“I could help.”
“While Samson sits and twiddles his thumbs?”
“No, while he watches the football game.”
Cassie laughed and replied, “Nope. My entire married life I had to listen to football, basketball, or some other sport on television every Sunday and every Monday night. I like my music or my shows on while I work in a calm, quiet house. It’s one of the perks of being single.”
He butted in, in a quiet, slightly frustrated tone, as if she wouldn’t listen to him. “Cassie, honey—”
“Do you want some cheese with your whine? And you know darned well my hands would shake the whole time I’m working while you ply me with more of those kisses.”
“Okay, that part is true. What about later tonight?”
“I’m going to bed early after finishing my Outlander marathon.”
“Outlander? What’s that?”
“What do you mean, ‘what’s that?’? I’m sorry,” she said through her laughter. “I can’t have anything to do with you anymore. It’s only the most romantic series on television, based on the greatest hero and heroine who ever graced fiction. It’s sacred.”
“Is there sex in it?”
“Yes. Hot sex, too.”
“I’ll watch it with you. Samson likes sex, too. I’ll bet he’d watch it.”
“Yes, and ask questions throughout every episode.” Irritating the ever-living shit out of me.
“How many episodes are we talking?”
“Not nearly enough…ever. And even if I let you come over, the show would only get you excited, and then you’d want sex.”
“Well, yeah. Isn’t that the point?”
Cassie sighed and then giggled. Men. “Well…no.”
“But I bet it excites you, doesn’t it? Wait. If we weren’t there, and you watched your show…What’s it called?”
“Outlander.”
“And then you climbed into bed all hot and bothered, you’d maybe touch yourself, wouldn’t you?”
She paused, unwilling to reveal so much but also not wanting to lie.
His deep chuckle reverberated on the other end, sending a wave of heat through her. “You are so sexy, Cassie. Are you blushing?”
“Yes, damn it. I love my show. And I don’t want to explain or justify everything in it while I watch it. Is that so hard to understand? We had one television, and I hardly ever got to watch what I wanted while I was married. Sundays are my day now.”
“And it’s kind of sacred, I get it.”
“Speaking of sacred, I need to get in the shower so I can go to early church.”
“Okay. Do you still go to Our Lady?”
“Yeah. I’m sorry about today. Are you free for lunch tomorrow? I could fix a special lunch for the two of you at the shop. I know it means coming all the way to Divine—Wait, no. You have work, don’t you?”
“Yep,” he said reluctantly. “Lunch and supper. The week is pretty full. I’m off on Thursday, though. Would that work for you?”
“Sure. Just show up around noon, and Mom and I will cook for you.”
“Your mom works with you?”
Cassie smiled. “Yes. She’s head of the breakfast taco division of Divine Drip. She stays in the back and is pretty shy about being seen, which I can respect. She’s happy doing her thing, and it keeps her occupied.”
“She okay?”
“Yes. She has a Gambler’s Anonymous sponsor, and they stay in touch and go to meetings together. She suffered with so much guilt over the court seizing the land she tried to sell to pay her gambling debt years ago. She felt like she’d robbed me of my inheritance because of her addiction. So when my grandmother died a few years ago, leaving my mother the large tract of land her family’s ranch was located on, Mom had my name added to the deed to protect the inheritance for Joseph and Tamara. She did that so she wouldn’t be tempted to make the same mistake twice. Life is more peaceful for her, and I believe she’s overcome the urge to gamble. She just shuns attention.”
“That’s understandable. I’d love to see her. Speaking of being shunned, I guess I’ll see you on Thursday. Have fun making your roses and watching your woman-porn.”
Coffee spurted up her nose when she gasped and then had a coughing fit. “You ass!”
“Just kidding…Nah—not really. Wish I could be there in case you’re all hot and bothered and need relief—”
“Goodbye, Ivan.”
“—because I wouldn’t want you to be frustrated or anything. It’s hard to go to sleep horny, you know.”