The Forgotten Night (4 page)

“Well, this might hurt a little.”

“I know, Andy. I want you, I need you,” she said and was cut off by Andrew’s fierce kiss.

Before anything else was said, he thrust into her, and she broke the kiss with a small cry.

Andrew didn’t move, he just looked down at her. “Are you okay, Cassie? Did I hurt you, baby?”

She shook her head and pulled Andrew down on her, taking his lips to show him how much she needed him. Slowly he moved inside her, and she moaned and gasped at the sensation.

The fire that had been building inside of her since the moment Andrew kissed her was growing and she knew it was only a matter of minutes, seconds even, before she exploded. As he thrust deeper inside her, she forgot everything else except him and the sensation he was stirring within her.

Everything went dark as she cried out in pleasure, shuddering underneath him. He thrust a couple more times before he called out her name and slumped down on top of her, his breath as labored as hers. He lay on top of her for a moment longer before pulling away and resting beside her, pulling the covers up around them.

He pulled her toward him so her head rested on his chest. “I love you, Cassidy Alyssa Ames.”

“I love you too, Andy.” She smiled. “Now you really will wake up with a killer headache.”

Andrew groaned and rubbed his temples. “But this was so worth any pain I will be in tomorrow.” He laughed weakly.

“Get some sleep,” she said, aimlessly caressing his chest.

Before long, she felt his body relax and his breathing deepened. She lifted her head and looked over at Andrew’s digital clock and realized she had been there longer than anticipated. It was already a little past one in the morning. The guests would all still be downstairs, and she only hoped she could get out unnoticed, especially by Rachel or, worse, her dad.

Cassidy slowly untangled herself from Andrew and slid off his bed. She searched the floor and found her bra lying neatly next to her underwear. She stepped into her dress and zipped it up. She picked up her shoes and put them on quietly then slipped down the stairs, finding Roger in the front hall.

“Hi, Roger. I need my coat and clutch, please,” she asked.

“Hello, Miss Cassidy. As promised, I have kept your clutch safe.” He handed her the clutch from the side table drawer that sat next to his chair. She opened her clutch and pulled out the little colored ticket he had given her to identify her coat.

“No need, Miss Cassidy, your father asked me to get your things ready. He said you were taking Master Andrew up to his room, but that was a little over an hour ago.”

Cassidy blushed and took the coat he had draped over the chair he had vacated. He said nothing as he helped her into it.

“Please don’t say anything, Roger,” she pleaded.

“Say anything? Now what are you talking about, Miss Cassidy?” He smiled, and she smiled back.

“Thanks, Roger. Goodnight.”

“Oh, Miss Cassidy?”

“Yes?”

“Can I just say that I was wondering when it would happen,” he said and she blushed even further. “I’m happy and I’m sure you are too.”

She nodded. “Extremely.”

“Goodnight, Miss Cassidy,” he said and opened the front door for her.

She waved goodbye as she braved the cold. Her house was only a block down the street and as she walked, she couldn’t control the happy smile that spread across her face. After all this time, Andrew finally loved her.

Chapter Two

A
ndrew woke up the next morning with a killer headache. As usual, he picked up the aspirin left for him on his side table. He drank the entire glass of water and rolled back over on his bed. No way was he going to get up, not yet anyway. His curtains were shut, thanks to Cassidy, and he was probably correct in assuming she had left a change of clothes in the bathroom.

Andrew moaned as a wave of nausea hit him. He reached down to grab the trashcan that usually waited for him, but it wasn’t there. This was probably some new ploy by Cassidy to get him out of bed faster.

Quickly, he jumped out of bed and ran to his bathroom a few yards away. He reached the toilet and threw up violently. He washed his mouth out and decided it was time to take a shower. He turned the showerhead on and went to take off his clothes but realized something was very different than all the previous years. He wasn’t wearing his suit pants or even his boxers. He was naked. As he looked around the bathroom, he saw there was no change of clothes either.

He racked his brain, trying to remember what happened but nothing came to mind. The last thing he remembered was standing in the stairwell, but he couldn’t remember Cassidy or anything else. Had she taken him upstairs? If she hadn’t, who had?

Andrew stepped into the shower and let the hot water run down his body. As he washed his hair, he closed his eyes and flashes came back to him…

I made love to someone last night. But who?

Andrew stayed in the shower so long the water started to turn cold, then reluctantly turned the faucet off and took the towel hanging on the rack beside him. He dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist.

Something had happened last night, he just wasn’t sure what. He walked into his closet and pulled out some clothes. He noticed his suit jacket hanging up with the others. So Cassidy had brought him up stairs, but what had happened after she left him? What did he do, no scratch that,
who
did he do?

Damn it! Why had he started drinking last night? He’d sworn to himself that last night was going to be when he finally told her how he felt, and instead, he’d…

What if Cassidy finds out?

Frowning, still lost in thought, he went downstairs for breakfast.

“Earth to Andrew Winbright!” Rachel said, flashing her hand in front of his face as he sat down at the breakfast bar.

Andrew looked up, focusing on her slowly. “Huh?”

“I just asked you how you were feeling. I didn’t think you would be up this early. You’re usually not up until the middle of the afternoon. It’s only twelve.”

“Do you remember what happened last night?” he asked.

“What happened with me or with you?” she asked.

“With me, idiot,” he teased.

“Well, from what I heard, you drank a ton of vodka.”

“Vodka? I’m not that stu—”

“Apparently you
are
that stupid but, moving on, Brian came to get Cassidy a little after twelve and that’s all I heard. She took you upstairs and left. I have to say, that was the fastest you have ever gotten drunk.”

