The Forgotten Night Read online

  Andrew had taken her by surprise and Cassidy squealed. It took him three large steps to reach the bed and he successfully managed to place her there without any stumbling. She really thought he was sobering up. Maybe her touch really did have an effect on him.

  Andrew positioned himself on top of her, straddling her for better leverage. He bent down and kissed her fiercely as Cassidy wrapped her arms around his neck. Slowly he moved down the line of her jaw and down her neck.

  “I think it’s time we discard this,” he said, reaching behind her and unsnapping her bra. He threw it on the floor and gazed at her bare breasts. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

  “Like what you see?” she asked, her own lips curling into a smile.

  Without saying anything further, Andrew bent down and kissed the valley between her breasts then moved to capture one in his mouth. Cassidy gasped at the sensation, something she could get used to. As he sucked and played with her nipple, he massaged the other with his free hand. Cassidy arched her back and moaned, gripping his shoulders tightly.

  Andrew’s free hand moved to roam over her stomach, and Cassidy’s muscles tightened at his touch. He fingered the elastic of her panties and slowly pushed them down. Andrew looked up at her as he ran his hand up her leg. Cassidy gasped as his finger slid into her. Her eyes closed, and she arched into his touch.

  “Andy.” It came out as barely a whisper but it obviously fueled him. He moved his hand in and out of her, one finger then two. She felt the sensations, the desires rising inside. “Andy!” she cried out as the wave came crashing down on her.

  Andrew let her ride it out as he slowed his movements until she lay gasping underneath him. When she opened her eyes, he was smiling down at her.

  “God Andy…”

  “You like that, baby?” he asked, shedding his own boxers.

  Cassidy looked down at him and the full realization of what they were about to do dawned on her.

  “What’s wrong, Cassie?”

  “Um, Andy…I—I haven’t…you are—”

  “I’m your first?” he asked softly.

  Cassidy nodded, closing her eyes in embarrassment.

  “Hey, Cassie, don’t be embarrassed,” he said, caressing her cheek.

  “How can I not? You have probably slept with loads of women,” she said, opening her eyes to look at him.

  Andrew smiled down at her.

  “Why are you smiling? There is nothing funny about this.”

  “Yes, there is, just because you don’t know—”

  “Know what?”

  “Cassie, I haven’t been with anyone since the beginning of my senior year.”

  “Of high school?”

  “God no,” he said.

  Cassidy pushed Andrew off her, but before she could get up he wrapped his arms around her waist.

  “Let me go,” she protested.

  “Not until you hear me out.”

  “Fine.”

  “Senior year of college. I have been with some women, but that was because I thought what I felt for you was nothing but a stupid school-boy crush, that I would get over it if I found that special person, but I never did. I realized that the only person I would be happy with would be you, Cassie. I love you,” he said, looking her in the eyes.

  “I love you too,” she admitted, placated by his sweet words.

  Andrew bent down and grazed her lips with his. When they parted, Cassidy gasped.

  “What is it now?” Andrew asked.

  “Do you think they can hear us?” she asked, referring to the guests downstairs.

  “No, we can’t hear them, can we?” he asked, absentmindedly, tracing circles on her stomach.

  Cassidy closed her eyes at his touch and sighed in response.

  Andrew smiled and positioned himself back over her. “Are you ready?” he asked as she opened her eyes.

  She smiled up at him and nodded.

  “Cassie, you know I would never hurt you, right?”

  She nodded again. She knew what was coming; she wasn’t born yesterday. She knew it would hurt, but knew it would be worth all the pain.

  “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

  Andrew 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 bath
room.

  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.

  He was acting so odd, like nothing had happened between them, and she didn’t know what to think about it.

  “You going to press play, Cass?” Rachel asked.

  Realizing she’d been lost in thought, Cassidy looked up and pressed the play button on the remote and handed it to Rachel.

  For the next hour and a half, they sat watching the movie. When the credits began to roll, Rachel sighed and turned off the TV. “I’m going to get a drink. You guys want me to bring you something?”

  “Yeah, sure,” both Cassidy and Andrew called out as Rachel left the room.

  Cassidy waited a few seconds after Rachel left to turn to face Andrew expectantly. Surely he’d say something now.