Escape With Me (Love With Me 1)

“Good.” Brianna looked over at Cassie, appraising her. “You sure you're okay? That was brutal.”

“I think so.” Cassie gave a small shrug. Her eyes darted over to make sure Lorna was still occupied at the other table.

“You know it's not true what she said, right?”

“I know. It's just...” The threat of tears tightened around Cassie's throat again. She swallowed hard and wished the wine was here already. Her ex-husband used to say similar things.

Brianna gave Cassie a quick side hug. “She just enjoys pushing buttons. She's evil, and I hope a shark eats her this week.”

“Poor shark.”

“Yeah.” Brianna paused for a moment. “Actually, I don't know if a shark would eat her. She's too bitter.”

Fernando sat two big glasses of wine in front of Brianna and Cassie with a smile. They were bigger than the ones from before. Cassie took a sip and felt her shoulders relax a little.

“On the upside, we may have discovered an effective shark repellent.” Cassie took another sip. The bittersweet liquid was soothing to the soul.

Brianna chuckled. She took a sip of her wine and then set her wine glass down hard, nearly spilling it in the process. “Oh, I almost forgot. We're going dancing after dinner. There's supposed to be this amazing dance club here.”

Cassie could feel the tension increasing in her shoulders again. “I think I'm going to pass tonight,” she told Brianna. “I'm tired. It's been a long day.”

Brianna pouted but didn't push. “Okay. If you change your mind, come find me.”

Cassie nodded, and Brianna gave her another a quick hug.

“I'm going to go change,” Brianna said, standing up and taking her wine with her. “These aren't dancing clothes.”

“I'll walk up with you.” Cassie grabbed her wine glass. They both waved to Janessa and headed out of the dining area.

Brianna started telling Cassie all about the dance club, obviously trying to entice her to come along. They walked across the outdoor pool area, and Cassie let her talk, nodding and making the appropriate noises, but secretly looking forward to cuddling up in her bed and watching some bad hotel TV. Mario Lopez was her plan for the night.

But then she saw him. The guy from earlier. Sexy short blonde hair, broad shoulders, and sun-kissed skin. He stood behind the outdoor tiki bar serving drinks. She stopped short.

“You can wear those shorts with the black tank-top we got... and why are you stopping?” Brianna followed Cassie's gaze to the tiki bar. “Oh.” She looked back over at Cassie and smiled wider. “Oh.”

“I think I'm going to have another drink before bed,” Cassie told Brianna. She chugged most of the rest of the wine in her glass. Partly so that she would have an excuse to be at the bar for a new drink and partly for courage.

“Hold up,” Brianna said, pulling out her phone. She snapped a picture of Cassie looking confused with a mostly empty wine glass.

“What's that for?”

“So I have proof you can let loose,” she replied with a smug grin. She gave Cassie a gentle push toward the bar. “Go get 'em, tiger.”

Cassie rolled her eyes and took a confident step toward the bar. And then a not so confident step. Was she really ready to do this?

“If you bring back a guest, just put the privacy card on the door,” Brianna told her. “I can bunk with Janessa. She's in a room by herself until her wedding night.”

Cassie glanced back, and Brianna was grinning at her. She looked like a proud parent sending her kid off to school.

“You know what?” Brianna grinned a little wider. “I'm just going to stay with Janessa anyway. You go have fun, party-girl.”

Brianna started walking again, leaving Cassie just steps from the bar. It was time to put this vacation on the right track. Time to let the fun Cassie out for a bit. What was the worst that could happen? If she made a fool of herself, no one here knew her. She wasn't at work. There were no corporate rules here. She could be the confident, charismatic, fun woman that she knew herself to be.

She could do this.

Cassie took a deep breath, lifted her chin, and walked over. She took a seat at the end of the bar and drank the last of her wine.

Time to turn on her best flirting abilities and try and earn a vacation fling.