call earlier. Getting her out of town wasn’t such a bad idea, though Alvinia could easily follow.
“Where are you going?” he asked as he peeked into the bag. He found the boxes with the jewelry he’d given her the night before. She wanted to give it back to him. Well, that just wasn’t going to happen. Once she discovered how horribly he’d screwed up her life by taking her to that damn party, she’d probably want the jewels and his head on stick. He wouldn’t blame her.
“Los Angeles. I’m working on an album cover for an old friend. I’ll be gone for a couple of days. And I was wondering if you could make sure that Carmen waters the plants. Sometimes she forgets. And Aunt Teddie is worried about what will happen to her feng shui if her plants aren’t placed in the optimal—wait or was that one about her auras. Anyhoo—I need you to water the plants.”
Casey walked out with her hair down and swinging about her shoulders. She’d put on a lacey white shirt with a deep V on the neckline.
Gorgeous. There was no other word for her.
Wait. Old friend?
“This album isn’t by that guy you used to date? The one you found with two of your friends when he didn’t show up for something?”
She nodded as she slid on her high-heeled boots. Those were new. In fact, her shirt looked familiar.
Then it hit him. Linc had sent her clothes and shoes. What was his friend up to now? It wasn’t his job to shower Casey with gifts. That was his job.
Well it would be, if he could convince her to—what? Marry him in name only? Marriage with benefits? Oh, he was sure that would go over big with her. She wasn’t exactly the white-picket fence type, but she was a romantic. She’d want hearts and flowers and—no. She would never go for what he wanted to propose.
Ludicrous.
“Yes, but we’ve been friends for a long time. I don’t hold grudges—well, at least for very long. He and the band did pretty well a few years ago, but they had a big break up. Now they’re back for a reunion album, and he wants me to do his cover. I did the first one and it went platinum. He calls me his lucky charm.”
I just bet he does. Nick had to get control of his—protectiveness? Yes, that was it. She needed a full-time guardian to keep her away from these assholes that just used her. Maybe he couldn’t give her the life she deserved, but he’d do his damndest to keep her from being tied to some rock star idiot who cared about his dick more than a woman as special as Casey.
“Well, that works out well. I have business in L.A. the next few days. We can go together.” Mason would have to move around several of his meetings, but he wasn’t about to let Casey go out there alone. She wouldn’t be safe from Alvinia or that rock star. Only Casey could forgive some guy who’d ripped her up so bad she didn’t date for two years after their relationship ended.
Her head popped up.
“Uh. Well. Huh.” She made a funny face. “The thing is, you know. It’s work. And even if he’s a friend, I like to keep things professional.”
Hmmm. She didn’t want Nick to meet the guy.
Of course he had to go, only she wasn’t aware of that. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll have meetings, but perhaps we can meet for dinner. And we’ll take my plane in the morning. It’s silly for you to take a commercial flight when I’m going that way.”
Her mouth opened and closed, but she didn’t say anything.
“Is there a problem?” he asked nonchalantly.
“That’s nice of you, I guess. If you don’t mind.”
“Of course I don’t. We’ll make a trip of it. Oh, and Casey?”
“Yes.”
He handed her the Nordstrom’s bag. “If you ever try to give me these jewels back again, I’ll take you over my knee and spank you.”
If he wasn’t mistaken, her eyes took on a mischievous glint.
…
She was in a coma. That was the only explanation for what was going on. Her mind had erected a fantasy wherein Nick treated like he cared for her in
“Where are you going?” he asked as he peeked into the bag. He found the boxes with the jewelry he’d given her the night before. She wanted to give it back to him. Well, that just wasn’t going to happen. Once she discovered how horribly he’d screwed up her life by taking her to that damn party, she’d probably want the jewels and his head on stick. He wouldn’t blame her.
“Los Angeles. I’m working on an album cover for an old friend. I’ll be gone for a couple of days. And I was wondering if you could make sure that Carmen waters the plants. Sometimes she forgets. And Aunt Teddie is worried about what will happen to her feng shui if her plants aren’t placed in the optimal—wait or was that one about her auras. Anyhoo—I need you to water the plants.”
Casey walked out with her hair down and swinging about her shoulders. She’d put on a lacey white shirt with a deep V on the neckline.
Gorgeous. There was no other word for her.
Wait. Old friend?
“This album isn’t by that guy you used to date? The one you found with two of your friends when he didn’t show up for something?”
She nodded as she slid on her high-heeled boots. Those were new. In fact, her shirt looked familiar.
Then it hit him. Linc had sent her clothes and shoes. What was his friend up to now? It wasn’t his job to shower Casey with gifts. That was his job.
Well it would be, if he could convince her to—what? Marry him in name only? Marriage with benefits? Oh, he was sure that would go over big with her. She wasn’t exactly the white-picket fence type, but she was a romantic. She’d want hearts and flowers and—no. She would never go for what he wanted to propose.
Ludicrous.
“Yes, but we’ve been friends for a long time. I don’t hold grudges—well, at least for very long. He and the band did pretty well a few years ago, but they had a big break up. Now they’re back for a reunion album, and he wants me to do his cover. I did the first one and it went platinum. He calls me his lucky charm.”
I just bet he does. Nick had to get control of his—protectiveness? Yes, that was it. She needed a full-time guardian to keep her away from these assholes that just used her. Maybe he couldn’t give her the life she deserved, but he’d do his damndest to keep her from being tied to some rock star idiot who cared about his dick more than a woman as special as Casey.
“Well, that works out well. I have business in L.A. the next few days. We can go together.” Mason would have to move around several of his meetings, but he wasn’t about to let Casey go out there alone. She wouldn’t be safe from Alvinia or that rock star. Only Casey could forgive some guy who’d ripped her up so bad she didn’t date for two years after their relationship ended.
Her head popped up.
“Uh. Well. Huh.” She made a funny face. “The thing is, you know. It’s work. And even if he’s a friend, I like to keep things professional.”
Hmmm. She didn’t want Nick to meet the guy.
Of course he had to go, only she wasn’t aware of that. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll have meetings, but perhaps we can meet for dinner. And we’ll take my plane in the morning. It’s silly for you to take a commercial flight when I’m going that way.”
Her mouth opened and closed, but she didn’t say anything.
“Is there a problem?” he asked nonchalantly.
“That’s nice of you, I guess. If you don’t mind.”
“Of course I don’t. We’ll make a trip of it. Oh, and Casey?”
“Yes.”
He handed her the Nordstrom’s bag. “If you ever try to give me these jewels back again, I’ll take you over my knee and spank you.”
If he wasn’t mistaken, her eyes took on a mischievous glint.
…
She was in a coma. That was the only explanation for what was going on. Her mind had erected a fantasy wherein Nick treated like he cared for her in
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