Read Tempting Fate (The Blake Boys Book 9) for Free Online

to be moving closer to him every few minutes, so he broke from the group and moved to the other side of the room. There wasn’t a long line of women in his past. Unlike his brothers, he wasn’t very good at juggling them. He liked to get to know a woman and see if they had anything in common before hitting the sheets. Sometimes he felt out of place, looking to make a genuine connection with someone while his friends were having casual relationships. He’d tried a few times but it left him feeling empty inside. Besides, he had his dating laser beam trained on Cassidy Shaw since the first day he saw her. And it looked like she wasn’t going to show again.
    He glanced at his watch. It was almost eight.
    He needed some air so he ducked out onto the terrace. Maybe he could get her number from Hannah before he left. He turned to speak to yet another old friend when someone tapped him on the shoulder.
    It was Cassidy, looking absolutely radiant in a strapless plum dress. His mouth went dry, so he took a big gulp champagne.
    “I told you I would make it.” She smiled at him.
    “Cassidy.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m glad you weren’t a caffeine-fueled figment of my imagination today.”
    “Here I am, in the flesh. You can pinch me if you want.” She laughed.
    Channing reached out and did just that. “I just wanted to be sure.”
    Cassidy blinked. “So how’s life in Texas? Enjoying your new position with your family’s company?”
    “I am. But I don’t get to rest on my laurels just because I’m a Blake. I know people don’t believe it, but I pull my own weight.” He felt like he had to say that. She was the last person he wanted to think that he was some pampered rich boy who did nothing all day.
    “Anyone who knows you wouldn’t believe that for a minute. You worked harder than any of us, even when you didn’t have to. I always admired that about you. It shows great character.”
    “Thanks.” So she noticed. “So, where’s Mark?”
    “He’s floating around here somewhere berating everyone for not being green. You’d think he got a kick back every time someone bought a biodiesel car. Word of caution, if he asks you if you used one of your family’s mega fuel consuming jets to come here, just tell him you rode a bicycle from Texas.”
    “My car in DC is a hybrid, so I may be in the clear.” He laughed. “So what have you been up to?”
    “Just keeping my nose to the grind stone. When you’re a small fish in a big pond, you put in the hours and hope one day someone will recognize it.”
    “I was surprised to hear you went with a big firm.”
    “Really? Why is that?”
    “I thought you’d strike out on your own and get paid in some interesting, sitcom-like ways from your clients.”
    She crossed her arms over chest and glared at him. “What are you trying to say? That I can’t cut it at a prestigious firm?”
    “No, that’s not what I meant.” He held up a hand. “I always believed in your ability to practice law. I just couldn’t see you denying someone representation because they couldn’t pay you in a traditional way, hence getting paid in chickens or free massages.”
    “Oh.” She relaxed. “When you say it like that, it makes more sense.”
    She was the same Cassidy. Fiery and still gorgeous as hell. “I think you were looking for an insult. You miss fighting with me?” Channing raised an eyebrow.
    She rolled her eyes at him. “My life has been pleasantly dull without you.”
    “I’ll take that as a yes.” He gave her a wicked grin. “And I thought we’d buried the hatchet after that nasty incident where you almost blinded me with that lethal snowball.”
    “You mean when you conned me into taking care of you?”
    “I had to wear an eye patch for a week.” He covered his eye with his hand. “I started talking like a southern pirate and everything.”
    “I read all of your study notes and lengthy book chapters aloud to you. Which was odd, because