Rory Read online

  He had to get these crazy thoughts out of his mind, or he was sure to be heading for disappointment.

  “Now let’s see what sort of team we make preparing supper,” he said.

  Chapter Nine

  Cass tried to concentrate on watching TV, but her leg was getting so damn itchy she couldn’t think straight. She wiggled around hoping that would do the trick. Luckily she’d had the good sense to buy a pair of knitting needles at Emily and Me. Not for making anything, but to ease down the side of the cast so she could scratch her leg.

  Rory had gone to the kitchen for a beer, so she hopped over to her bag and pulled out the needles. She sat herself back down and eased one inside the outer edge of the cast. She’d be so happy when the contraption came off her leg. When that would be, she didn’t know.

  Trying to push it down to reach the itchiest spot, she lost hold of the top of the needle. She tried to reach it, but her fingers weren’t long enough.

  Rory walked in carrying a bottle of beer.

  “You going to knit something?” he asked, glancing at the other needle sitting by her side.

  “No, I thought they might help with the itching, but now one of the needles is stuck in my cast.”

  He sat the bottle down on the coffee table and sat beside her. “You want me to try and get it?”

  “Yeah, you might reach it because you have super long fingers.”

  “They’re probably larger too so we may have to get some pliers, but I’ll give it a shot.”

  She turned her body his way and raised her leg over his lap. He put one hand on her thigh which sent shivers up and down her body. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and hoped he didn’t see her do it, or he’d probably realize she was enjoying his touch. Cass imagined his hand running up her thigh, edging closer to her panties, pushing them aside and touching her in all the intimate spots. He pushed two of his fingers down the side of the cast, and it tickled even more than the actual cast.

  “I think I nearly have it,” he said. She detected a slight hint of the beer he’d obviously sipped before he’d headed into the family room. It mingled with the spicy undertone of the aftershave that clung to his cheeks. They looked one another in the eye. Did he want the same thing as her? For them to kiss?

  Obviously he did.

  His lips were warm and soft when they touched hers. She put her hand behind his head and ran her fingers gently through his wavy locks. He touched her thigh again. This time not to get some leverage for retrieving the needle, but to caress it.

  Shit, sex wouldn’t be easy with her leg in this damn cast. And what if she didn’t please Rory? He was a mature man who’d probably been with lots of women.

  The doorbell rang, and they pulled apart like they’d been two teenagers caught making out on the couch in one of their parent’s homes.

  Rory pulled out the needle and handed it to her as the doorbell rang again.

  “I guess I should see who that is,” he said.

  ****

  Rory watched as Cass played with Liam who Lacey had placed on her lap. He cooed and laughed as Cass pulled faces at him. His nephew was under Cass’s spell just like he was and who could blame the little guy?

  The kiss earlier that evening had come out of the blue, but it had been the best one of his life. He wasn’t sure if it was the unexpectedness of it, or the fact that it was Cass he’d kissed. He guessed the latter. After the doorbell had rung, he’d felt guilty. Kissing his dead brother’s fiancé and having the most erotic thoughts about taking her to bed and making love to her until neither of them could walk played on his conscience.

  “You’ll have to come over for a meal once you get more mobile,” said Shane.

  “I’d like that,” said Cass.

  “And I’m still checking in with the Tacoma Police to see if we can track down who did this to you,” said Shane.

  “Maybe we won’t ever find them,” said Cass as Liam pulled on her hair.

  “Don’t say that because he’ll go there himself and look for them,” said Lacey. “And if you need someone to drive you into Missoula to go to the hospital, I’m available.”

  “That’s really kind of you.”

  Rory was the one to do that, but he wouldn’t put up too much of a protest right now and arouse everyone’s suspicions that he wanted to be around Cass’s as much as he could.

  Liam made a gurgling sound and Cass kissed him on the cheek.

  “You are so cute,” she said.

  She was obviously great with babies. And yes, Liam was cute. The image of the two of them played in his mind. Suddenly he not only wanted a wife but kids too.

  “Hey, big brother you look miles away. Anything you want to talk about?” asked Shane, smacking him on the back.

  “What, no. I was just thinking about all the stuff I have to do on the ranch.”

  Shane nudged him. “All work and no play. Look Cass’s here so why don’t the two of you do something fun.”

  If only you knew what I’ve been thinking about little brother.

  ****

  She’d give a million dollars to take a long soak in the bath with exotic smelling bubbles clinging to her skin. It didn’t look like that was going to happen any time soon.

  Cass tried once again to get rid of the itch on her leg, but this time she was going to keep a firm grip on the needle.

  “That thing bothering you again?” asked Rory walking by the bedroom.

  “I’ve been fantasying about taking a bath with this thing being history. Sponging myself down with a washcloth just isn’t doing anything for me and I’m scared I’ll start to smell soon.”

  “You want me to find something to cover your leg so you can get into the shower?”

  “You’d be my hero forever.”

  “Okay, let me go and take a look and see what I can come up with.”

