The CEO's Little Surprise(20)

Gage didn't care. He was leaving soon anyway, so why keep up pretenses?  It was kind of freeing, knowing how it would end. She didn't have to  worry about him breaking her heart because she wasn't going to give it  to him. He didn't have to know she harbored all these feelings for him.

"That sounds like an idea I can get behind," he growled. "Or on top of,  in front of, against the wall, in the shower. All of the above."

Too late to take it back now. And besides, she should have had the  presence of mind to invite him deliberately. Because what better way to  keep tabs on him than if they were together around the clock? That's  where her mind should have been at.

"Stay the weekend. I know you have to go back to Austin Sunday night  but until then? We'll order lots of takeout and never get dressed."

"That's a deal, Ms. Claremont."

His slow, sexy smile felt like a reward and she planned to grab her  spoils with both hands. She'd spend the weekend enjoying herself and, as  a bonus, she'd make solid progress on investigating Gage's involvement  in the leak, just like she'd promised her partners. With the man in  question in her bed, surely she could sneak a glance through his phone  or keep an ear out in case he talked in his sleep. It was the best of  both worlds and she didn't even have to feel guilty about it because she  was looking out for Fyra first and foremost.

The other stuff-the emotional knot-wasn't a factor. She wouldn't let it  be. She had to buckle on her armor a bit tighter while around Gage,  that was all.

Gage untangled their clothes, hair and bodies, helping her resituate  everything and then climbed back into the driver's seat. Fortunately,  the park was still deserted or that would have been a helluva show.

She had one short weekend to get results on her quest for a  name...before the other girls made a motion to relieve her of her  position as head of the company she'd helped build from nothing.

* * *

Gage stopped by the hotel to pick up Arwen and his luggage, then checked out while Cass waited for him outside.

When he got back to the Hummer, he opened the back to stow his bags and  waved for Arwen to hop in. That's when he realized this was not going  to go well. She sat on her haunches and stared at the sky, the ground, a  bug flying by. It was her way of saying she wasn't riding in the back  like chattel.

"Don't be ridiculous," he growled. "There's a human in the front seat.  You're a dog. Ride in the back. That's what they make this part of the  vehicle for."                       
       
           



       

Nothing. He shook his head. They both knew she wasn't just a dog and  this was one of the worst times in recent memory for her to remind him  of it. He treated her like she was human, and she lapped it up as her  due in true lady-of-the-manor style. Just because Gage had a real human  to spend time with for a change didn't alter the fact that he'd spoiled  her rotten due to his own lack of companionship over the years.

"What's going on?" Cass asked, her hair still loose and delicious around her shoulders.

The sight of her in that passenger seat, where she'd so sweetly offered  him a fantasy weekend four seconds after giving him what he'd already  thought was the ultimate encounter-amazing. He couldn't wait to dive in  again.

"Arwen. In the car. Now," he muttered. "I've got a date with a shower  and a wet woman and you are not going to mess it up." Louder, he called,  "Just having a discussion about the proper place for a dog. One sec."

Extra motivation must have done the trick because he manhandled Arwen  into the back on the first try and shut the hatch before she could leap  out, which he wouldn't put past her. She gave a mournful cry that he  heard even with all of the doors closed.

When he climbed into the driver's seat, Arwen had already weaseled in  between the front seats, paws on the gearshift. She stuck her nose in  Cass's face, clearly bent on discovering all the secrets of the woman  who had usurped her spot.

Uh-oh. Arwen had never deigned to check out a woman Gage had brought  into her world. Usually she ignored them. Of course, Gage always  introduced her to someone off Arwen's turf and it was rare that Arwen  saw the same woman twice. Gage couldn't even remember the last time he'd  had a woman in the Hummer, let alone at the same time as the vizsla.

"She's so sweet," Cass exclaimed as she rubbed Arwen's ginger head enthusiastically, earning a smile from the dog.

Gage eyed Arwen suspiciously and with no small amount of shock. She  never approved of anyone female, let alone someone she'd already singled  out as a rival. "Yeah, that's one word for her."

Arwen muscled her way into the front seat, right onto Cass's lap before  Gage could grab her collar or even warn Cass that forty pounds of dog  was coming her way.

Great. It wasn't as if Cass was wearing a fifteen-hundred-dollar suit  or anything-not that he'd shown much more care when he'd crumpled it up  around her waist. But still. There was a place for Arwen and it wasn't  on top of Gage's...date. Former lover. Current lover. Partner in crime.  Whatever.

"Sorry," he threw out. "Arwen, get in the back!"

"It's okay." Cass shot him a smile as she rearranged Arwen's paws off  her bare legs. "I don't mind. It's not that far to my house and she's  used to riding in the front, I would imagine."

"She is. Doesn't mean she should get her way." He started the car with  one last warning glare at the dog who was predictably ignoring him. "I  can drop her off at a pet hotel on the way."

Both woman and dog shook their heads.

"That's not necessary," Cass said, patting Arwen's back. "She's welcome  in my backyard. I have some sad little hydrangeas that would probably  benefit from being eaten."

"Really?" This time, he eyed Cass suspiciously. "She'll dig up your grass. I'm not kidding."

"So? She's been cooped up in a hotel all week, hasn't she? My yard  overlooks the lake and there are always lots of birds. No reason why she  can't have a nice weekend, too, is there?"

Arwen's ears perked up at the mention of birds and that seemed to  decide it. Casually, as if it had been her idea all along, the dog  picked her way to her own seat and lay down on it without bothering to  glance at Gage.

A little dumbfounded, he drove toward Cass's house and wondered what  had just happened. "Okay. Thanks. Apparently that plan got the thumbs-up  from Her Royal Highness."

And from Gage. He snuck a sidelong peek at Cass. There'd always been  something special about Cass but he hadn't realized her skills included  dog whispering.                       
       
           



       

Warmth spread through his chest. Did Cass have any clue how much he  appreciated her good humor over his bad-mannered dog? The invitation to  let Arwen skip the dog hotel had earned mucho points with both man and  beast. And neither of them gave points easily.

Arwen heartily approved of Cass's massive backyard. The moment Cass set  down the bowl of water, Gage's diva of a dog gave Cass an extra nose to  the hand, which was the equivalent of a rare thank-you. Would wonders  never cease?

Gage followed Cass into the house, mystified why she'd be so welcoming  of his dog. And why his dog was so welcoming of the woman.

Cass needs a big, fat thank-you. Immediately.

"Show me to your shower," he commanded, his body already hardening in anticipation of a hot and wet Cass.

She raised a brow. "That's the first thing you want to do? Take a shower?"

"You say that as though I'll be by myself."

"In that case..." She pivoted on one stiletto, then climbed the wide hardwood planked staircase at a brisk trot.

He raced after her, effortlessly taking the stairs two at a time,  laughing as she ducked into a room and then popped back out as if to  make sure he was following her. As if he'd be foolish enough to lose  her.

"You're not getting away that easily," he promised as he entered what  was clearly her bedroom. He made short work of whirling her into his  arms so he could strip her slowly for a much-needed round two.

When her gaze met his, it was full of promise and his breath hitched in  his chest as he drew off her suit one luscious piece at a time. Never  one to hold back, she got him out of his clothes lickety-split and when  they were both bared to each other, he picked her up and carried her  into the en suite bathroom he'd spied earlier.

She flung her arms around his neck, her own breath coming faster as she  nuzzled his ear. Heat swept across his skin. Would he ever get tired of  her? Usually he was done by now. Once, maybe twice, was generally  enough with one woman.

Not this one. She kept drawing him back and he kept not resisting.