his ear and
I could feel him tense. “Oh, come on Casper.”

He pushed me back against the seat and on
the other side of the car. “Stop,” he warned. I crossed my arms in
a huff. “Knock it off.”

“
I’m not doing anything,”
I snapped.

“
You’re pouting,” he said,
shifting again.

“
You’re kidding, right?
That turns you on?”

“
Have you seen your lips?”
I rolled my eyes. He tugged me closer to him. “Alex, everything
about you turns me on. Do you know how hard it was to be alone with
you in a room and not tear your clothes off? Every minute of every
day all I thought about was you,” I smiled at the sweet sentiment,
that was, until he continued. “And your underwear.” I shoved him
back to his side of the car and kept to my side the rest of the
ride. We both subconsciously reached our hands out, meeting in the
center. He smiled at me sweetly and rubbed his thumb over the pad
of my hand. I crossed my legs, clenching. He had no idea what he
did to me. This time he was the one to raise a brow at me. I leaned
on my elbow and winked at him. Happy, he relaxed back in his
seat.

Finally we arrived at the
bar. The drive there felt almost torturous
having Casper that close to me and not able to do anything
about it. He kissed my hand and when I went to let myself out, he
shook his head no. Casper jumped out of the car and jogged over to
my side to open the door for me. He held out his hand and assisted
in helping me get out. “You know, you already got me. You don’t
have to try and impress me.”

“
I’m not. It’s called
being a gentleman.”

“
Didn’t even know you knew
what that word meant,” I teased.

“
It’s reserved for only a
select few and only applies in public,” he winked. I just shook my
head and took his arm as he escorted me inside. We found the rest
of the group by one of the tables up top. I offered to get Declan a
drink but she declined; something about not feeling well. I
shrugged it off and made my way to the bar. I ordered a round for
everyone and grabbed a tray from the back so I could carry
everything. When I returned to the table Casper frowned at me.
“Alex,” he said, taking the tray from me. “You’re off the clock.
Let someone else do that.”

“
I don’t mind,” I replied,
giving him a kiss on the cheek.

We joined Jaxson and Jasper in a game of
pool. We played partners and kicked Jaxson and Jasper’s butt. “I
never asked how you learned to play so well,” Casper said, wrapping
an arm around my waist.

“
I taught her,” Jack said.
Casper’s arm instantly dropped and I stifled an eye
roll.

“
No, you taught her how to
suck. I taught her how to be good,” Jasper said.

“
Both of you are wrong.
Dad taught me.” I quickly closed my mouth. I hadn’t meant to say
that last part out loud.

The room grew quiet for a moment, but
thankfully Jack jumped in. “How about you and me versus Jasper and
Jaxson and then we can shut him up once and for all.”