Wild Forces: A Friends to Lovers Romance (O-Town Book 2) by Karen Renee (inspirational novels .txt) 📗

shook my head. “Plans are made, babe. I’m getting my other three or four hours of shut-eye. You can join me... or not, your call. But, when I’m up, we’re Doordashing some food, and I’m teaching you everything you never knew you needed to know about the X-Box.”

Her head canted to the side. “Is that even a verb? ‘Doordashing?’”

My eyes widened. “Woman. Do not talk to me about fuckin’ grammar when I need more sleep. Got me?”

She ambled up to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I got you, Gabe,” she whispered, just before she kissed me long and hard.

I WOKE UP AROUND ONE, to find Cassie in the living room with a legal pad in her lap and CNBC on the television.

“What’re you doin’, baby?”

She turned to me and did a double take. “Do you ever wear a shirt?”

I arched a brow. “Not if I don’t have to. See somethin’ you like, baby?”

She rolled her eyes as she turned back to the flatscreen. That was not on in my world.

As I made my approach to her, she stood and leaned over the coffee table to set down the legal pad, giving me the perfect opportunity to smack her round ass.

She straightened and whirled on me. “Gabe! What the hell?”

“You know how I don’t like you callin’ me by my last name?” She nodded, and I continued. “Well, I especially don’t like you rollin’ your eyes at me.”

She folded her arms under her breasts. “You’re gonna have to get over it, Gabriel. I like everything I see when it comes to you, but you don’t need me to stroke your ego, do you?”

“It never hurts, Cassie.”

Her lips pursed and her head tilted for a moment. “Fair enough. I’m sorry. I’m just not used to how freely you wander around shirtless and sometimes even naked.”

I grinned. “Apology accepted. And just so you know, you’re free to join me, baby. Might even help you get used to it.”

She laughed. “I’ll just bet.”

“So, you hungry?”

“Very,” she sighed.

“You gonna survive until DoorDash gets here, or do I need to cook?”

She grinned. “I can survive until food is delivered, but I’m having a snack in the meantime.”

Twenty minutes later, we lounged on the couch with General Tso chicken, crab Rangoons, and vegetable mei fun noodles. I had music playing through the television for background noise before I schooled my woman on the intricacies of the X-Box.

I was dying to tell Cassandra what I overheard last night, but I didn’t know what Ryan had over her mother to blackmail her.

I swallowed a bite of chicken. “So, your dad’s a big-time business man, what’s the story on your mother?”

Her head swiveled to me. “That’s random.”

I shrugged. “Just popped in my head, woman. Is she active in charities and stuff? Is that why you volunteer at the shelter?”

A wry smile pulled at her lips. “Yes, and no. She loved the idea of me volunteering at the shelter because they always have that gala in the fall, and she thought I’d snag a well-to-do husband.”

“She’s a socialite?”

She shook her head. “No. Not really. But she cares about money and status. Far more than Dad does. Hence taking me to the fancy chop house for lunch. A few years back though, she started getting more involved in Dad’s business.”

“Really?” I asked, keeping my voice neutral.

“Yeah. If I’m not mistaken, she’s the one who convinced Dad to invest in Club Eclectic.”

I gave her a sideways glance. “Your dad’s invested in Pruitt’s club?”

She sighed. “Yeah. I didn’t even know until recently. It does not fit with the rest of his business investments, but I remember how thrilled Dad was when she took interest in the business. So, I don’t want to rain on that parade, you know?”

“I guess... I didn’t grow up in a house with married parents, but I get what you’re saying.”

She nodded. “Yeah, well, just between you and me... My gut is telling me Dad should’ve done more research before investing in Club Eclectic.”

“Why would you say that?”

She looked away and shrugged. “Just a hunch.”

I nudged her leg with my toe. “You can tell me anything, Daughtry. And I’m pretty sure you’re keeping something from me.”

She shook her head. “I’m not. It’s just a feeling, and business doesn’t get done based on feelings.”

“But your mom doesn’t actively work in your Dad’s business?”

She shook her head. “Why so curious, Gabe?”

To buy time, I shrugged, and forced myself to to think fast. “I don’t know. You seem ambitious, and I didn’t know how much of that was from your mother, or if it was all because of your father.”

She swallowed the last bite of her chicken and leaned over to scoop up some noodles. “It’s mainly Dad, though Sera has a little to do with it. She’s always been competitive with me even though there’s fifteen years between us. It’s truly bizarre. I mean, she gives me shit about not having a job because I’m getting my MBA. What is with that?”

I shook my head.

Then her eyes filled with alarm. “Oh, geez. You’re gonna have to meet her soon, Gabe.”

My brows furrowed. “Your sister? I thought she lives in Miami.”

“No. My mother. You met Dad, and he’ll share about you and me.”

I stared at the TV screen for a moment. “Well, since your dad and my dad are acquaintances, maybe we could rope Dad and Marnie into it too. Would that make it better?”

Her lips twisted as she thought about it. “Maybe. Actually, I think it would. Mother wouldn’t be too harsh on either of us if she were entertaining your father and his wife, too.”

I smiled at her. “Then we’ll make it happen that way, doll-face.”

Cassie

AFTER WE FINISHED LUNCH, Gabe taught me how to play Halo 5: Guardians and by the time Cecilia rolled in at seven-thirty, I couldn’t believe we’d wasted four hours playing that game. Not long after Cecilia arrived, Brock called Gabe and got everyone’s requests for Mexican.

When Brock brought the food