The Bound Bride (7 page)

The act ended to more applause. As the house lights rose, Oliver left her hand. Cassandra felt as if she would faint at the loss of his touch, and she thought she would shatter when he turned all of his attention from her and looked to his phone. He slipped it back into his pocket and smiled again.

“You
are
enjoying it, aren’t you?”

She weakly nodded.

“Good.”

He seemed to search her face in an effort to believe. Cassandra flashed her teeth. She
was
enjoying everything about the night. But she wanted the promise of the after show.

Oliver sighed and watched the other spectators move towards the lobby.

“A wonderful production,” he started, “but the party’s bound to be a bore.”

He looked to her again. Cassandra was literally on the edge of her seat.

“We could make a quick exit and find a quiet spot. Would you enjoy that?”

He didn’t have to ask her twice.

Chapter Nine

They walked from the opera house to Oliver’s waiting car. He had to rap on the window to pull Jeff away from his iPhone. Jeff leapt from the car and held the door open for his the
boss
and his
lady
.

“Thank you,” Cassandra murmured as she slipped inside.

“Don’t mention it,” Jeff said. “Where to?” he asked Oliver.

“Back to the Empire.”

“You got it.”

Oliver entered the car and resumed the place where she wanted him most. He was once again at her side.

“That okay with you?” Oliver asked as Jeff was already en route.

“Yes. I… I only got to see the lobby. But it was stunning.”

Oliver grazed his fingers against her exposed knee. Cassandra quivered as his hand played about her flesh.

“That’s nothing. The rooms are spectacular.”

So it
was
going in that direction. Iris had pointed that she wasn’t a prude. She also wasn’t a slut. Had he been anyone else, she might have demanded that they stay in their balcony seats and wait for Tosca to fall. But
he
was stirring thoughts beyond the opera. She knew she’d be powerless to deny any request he might make.

And she was hungry to know exactly what he wanted.

Jeff pulled up to the hotel and held the door open again. He gave Cassandra a quick wink as Oliver led her inside. She expected him to stop at the front desk and request a room. They bypassed a trio of men in matching suits. Oliver held her arm and guided her towards the elevator bank. It had to have been his plan all along. Was he so sure of himself? Or did he like a challenge? The former was obvious. Cassandra could barely pretend that she was the latter.

They entered the room. Cassandra saw the crisp white sheets perfectly reflected in a large mirror. She smiled to herself at the thought that he would want to
watch
her enjoying yet another aspect of the evening.

“Care for another drink?” he asked.

Absolutely.

Cassandra nodded, and he reached into a bucket already chilling on a nearby table. Waiting. He had been sure of
more
than himself. He had been sure of her faced with him.

Oliver poured the wine and offered her a glass. Cassandra sipped the sweet, golden liquid with a perfect aftertaste and looked deeply into his eyes.

“Mmmm. That’s delicious.”

“Isn’t it.”

He had yet to even taste his wine. But it was apparent that the promise of something sweeter
was unfolding across
every
corner of his mind.

“Join me on the bed?”

Cassandra grew dizzy. Was it the wine or the man? Before she could decide, Oliver guided her to the edge, and they sat together. She sipped again. Oliver finished his wine in one shot and quickly poured another. She felt drunk just looking at him. He returned to her side and stretched out. Away
from her. Cassandra didn’t like that. Oliver loosened his tie, and his eyes followed her waiting form from her head to her toes.

“I like the dress,” he finally said.

“What this? It’s nothing. Just collecting dust in a closet.”

His interest was piqued.

“Really? Are you in the habit of keeping gowns to collect dust?”

Cassandra wanted to be mysterious for him. She wanted him wondering about a double life where she donned formal wear as a spy or a movie star. The moves
she could perform
if he indulged the fantasy were infinite.

“I like to be ready.”

That’s right. Keep him intrigued. Keep him guessing.

“For what?” he asked. “The next time you catch the bouquet?”

So she hadn’t fooled him. Even though she hadn’t advertised her
always a bridesmaid
status on LeaseALady, Oliver was quick to connect the dots of just who and what she was.

Cassandra started to stand when his relaxed posture tightened, and he took hold of her wrist. She thought of wrenching her arm away, but his eyes held her in a space where she couldn’t comprehend motion.

“Easy,” he said. “I didn’t mean anything by it. And I
do
like the dress.”

Her body eased back to the bed. She could think of nothing else to say, and she finished her wine. Oliver was on his feet in a flash, pouring her another. She eagerly accepted the glass and forgot about playing the lady. She downed a large swallow in a single gulp. The wine dribbled down her chin, and she wiped her mouth with her bare hand. Better to keep the dress from collecting
something else
.

