Free Pure Lust Vol. 1 by M. S. Parker, Cassie Wild Page B

at the door and he kissed me again.
    “Stay,” he murmured.
    “Never before the third date.” I had to harden my reserve though.
    He groaned, although it was a playful sound. He opened the door and escorted me down the steps. The town car was waiting with the door open. He must have sent Paul a message.
    He caught my hand before I got into the car. “What are you doing Tuesday?”
     
     

Chapter Seven
    “You’re going out with him again?”
    I rolled my eyes at the disapproval in her voice. “I know it seems a little crazy, Kendra, but he’s wonderful. You’d like him.”
    She slapped butter on the toast and left it on the counter untouched. Her light green eyes were flashing. “You don’t even know his last name and you’re seeing an awful lot of him.”
    “You know,” I said mildly. “For someone who came home at three in the morning on a Monday night, wait, Tuesday morning, you sound awfully judgmental.”
    Kendra gnashed into her slice of toast and tossed the other one down the counter at me. We ate in silence as the coffee finished brewing. I poured her a cup and turned to get the milk. I didn’t like arguing with her, but I was a little tired of her double standards. I’d never said anything about her dating habits.
    “He’s totally distracted you from getting a job,” she said.
    “That’s not true. He’s distracting me from the hell that is my job. I’m happy, K. Can I just be happy for a week?”
    She took the coffee and kissed my cheek. “Fine. You can be happy until rent is due again.”
    I was still a little annoyed, but I didn’t want to fight anymore. “You don’t know. Maybe Edward is just dating me because he can sense I’m the world’s next top hand model.” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
    I knew she was stressing over the rent. I was, too. We’d put in another call about the landlord issue, but nobody had returned our call and if we didn’t hear from somebody soon, we were either going to have to pay the insane amount that was being asked or leave. It pissed me off because we knew we were being jerked around, but unless we could get somebody to talk to us, what were we supposed to do?
    She grumbled under her breath and left to go shower and pack up. She had a photo shoot that was supposed to last most of the day and I needed to get to work too.
    Just a couple of hours and I’d see Edward again. After a crazy week, I needed it.
    ***
    Psycho-boss was even more psycho than normal. Even the people who normally fawned over her and kissed her psycho-boss ass were steering clear of her and when she left for lunch, I took my shot at escape, more than happy to head to my lunch date with Edward.
    Instead of a restaurant, however, he’d asked me to meet him at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. I smiled as I saw him coming towards me. He’d left his tie and suit coat in the car, but it was obvious he was coming straight from work. He lifted me up into a joyous kiss before he rolled up his sleeves and threaded my arm through his. We weaved through the tourists taking pictures and wandered further into the park.
    “How’s work?” I asked.
    “Same old. I have a big meeting this afternoon so I can’t stay too long.”
    I tried not to feel too disappointed. “Then you better kiss me again.” I dragged him off the path and leaned up against an oak tree, pulling him towards me. He leaned into me and I wrapped my arms around his neck before our lips met again. The kiss was far too brief for my taste.
    “Mmm,” he murmured against my neck. “I’m hungry.”
    Teasingly, I said, “But you said you don’t have much time…and we can’t do that here.”
    He chuckled and pulled away. “I meant food. Come on.”
    “Since we don’t have much time, what do you suggest? Hot dog vendor?” I asked, looking around. The carts were everywhere.
    “I have a better idea.” He led me around the tree to a clearing I hadn’t seen until that moment.
    Paul waved to us from a blanket on