Chapter 4: Busted

Jack tapped on the window, again.

"Fuck," Eryn said, nudging Cassie. "You owe me. Stay down." Inhaling nervously, she ruffled her hands through her hair and then flung the passenger door to the van open. She stepped on the frame while leaning on the door and looking over the van at the street. Eryn's momentary silence could only mean that she was assessing Jack.

A knowing smile curled Cassie's lips as she stifled a giggle. Glancing to Eryn, she could only assume that Eryn was as affected by Jack as most women. Curious and wanting to watch the scene play out, Cassie lifted her head to peek through the windshield. Her eyes travelled back to Jack, who stood before them looking every bit as beautiful as usual. But tonight, he looked like a god, standing aglow beneath the streetlight that illuminated his magnificently flawless body against the midnight sky.

Clearly annoyed, Jack glared expectantly at Eryn with his hands casually stuffed into his jean pockets. His tight, black, Guns and Roses t-shirt accentuated bulging biceps that glistened in the moonlight, and his scruffy, shoulder-length, dark hair framed his unshaven, olive toned face. The entire package rivalled that of any Greek god.

The van rocked as Eryn composed herself, grabbed on to the luggage rack, stretching as tall as her 5'7" body would allow.

"Excuse me, do you mind?" Eryn demanded with feigned exasperation and an obnoxious toss of her long blonde mane.

"Yeah," Jack replied. "Why have you been parked outside my house all night?" His dark eyes highlighted his suspicions as the irritation in his voice, his deep sexy voice, filled the air like orgasmic music.

A moment of silence followed his question as Eryn contemplated her response. Cassie listened with a knowing smirk; Eryn had always been quick on her feet.

"This should be good," Cassie whispered, praying it would be because her job was on the line.

"For your information," Eryn said as she pulled a tale from that magical place deep within her ass. "My girlfriend and I were just looking for some privacy, not that it's any of your business. This is a public street is it not?"

Jack chuckled. "Whatever, babe, maybe you should swing for a safer neighborhood to make out in. What if I were a drug dealer or rapist?"

"Well, are you?" she demanded, and he shrugged his response. "We can take care of ourselves, thank you very much." Eryn huffed, sounding genuinely pissed.

"Whatever." Jack threw his hands up before turning to walk away.

Eryn slowly lowered herself back into the van and slumped in her seat. "Damn! He's super-hot and he thinks I'm a lesbian. Nice."

"Holy shit!" Cassie released the breath she had been holding while damn near crapping her pants. "That was close." She winced as Eryn yanked the door shut with a pointed slam.

"You owe me. Big time." Eryn's face flushed, and her azure eyes blazed from the adrenaline pumping through her veins.

"Oh, my God! I know," Cassie said, leaning towards Eryn. "Thank you! Randy would have been pissed if I blew my cover." She pulled back, smiling triumphantly. "See? Now, what would I have done if you weren't here? You saved my ass, Chickie."

Eryn lost it. "We didn't even see him come out! Some private investigator you are!" She paused from her rant for a second to admire Jack, one last time, as he strolled into his house. A painful moan rolled from her throat. "He is so beautiful. I swear he looks like a Greek god."

"I know, right? I thought the same thing the first time I saw him."

"Hey, maybe I'll ask him if I can use his bathroom." Eryn reached for the door handle.

"No!" Cassie grabbed Eryn's arm. "Let me think. Normally, I would just go in the alley, but I'm afraid you'll be murdered. We can't just leave the job. This day can't be a total waste." She paused for a moment to think, but Jack's sexy ass invaded her thoughts. "He is beautiful, though. Damn!"

"Yeah, well, I basically just told him I'm having a lesbian affair. Ugh. I'm so depressed. I want to go home to bed. This sucks!" She glared at Cassie who stared dreamily out the window. "Hello? Umm, you're married."

"I'm married, not blind. Jeez." As if on cue, Cassie's phone vibrated. She sighed while reading the text. "You're off the hook. The wife just got home, and since no one came or went from that house, except Jack, I can safely assume the wife wasn't shagging him tonight." She started the van and pulled away from the curb.

"You know, Jack had a point," Eryn said. "Please enlighten me as to how you intend to protect your petite-ass from the psychos of the world. What if Jack had been a rapist or murderer?"

"I would have started the van and took off." Cassie giggled, trying to lighten the mood. "Actually, I've been taking karate classes for the past couple of weeks." Grinning slyly, she sent Eryn a sassy wink.

"Nice. Let me guess who the instructor is," Eryn said, glaring at Cassie and expecting an explanation, even though she knew the answer.

"I'm learning to defend myself." Cassie shrugged innocently. "And it just so happens, I can keep an eye on the wife at the same time."

"You're hardly home as it is, and when was the last time you spent more than an hour with your husband? I can't believe Greg is okay with this. Surely, he can talk sense into you." Eryn didn't even try to mask her concern. Fiercely overprotective, she always looked out for Cassie. They had been best friends since high school and would do anything for each other. "By the way, what did you tell Greg you were doing tonight?"

"Relax. Jeez. We never lie to each other. He knows I'm on a job, and I told him that you were coming with me. He also knows I'll be spending the night at the farm to help you with the yearlings tomorrow." Grinning at Eryn, she crooned, "It's all good, baby. However, now that my hormones are raging, thanks to the Greek god from the hood, I think I'll go home and shag my husband." Greg won't know what hit him, Cassie thought. "I'll still swing by the farm in the morning to help you out though."

"Whatever. I'm going to piss myself if we don't find a bathroom in a fast hurry." Eryn squirmed anxiously in her seat.

"We're almost there."

Cassie stopped at the nearest gas station for a bathroom break, and then drove Eryn back to the office where her truck was parked.