  Cass scratched some more, sure she was turning her skin red.

  Rory came back a few minutes later with some tape and a black garbage bag.

  “You can step into this and then secure the top with this tape, and that should keep the water off the cast. Just don’t stay in the shower for too long.”

  Cass stood. “Can you do it for me?”

  “Sure, let’s go into the bathroom.”

  She took his arm, and they walked slowly down the hallway and then turned into the bathroom.

  “Okay, just put your leg in here,” said Rory opening up the bag.

  Cass lifted her leg and put her foot at the bottom as Rory pulled the tape around the top just above her knee.

  “How does that feel?” he asked.

  “Pretty good,” she said taking a step, but almost slipping on the tiled floor.

  Rory caught her just before she went to the ground. “Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea after all,” he said.

  “It would be fine if you could hold me while I shower.”

  She hadn’t realized the implications of that innocent sentence until it had slipped out of her mouth.

  They both stood looking at one another. He was blushing. Of all the Malone brothers, he’d always been the most bashful. Maybe it was because he was oldest.

  “You’ve seen a woman naked before right?” Cass didn’t mean it to sound insulting, but just wanted to lighten the suddenly uncomfortable situation.

  “Sure have but you’re different…I don’t mean your body is, but you’re the ex-fiancé of my brother.”

  “I’m sure Ryan would want you to think of it as helping me out.”

  She knew that would hit home. Rory was always there for everyone.

  “Okay, if you don’t have a problem with it, then I guess I shouldn’t either. I’ll run the water while you get undressed.”

  He turned and walked toward the shower while Cass lifted the sweater over her head. He glanced over his shoulder just as she was removing her bra and then quickly looked back at the wall of the shower.

  She unzipped her skirt, let it fall to the ground, and then sat on the
stool by the sink and pulled down her panties. Standing again at the very same time that Rory turned around to see her buck-naked.

  He was almost the color of beets, and she guessed it wasn’t from the steam of the shower. She held out her hand to him. He took it, and she walked toward him. He lifted her up and placed her in the bathtub.

  Cass slid toward the water and ducked her head underneath it.

  “This feels like heaven,” she said letting the water run down her face and then onto her chest. She turned around slowly letting it soak into her hair and back.

  She reached for the shampoo but nearly slipped again. Rory’s hand steadied her.

  “Would it be too much to ask if you washed my hair for me?” asked Cass.

  “I don’t know if I can from out here.”

  “Take off your clothes and get in with me.”

  She was testing him, tempting him, and she hadn’t intended to do either when they’d first entered the bathroom. However, now she wanted, no, needed, physical contact with him.

  He looked at her, didn’t say a word, didn’t protest, but simply unbuttoned his shirt, removed it and threw in on the floor. Within minutes his socks, jeans, and boxers were joining it.

  She tried not to but all she could focus on was his cock, its length, its girth, and the fact that he had an erection. He stepped inside the bath with her. She handed the bottle of shampoo to him, hopefully proving to him this was all so innocent.

  Rory popped the top open and poured some of the gold liquid into his palm. He rubbed his hands together and then began working the mixture into her hair. She turned around, realizing that her left butt cheek was now touching his cock.

  She was sure she heard him groan. His fingertips worked slowly over her scalp, making every nerve ending stand to attention, and her pussy pulled like never before. He worked the suds through her hair and then let the shower play on her hair to rinse it out. Without even being asked he reached for the bottle of conditioner and smothered her hair with it.

  She turned around to face him. Placing her hand on his chest, he reached up with both hands and ran them over her breasts, pulling at her nipples until they turned into tight buds.

  His cock twitched against her now wet skin. She’d never wanted a man inside so much as she did Rory.

  He pulled her into close, his erection stabbing at her body.

  “This is so wrong,” he whispered. “But I can’t stop myself.”

  He grabbed both her ass cheeks and pulled her in closer as he kissed her. His middle finger slipped down through her crack. One of the first things she’d noticed about Rory Malone was his big hands and long fingers. Cass had once thought it sort of freakish, but now she appreciated that physical attribute as his middle finger made its way to her clit.

  She looked up at him.

  “Touch me, tease me, and don’t stop until I’ve climaxed.”

  ****

  He’d been right. This was wrong, but the feel of her clit was making it too tempting to stop. She licked the beads of water from his chest as he circled her clit. He wanted to push his fingers inside her pussy, but he’d already stepped miles over the line. At least it was for now.

  For now…shit, listen to me. I’m acting like there’s going to be more of this.

  “Rory,” was all she managed to say as she groaned and set her head on his upper belly. He had to hold her because she was slipping down his body. She felt like a rag doll, and he guessed she’d climaxed. He didn’t want her slipping or getting her cast wet, so he lifted her up and carried her over the side of the bathtub

  Rory set her down on a stool and wrapped a towel around her.

  She looked up at him.“Do you want to make love to me?”

  He kissed her on the end of the nose. “I do, but I think that’s as far as we should take things.”

  “But I didn’t get to touch you. You didn’t get anything out of it.”

