Dating A Cougar (20 page)

Jenna looked at Casey’s hand on her mother’s leg, and then at the flush of pleasure on her mother’s face. That’s the way it should be, she thought. Who wouldn’t want quiet support and understanding from someone who really knew you?

Unfortunately, when Jenna thought about such intimacy for herself, she could only see one man’s hand on her leg, which was too bad. Just like it was too bad Seth Carter wasn’t more like the man who’d raised him.

It had taken all of ten minutes to see Casey understood her mother, accepted her, and wanted the best for her. And her mother and Casey barely knew each other by most dating standards. Maybe it happens faster when you’re older, Jenna thought.

Or maybe she just sucked at dating.

Jenna sighed and kept on eating.

Chapter 19

In the family room at the back of the house, Casey sat on a couch that seated five people with Alexa’s leg pressed to his. While it wasn’t the way he’d originally planned to spend Saturday evening with Alexa, it wasn’t bad.

Alexa had rounded out the family group by inviting her friends Regina and Lauren over to meet him.

Paul and Sydney had made a pizza run earlier for dinner. Now Paul and Regina were engaged in a death match over air hockey. Paul scored the winning slide and gloated, while Sydney cheered him on.

Regina swore, gave them both a middle finger salute, and stomped off to use the restroom.

Alexa had been right. Casey liked Regina Logan. The woman had fire. Too spirited and outspoken for him—Alexa’s sass was more than he needed—but he could see the woman had a giant personality and guts in spades. Regina would have made a damn good Marine, providing she hadn’t gotten busted every ten seconds for venting her temper.

On the other hand, Casey wasn’t sure Lauren even had a pulse. She was the most congenial, easy-going person he’d ever met. Lauren McCarthy glided around the room smiling. She seemed to enjoy the competitive friction in the crowd, but didn’t engage in it. Lauren stood to the side, helped people with their drinks, their game remotes, their—well, their whatever.

Lauren reminded Casey of a tamer version of his wife. Susan had also been nurturing but had a sassy mouth like Alexa’s when you riled her. Lauren probably never swore.

Casey looked with greater appreciation at the woman seated beside him, suddenly immensely appreciative of Alexa’s faults along with everything wonderful. Alexa was a challenge, but a hell of a lot more fun than she was work.

“Why aren’t you over there beating Paul?” Casey asked her. “Your friends and your daughter are getting slaughtered. Womanhood is going down the toilet in your family room while you just sit there and watch.”

Alexa yawned and arched an eyebrow.

“It’s your fault I’m a walking zombie. I’m still hung over from two late nights in a row and more sex than I’ve had in a decade—maybe two,” she whispered, making Casey laugh at her grumbling.

Casey put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side. He felt a little guilty for wearing Alexa out, but it would have been impossible not to be happy she was tired because of him. Not one of his more sterling character moments, but hey—he was a guy.

“Here, baby, sleep on me. You need to rest up for when company leaves tomorrow,” he said in an answering whisper.

Casey kissed the top of her head when she leaned on him.

Alexa turned her head, giggled against the front of his shirt, and then snorted.

Regina plopped down beside Alexa. “Did I just hear you snort?” she asked a now laughing Alexa.

Regina looked at Casey. “You must be really funny. Alexa only snorts when something is hilarious. Lauren and I used to compete at telling her jokes trying to get her to do it.”

Casey looked at Alexa. “You snort all the time with me. You must think I’m hysterical.”

Alexa laughed, snorting again. “I do. But I hate snorting,” she said. “It’s so not elegant.”

Casey thought if Regina rolled her eyes any higher, they’d go through the top of her head. Damn, if he didn’t like the woman.

“Well, hell. Of course, we wouldn’t want to be less than elegant when we laugh,” Regina said dryly, sipping her drink.

Alexa looked at Regina and her drink. “Straight coke,” Regina said. “There’s nothing in it. Two and out already.” She crossed her chest with a big X. “Swear to God. It’s just a stress reliever.”

Alexa leaned over and hugged Regina, almost making her spill her coke. “I love you. I don’t mean to nag.”

“Good friends ask,” Regina said, patting her cheek.

“So, Casey,” Regina said conversationally, a wicked gleam in her eye. “Did you get all the testosterone in your family? If it’s too personal a question, you don’t have to answer.”

