Seth (Damage Control 3)

?t want more?”

It’s not normal that she can read me so well. Is she psychic?

“Something like that.”

“Damn.”

Yeah. “And the worst is that…” I swallow. “I want more. I realize that now. With him. All the things you said—about wanting to kiss him, touch him, spend time with him… just lie in bed with him, or talk with him… I want all that. With Seth.”

Saying it out loud makes it so real it hurts.

“There’s something I want to admit, too.” Cassie taps her fingers on the table, and her mouth twists. “About Jesse.”

“I thought you told me everything? About feeling you and Jesse were so similar. About protecting Amber. What else is there?”

She chews on the inside of her cheek. “Damn, I told you all that, huh?”

“Were they lies?”

“Hell no.” She sighs. “I told you the truth. But that’s not all.”

“Seriously, Cass.” I find myself leaning forward, curious in spite of myself. “I’m afraid to ask.”

“It’s just that…” She leans back in her chair. “I don’t really want Jesse. Never did.”

“Could have fooled me.”

“I know. I fooled everyone, I think. Including the one I wanted to fool. Didn’t realize the joke was on me.”

“What are you talking about? You’re saying…” I wet my lips. “Who?”

She smiles but her lower lip trembles. “Someone who doesn’t want me. Who only talks to me if he has to. Who now thinks I’m a dirty slut.”

Christ. “You want one of the boys. The Damage Boys.”

She nods. “That’s right.”

“And why…?” I shake my head, confused. “Why fool him? Why pretend you want another?”

“Because like I said, he doesn’t want me. He’s so distant with me, not letting me even touch him. My pride was hurt. I was pretending I didn’t give a damn. But I do. And I’ve gone and fucked it up even worse.”

“The guys are easy-going. Can’t imagine anyone so uptight they wouldn’t let you touch them, well, at least before you went and kissed Jesse and got them all riled up. Except for Shane, I…”

Her expression shifts to horror, and my heart sinks.

“It’s Shane, isn’t it?” When she nods, I rub my eyes.

God.

He sure is handsome, but as distant as the stars. He’s, like, trapped behind a wall of ice. The few times I stood near him I barely heard a word come out of his mouth. Tall, dark and mysterious—the exact opposite of Cass, the loud and flirty blond bombshell.

Who’s now looking at me like a lost little girl, her eyes wide and sad.

What do I say? You screwed up, Cass, real bad… If you ever stood a chance with Shane before, now it’s all over?

“I screwed up, right?” she asks, and yeah, she did.

But she’s my friend, and nobody died, so I guess it’s time I proved I’m her friend, too.