ever-so-gently. His consideration brought tears to her eyes that if anyone asked, she’d say were from the pain, and she most certainly didn’t want to cry in front of him.
And yet she couldn’t stop herself from turning her head to look at him. “I don’t know what to say,” she whispered. “I wanted to be mad at you for taking over and making me leave but now that I’m here, I know it’s what I needed.” Even with only the light coming through the doorway from the kitchen she could see that the expression on his face was new.
It wasn’t full of anger or arrogance, it was compassionate. It was tender. “Rest, Cassandra.”
“But…” Cassie wasn’t sure what she was going to say but as she watched Adam walk out the door she felt oddly saddened. It wouldn’t be appropriate for him to stay and yet she knew that she didn’t want to be alone.
The kitchen went black and she heard the lock on her door catch. The first tear fell without warning and Cassie curled a little tighter around the heating pad. Normally she didn’t mind being alone when she was in pain like this but tonight…tonight it would have been nice to have someone stay with her until she fell asleep.
The mattress dipped behind her and before she could turn, she felt Adam’s full length behind her. “What are you…?”
“ Sshh…just rest, Cassandra. Try and get some sleep; if you need anything, I’ll be right here.” He placed a strong hand on top of the heating pad and held it close to her so that she could relax her own tired grip on it and get more comfortable.
His body was warm against her back as much as the heating pad was against her front. Cassie wiggled slightly and aligned their bodies better until she found that she could barely hold her eyes open any longer. She felt secure for the first time in what seemed like forever. “Thank you…”
Her words were barely a whisper but Adam found that they packed a powerful punch.
Chapter Five
Cassie slept deeply through the night and only moved to remove the heating pad that was getting uncomfortable. As soon as the pad was gone, Adam’s hand returned to take its place. The illuminated clock next to the bed told her that it was nearing five-thirty. Adam was stirring behind her, moving carefully so as to not disturb her.
Wanting to turn around and thank him once again, she blinked a few times but heard Adam leave the room and go into the bathroom. Maybe it would be better to just let this be. It was an awkward situation to be sure and the more Cassie thought about it, the more she realized that she needed to let it settle in her mind before actually talking to Adam about it; even if that talk was only her saying thank you again.
Adam splashed some cold water on his face to wake himself up. He was due back at the office at nine for breakfast and to start the next session of his corporate retreat. Cassie was due to cater both breakfast and lunch and he was unsure if he should wake her up or let her sleep. Stepping out of the bathroom he looked into her room and saw that she hadn’t moved. Surely her staff could handle the breakfast. He had great confidence that Cassie’d be back for the lunch service and grabbed his shoes and coat and walked quietly to the door.
There was an almost an inexplicable pull to go back to the bedroom, but Adam thought better of it. This could be just the situation that he needed to end this working relationship and get back on top. There was a very real possibility that Cassie was going to be embarrassed that he’d stayed the night. If she was uncomfortable enough, maybe she’d want to end their working relationship and Adam could go about finding a new event planner and caterer who didn’t argue with him or speak to him in a way that, even now, had his temper flaring.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement on the bed and the temper faded. Cassie really hadn’t done
And yet she couldn’t stop herself from turning her head to look at him. “I don’t know what to say,” she whispered. “I wanted to be mad at you for taking over and making me leave but now that I’m here, I know it’s what I needed.” Even with only the light coming through the doorway from the kitchen she could see that the expression on his face was new.
It wasn’t full of anger or arrogance, it was compassionate. It was tender. “Rest, Cassandra.”
“But…” Cassie wasn’t sure what she was going to say but as she watched Adam walk out the door she felt oddly saddened. It wouldn’t be appropriate for him to stay and yet she knew that she didn’t want to be alone.
The kitchen went black and she heard the lock on her door catch. The first tear fell without warning and Cassie curled a little tighter around the heating pad. Normally she didn’t mind being alone when she was in pain like this but tonight…tonight it would have been nice to have someone stay with her until she fell asleep.
The mattress dipped behind her and before she could turn, she felt Adam’s full length behind her. “What are you…?”
“ Sshh…just rest, Cassandra. Try and get some sleep; if you need anything, I’ll be right here.” He placed a strong hand on top of the heating pad and held it close to her so that she could relax her own tired grip on it and get more comfortable.
His body was warm against her back as much as the heating pad was against her front. Cassie wiggled slightly and aligned their bodies better until she found that she could barely hold her eyes open any longer. She felt secure for the first time in what seemed like forever. “Thank you…”
Her words were barely a whisper but Adam found that they packed a powerful punch.
Chapter Five
Cassie slept deeply through the night and only moved to remove the heating pad that was getting uncomfortable. As soon as the pad was gone, Adam’s hand returned to take its place. The illuminated clock next to the bed told her that it was nearing five-thirty. Adam was stirring behind her, moving carefully so as to not disturb her.
Wanting to turn around and thank him once again, she blinked a few times but heard Adam leave the room and go into the bathroom. Maybe it would be better to just let this be. It was an awkward situation to be sure and the more Cassie thought about it, the more she realized that she needed to let it settle in her mind before actually talking to Adam about it; even if that talk was only her saying thank you again.
Adam splashed some cold water on his face to wake himself up. He was due back at the office at nine for breakfast and to start the next session of his corporate retreat. Cassie was due to cater both breakfast and lunch and he was unsure if he should wake her up or let her sleep. Stepping out of the bathroom he looked into her room and saw that she hadn’t moved. Surely her staff could handle the breakfast. He had great confidence that Cassie’d be back for the lunch service and grabbed his shoes and coat and walked quietly to the door.
There was an almost an inexplicable pull to go back to the bedroom, but Adam thought better of it. This could be just the situation that he needed to end this working relationship and get back on top. There was a very real possibility that Cassie was going to be embarrassed that he’d stayed the night. If she was uncomfortable enough, maybe she’d want to end their working relationship and Adam could go about finding a new event planner and caterer who didn’t argue with him or speak to him in a way that, even now, had his temper flaring.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement on the bed and the temper faded. Cassie really hadn’t done
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