Casey looked at his lap, pretending to study his crotch with great interest, and then looked back at Regina.

“How can you tell?” he asked. “Is there some sort of test?”

Regina threw back her head and laughed loudly.

Jenna came over and pinched Regina on the arm. “Quit harassing Mama’s boyfriend. If I can’t do it, you can’t. I’m the one Casey came to see about dating her.”

The entire room got silent.

“Ooops—“ Jenna said, realizing what she had just announced.

“Give me a push me up off this couch, Alexa,” Casey said. “I have to go beat your daughter.”

Alexa patted Casey’s leg, narrowing her eyes at Jenna. “No, that’s okay, honey. I’ll take care of this one.”

Jenna started backing up. “Mama. No, Mama. I’m sorry. I swear. I never meant to announce it.”

Alexa jumped up from the couch and ran after her daughter, chasing her around the air hockey table while Jenna squealed and screamed.

Paul and Sydney started taking bets, and to Casey’s utter surprise, Lauren wanted to put money on Jenna.

“Lauren’s going to lose her money,” Casey said to Regina, shaking his head, his eyes on Alexa, who looked like she was contemplating vaulting over the air hockey table.

Casey laughed. “Alexa is the most stubborn person I’ve ever met. Jenna’s only chance is to talk her mother down from being mad before she catches up to her,” he said.

“Boy, you sure came up to speed fast,” Regina answered, smiling at Casey. “My money’s on Alexa too. Same reasons.”

Casey laughed again. “I’d never bet against Alexa anyway. I’m in love with her,” he said to Regina, needing to try it out.

“Duh,” said Regina, laughing. “Alexa is probably the only person who doesn’t know.”

She reached over and patted his knee, a huge smile on her face. “We all approve, Casey Carter.”

Casey smiled back at Regina, sincerely hoping it was true.

“Hey,” Alexa yelled across the room, sitting on top of a wiggling, squirming, and now repentant Jenna. “I’m being a hero over here and you’re making time with Regina? What’s with you, Carter?”

“She’s the one who patted my knee. I didn’t touch her. I swear,” Casey vowed, crossing his chest with an X like Regina had done earlier.

“Come on, Alexa. You know you’re the woman I love.”

Alexa smiled and it was dazzling. She twisted Jenna’s arm a little while her daughter laughed.

“Apologize to Casey for your bad manners,” Alexa ordered, laughing herself.

“Do I have to?” Jenna asked, squealing and pounding the floor with a free hand like a losing wrestler.

Casey laughed but started feeling sorry for Jenna. Now he knew for sure Alexa could have fought back with him any number of times. Lucky for him she hadn’t. She could have seriously hurt him.

“I forgive her, Alexa. It was an honest mistake. Let her up,” Casey pleaded on Jenna’s behalf.

“See,” Jenna said plaintively, giggling against the floor. “Thank you, Casey.”

Paul walked over to look at his daughter and her mother locked in battle on the floor. He stooped down, bending one perfectly creased knee until he was almost eye level with Jenna.

“Obey your mother, Jenna. Apologize to Casey. Then you can get even and tell us all about it,” her father said, giving Alexa a wicked look.

“Gee, thanks for the support. This is why she’s so spoiled, you know,” Alexa said, disgusted.

“I know,” Paul said easily. “I love my daughter. What can I say?”

Jenna lay on the floor in surrender now, wondering how she’d let her fifty-year-old mother beat her in yet another physical fight. Talk about embarrassing, she thought.

“I’m sorry, Casey. Really, really sorry,” Jenna said, immensely relieved to feel her mother’s weight lifting off her hips.

“Apology accepted, “Casey said with another laugh.

Jenna stood, brushing a hand over her clothes to remove the evidence of being ground into the floor.

“I am also really sorry I ever gave Casey permission to date you, Mama. He needs to find a nice woman. Someone who doesn’t abuse her daughter,” Jenna stated, breaking into a run again when Alexa started to step toward her once more.

With Jenna in retreat, Alexa walked back to Casey, who pulled her down beside him. He could feel her vibrating. If they were alone, he would have found out what it felt like to be in the middle of that, maybe share it with her.

“You could have yanked that cane out of my hand and kicked my ass any time you wanted, couldn’t you?” Casey asked, narrowing his eyes as he studied her.

