remember we have that thing tomorrow."
She didn't bother answering. First off, he was being an ass. Secondly, they didn't have a thing tomorrow. She got in the truck and slammed the door.
* * * * *
Gage watched them drive away, noting the position of Doug's arm on the back of Cassie's seat as he backed out of the drive and not liking that it was there. He realized his body was tense, his jaw was locked, and his hands were fisted. He took a deep, long breath in through his nose and let it out slowly, trying to relax. Nope, wasn't fucking happening. He wouldn't be happy until Cassie was back with him, away from that asshole, Doug.
He made his way to the porch swing and sat, stretching his legs out and propping his crossed feet up on the railing, getting comfortable for a long wait. Because he sure as hell wasn't leaving until she was home safe.
Chapter Five
Doug took her to a cute, Italian restaurant located just off the strip in the heart of Las Vegas. He hadn't spoken during the twenty-minute drive it took to get to the restaurant nor while they waited for their table or even after they placed their order. In fact, he looked deep in thought.
After their food had arrived, Cassie cleared her throat and spoke into the silence in a bid to save this date that even she, with her lack of dating experience, knew was going horribly wrong. "This looks lovely." Cassie had ordered the lasagna. Meat sauce oozed from between the layers, and the mozzarella cheese on top was browned and bubbly.
She heard Doug clear his throat and looked up expectantly. "Look, um ...," he cleared his throat again. "I like you."
Cassie smiled at him encouragingly.
"I think you're funny and pretty, and I've waited a long time for you to go out with me."
Cassie heard a but coming.
"But, I don't want to step on anyone's toes. That Gage guy acted a little territorial. Is there something going on between you two?"
Cassie set down her fork and took a deep breath, then proceeded to tell Doug the whole story. She wanted to be honest and up front, not wanting to start something on the wrong foot.
When she had finished, she looked up to find Doug staring at her. "What?" She asked, taking a sip of her wine.
"You're still in love with him." He didn't sound angry, just matter-of-fact.
Cassie sounded indignant. "I am not."
Doug leaned back, stretching his arms on the back of the booth, looking smug. "You are."
"I think I would know, and I am one-hundred percent, absolutely, not in love with Gage Hunter."
Doug held up his hands in surrender. "All I'm saying is, you had a dreamy look on your face when you talked about him."
"That wasn't dreamy, that was disgust. Were you not listening when I told you my story and what he did?"
Doug leaned forward, picking up her hand that lay on the table. "I was listening."
"Besides, it doesn't matter what I feel. I'll never take a chance on Gage again. It hurt too much the last time." She looked at Doug and gave him a weak smile. "Do you mind taking me home? I'm suddenly not feeling so well."
Doug gave her hand a squeeze. "Sure."
Cassie waved as she watched Doug's truck drive away. She'd thanked him for dinner, though neither of them had eaten very much, and told him he didn't have to walk her to her door. Explaining, she didn't want him getting out of the car still having a long drive home. He didn't try to kiss her goodnight and for that, she was strangely relieved. All in all, her first foray into the dating game had been a failure.
She slowly made her way to the porch. Movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention. Gage sat on the swing, his booted feet crossed at the ankle, up on the railing.
"You're home early."
"What are you still doing here?" She asked, walking up the steps and stopping at the top.
"I wanted to make sure you got home okay."
"You could have called."
"That was a lie. I wanted to
She didn't bother answering. First off, he was being an ass. Secondly, they didn't have a thing tomorrow. She got in the truck and slammed the door.
* * * * *
Gage watched them drive away, noting the position of Doug's arm on the back of Cassie's seat as he backed out of the drive and not liking that it was there. He realized his body was tense, his jaw was locked, and his hands were fisted. He took a deep, long breath in through his nose and let it out slowly, trying to relax. Nope, wasn't fucking happening. He wouldn't be happy until Cassie was back with him, away from that asshole, Doug.
He made his way to the porch swing and sat, stretching his legs out and propping his crossed feet up on the railing, getting comfortable for a long wait. Because he sure as hell wasn't leaving until she was home safe.
Chapter Five
Doug took her to a cute, Italian restaurant located just off the strip in the heart of Las Vegas. He hadn't spoken during the twenty-minute drive it took to get to the restaurant nor while they waited for their table or even after they placed their order. In fact, he looked deep in thought.
After their food had arrived, Cassie cleared her throat and spoke into the silence in a bid to save this date that even she, with her lack of dating experience, knew was going horribly wrong. "This looks lovely." Cassie had ordered the lasagna. Meat sauce oozed from between the layers, and the mozzarella cheese on top was browned and bubbly.
She heard Doug clear his throat and looked up expectantly. "Look, um ...," he cleared his throat again. "I like you."
Cassie smiled at him encouragingly.
"I think you're funny and pretty, and I've waited a long time for you to go out with me."
Cassie heard a but coming.
"But, I don't want to step on anyone's toes. That Gage guy acted a little territorial. Is there something going on between you two?"
Cassie set down her fork and took a deep breath, then proceeded to tell Doug the whole story. She wanted to be honest and up front, not wanting to start something on the wrong foot.
When she had finished, she looked up to find Doug staring at her. "What?" She asked, taking a sip of her wine.
"You're still in love with him." He didn't sound angry, just matter-of-fact.
Cassie sounded indignant. "I am not."
Doug leaned back, stretching his arms on the back of the booth, looking smug. "You are."
"I think I would know, and I am one-hundred percent, absolutely, not in love with Gage Hunter."
Doug held up his hands in surrender. "All I'm saying is, you had a dreamy look on your face when you talked about him."
"That wasn't dreamy, that was disgust. Were you not listening when I told you my story and what he did?"
Doug leaned forward, picking up her hand that lay on the table. "I was listening."
"Besides, it doesn't matter what I feel. I'll never take a chance on Gage again. It hurt too much the last time." She looked at Doug and gave him a weak smile. "Do you mind taking me home? I'm suddenly not feeling so well."
Doug gave her hand a squeeze. "Sure."
Cassie waved as she watched Doug's truck drive away. She'd thanked him for dinner, though neither of them had eaten very much, and told him he didn't have to walk her to her door. Explaining, she didn't want him getting out of the car still having a long drive home. He didn't try to kiss her goodnight and for that, she was strangely relieved. All in all, her first foray into the dating game had been a failure.
She slowly made her way to the porch. Movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention. Gage sat on the swing, his booted feet crossed at the ankle, up on the railing.
"You're home early."
"What are you still doing here?" She asked, walking up the steps and stopping at the top.
"I wanted to make sure you got home okay."
"You could have called."
"That was a lie. I wanted to
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