Authors: Ginger Simpson
Cassie closed the door and leaned against it. She hadn't looked at another man since meeting Evan…at least with such attraction and lust. She ought to be ashamed. No way would she appreciate Evan ogling another woman. The attraction had to have been the suit, certainly not those broad shoulders or bedroom eyes. Time to get a grip. She took a breath. Wasn't fantasizing a natural part of life? Besides, she loved Evan with all her heart, but where in the hell had Bryan Green been all those years she was single?
Fanning herself, she went to her desk to tackle the day's mail. The indelible grin on her face blossomed into a smile. Detective Green had actually flirted with her…either that or something irritated his eye at just that moment. How sad that someone that good looking and nice was unattached. She sighed and turned back to the task at hand.
The first envelope held a bill from the attorney she'd secured to help Evan combat the existing warrants in Arizona. There was note inside. Cassie unfolded and read:
Upon further investigation, it appears the pending warrants have been pulled because of the time lapse involved. I would advise Mr. Dennis not to be concerned, unless of course he plans to drive through Maricopa County and get stopped for speeding or equipment malfunction. In that case, the warrants would most likely resurface. As long as his primary residence is outside the state of Arizona, it's highly doubtful he's in jeopardy.
Cassie's relief released in a whoosh, replaced by anxiousness for Evan to come so she could share the good news. A glimpse of the accompanying statement made her roll her eyes. "Sheesh, I should have been a lawyer." The invoice formed the foundation for more bills to come as she picked up enveloped number two.
The mail open, Cassie started entering data onto a spreadsheet and separating the bills into 'pay now' and 'pay later' piles. The back door slammed and two male voices, one of which she recognized as Evan's, sounded.
"Cassie, baby, where are you?" he called.
"I'm in the office."
Evan appeared in the doorway, a broad grin on his face and his arm around another man. "Lookee who I found."
Cassie's shoulders drew into a puzzled shrug.
"This is Billy, my brother." Evan removed his arm and moved closer to the desk. "Billy, I'd like you to meet my special lady, Cassie."
She stood and offered her hand. "I should have guessed. I definitely see a family resemblance, especially the blue eyes. Welcome, Billy, I'm happy to meet you."
"You, too." Billy dropped his bag on the floor, removed his baseball cap, and gave her a shy smile.
Impressed by his polite gesture, Cassie glanced at Evan. "Wow, we have a true gentleman in the house."
Billy nodded. "Military man…and southern born. A double whammy. In my opinion, more men should enlist." He smoothed his hair and replaced his cap. His gaze wandered the room. "You have a nice place here, Cassie."
His Texas drawl sounded less severe than Evan's, but still lent a distinct twang to his voice. They shared the same height and approximate weight, but the loose fit of Billy's shirt showed his upper body not nearly as developed as Evan's. Cassie look from one face to the other, focusing more on the lack of similarities. Billy paled in comparison to Evan's healthy outdoor tan, plus he had deep circles beneath his eyes. His pasty skin only magnified them and made him look tired. "Are you hungry," she asked, "or would you prefer to go to your room and rest. You must have had a long day."
"I really could use some sleep. I ate a short time ago, but I drove all the way from Fort Worth today"
"What were you doing in Fort Worth?" Evan cocked his head.
"Trying to find a job. Since my stint in the service ended, I haven't had much luck finding employment."
"What did you do in the service?" Cassie asked.
"I was a jack of all trades, I guess you'd say. I worked on military vehicles, painted, planted, cleaned…anything they ordered me to do, I did. I spent most of my time in an office, filing, typing and answering phones. Thankfully, I get a small pension, or I'd be up a creek."
Evan pounded his brother on the back. "C'mon little brother, grab your bag and let's get you settled. We can talk more in the morning after you've gotten a good night's shuteye."
Billy picked up his duffle, then doffed his cap at Cassie. "Thank you for your hospitality. It'll be nice sleeping in a real bed for a change. I've been bedding down in the car for the past month."
Cassie's mouth gaped and a passel of questions popped into her mind. This wasn't the time to be nosy, the man needed his rest. "Have a good night, Billy. See you in the morning."
Evan escorted his brother upstairs, and Cassie returned to her tedious routine. Billy wasn't the only tired one. Coming home from work every night and having to play catch up with business obligations took a toll on her. How long could she continue before she buckled under the stress?
A delicious aroma wafted from Mom's quarters. Cassie's stomach growled, reminding her she hadn't eaten dinner. Mom had long ago gotten into the habit of making her own meals, and Cassie missed having someone else do the cooking. Kitchen duty was only one more task to add to her list. She pushed away from the desk and glanced at the staircase. Evan was probably hungry, too.
In the kitchen, Cassie searched the refrigerator for something quick and tasty, leftovers perhaps. The pickings were slim—cold cuts, a wilted head of lettuce, a couple beers, some past-dated milk, and a covered container she feared opening, and when she did, the smell gagged her. The unidentifiable contents had become a science project and not suitable for human consumption. She dumped the moldy mass down the disposal and decided time had come to grocery shop.
She returned to the fridge and sniffed the milk. It still smelled okay, so she fetched a box of cereal from the pantry, two bowls from the cupboard and a couple of spoons. Not gourmet, but good enough to quell her hungry rumblings.
Evan came and sat at the table with her. He looked at the cereal box and bowl and smiled. "Oh, honey, you shouldn't have spent so much time, slaving over dinner."
Cassie's teeth clenched. Surely, he was kidding. For his sake, she'd suppose he was. "I'm glad you appreciate my culinary talents." Two could be sarcastic.
