Secrets (Codey #1) (3 page)

  Monica smiled as her hands waved over the things. "These my innocent little one, are all my necessities of life. I carry them in my bag. You have make-up, hair spray, brushes, a straightener, oil sheen, body cream, pads, you know all the things I need." She flashed Casey a grin that could only be called wicked. “There’s also an extra pair of panties." Her eyebrows went up and down in a comical way. “Now sit while I do your make-up.”

Casey felt her face color in embarrassment once more. “Monica, no offence. I don't think I'm ready for your look just yet." Mindy laugh at Monica’s confused look. "Can you do my makeup Mindy?" Monica just stuck her tongue out.

  "Fine, I'll do your hair then. No offence to you either Casey, but I hate that braid you always wear. Do you ever wear your hair down?" Monica asked as she proceeded to unravel the braid.

  "Only when I wash it and its air drying. Other than that, no. A braid is less complicated." Casey sighed as her hair was subjected to something called a straightener. She had no idea why women put themselves through this all the time

Meanwhile, Mindy was putting cream on her face then something called a concealer, foundation, blush, eye shadow, eye liner, mascara, lipstick, lip gloss. “Ouch,” Casey screamed when her hair was pulled. She found herself screaming once more when her eyebrows were plucked from her skin.

That was it, there was no way these crazy women were doing anything more. She had just about all she could take, "I’m Sorry, but you know what they say. It hurts to be beautiful." Monica said while soothing the burn she’d just caused.

"There better not be an ugly burn mark on me."

  "Stop complaining. We are all done. Now take off your robe so we can help you put the dress on." The look on her face said it all. "Fine, it's a sleeveless dress. Just step into it and pull it up under the robe. Then take the robe off once you’re covered."

Casey started to maneuver the dress when Monica screamed. "Wait.” She ran to the bed. “Here you go, you need a thong. It's a tight dress and you’ll have serious pantie lines with regular undies"

  "Seriously, you want me to wear your butt floss?"

  "Lucky for you. I have a new pack in my purse." Casey’s jaw dropped as Mindy opened her bag and produced a sealed package. She then slingshot the offensive underwear to her.

Once the dress was on and the robe removed. They handed her the shoes from the box. Casey put them on and stood before them. The dress felt awkwardly short. That’s not to mention the fact that she was told not to wear a bra. "I knew it, I look stupid." That was the only explanation she could think of. The looks on their face said it all.

  "Turn around and look in the mirror." Mindy said and Casey did just that. Now she too was speechless. Her face looked beautiful yet natural. There was only a slight bit of color to her skin. The eyeshadow color Mindy added served to enhance her hazel eyes. Even the dress looked less slutty then she thought it would. The icing on the cake, were the shoes. She loved the shoes.

"Man Casey, I never knew you had a killer hour glass figure." They both said still in awe.

“No way, my butt’s too big." She told them feeling embarrassed yet somehow empowered.

After one last look in the mirror Casey turned to her friends. “I think I just might be able to do this. OK ladies, it’s Showtime."

They walked down the stairs first and told her to wait until they called. The guys were sitting on the couch talking and snacking.   "Are you guys ready?" Mindy asked very excited.

  "Come on, It can't be that bad. Come down and let us see." Leo yelled. Casey took a deep breath and rounded the corner. She stopped when they all shot off the couch.  "Oh shit."

  "No way, that can’t be her." A confused Luis asked while scratching his head.

Casey then turned to Mike with expectation. When their eyes met, he screamed. "Oh hell no.” The look on his face confused her.

  "Stop looking at me like that.” Casey yelled, “don't you think I look ok?" He had been the one to give her the dress. So why in the world, was he glaring at her that way? Meanwhile Leo and Luis both manage to tell her she looked hot. Yet Mike was still just looking at her. Casey could see the way his jaw was clenching as the pulse on his neck beat about 100 beats a minute. His gaze felt so hot she couldn’t seem to look away.

His look was too intense and Casey felt her nipples pucker. The moment Mike’s eyes landed on her chest, heat scorched her cheeks once more. “Oh crap, well you wanted him to notice you, he sure as hell notices you now.” Casey thought to herself. By now his eyes had traveled back up to her face.  The sound of Luis and Leo clearing their throats was what finally made them snap out of the trance.

“Earth to Mike, come in Mike. Can you hear me?" Luis teased as Casey turned to the girls. They were all beaming and giving her a thumbs up.

When she looked back, Mike was by her side and was bending his arm at the elbow, so she looped her arm through his. He looked down at her and smiled before lowering his head and whispering in her ear. "You are to stay by my side the whole night." Before he pulled back she felt it. A fluttery soft kiss on the skin right under her ear.

Casey felt all her body tingle as her mind went wild and chanted over and over. “Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.”

Chapter Three

Mike too felt the tingle on his lips from the light kiss he had just given the woman of his dreams. He could remember the moment everything changed for him. It had been a little over a year ago. He had come home from a date and noticed the lights were on in the clubhouse.

Mike knew Casey would be there and figured her mother had once again left her alone. So he decided to walk over and make sure she didn’t need anything. Truth be told, they needed an extra pair of hands with the chores in the morning. Things went faster with an extra pair of hands.  When he reached the club house, the window shades to her room were open.

To this day, Mike could not tell you what prompted him to peek in; but peek in he did. Casey had been getting ready for bed. She proceeded to unbutton her pants. He couldn't make himself look away. When the pants slid down to expose her sleek long legs. His heart nearly stopped, yet his feet were glued to the ground. At that point, Mike didn’t think he was even blinking.

When Casey started to unbutton her flannel shirt, Mike had no clue what to expect. She always wore semi-baggy clothes and up until that moment, his feelings for her were nothing but brotherly. When she got to the last button and slipped the shirt off her body. Mike got his first glimpse of what was beneath those baggy shirts. He also felt the heat that spread down his body and settled in his groin.

