Connections (14 page)

“
So wet,” Brad murmured before kissing her thighs again before pulling her knees up, lifting her soft ass off the bed, positioning himself and her for his entrance.

“
Stop” Shayla demanded as Zach untied the neckties from her wrist. She scooted away from him. “I don’t want this Brad. I don’t want you.”

Zach moved a pillow to cover Shayla’s body as he looked at Brad who was visibly shocked. “Get out of here Brad. Go now and I won’t tell your wife.”

“
You don’t mean this Shayla.”

“
Yes, I do.” She hugged the pillow to her body, watching as Zach pulled on his pants and tossed the other pair to Brad.

“
So help me God, if you don’t get out of here--.” Zach didn’t have to finish it, as Brad tried to put on his clothes and leave the bedroom. Zach followed him, making sure that he left and locked the front door behind him.

He went into the kitchen and started to boil some water, looking around for tea bags, but couldn’t find any.

“
Thank you.” Shayla was dressed again in, standing there watching Zach half-dressed searching her kitchen.

“
Where are your tea bags?”

“
I don’t drink tea.” She smiled half-heartedly. “I have some Swiss-Miss in the cabinet above the toaster.”

“
That works.” He took two packets out of the box. “Are you okay Shayla?”

“
Now that it’s just you, and me; I am.” She sighed as she watched him. “Brad has this hold over me. He touches me and I forget who I am, what I want.”

“
Do you like that?”

“
No.” She confessed, the word releasing her from so many years of pent up frustration.

Zach nodded as he poured the hot water into some mugs and mixed the cocoa. “Well, I promise you that as long as I’m around, Brad won’t bother you.”

“
That’s sweet Zach, but how can you do that?”

“
Well one, I will tell Claire if he comes near you again, and two he’ll lose me as a client and considering the deal I just signed today, he’s not going to want that.” He handed her a mug.

She looked down at the hot cocoa, smelling the chocolate, letting the comfort of it relax her. “I didn’t invite him over, I was waiting for you. He just showed up.”

“
I believe you.” Zach moved to sit at the table and she followed.

She sat down across from him, “Why did you stay? Why didn’t you run out of here, calling me a slut?”

“
You’re not a slut.” He took a slow, short sip of the hot chocolate. “Also, your eyes, something in them told me not to leave.”

Shayla reached out taking his hand in hers, “Thank you.”

Zach smiled, bringing her hand to his lips, “Your welcome.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Cassandra moved around her kitchen robotically as she set about making coffee and cleaning up what needed to be tossed before she went back to the city. The past week down at the shore had started out like any time with Jordan, crazy and sexual. It ended though in a calm comfort which had set in as soon as Jordan had returned to the city.

It was the first time in over a year where she felt like herself. No longer did she have this pressure on her to be part of something she didn’t want to be involved with anymore. She knew it would be awkward to see Jordan again, she was just grateful that they had never brought their relationship to set.

The temperature was already set to low; the faucet was slowly dripping water to prevent the pipes from freezing. The kitchen was clean; the house was set up for her return, which would be in a few weeks, the windows locked, leaving everything like a perfect memory, waiting to be interrupted. She grabbed her keys, coffee and the single bag of trash, leaving. The door locking as it closed.

The chill of the ocean, the scent of the air filled her senses. She had to remember this moment. The next few weeks would be busy, hectic, and she wasn’t even sure what would happen once she saw Jordan once again.

Cassandra looked over towards Gavin’s house, wondering if she should say goodbye or not. He knew she would be back; they hadn’t discussed what had happened between them after making love on the couch Sunday afternoon. It hadn’t happened again, instead they’d just hung out, he’d watched the show with her on Monday the day her character discovered her Father died, and again on Tuesday for the funeral. Wednesday afternoon he’s brought groceries over, making a few pies while watching the show, felt comforting in a way to her, she hadn’t experienced since she was a young girl.

Thursday had been a quiet meal on the floor by the fire in the living room. They’d kissed, but things moved slowly between them. It felt right to be slowing down. Maybe it was the right way for the memories to be formed so that in the end she wouldn’t have to question everything the way she had with Jordan and her other past lovers.

On her car she found a single red rose with a note waiting for her. She set her keys on the roof and picked up the rose, breathing in its sweet scent before looking at the note.

Each day without you will be a prison I have never known before. The next time we see each other, you will be the key to unlocking my heart.—G

She pressed the note to her lips for a moment before grabbing her keys. It didn’t matter to her if it was weeks, months, days, years before she saw Gavin again. All Cassandra knew right now, was she would see him again.

The smile couldn’t leave her face, even if she wanted it to as she buckled her seatbelt and then pulled out of the driveway. The music on the radio was upbeat, even with the random holiday tune thrown in.

A week ago she was afraid of what she was stuck in, a relationship she wasn’t sure she’d ever really wanted. Now Cassandra was free to find herself, to be herself. Her motives perhaps had started sexually, but had they just been a symptom, a manifestation of her unhappiness and fear of letting someone down.

