Betrayal (59 page)

“Oh? Did you want to wait or…did you…”

“Alex, I told you before I would marry you right now if I could. No, I don’t want to wait. But, Dylan…”

Alex felt a sudden rush of fear sweep through her. “Does he not want us to…”

“No, no,” Cassidy sighed. “He wants to stand with you at the wedding.”

“He’s walking you…”

Cassidy nodded. “About that…”

“No,” Alex was firm. “Cass, you are his mom. He needs to be…”

Two warm hands suddenly held Alex’s face gently and stopped her speech. “He needs to be with both of us. He loves you so much, Alex. I knew that, but today…he just…he needs to know you want him to be part of your…”

Alex closed her eyes and nodded. “I guess I never even thought about that. I just figured he would want to be with you.”

“I know.”

“Cass, aren’t you going to be disappointed if he doesn’t walk you down the aisle?”

Cassidy blew out a heavy breath. “A little,” she admitted. “Alex, if…”

“Listen, why don’t you let me work on this, okay?” Alex offered. “I am going to my mom’s tomorrow. Let me take Dylan with me.”

“Are you sure? Don’t you want to spend some time alone with her?”

“Cassidy, I should have thought of this earlier. I cannot subject my son to shopping with you and Rose and Barb all day tomorrow. That’s just cruel.” Cassidy smacked Alex playfully. “Well, it is.”

“Um, you are shopping with Helen.”

“Yes, but the operative word in that statement is
you
, meaning me. I won’t be parading in and out of dress shops all day cooing over shoes and jewelry and hair styles. Me, it’s one and done. You know you and…” Alex’s rant was abruptly ended by Cassidy’s kiss.

“You may not be cooing, but you will be with Helen, so my guess is more than one before you are done,” Cassidy poked.

“Still more fun.”

“Yes, I am sure that is true,” Cassidy conceded.

“I’ll talk to Dylan.”

“If he wants to stand with you; I really am okay with…”

“Just let me work on this, okay?” Alex pleaded quietly. “You still didn’t answer my question.”

“What question?”

“What are you going to call yourself?” Alex asked.

Cassidy pursed her lips. She loved to tease Alex and this seemed a perfect opportunity. “Hum,” she considered the question as she positioned herself to straddle the agent’s hips. “I suppose I will call myself Cassidy.”

Alex narrowed her gaze at her lover who was concentrating on the buttons of Alex’s blouse. “Yeah, but what about what your students will call you?”

“Don’t have any of those to worry about right now,” Cassidy answered, lowering her lips to Alex’s neck.

“What about what your driver’s license says?” Alex asked.

“Doesn’t renew for six years,” Cassidy continued her assault.

Alex was determined that Cassidy would not distract her, but the gentle caresses and kisses trailing down her body were
making it increasingly difficult for her to form a coherent thought. “Okay…what about what…”

“Alex,” Cassidy pulled herself up to look into her lover’s eyes. “Why don’t you just ask me what you want to ask me?”

“I don’t…” Cassidy raised her eyebrow and Alex sighed. “I don’t care, Cass. It doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, you do.” Cassidy kissed the agent. “And, for the record Agent Toles, I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you do care.”

“I want you to do whatever makes you happy.”

“You make me happy,” Cassidy answered. “It’s going to take some getting used to. I’ve been Mrs. O’Brien for a long time.”

“You can be Ms. McCollum, you know?”

Cassidy shook her head. “No.” She kissed the agent passionately.

“You can be Cassidy McCollum-Toles.”

Cassidy scrunched up her face. “Sounds like a disease. No.” She kissed the agent again.

“Cass are you sure you want to be…”

“Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“When we have a baby, what do you think his or her name will be?”

“I don’t know.”

“I think,” Cassidy stroked the agent’s cheek, “we both know it will be Toles. So, I think you have your answer.” Alex smiled broadly and Cassidy arched her brow. “What?” Cassidy inquired.

“Nothing,” Alex answered. She pulled Cassidy into a gentle kiss. “I just had this thought of our kids’ friends calling you Mrs. Toles.”

“Our
kids
, huh?” Cassidy smirked and Alex nodded. “Well, guess I will be busy then. Better make the most of our alone time now.” She started to kiss Alex when she felt Alex pull away slightly. “What’s wrong?”

Alex sat up and sighed. “What about Dylan, Cass? You can’t change your name. I mean, he’s an O’Brien. I don’t want him to feel like…”

Cassidy kissed Alex gently. “I love you.”

“What?” Alex asked in confusion.

“Well, I do.” Cassidy tucked a lose strand of hair behind Alex’s ear. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. But, the answer is the same. I am not going to stay Cassidy O’Brien. I don’t know why I never changed it before.”

“I do,” Alex said. “Dylan.”

Cassidy closed her eyes. “You’re right. It was Dylan. But Alex, in a week…in a week I will be Mrs. Toles, not Mrs. O’Brien. Dylan will understand.” Alex nodded with some sadness. “Alex?”

