A/N: I hope you're all having a great summer! Thanks for sticking with me and reviewing!
Enjoy! :)
Reagan felt it before she even opened her eyes.
The throbbing headache, rolling stomach acid and oppressing regret could only mean one thing—she had the mother of all hangovers.
When she finally gathered enough courage to open her eyes, she was thankful that the curtains were closed, but the dim morning light revealed shapes that weren't familiar to her. The mattress beneath her was soft, the walls ocean blue. Clothes were tossed about and sat on the floor in front of an empty hamper.
She was definitely in a guy's bedroom.
Shit. How drunk did I get last night?
She liked to drink as much as the average adult, but once in a while, she took it too far. This hangover rivaled the one she had after her friend Becky's bachelorette party in Vegas two years before. She couldn't remember a damn thing after midnight.
She remembered going to a club with Street. They had a few drinks and danced. Then they followed some new friends to a bar across the road and did more of the same. That was when things got hazy in her memory.
Was she in Street's bedroom?
Reagan sat up quickly and instantly regretted it. She held a hand to her pounding head and let her eyes wander only as fast as she could handle it. She glanced under the covers and noted her bra and underwear, but that was all she wore. Oh, wow. Had she slept with someone?
Reaching over, she frantically pulled at the lump of blankets and pillows next to her. She expected to discover someone there but found it empty. Okay, so she was somewhat dressed and sleeping alone. That had to count for something, right? Maybe she hadn't completely fucked everything up.
Reagan slid out of bed and found her discarded clothing on the floor. She redressed and tiptoed across the room, spotting a bagged suit hanging in the closet. She unzipped one side and peeked in, indeed finding what she suspected would be there—dress blues adorned with Street's name on the chest.
Now she definitely knew this was his bedroom. So where was the man himself?
Continuing to be as quiet as possible, Reagan opened the door and walked down the hallway. She heard someone moving around in the kitchen, but they were crouched behind the island. She sagged against the counter and said, "Morning hot stuff."
A woman darted upright, her blue eyes wide with alarm. She let out a squeak at the same time as Reagan. It only took her a second though to realize that it was Street's mom.
"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I thought..."
The older woman shook her head. "It's okay. Jimmy's on the couch. I found him there this morning. He'll be up soon to go to work."
Reagan touched her aching forehead and slipped onto the tall stool at the counter. A cup of steaming coffee appeared in front of her. She glanced up with a weak smile. "Thank you so much."
Street's mom nodded. "You look like you could use it. These too," she said, shaking out two painkillers and placing them next to the mug.
"You would be right. Again, thank you." She took them quickly and set down her warm drink. "I'm Reagan by the way."
"Karen," the dark-haired woman responded. "I'm Jimmy's mother. I suppose I should say I'm his maid or something. He'd probably get upset if he knew I was telling his lady friends that he lives with his mom. I guess if we're getting technical, though, I should say that I live with him. He's helping me out for a little bit."
Reagan shook her head. "It's okay, you don't have to explain. He's already told me about you."
"Oh, so you two really cut down to the chase, huh? Parent talk on the first date? I mean, you slept over, so things must be serious..."
She choked on her coffee and sputtered for a moment.
"I'm sorry," Karen said, grabbing her a napkin. "That was forward of me. It's really none of my business."
"Mom, are you giving Cas a hard time?" a sleep-heavy voice asked from behind Reagan.
She spun around and thankfully didn't have coffee in her mouth this time, because she would have choked all over again. Street stood in his boxers next to one end of the couch as he righted the shirt in his hands. Shadows danced in the divots of his defined abs and pecs, which rippled with each movement of his strong arms. Reagan directed her attention at the floor, as if the worn linoleum was the most fascinating thing in the room. She didn't feel right ogling him. He looked amazing shirtless and the sight sent strange sensations fluttering throughout her core, but they were friends, and that was it.
She wondered if that had changed the night before. If only she could remember!
"'Cas'? As in Cassie? The Cassie?" Karen asked. "You said your name was Reagan."
"It is. Cassie is what they call me at work."
Karen's face took on a more excited expression. "And here I was, about to give you the 'would you like me to call you a cab?' speech!"
"Mom, seriously?" Street said, his tone taking on a slight whine. It sounded like he was ashamed to be exposed as a playboy, which wasn't news to Reagan, so she wasn't sure why it bothered him.
"Jimmy, you should have told me Cassie was the one staying over." She looked at Reagan. "I've been meaning to thank you for taking care of my boy while he was in the hospital. My new job wouldn't allow me any additional absences. It killed me to be away from him. But he assured me that you were there to help him." She reached across the counter and squeezed Reagan's hands within her own. "You have no idea how much that meant to me. And for taking in Luca when I got out of prison. You are a brave woman."
Reagan laughed. "I won't deny it. But really, it's no problem. Luca is a great guy. And I can say the same about Jimmy here," she teased.
"Oh God, don't start that," Street said, rolling his eyes, but with a grin.
"He's had nothing but good things to say about you," Karen added. "You know, you're much prettier than he described."
As Reagan hid a blush, Street said, "Ma! Come on..."
"What?" she asked innocently, but a smile gave her away.