“You know I can’t handle vodka that well. Why did I agree to it? I usually don’t get that drunk. I mean I’m usually lucid when Cassidy takes me upstairs, but last night…” He grabbed a bowl, filled it with cereal, and then pushed it around.

“Do you remember anything?” Rachel asked.

“Not much,” he admitted. “I vaguely remember playing Kings with the guys. The last thing I remember was standing in the back stairwell, but I can’t for the life of me remember if Cassidy was there or what…and then…never mind.”

“What?”

“Nothing, I just can’t remember anything else,” he said, getting off the stool and filling his bowl with milk.

“You remember something. You’re avoiding my gaze,” Rachel said.

Andrew turned to look at her. “All right, I remember something, but I’m not even sure I understand it myself.”

“Just tell me. Maybe I can help you figure it out.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t need help figuring out what it was. I’m just not sure—”

“Spit it out, big bro, I don’t have all day,” Rachel joked.

“Promise not to get angry or jump to conclusions?”

She nodded.

“Swear.”

“Fine, I swear I won’t jump to any conclusions.”

“I think something happened after Cassidy left, after she helped me to my room. I’m not sure, but I keep having these flashes. Let’s just say I think someone was with me last night,” he said then looked to his sister for her reaction.

“You mean you had sex with someone after Cassidy took you upstairs?” Rachel asked incredulously.

“Yes, I’m not sure. I think so, I don’t know who it was,” he admitted.

“What if Cassidy saw or heard? You know what, forget it. You’re not telling her,” Rachel said emphatically.

“You think I’m an idiot? I wasn’t going to blurt it out.”

“Okay, we’ll see her at her place for the New Year’s party. We won’t say anything unless she brings it up.”

“She would really be that upset? I mean we’re just friends.”

“I know you are intelligent, Drew, but sometimes I question whether you really know what’s going on right under your nose,” she said, shaking her head and walking out of the kitchen.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he called after her, but she only lifted her arm and waved as she exited the room.

Andrew choked down half the cereal and put his bowl in the sink before he walked out into the main hall toward the stairs.

“Master Andrew?” Roger called out before Andrew could head up the stairs.

“Hey, Rog, what’s up?”

“Um, how are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. A little hung over still, but otherwise I’m fine, apart from my slight memory loss.”

“You can’t remember what happened last night?”

Andrew shook his head and narrowed his gaze. “Do you know something, Rog?”

Roger paused for a long moment, then shook his head. “No. Miss Ashley Kingston was here just a few minutes ago. She wanted to talk to you. I told her you were in the kitchen with Miss Rachel.”

“Huh, she didn’t come in. Do you know if she’s left?”

“I believe so, sir, I saw her step out just a few moments ago.”

“Good. Thanks, Rog.” Andrew walked up the stairs to his bedroom.

A horrible thought struck him. What if it was Ashley who had been with him last night? What if she helped Cassidy take him upstairs? What if he had kissed her in front of Cassidy? No, he wouldn’t have done that. Plus, Cassidy never allowed Ashley to help her, not the previous years and surely not this year.

It couldn’t possibly have been Ashley, but if it was not her, then who?

* * *

On New Year’s Eve, Cassidy stood in front of her mirror, looking at her reflection. She was wearing a simple black and grey A-line dress that went down to her knees, with a velvet black sash wrapped around her waist. Her hair hung down over her shoulders and the necklace—Andrew’s necklace—hung around her neck as it always had since the first day he gave it to her on the first Christmas they’d spent together.

Cassidy had heard guests arriving at her house awhile back, but had known Andrew wouldn’t show up that early. She had been fussing in her room for the past hour, wondering if she looked all right, wondering if that night last week had really happened. She had hoped to hear from him sometime this week and the fact that she hadn’t made her really nervous. She had somehow managed to convince herself that he had been waiting until tonight and meant to make some really romantic gesture.

She opened her door and slowly made her way down the main staircase. “Rose, have you seen Andy or Rach?” she asked her family's housekeeper. When Cassidy was younger, Rose had watched her when her parents were off on business.

“No, Cassidy. I haven’t seen them arrive yet.”

“Thanks anyway.” Cassidy walked into one of the rooms that had been converted into a bar for the party. She moved through the crowd to the bar and ordered a shot of tequila. Cassidy lifted the shot glass to her mouth and swallowed it quickly. She waited a few minutes and then ordered another.

“Getting started early, I see,” Andrew said from behind her.

The anxiety she’d been trying to subdue came flooding back and she gave him a reluctant smile. “Nerves.”

Andrew studied her a moment longer before extending his hand. “Rach is in the other room.”

Cassidy placed her hand in his and couldn’t help but flash back to the events at the Christmas Party. She closed her eyes and absentmindedly followed Andrew, but opened them when he squeezed her hand.

“Dreaming?” he asked softly.

She grinned sheepishly. “Perhaps.”

“Cass! There you are. I knew he’d find you,” Rachel said, walking up to them. “We have a couple of hours before midnight. Let’s get this party started.”

“Come on,” Cassidy said and led the way upstairs into her bedroom suite. Andrew collapsed on the small sofa that sat in front of the large flat screen TV. Traditionally at her parent’s New Year’s Eve parties they would go up to Cassidy’s room and watch a movie or play some sort of game. Most of the guests were friends of their parents, and once they put in an appearance, they much preferred each other’s company.

“What are we watching this time, kids?” Andrew asked.

“I was thinking about
The Italian Job
,” Rachel said.

“Sounds good to me,” Cassidy said and walked to her shelf, pulling the DVD out and placing the disk into her machine.

Rachel took her usual spot in the sofa chair while Cassidy sat down next to Andrew like she always had. However, this year it felt different. She wanted nothing more than to cuddle up with him, to kiss him, to hold him.