  “It’s okay, Cass, really it is. Now dry yourself off and I’ll help you to the bedroom.”

  Chapter Ten

  Rory looked up at the ceiling. He was usually so good with self-discipline, but Cass had hardly played fair. Him seeing her naked body; all those curves and the curls at the apex of her creamy white thighs. He grew hot and hard just recalling the image. So it was little wonder that when he’d joined her in the tub, he couldn’t resist touching her. Touching her clit to be precise.

  She’d come quickly and yes, he was conceited enough to think that maybe he had something to do with it. Shit, he’d wanted to part those legs and push his cock into her, smacking her against the bathtub wall and making her come over and over again.

  He ran his hands through his hair. He’d had thoughts like that once before when he’d first seen her serving ice cream behind the counter when he’d taken Emily in there to get a banana split.

  Rory had been tempted to ask her out, but he hadn’t. Stupid move on his part because the next thing he knew Ryan had brought her along to one of the family dinners and proudly introduced her as his girlfriend.

  Guilt washed over him as he remembered silently praying it wouldn’t work out. His prayers were never answered because six months later at yet another family dinner they announced they were engaged.

  He’d left the table that night a bitter man, thinking about what could have been. And when Ryan had died in that fire he’d thought that could have been him. He would have done the very same thing as Ryan did that late summer evening and paid for his heroics with his life.

  Rory glanced at his bedroom door. He’d closed it tonight not because he didn’t want to help Cass if she needed him in the middle of the night, but it would give him time to deal with his guilt in private.

  The moon was full tonight and even in the darkness he could see the outline of the doorknob. Someone was turning it. Soon Cass stood in the doorway, crutches under each arm.

  “Do you need something?” he asked her.

  “No, but I need to do something for you.”

  He sat up, watching her walk slowly toward the bed and wondering what she’d meant, but then she put the crutches against the bed, slipped under the blankets at the bottom of the bed and worked her way up his body.

  Before he could say or do anything, she’d yanked his boxer shorts down his legs. Her hands went onto his cock, making it hard within seconds.

  “Cass, no, this is wrong.”

  “Sch, Rory, just lie there and enjoy it okay?”

  He tried to move, to protest, but when her mouth went around his dick, he knew he was a goner.

  She licked him and flicked at his shaft, her hands massaging his balls. God help him, he’d always loved a woman who gave attention to his balls. She took him deeper into her mouth. He gripped the bed sheets on either side of his body, crumpling them up in his fists.

  Cass licked underneath his shaft and then flicked on the top of it before taking his full length over her lips.

  Shit, she was an expert. Had she done this for his brother?

  He tried to put Ryan out of his mind. Forgive me for not fighting her off, little brother.

  Cass placed her hands on his hips and worked his cock some more.

  He was falling down, down, into a welcome abyss. He was close to coming. He flexed his toes and panted, tried to get his breath to a steady pace, but all he could think about was his grand finale. He brought his hips up, pushing his cock up on the roof of her mouth and that’s all it took.

  Rory put his hands over his face. Partly to take in the last of the sensation of his release; partly because he was even more guilt-ridden. He should have been stronger, should have sent her back to her room and locked his own.

  “Cass, I think you should go back to bed now.”

  “Didn’t you like it?”

  “I loved it, and that’s the problem. Please let me have some time to myself to process this, okay?”

  He felt her slip away and then the door close shut.

  His cock still felt her mouth on it, his balls alr
eady hungering to be touched again by her.

  Turning over, he slammed his fist into the middle of the pillow.

  Damn, you’re a weak one, Malone.

  ****

  Rory had sounded angry with her. She bit her lip. She was only returning the favor of what he’d done for her in the bathroom earlier that night. Her clit had hummed long after he stopped touching her. Ryan had taught her how to bring him to climax with her mouth and tongue. She guessed she might be out of practice, but Rory had come a lot faster than Ryan had ever done, so she guessed she’d done something right.

  She turned her head to look at the clock. 2.34 a.m.

  Her leg began itching. The sooner she got this cast off her leg, the better. She’d feel like a normal human being again. No, she’d never feel like one of those. She had too much history, too much baggage and maybe that’s what Rory was really avoiding, not that fact that she was once engaged to his brother and therefore thought any contact between them was borderline incestuous.

  She turned on her back again, wincing when the cast caught in the blanket and gave her leg an unexpected tug. She threw the blankets off the bed and pushed her legs over the side of the bed. She scooted her butt along the mattress and reached for her crutches. Pulling herself up, she put them under her armpits and began to make her way out of the bedroom. She thought about getting something to drink in the kitchen, but instead decided to check out Rory’s studio at the end of the hall. It was really the house’s fourth bedroom and had been Ryan’s room when the Malone brothers had grown up here. However, when Ryan had moved out, Rory had converted it to his art nook.

  She pushed the door open, went inside, and turned on the light, knowing it was too far from Rory’s bedroom to disturb him. He hoped she didn’t mind her looking around for a bit.