Roll For Initiative

3. Cassie

I am so relieved that I have been to this airport before because it is gigantic.

Thankfully, I arrived at 12:47, and Lucian said he should be out front by 1.

To pass the time, I start mindlessly scrolling through my phone.

My mind is all over the place.

I have many plans for us today, and then this weekend, I have an event with a guy I have been seeing for the last few months.

His name is Theo.

Theo Elliot Blackmore.

This man radiates power.

He is rich and strong, which is not what I usually go for, but things change.

After Lucian left, my boyfriend, Mark, broke up with me, and I hit rock bottom with my confidence level.

So, I decided to try some new things.

I started exploring a new world that I never really knew about, and that is where I met Theo.

I haven’t told Lucian about him yet, though.

Lucian is very skeptical of any of the men I’ve been interested in.

I can practically hear his voice when he used to judge any of my Twitter matches.

“Too short.

Too hairy.

Ugh, tool bag.

He must still live with his mom.

Fuck boy.

Too sensitive." I swear, I'm beginning to think he felt no man was good enough for me.

He absolutely hated my ex-boyfriend, Mark.

Mark wasn't abusive or anything like that; he was just very opinionated.

He disapproved of my apartment, living alone, having a friend group, and hobbies like D his muscles fill out his button-up shirt better than ever.

He must have gone to the gym a lot while in California.

He even makes his glasses look hot.

He looks like a sexy businessman now, far from the nerd I dropped off nine months ago in this very spot.

Hold up.

I do not think Lucian is sexy.

He's a good-looking guy, but I've never described him as sexy.

As he gets closer to my car, his eyes meet mine.

His big brown eyes look darker now, almost black.

It's almost like my dream from last night.

Shit, that tingly feeling is all over again from picturing my mystery dream man fucking my brains out.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

My cheeks are warm, and I can almost guarantee they are bright red from the thoughts racing through my mind.

Snap out of it, Cassie!

“Cassie! I’m proud of you for making it here on time!” Lucian jokes as he opens the back door, throws his bags in, and climbs into the passenger seat.

He leans over, hugs me, and kisses me on the cheek.

“I’ve missed you so much! Life wasn’t the same without you!”

I hold him tight.

God, he smells good.

I missed him so much, and now that he is home, I don’t ever want him to leave again.

“I’ve missed the hell out of you.

No more abandoning me.

Your boss is just going to have to let you do all your work from here!” I let him go and instantly feel emptiness. Weird.

When he pulls away, he has a questioning look on his face, no doubt from the crimson all over my cheeks and the heat his lips must have felt.

"I still can’t believe you made it on time.

You must have left an hour earlier than you were supposed to." He says with a wink.

I gently slug him in the shoulder.

"I can be on time for important things, plus we have a schedule to maintain if we want to get through all the stuff I have planned for today." I defend myself.

He has a look on his face that I can’t seem to read.

Why does he seem so different?

"Sure, but can we stop by my apartment first so I can shower the plane funk off of me." He asks.

I roll my eyes as we pull away from the curb.

“Hey! Don’t be a brat.” He jokes and nudges me on the shoulder. A brat?

“I am not a brat!” I snap back.

“Yes, you are.

You just rolled your eyes at me.

Complete brat!”

“Fine, whatever.

But make your shower quick; we have reservations to make.” How dare he call me a brat.

“Ooooh, now you are concerned with a schedule.” He laughs as he relaxes in the seat.

I smile and sigh.

It feels so good to have him back in my life again.