Cassie's Choice by Donna Gallagher

Riley had heard a voice outside the office doorway he’d waited for Rook to appear, but it had never happened.
    As he drove home to face another night alone in the apartment he’d once shared with his sister, he tried to decide if he was relieved over Rook’s no-show or hurt that his friend had obviously turned his back on him.
    It’s probably for the best anyway, he decided as he let himself into his claustrophobically silent home and collapsed on the sofa. If I don’t socialise with Rook or Pippa it’s less likely I will run into Cassie. He told himself this, but it didn’t make him feel any better. What I need to do is to go out and meet someone else. Maybe I’ll go to Jetstream after the weekend game . Even as he was making the plan, Riley knew he was kidding himself. He might go to the nightclub but searching out another woman—it wasn’t going to happen. He was so lost in his own thoughts that when he heard the knock at the door he had no idea how long his unexpected visitor had spent trying to garner his attention.
    “Yeah, I’m coming, hold on,” he shouted as he took the few strides from sofa to doorway. There was no way he could hide the look of shock on his face as he laid eyes on the very last person he would have expected to be standing on his doorstep. Cassie.
    “Umm, I hope I haven’t called in at a bad time, Riley. It’s just I think we need to talk.”
    Surprised. Shell-shocked. Aroused. Riley stood looking at Cassie. Her words had sounded hesitant—she was nervous. He could tell by the way she chewed at her bottom lip while she waited for his response. A response he knew he should give…but the words were just stuck in his throat. Refusing to come forth. He couldn’t believe she was standing at his door. So close, he wanted to drag her inside and crush his lips to her mouth, she looked so fucking hot. His mind raced as he tried in vain to come up with a good reason to turn her away. But he wanted her to stay. Go. Stay.
    “I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have come without calling first…” Cassie started to turn, ready to leave.
    It was now or never. He had to make a choice. This was a chance to make things right with Cassie so that he could face his friends again. But Riley was worried that he would not be strong enough to let her leave. Once she entered his apartment would he have the fortitude to keep his hands from her? Keep from kissing those tempting lips? Running his fingers through her blonde curls or feeling the weight of her breasts in the palms of his hands again?
    “No… Don’t go, Cass.” The words came, a plea, as he reached out to stop her. The moment his hand touched her arm, Riley knew he was in trouble. That small connection to her opened up a dam of emotions. The familiar tingle raced up his arm. Just barely a touch and his body was on fire. Needy. Wanting. The power of her over him was indescribable. He wanted to fall to his knees, beg her forgiveness. He would have given anything at that moment for her to touch him. But he could not be weak. He had to pull himself together. If Cassie wanted to talk then talk they would.
    “You wanted to talk, let’s talk. Do you want to come in? I can make you a cuppa, I have tea. Actually, I’ve got some of your favourite—it’s still chamomile, right?”
    “If you’re sure it’s no trouble, and yes it is.” The smile nearly did him in. When Cassie smiled, her face lit up a room, her eyes sparkled and a dimple appeared in her left cheek. It was adorable and sexy as all get out. He had teased her over it many times but it always turned him inside out. Tonight was no different. God he was in trouble.
    Riley stepped back and as Cassie entered past him he caught a whiff of her perfume—no, not perfume, Cassie didn’t wear any, it was all her. Enticing and fresh. Reminding him of what he had lost, what he missed.
    “I’ll just pop the kettle on then,” he muttered as he tried to not obsess over the fact that the woman