Alexa was pretending to be fascinated with her manicure, refusing to answer him. Casey recognized the stalling tactic. It made him remember their limo ride and that she was a woman who told the truth.

“Thank you for defending my honor,” Casey said softly and sincerely, watching her reaction. He wasn’t disappointed. For all the attention she got, Alexa was starved for genuine praise.

Alexa blushed both at what Casey said and the way he looked at her so proudly.

Then surprising everyone, including herself, she turned around, grabbed Casey’s shirtfront, and kissed him hard while she hung on.

“Hero’s reward,” Alexa said roughly, when she let him go.

Regina was snickering. Casey was smiling.

“So, Alexa,” Regina began. “Are you allowed to kiss Casey that way? I never quite got if Jenna gave him permission to date you or not.”

“Wait. I want to hear this too,” Lauren said, squeezing down on the other side of Alexa.

Casey patted Alexa’s knee, feeling the vibration. “This is my fault,” Casey said. “I’ll tell the story.”

For the next twenty minutes, Casey had to listen to everyone laughing at what he’d done. He ended up arguing with Jenna, who—naturally—wanted to make herself seem to be the angelic daughter, rather than the blackmailer who had forced him to confess.

After the laughter died down, Jenna was still laughing about Casey coming to see her.

Eventually, Sydney couldn’t stand hearing Jenna brag about it anymore. “Oh, grow up little girl. You weren’t the only one Casey asked about dating your mother. He talked to me first.”

Jenna froze, her eyes widening in shock. She looked at Sydney, and then put a hand over her mouth, only half managing to stifle her gasp.

Across the room, Alexa turned her gaze to a now full-out blushing Casey.

“Oh, hell,” Casey said, feeling Alexa’s hand tighten painfully on his leg.

“Ooops,” Sydney said, wincing at what he’d done.

Paul crossed his arms and bent his head so Alexa wouldn’t see him laughing and get mad at him too.

“Is there anybody you haven’t asked?” Alexa demanded, wishing the fire from her eyes could burn holes in Casey.

Lauren and Paul both raised their hands.

Casey looked at Regina strangely, wondering why she hadn’t raised her hand too.

“I’m counting our little talk,” Regina told him around a grin.

“Traitor,” Casey said, admiring her balls and grinning in return.

Casey looked at Alexa, trying to gauge if she was a little mad, a lot mad, or furious again. There were no signs of blushing embarrassment this time. He took that as a good sign.

“On a scale of 1–10, how mad are you?” Casey asked at last.

“Eleven,” Alexa said, crossing her arms.

Casey sighed. “Fine. Looks like we’re having makeup sex again. You’re wearing me out, Alexa.”

Lauren didn’t know what Casey was insinuating, but it didn’t sound flattering to Alexa. So she passed Alexa a small throw pillow, which Alexa promptly started using to smack Casey repeatedly across the face, chest, and anywhere else he didn’t have his hands.

Lauren and Regina rose and crossed the room out of the line of fire.

Everyone laughed as they watched Alexa pulverize Casey with a pillow while he apologized over and over.

Lauren smiled. “Casey’s more than a boy-toy, isn’t he?” she asked.

“He’s probably the love of her life,” Regina said softly. Then she turned to Paul and Sydney. “You’re going to be demoted to Man #2 and Man #3. It looks like Mr. Carter is taking the Man #1 position.”

“Yes,” yelled Paul and Sydney in unison, which brought on a high-five for saying it together.

Regina rolled her eyes. Then she looked at Jenna. “So how do you feel about this?”

Jenna watched fascinated as Casey gritted his teeth, took the pillow beating for a while, and then wrestled the pillow from her mother, only to give it back after a short period. And every time he gave it back, her mother used it to beat him more. Was the man crazy?

“I feel sorry for him,” Jenna said. “I think I even want to intervene right now. Are we one crazy family or what?”

She put her hands on her hips and looked at the rest of them. “Well, are you going to help me save Casey?” Jenna asked.

Four heads shook slowly from side-to-side.

“Wimps,” Jenna scowled, and pushed up her sleeves. “I’m not afraid of her. Casey has his cane. Surely, between the two of us, we can tame one measly fifty-year-old woman.”