The city seemed bleak as Cassandra pulled into her parking garage, thankful that it was across the street from her building.

She grabbed her bag from the backseat before getting out, the air colder then she expected, feeling it seep into her shoes. The beep of her lock sounding just as her cell rang.

Digging it from the depths of her purse she smiled when she saw it was Shayla. “Hey girl, what’s up?”

“
My Mother is playing my Mother.” Shayla’s words moved faster than Cassandra could keep up with them.

Cassandra stopped in front of the elevators, “What the hell?”

Shayla sighed, “Abigail Jackson is returning as Maeve.”

“
Okay, I remember hearing Tyler wanted to get her. So what? I’m still confused.” Cassandra could hear Shayla laughing on the other end.

“
Alice Daniels, my mother, the woman I can’t stand most in this world,
is
Abigail Jackson.”

The elevator dinged as it opened its doors. Shayla entered looking around; surprised no one else was on it. “Wait, what?”

“
I know right? It gets better.”

“
How could it?”

“
I found out because I went in her closet to borrow a shawl last weekend and found the box that she
hides
her Emmy in.”

Cassandra sucked in her breath, “Yikes that had to be painful.”

“
I kid you not; I really wanted to just break it. But I didn’t. I just left the next morning, leaving her a note telling her I knew.”

“
Mature, I actually expected a huge confrontation.” Cassandra tapped her foot as she rode the two stories down.

“
There is more, a lot more. Including past lover and a new guy.” Shayla’s voice changed at the mention of a new guy.

Cassandra rolled her eyes, “We need to get a drink, don’t we?”

“
Several very strong cocktails,” Shayla sighed, “What are you doing right now?”

“
Walking into my building, going to get my laundry together so I can drop it off before work. What about you?”

“
Putting together a basket of fan mail responses to send out tomorrow morning.”

“
You know, you could hire someone to do that for you. That’s what I do.”

Shayla laughed, “Yeah well, I like it. I feel connected to the fans this way.”

“
Whatever you say,” Cassandra waved to her doorman as he tried to stop her. “Shay, let me call you back.”

“
Sure, bye.”

Cassandra looked at the young man, “Kip, what’s wrong?”

“
I know you called and left word not to let Miss Jordan up to your place anymore.”

Cassandra felt her heartbeat quicken, “When did she get let up Kip?”

“
About twenty minutes ago. Charles let her up; he’s been away on vacation. She’s been trying all week long.” He nervously twisted his fingers as he waited for her to yell at him.

“
Well then, she must have left something up there that she really wants. Kip, please tell Charles not to worry, just to not let it happen again, alright? I’ll deal with her, I’m sure once she has what she wants, she’ll be gone.”

“
Are you sure Miss Cassandra? I can call the police if you need me to.”

She gave him and honestly warm smile, “I don’t think I’ll need that, if I do though I’ll let you know.”

Kip nodded as the elevator door opened and he watched Cassandra board it.

The elevator seemed to move slower than Cassandra was used to. What could Jordan want? Maybe she’d left some clothes, some earrings perhaps. But Cassandra could’ve brought those to her at the studio.

Jordan had been the one to up and leave, she ended things so she couldn’t be angry, could she?

Cassandra couldn’t help but have the image of her white leather couch slashed with a knife sticking in it. Or her favorite painting she’d gotten at a gallery in SoHo destroyed.

She clutched her keys in her hand as the doors opened as she slowly walked down the hallway to her apartment. Why was Jordan there?

The door pushed open, a song Cassandra didn’t recognize was playing—it was cheerful though.

Something wasn’t right; the air was thick with the scent of tomatoes, garlic and oregano. Cassandra held her keys tightly in her hand as she moved towards the kitchen.

Jordan stood over a pot stirring, something Cassandra had never seen her do before. Her hair was in a tight ballerina bun on top of her head, and she was dressed differently than normal, more conservative. She moved about as though it were perfectly normal and reasonable for her to be making dinner. She had only ever used the kitchen for coffee, wine and maybe whipped cream play.

“
Jordan?” Cassandra wasn’t sure how to handle this. She hadn’t expected
this
.

Jordan looked up, a smile plastered on her face. “I’m glad your home. That darn doorman Kip hasn’t let me in at all this week.”

“
What are you doing here?” Cassandra watched as Jordan put the spoon down and walked towards her.

She took Cassandra’s hands in hers, looking in her eyes and smiled. “Welcoming my girlfriend home of course.”

Cassandra slipped her hands away as she took a step backwards. “Jordan, we’re not together anymore. You left me. We broke up.”

Jordan waved her hand, “Oh please, you needed a week without me, you missed me, didn’t you?”

Cassandra looked around the room hoping to find a box or something. “I didn’t miss you. Jordan, I felt the more like myself then I had in ages.”

Jordan watched as Cassandra picked up a basket, “What are you saying Cass?”

Cassandra looked at Jordan square in the eyes, “I’m saying that you and I want very different things.”