“Whoa!” Oliver said. “Slow down, Cassie.”

It was the one name that had never been bestowed upon her. She was
Cass
to Iris and her other friends.
Cassandra
to her professors and the interviewers who were quick to show her the door.
Sandy
to her family. She always hated it.
Cassie
seemed such an obvious choice. But no one she knew had ever latched onto the possibility.

Until now.

“I’m… I’m sorry.”

Oliver brushed a strand of stray hair from her wine stained cheek.

“Don’t apologize. Just take it easy. I don’t want you drunk.”

She made a mental check and noted the
one
way that he claimed that she would
not
appeal to him. Fine. She set the glass down on the floor and tucked her legs under her skirt. Cassandra folded her hands under his chin and managed to smile as he reclined again.

“Okay. So what
do
you want?”

She was intrigued.

Oliver kicked off his shoes and lifted his legs to the bed. She quickly realized that he could only see his own eyes in the mirror. For a second she wondered if he was narcissistic enough to whet her appetite in order to view only his possibilities in the glass.

Suddenly, nothing was obvious.

“What do
I
want?” he asked as he dangled the glass between his fingers. “To talk. Just talk.”

Okay.

“I… I don’t know…”

“What to say?” he asked. “Figured. It’s okay.”

Cassandra tried to relax for whatever would come next.

“So… what do you want to talk about?”

Oliver finished his wine and tossed the glass to the floor. It didn’t shatter.

“You.”

The familiar topic made her unusually nervous.

“Seems you already know a lot,” Cassandra said.

He laughed and fell back against the bed.

“Hardly. Why are you doing this?”

Was he insulting her for trying the trade that filled his lonely nights?

“
Excuse
me?”

He waved his hand in a weak gesture of surrender.

“No offense meant. None. But I am curious. Fine taste. Finer face. Why do you have to
give
it away?”

She was hardly giving it away. Did he think that he was going to skimp on the bill by getting her drunk? But he claimed that was the last thing
he wanted. Still, she was buzzed enough to leave the bed and toss her own glass. It hit the far wall. It shattered into a million shiny shards. Cassandra gasped at the destruction she had wrought and pressed her hand to her open mouth.

“Oh! I’m sorry.”

She waited for Oliver to rise and hurry her to the door.
No one
smashed
his
plans. Especially not
Cassie
.

He was
on his feet. And laughing. He took hold of her shoulders and gently kissed the top of her head.

“And feisty. Strong Stay
that way. It’ll serve you well.”

Cassandra expected him to pull her back to the bed. He wanted her strong. She could do that. And more.

Oliver lifted her face to the light and carefully inspected her image. Cassandra let a low sigh leave her lips as he appeared to consider what would come next. What he would do next?

Cassandra forgot her outrage and prepared to play along.

“What do
you
want?” he asked.

It was a question with too many answers. At this second she wanted him. All of him. Beyond that she wanted a sense of security. She wanted tomorrows that weren’t preludes to more worry. She wanted to be
safe
.

“I… I want…”

It was so clear in her mind. But she couldn’t give it voice.

“Do you want this?”

He met her mouth and kissed her in all the ways she had wanted at the opera. His tongue was soft as he reached around her waist and pulled her closer. Cassandra fell against him and tomorrow became Oliver Chambers. She wanted him to press her against the bed and remove every inch of reality. When his lips left hers, Cassandra reached for his face. She wanted his mouth again. But Oliver beat her to the punch and held her stare before his.

“You do, don’t you?”

“Yes. I want to stay with you.”

Oliver kissed her brow and reached for his phone again. She could hear him speaking to Jeff. He was giving him instructions to see Cassandra home.

It was the last thing that she wanted.

He had her by the arm and was leading her towards the door.

“What are you—?”

“Jeff will see you home.”

“But I don’t want….”

“To go home? Humor me. It’ll be worth it.”

They were in the hallway and entering the elevator as Cassandra tied to protest.

“No. I can stay. I’m… you paid for this. Right?”

The elevator doors opened and closed without either of them stepping into the car.

“I did. And I think you’re the one.”

Cassandra basked in the words even as she failed to understand them.

“The
one
?” she repeated. “Okay. Okay. So
why
—?”

He took her hand in his and kissed it softly.

“Because I have to prepare. Can you give me the time I need?”

She had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.

“Time? What are you—?”

He folded her close. She could feel him
not
wanting to let her go. But he did when the elevator doors opened again. He guided her inside and pressed his body to the doors that longed to close.

“What are you saying?” she managed to ask.

Oliver reached for his phone again with a smile.

“Jeff is waiting.”

How
had it gone
so
wrong?