"I know this isn't considered a real meal," she said over the sound of cereal tinkling into Evan's empty bowl, "but, I've been busy ever since I walked in the door. Besides, when I was growing up, we had what Mom called 'eat nights' fairly often."
"Eat nights?" Evan's brow rose as he poured milk atop his rice puffs.
"Yeah, if you find it, eat it!" Her laughter sent milk dribbling down her chin. She wiped it away with the back of her hand. "I'll go grocery shopping on my way home tomorrow. I admit, this definitely isn't much of a dinner."
Evan paused with spoon mid-air. "Baby girl, I'd eat pretty much anything you put in front of me as long as I can look across the table at your beautiful face."
The compliment warmed her heart and made the crummy rice puffs seem like Chateaubriand. She reached across and clasped his hand. "That was lovely, but I'm still shopping tomorrow. Billy deserves something better than breakfast food for dinner."
They both chuckled, but then fell silent except for the sound of crunching. Cassie dropped her spoon into her empty bowl with a loud clank. She started to lean back, but sat bolt upright. "Oh, my gosh, I almost forgot to tell you. We received a response from the attorney about your warrants."
Evan's Adam apple bobbed with a hard swallow. "What'd he say?"
"He said not to worry about them. Unless you return to Maricopa County and do something that draws legal attention to you, time has virtually erased the warrants. Stay in California and things will be fine."
"Whew! That's a big relief." He sprawled in his chair, then leaned forward, his jaw tensed. "All this worry because of a crummy watch. If I ever get hold of your brother-in-law…."
"You don't have to worry about the police report either. Detective Green dropped by earlier and informed me the case had been dismissed for lack of evidence."
"Ah," Evan sighed. "This has been quite a day for good things. A case dropped, warrants inactive, and my little brother coming to live with us."
"What?" Her mouth dropped open.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Cassie's forehead actually hurt from the skin-stretching surprise. "Moving in? You're kidding, right? I thought this was just a visit."
Evan pushed his empty bowl aside and, on folded arms, leaned forward. "It's only for a little while. He's really down on his luck, and I think I can help him find a job…maybe even hire him to do some stuff around here. If he pays his way and helps out, things should work out fine."
"How long is a little while?" Cassie pressed.
"I don't know…a few months, a year. We'll have to wait and see. Is this a problem?"
"Oh, I guess not."
First Bud now Billy. Who next?
"If Billy being here isn't a problem, then why are you acting so funny?"
"I'm surprised that you once again didn't confer with me before making a major decision. This is my house, after all. I should be consulted before you invite someone to take up residence."
His lips thinned, and he scooted back into his seat. "Your house? I thought it was our home. If I'm wrong, then why am I busting my ass to make all these improvements around here?"
"Okay, I didn't choose my words wisely. This is our home, but out of simple courtesy, you should have discussed offering extended lodging to your brother with me beforehand."
Evan pushed back in his chair so hard, the legs squealed on the tile floor. He stood and glared at her. "Fine, I'll ask him to leave if that's what you want."
Cass leapt to her feet, rounded the table and grabbed his arm. "That's not what I want and you know it. As usual, you missed the point." She released her grasp and massaged her brow. "All I ask from you is to act like we're a team. When you make major decisions on your own, they eventually affect me. I have a right to know about your plans before you carry them out. That's all I'm trying to say."
She sought his gaze. "My anger doesn't have anything to do with wanting or not wanting your brother here. Of course, he's welcome to stay as long as he needs."
Evan's features softened. "Good, cause he doesn't have any place else to go at the moment, but you're right. I should've clued you in before I made the decision. I'm sorry, Cass."
Embracing him, she buried her face against his shoulder. "I don't like when we fight. I love you, and I want us to get along."
"I love you, too," he whispered next to her ear.
She pulled back, gazed at him, and scrunched up her face. "I may have overreacted a bit. I'm a tad tired. Are you ready for bed?"
He brushed a quick kiss across her lips. "Let's forget this happened. The whole thing was my fault, and I plan to make it up to you." He gave her a sexy wink.
"Race you up." He pulled away and sped toward the stairs.
Unable to keep up and breathless, Cassie entered the room and found Evan already on the bed in a risqué pose.
"Wanna a piece of candy, little girl."
As tired as she felt, the thought of being in his arms and letting go of the day's stress did sound inviting. His angular chin, the twinkle in his eyes, the bulge already evident in his jeans…everything about him heightened her craving.
Despite their rollercoaster relationship, the man had changed her life for the better. She'd even stopped taking her anti-depressants and no longer suffered from the horrible black thoughts that once haunted her. She went willingly to him, her heart overflowing with joy that someone loved, desired, and wanted to share a life with her.
After holding her for a few minutes, Evan pulled back and gazed into her eyes. "I know you're tired. How 'bout we share some cuddle time until we fall asleep. We can make love tomorrow. It's been a long day for both of us.
Relief blanketed her. Although being intimate with Evan was always wonderful, his nearness and the security of his arms was what she craved, especially when she was exhausted.
"Oh, baby, that's a good idea. Hold that thought while I change into my nightgown. I'll be right back."
Cassie slipped back into bed, noting his jeans and shirt on the floor. She inched against his naked contour, used to his occasional sleeping in the buff and pulled his arm around her waist. Only when their fingers intertwined did she sigh and snuggle down under the covers. "Goodnight, my darling. Thank you for loving me."
Evan's gentle snore was his only response.
* * *
Cassie and Evan shared a rare moment together on the footbridge over the pond. She sprinkled fish food into the water and laughed at the hungry mouths skimming the surface for dinner. "Look at the one with the gold flecks all over. He's such a bully. No wonder he's bigger than the rest. He bulldozes over the others to get more than his share."
When Evan failed to respond, she nudged him. "Are you okay?"