Single Man Meets Single Mum. Jules Bennett

she’d never seen from any man before.

      Without a word, he closed the gap between them. Cassie’s heart had just started to settle, but now it picked back up again. She should’ve known better than to think the intense moment would pass.

      Ian framed her face with his hands and brought his mouth to within a fraction of an inch of hers. “A woman who kisses, who responds to my touch without hesitation, has pent-up passion that needs to be released.”

      His lips barely brushed hers. “Come find me when you’re ready.”

      Ian walked around her, leaving her still surrounded by that masculine scent, his arousing words and the tingling from his touch still on her lips.

      She’d known the man twelve hours. There was no way she could handle him being on the grounds for two more months. She was a woman—a woman with needs.

      And a part of her wondered just what would happen if she allowed herself to put those needs first for once.

       Three

      Two days had passed since she’d been up close and personal with Ian, but Cassie was more than aware of his quiet, yet dominating, presence on the estate. She’d seen him from a distance as he talked with Max. She’d found out she’d just missed him on the set of one scene she’d gone to watch, but she refused to admit she was wondering about his schedule, about when she’d see him again. Feel his body against hers.

      She refused to fall for another man who set her hormones into overdrive, so where did that leave her? Considering a fling?

      Groaning, she made her way from the stables to the main house. The sun was making its descent behind the mountains and Emily was at her weekly sleepover with Tessa and Grant. After witnessing the shooting of the engagement scene over the past couple of days, Cassie was feeling more and more nostalgic.

      She missed her mother with each passing day; seeing Rose’s life depicted in the film had Cassie wanting to feel closer to her. And with Emily away for the night, this was the perfect opportunity to reminisce and head up to the attic, where all her mother’s things were stored.

      Rose’s unexpected death had shaken up the family in ways they’d never even imagined. As teen girls, Tessa and Cassie had really taken it hard, but they’d all been there for each other, forming an even stronger bond. But Cassie still ached for her mother’s sweet smile, her encouraging words and her patient guidance.

      Because right now she truly wanted a mother’s advice. Ian had her completely tied in knots. When he’d left her in the stables two days ago, Cassie had never felt so torn, so conflicted in her life. And he hadn’t approached her since. What was up with that? Had he changed his mind? Had he decided she wasn’t worth the trouble?

      Why was she even worried about this anyway? No doubt Ian was used to those flawless women who had been surgically perfected. More than likely Cassie’s extra pounds and shapelier curves were not what Ian was looking for in a...fling? What was he doing exactly with his flirting? Where had he expected this to go?

      Never mind. He’d thrown out the word sex like nothing. Cassie knew exactly where he was headed with his flirting.

      Leaving the attic door propped open, Cassie headed up the narrow wooden staircase. At the top she flicked on the small light that was so soft, it really only set off a glow on one wall. But that was the wall where her mother’s boxes were stacked.

      In the silence of the evening, Cassie was all alone with her thoughts, her memories. She pulled the lid off the first bin and choked back tears.

      How could anyone’s life, especially that of her beautiful, loving, vivacious mother, be condensed to a few boxes? All the memories, all the smiles, all the comfort Rose Barrington had offered to the world...all gone. Only tangible items remained stored neatly in plastic bins.

      Cassie couldn’t help but smile. Her very organized mother wouldn’t have had it any other way.

      After going through pictures from her parents’ simple, elegant wedding day, Cassie knew the wedding dress was around. Tessa actually planned on wearing it for her upcoming vows, and Cassie couldn’t wait to see her baby sister in their mother’s gown. Just that image was enough to have her tearing up again.

      This film was certainly wreaking havoc on her emotions, that was for sure.

      Cassie kept searching through storage bins, looking for a box or a folded garment bag. Would the crew need to duplicate that dress for the wedding scene? More than likely they’d already researched pictures to find inspiration for the costumes, just as they had for the settings.

      Cassie had been itching for a chance to look through the old photos again herself.

      Moving from the bins, Cassie went and looked inside the narrow antique wardrobe, where she discovered a white garment bag. Slowly unzipping, so as not to tear the precious material inside, Cassie peeled back the bag and pulled out the classy gown she’d been hunting for.

      The dress had been preserved so that the cream-colored material was still perfect. Tessa would be just as beautiful a bride as their mother had been.

      Cassie had thought about wearing it for her own wedding, but her ex had insisted on getting married at the courthouse. She should’ve known then that he wasn’t the one. Not that there was anything wrong with a small civil ceremony, but Derek had known she’d always wanted a wedding in the small church where her parents had married. She’d wanted the lacy gown, the rice in her hair as they ran to their awaiting car...the special wedding night.

      None of those young-girl dreams had come true.

      Unable to resist, Cassie stripped from her jeans, boots, button-up and bra and pulled on the strapless floor-length dress. A straight cut with lace overlay may be simple to some, but the design was perfect to Cassie.

      Smoothing a hand down the snug bodice, Cassie went to the antique mirror in the corner. If she fell in love one day—real love this time—maybe she could wear it. Wouldn’t that be a beautiful tradition? Rose, Tessa and Cassie all wearing the same gown. Perhaps if the material held up and the gown was well preserved again, little Emily would one day walk down the aisle wearing the dress her grandmother had.

      If it weren’t for baby weight, the frock would fit perfectly. Unfortunately, right now her boobs threatened to spill out the top and lace was definitely not a forgiving material, so her curves were very...prominent.

      Behind her, the attic door clicked. Cassie turned, her hand to her beating heart as footsteps sounded up the stairs. No time to cover up all her goods, so she kept her hand in place over her generous cleavage.

      “Hello?” she called.

      Ian rounded the landing and froze. He took in her state of dress—or undress, really—of course zeroing in on where her hand had settled.

      So much for her evening of reminiscing. Could fate be any more mocking? Dangling this sexy stranger in her face when she knew full well that nothing could or should happen?

      “What are you doing?” she asked, keeping her hand in place and trying to remain calm. Kind of hard when she was on display and just the sight of the man had her heart accelerating.

      “I wanted to apologize for the other day,” he told her, coming up the last couple of steps. “I never force myself on a woman, and I didn’t want you to have that impression of me. But if I’m going to be here any length of time, and I am, we need to clear the air.”

      Clear the air? Cassie sighed and prayed because she had a sinking feeling they may be there for a while.

      “Well, now’s the perfect time because if that door latched all the way, we’re locked in here.”

      Ian drew his brows together. “Locked in?”

      “The door locks from the outside. That’s why I had left it standing open.”

      Pulling up the hem of the dress with