Casey followed him in, trying to stay professional and detached even as her pulsed raced. He leaned against her desk, arms folded, that aggravating half-smile on his face.
“Shut the door,” he said.
Glaring, she crossed her arms across her chest. “Don’t tell me what to do. What’s your problem?”
“Why the hell are you letting that pansy-ass give you a massage while he gets his rocks off?”
“Why the fuck do you care aboutanyof this?” The heat in her cheeks and the sweat forming around her hairline pissed the hell out of her.So much for professionalism and detachment. He makes me so mad!
He pushed off the desk and took a slow step closer, his tone low and raspy. “I’m looking out for Clara. I don’t want heraround some perverted, wimpy-ass leech.” He rocked back on his heels. “That’s all.”
“Jacob and I have been friends for a long time. I knew him before I came to town. He’s respectful of all the staff, especially the women. How dare you make unfounded accusations and assumptions, you fucking prick.”
A low laugh rumbled from his chest. “You’re even more beautiful when you’re angry. Those dark brown eyes flash like the glint of a dark blade. You got fire in you, baby.”
She clapped her hands. “Congratulations, you’ve just become a stereotype of all the other assholes who think they are something with the swagger, the damn smirk, the ‘I’m so cool’ attitude, and, of course, the cheesy lines with the addition of ‘baby’ at the end.”
He stood there, his gaze sliding downward, slowly and seductively. He began walking toward the door, and looking over his shoulder, he said, “You know you love every fuckin’ swagger, smirk, and cheesy line. I’ll see you around,baby.”
Chase walked out of the office, and Casey was convinced he was exaggerating his badass walk. She rushed to the door and yelled out to him, “If you come around for Clara in the future, skip my office.”
He kept walking, and her eyes lingered on his tight butt in his jeans that rode low on his hips. There was a tingling in the pit of her stomach, and she turned away quickly and slammed the door, angry at how her body betrayed her.
A soft knock on the door had Casey gritting her teeth. “Go away. Enough is enough.”
“I wanted to know if you were able to balance the budget sheets.” Clara’s voice filtered under the door.
“Come in, Clara.”
The pretty young woman stepped into the office, her eyes downcast. “I’m sorry about my brother. He comes off pretty strong sometimes, especially around women.”
“Don’t worry about it. He didn’t bother me.”I just want to smash his face against the wall a few times.
“Are you sure? He can be a bit too much, you know? And you’re pretty, so….” Her words faded.
“Don’t be embarrassed. You aren’t responsible for your brother’s behavior. Did he fix your car?”
A wide smile broke over Clara’s face. “Yeah. He’s a genius with cars, landscaping, fixing things around the house, even remodeling stuff like kitchens and basements.”
Casey could see the love Clara had for her jerk brother.There must besomethingredeeming about him if he gets the admiration and love from this sweet girl.“It’s nice to have a big brother.”
“It is, although it can be annoying like when he’s overprotective and has to know about the guys I go out with. My parents want to act like they’re treating me like an adult, but they sic my brother on me to do the dirty work.” She sighed.
“Count yourself lucky that you have a family who loves and cares about you. Now let’s go over these budgets.”
Three hours later,Casey was home, on the couch, sipping a large glass of Chardonnay. It had been a great day until Chase Kendrick had shown up. The guy was a jerk, so why did she feel attracted to him?Because you always go for the jerks.She looked out the picture window and smiled. Sunset was her favorite time of the day. The sun dipped low behind the jagged mountain peaks, its light spilling across the sky in streaks of gold and crimson blending into smokey violet, while the edges of the clouds glowed like embers in a dying fire.
Loneliness tugged at her, replacing the peace she usually felt when she watched the sun’s descent at the end of the day. She hadn’t felt lonely in quite a while. Then Chase popped into her mind, and she groaned.
“You cannot get involved with him. You know he’s an asshole and would break your heart. I’m not ready for any relationship, let alone one with someone like him,” she said aloud.
No, she would have to be sure to keep the office door locked, have Scott wait on Chase if he came to the nursery during her shift, and keep a low profile until he got bored and moved on to the next prey. She couldn’t sacrifice her heart again. One time was enough; it shattered her.
Pouring more wine into her glass, Casey leaned back, took several deep gulps, and watched the sun sink into the rugged silhouette of the mountains.
Chapter Four
The door ofthe bar swung open, letting out a wash of light. From across the street, he saw her step into the glow, coat half-buttoned, hair catching the amber light before the door closed again, sealing her in shadows. The young woman swayed, her hand touching the lamppost as she steadied herself with a laugh, her breath clouding in the cold mountain air. After a short while, she pushed on, her high heels tapping along the sidewalk, the rhythm unsteadied but determined.