Shock, you can only describe the feeling he experienced as shock. His body had reacted to the point where shifting was needed. His pants were now suddenly feeling two sizes too small. It was at that point that Mike left. Yet the image stayed with him all night as he dreamt. The next morning while they fed the animals, he resolved to make her his.

Yet it hadn’t been an easy road. Mike had a hard time being around her without being able to touch her. Casey had no clue of his feelings and there was no way he could date any other woman now. So he concentrated on work, it helped to keep his mind and hands occupied. He was determined to wait until she was ready for him. Casey was far too young and needed to know she had options.

Recently he started to notice the way she looked at him and how her body reacted when he touched her. Yes, it was finally time. His wait had come to an end. Mike loved the fact that she was a natural beauty. The dressing up today was not for his benefit, but for hers. Tonight he would see if anyone else made her body react the way it did with him. If she flirted or went for anyone else, he would back off.

Mike was pulled from his thought when Mindy pulled his arm. “Are you guys ready?"

“Come on Casey, it can't be that bad to be Mike’s pretend date tonight.” Leo yelled Making Mike glare at him. He really didn’t need his brothers messing with his plans tonight. His jaw was still hurting from clenching it, but he took a deep breath and walked out with her by his side.

~*~*~

At the restaurant Casey sat next to Mike. He felt her tremble slightly after he strategically put his arm over the back of her chair. He let his fingers make contact with the skin on the nape of her neck. Slowly, Mike started drawing lazy circles on her skin while maintaining the conversation.

It was all an intricate dance between them both. A gentle touch here. A stolen skim of his lips on her neck, when they finally slow danced. The change in her breathing let it be known his plan was working. “I never did tell you just how beautiful you look tonight.” The words were met with a frown. “What’s wrong?”

"Are you only paying attention to me because I'm wearing a dress?" It was Mike’s turn to frown as his mind ran through everything he wanted to tell her.

"Tonight was meant as a special night. You have no clue how much it cost me to stay away from you. I’ve given you more than a year, but I can wait no more. I’ve dreamt about you every night, of holding you the way I’m doing now. Of feeling your body next to mine.” Mike would say as he held her face between his hands.

“I want to look into your eyes and have you look back at me; with that same look you give me when you think I'm not looking. I want to be able to kiss that luscious mouth of yours. You don't know what you do to me when you pout. All I want to do is kiss you. Kiss you until all you can think about is me." He would then punctuate the words by placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

“So this dress has nothing to do with the feelings I have for you. You know I'm a cowboy 100%. So I love my jeans, hard work and my cowboy hat. You in jeans and a t-shirt is what I consider perfect. You’re natural and that's what I love about you." After mentally rehearsing the speech Mike looked down at her and she looked back confused.

~*~*~*~*~

Casey held her breath.  What the hell, he still hadn’t given her an answer.  Was it the dress that had him finally paying attention to her? So many emotions were flying through his eyes. It made it impossible to grasp what he might be thinking. She felt compelled to ask again. "Mike, answer me. Are you paying attention to me because I'm wearing a dress?"

He seems to snap out of whatever thought flow he was in and gave her a smirk. "No babe, you look hot in anything you put on. I must admit that even though you’re smoking hot in this dress. I think I like you better in your jeans and T-shirt."

Casey knew she was blushing because her face felt hot once more. Mike then pulled her so their body were flushed. It didn’t escape her that they were a perfect fit. She sighed and decided to just enjoy all the tingles running up and down her body.

That night, Casey danced with Leo and Luis and they asked if she was having a good time. “Yes, how can I not have a good time dancing with the three handsomest men in Texas?” When the song ended the girls were waiting so they could go to the bathroom.

All they wanted were details about what she and Mike had talked about. They even said he had gotten upset when she danced with his brothers. "You know, he told me and Mindy to tell the guys that we didn’t want to share them and that they could only dance one song with you.” Mindy said as she started laughing. “I told him he should just ask you out before someone else did."

"What did he say?" Casey’s heart was beating a mile a minute.

“He just growled and said and I quote. She's Mine." They all started squealing and jumping up and down. The damn, dress was turning her into one of them.

Casey was the last one out of the bathroom and half way to the table she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist. Her head turned in time to see the smiling face of some strange guy. He looked down at her. "I saw you dancing and thought to myself. Wow, now that’s a beautiful woman and I must dance with her."

"Thanks for the complement, but I'm here with someone." Casey tried to politely remove herself from his hold.

"I saw you dance with all three guys. That led me to believe, that none are your boyfriend. Come on, dance with me"

She almost lost her balance when the guys arm was yanked from her waist. There stood Mike, wearing a thunderous expression. He lowered his face, menacingly close to the guy. "You couldn’t be more wrong. The lady does have a boyfriend. If you lay a hand on her again. I'm going to have to break it."

The guy turned his gaze to Casey. "My apologies miss if I over stepped my boundaries. My mama raised me to respect women, but I just had to try." He said as he shrugged his shoulders before walking away.

Casey glared at Mike. "Wow, wasn't that going a little overboard. I had already told him I wasn’t going to dance with him." Where did he get off getting so possessive? Casey was sure Mike thought she couldn’t handle herself. She glared up at him, yet he only looked down with a weird expression.

They were in what she could only consider a standoff. She was not going to let Mike Codey win this battle. Casey placed her hands on her hips to emphasize her defiance. All thoughts were lost when Mike bent his head and claimed her lips. This was not a soft kiss like before. No sir, this was the hottest and most scorching kiss she had ever experienced. It felt as if she would go up in flames at any minute.