Choosing to ignore the subject, for it was probably too embarrassing, Street walked around the island and poured himself a cup of coffee. Karen conveniently excused herself from the room. He leaned against the counter and nursed his drink.
"Man, she can be so awkward," he said.
Reagan stifled a laugh. "She's just doing her motherly duties."
"A little too well if you ask me."
Reagan glanced around to make sure they were indeed alone, before she asked demurely, "Street…what happened last night?"
He squinted at her for a moment. "You don't remember?"
A sinking feeling settled in her gut. She shook her head.
"We didn't have sex, if that's what you're wondering."
She breathed a sigh of relief. Not that it would have been a bad thing—she certainly found him attractive in that sense—but her love life was already complicated enough. At the same time, the way he said it didn't make her think she was out of the clear. "Is there something else?"
He shrugged and scratched the back of his neck. "We kissed. But, uh, you passed out pretty quickly."
She tried not to flinch. So many mixed feelings swam in her brain and lingered in her belly. She wanted to feel glad about that, but to pass out while getting intimate? Ugh, now she was the one embarrassed.
"I'm sorry," she said, barely meeting his gaze. "I'm not very good at this friend thing."
He gave her a kind smile, but a bit of sadness remained in his stormy eyes. She hated that she put it there.
"Don't worry about it. I could say the same thing. I drank a lot last night, too. Mistakes were made on both sides," he said.
Reagan nodded. "You'd think that we're old enough to know better by now." Faint amusement glinted in her expression.
"Yeah, right?" He sighed and put down his mug. "Do you want me to take you home before work?"
"Nah. I have a change of clothes in my locker. Do you mind giving me a ride in, though?"
"Not at all. I didn't scare you off last time?"
She laughed softly. "It would take a lot more than a fast motorcycle to scare me off. I live for that shit."
About thirty minutes later, Street started his Ducati and waited as Cassie put on his extra helmet. She climbed behind him and slid her arms around his waist. He loved the contrast between her soft touch and hard body against his back. He couldn't help but think of the night before. Guilt gnawed at him from the inside. He hadn't been completely honest with her. If anything, though, it was an act of self-preservation. He didn't want to say it out loud for fear of making it true—that Cassie had feelings for someone else...
Street took Cassie's hand and led her up the path to his house. The porch light was on, casting long shadows across the yard. His mom must have left it on. She had slipped right back into that role, watching over him, doing whatever she could to make up for lost time as a mother. He just hoped she wouldn't be waiting up for him when he stepped through the door.
When they walked inside, he was relieved to find a single lamp on and no one in sight. He was old enough to bring women home, but encountering his mother in the process could be a real cock block.
Cassie looked around, swaying from the effects of the alcohol. "I like your place. It's cute."
He smiled at her. "I don't think guys want to hear 'your place is cute.'"
She moved toward him and continued to intertwine her fingers with his. "What would you rather I say?"
He made a low humming sound, finding himself distracted by her lush pink lips. "Your place is so manly... Where's the bedroom?"
They both laughed a little harder than they should have, flirty eyes locked onto each other. He saw her glance at his lips as well and her expression sobered slightly.
"So where is your room?" she asked.
Street's heartrate accelerated. He wondered if he needed to take a step back; that maybe he was taking advantage of her. It was a fleeting thought, as he was also a little too far gone. He wanted her so badly. He'd wanted her since the first time he'd laid eyes on her. Cassie was a grown woman. She'd had plenty of opportunities to go home, call it a night. It had also been her idea to come back with him. He really didn't want to argue with that.
She followed him down the hallway and he pushed open the bedroom door. His covers and clothes were strewn everywhere, much to his embarrassment. He hadn't planned on bringing a woman back tonight, let alone Cassie, but she didn't seem to notice or care. She climbed onto the bed, her ass shimmying from side to side as she crawled toward the pillows at the top. She turned around and laid back against them, gazing at him expectantly through the murky darkness.
Street followed, crawling up her body until they were chest to chest. His nose and lips brushed her neck as one of his hands traced the bottom of her tank top. She arched against him, her hips undulating with need. He let his fingers skim across her smooth belly and upward, cupping one full breast within his hand. Her bra was thin, the nipple hardening against his palm through the fabric. He pushed up her tank top and helped it over her head. Her skin looked pale in contrast with the black bra. Not wasting any time, he settled his lips over the delicate material, taking her into his mouth. Cassie clawed at his back, getting a handful of t-shirt and returning the favor of removing it.
Then her mouth was on his, hot and insistent. She stroked the inside with her tongue, matching the rhythm to her hips. Street groaned as his desire swelled. He moved his lips back to her neck, nipping blindly at the silky column as he tugged off her shorts.
She gasped softly, then let out a breathy whisper. "Deacon..."
Street stopped so suddenly, it was as if someone had doused him with ice cold water. His body froze above her and he blinked away the lust that clouded his vision.
"Why'd you stop?" she asked, her eyes still closed as she moved against him.
Promptly, he rolled away, rubbing both hands over his face. "I...I need to use the bathroom."
"Right now?"
"Yeah, I'll just be a minute."
Cassie sighed and snuggled into the pillows. He knew she'd be out within minutes. "Okay...but hurry back."