“You know I wish he could be a Toles. I mean…he is, but…”

“I think all you need to do is tell him that,” Cassidy suggested. “Now,” she said softly. “You don’t have many more chances to make love to Cassidy O’Brien.”

Alex’s eyes took on a playful twinkle. “Seven days, seven nights.”

“Six, actually. Better get started.”

“I wonder,” Alex mused as she placed Cassidy beneath her.

“What do you wonder?”

“What it will be like to make love to Cassidy Toles.”

“Like nothing you have ever,” Cassidy was lost to her lover’s kiss.

“I have no doubt,” Alex whispered. “I could make love to you forever.”

Alex’s hands were drifting sensually and softly over Cassidy’s hip. Cassidy sighed and wrapped her hands around Alex’s neck. “I may have to test that theory,” she whispered. Her words were stopped by a long kiss that deepened gradually and set her ablaze. Alex began kissing her neck and Cassidy stopped to pull the agent back. She searched the blue eyes above her and
had to close her own. “
Je vais consacrer le reste de ma vie a t` aimer
(I will spend the rest of my life loving you),” she promised.

Alex just smiled. Often she found that there were no words adequate to convey the depth of her feeling for the woman in her arms. Cassidy was nothing less than her world. When Alex held Cassidy everything faded away. There was no fear, no sadness, no questioning. There was comfort and completion in the connection they shared. Alex intended to show Cassidy how much the love between them meant to her. She caressed every inch of the woman she loved, slowly, tenderly, and lovingly. Every time she touched Cassidy it felt like the first time. Her mind went silent and her body hummed with energy. The sound of Cassidy’s sighs, the feel of her own heart thrumming in her chest, the scent of Cassidy’s shampoo, the way that Cassidy would reach for her, the expression of love that emanated in the beautiful eyes that searched hers; all of it carried Alex away and she was content to lose herself completely.

“Alex,” Cassidy called softly as Alex’s lips trailed over her stomach. “Please…” Alex reached for Cassidy’s hands and suddenly felt transported to the first time they had made love. Alex had struggled to surrender. Somehow Cassidy understood. She reached for Alex’s hands and held them tenderly. No one had ever reached for her that way, wanting only to love her and reassure her. It was such a simple gesture yet it meant everything to Alex. She felt Cassidy’s hands in her own and looked up at the expression on her lover’s face. Cassidy sensed Alex’s gaze and opened her eyes. “I love you, Alex.”

Alex tightened her grip on the hands she held and continued her gentle exploration. She felt Cassidy’s hips rise to meet her and the teacher’s fingers reflexively grasp her hand as the waves of passion crested and fell. “I’m here,” Alex whispered as she slowly lifted herself to look into Cassidy’s eyes. She felt Cassidy draw her closer and laid down to pull the teacher onto her chest. “Thanks,” Alex whispered.

“I didn’t do anything….
yet
,” Cassidy chuckled through a yawn as she drew small circles on the agent’s skin.

“Yeah, you did, but if you have something else that…Cass?” Alex ran her fingers through Cassidy’s hair. “Perfect,” Alex sighed in contentment.

“What?” Cassidy mumbled.

Alex just shook her head and snuggled closer. “Nothing,” she answered. “Go to sleep.” She felt Cassidy’s breathing even out and closed her eyes. “Yep, this is perfect.”

Saturday, May 23rd

’m glad you brought Dylan.”

             
“Me too,” Alex agreed. Dylan was walking slightly ahead of the pair down the street. “Wait there, Speed.”

“So?” Helen asked.

“What?”

“What do you mean, what? What are you going to wear, Alexis?” Helen asked as they caught up with Dylan.

“I don’t know what I am going to wear.”

“You are supposed to wear a dress,” Dylan said.

“Who says?” He shrugged. “Well, I don’t know. I don’t think your mom expects me to wear a dress.”

“Yeah but she says you are beautiful in a dress.” Helen sniggered at the statement.

“She does, does she? When did she say that?” Alex asked, genuinely curious.

“When you came home. She says you would look good in a paper bag too.”

Helen covered her face to conceal her amusement. “Your mother did not tell you that,” Alex said definitively.

Dylan just shrugged. “Me and Cat heard her tell Aunt Barb,” he explained.

“A dress, huh?” Dylan smiled and nodded. “Hum.” Helen looked at the pavement, still attempting to hide her grin. “Oh, all right. You all win.” Helen looked up and smiled. “But no frill, Mother. I mean it. I hate…”

“Yes, Alexis. I do recall your feeling on frills.”

“We have a stop to make first, though.” Helen looked to Alex about to question her. “I have to get a ring. Might be helpful,” Alex winked.

“Any ideas?” Helen asked.

“Well, a few.” She stopped in front of a jewelry store. “I figured Dylan could help.” Dylan smiled. “What do you say? You help me out?” He nodded. “Excellent.”