She's not cursing now. In fact, I can feel her trembling.
"More," she moans against my mouth, moving away just enough to beg.
I can't hold back any longer. I pull her in, her body cool against my scorched skin. I wish I'd taken my jacket off so I could feel her skin against mine.
But just a second later, she reels back, refusing to meet my eye.
She's shaking, and I want to reach for her more than I've ever wanted anything in my life, but before I can make a move, she stumbles back.
The night air hits me, cooling off my scorched skin, but my eyes are glued to Cassidy's figure. She backs away in the direction of the house, refusing to look at me. She's still shaking, and it fucking hurts to know I've brought her to that point.
She stands on the corner of the street for a second, looking at the ground, and I desperately want to rush towards her. Before I can do that, she turns around and disappears around the curb.
It's like I'm on autopilot as I check whether I've locked the bike and start heading back to the house myself. I realize I'm shaking when I try to open the front door which Cassidy left unlocked.
I remember the stupid bet I made with Adrian as I come to a stop in front of the door that leads to Cassidy's bedroom.
There's not a sound coming out through the wall separating us.
I touch the white wood of the door and curse my stupidity. I just made a stupid bet with a guy I like, and it has taken me up until now to realize Cassidy is more than a bet to me. And worst of all, much more than a stepsister.
That goddamned kiss, the way she looked at me with hate mixed with lust. Those are things I'm going to want again... over and over again, in fact.
Chapter eight
CASSIDY
Days later, I haven't seen Dom since the concert. I have no idea where he is, which I hate – but what I hate even more is the fact I care about his whereabouts.
He doesn't even shoot me one of his naughty texts. I'm pretty sure our kiss was a one-off, something he's forgotten about already.
Too bad I'm still stuck on the way he tastes.
But I refuse to think about it, forcing my mind to switch thoughts as soon as Dom enters them. I can't afford to get hurt right now, and so I decide to focus on spending time with the new family.
I think I was wrong about Valerie, that's for sure. I've been cooped up in the house for days because of the sunburn, and also because I don't want to see Susie. Surprisingly, I've been spending my time with Valerie instead.
Dad disappears for work every day, and Valerie and I hang out, make food and just talk.
She's different from my mom.
Back in LA, my mom is all about work. She works long hours at a lawyers' office, pretty much leaving me by myself, which is fine by me. But sometimes, I just miss having someone at home I can talk to.
Valerie told me she had always wanted a daughter, but after Dom's dad left her, that hope was pretty much extinguished. I tried asking her about my dad’s work stuff several times, but she won't tell me a thing. She says I'll find out everything soon enough. How cryptic.
Today, Daddy promised to come home sooner, and Valerie and I have been busy preparing lunch for the three of us. None of us know what Dom gets up to, but I'm sure he's plenty busy – and I try to pretend I don't care.
I'm waiting for Daddy when he walks in, I crush him in an embrace as soon as he's through the door. Laughing, he hugs me back, smoothing back my hair.
"Thank God you don't have my hair," he grins, smoothing down his own bald head as I laugh. Daddy's been shaving his head for years, and he often jokes about his premature balding.
"Well, I got the best from you and the best from Mom, didn't I?" I give him a cheeky wink and he laughs, shaking his head.
"Cass, let's go have a drink on the porch," he suggests. "You bring the iced tea, and I'll be right down."
I nod, happy about the prospect about having at least a little bit of time alone with my father. He's been so absent since Dom and I got to the beach house that I'm having trouble believing this trip is about family bonding.
I prepare two glasses of ice-cold tea and tell Valerie we'll be ready for dinner in about half an hour. Then I carry them over to Daddy, who's sitting on the swing on the porch.
It's the one thing Valerie and Dad kept after my mom and I left this place, and I love that they chose this out of everything. I understand a bit more now the need to renovate, after Valerie confessed she felt like my mom was watching her from every dusty corner.