I couldn’t help but feel like there was a large black cloud looming. The strange things James and Cash said paired with Cash’s secretive behavior made me apprehensive. There was something I had missed, and though it was there flitting around just out of sight in my mind, I couldn’t grasp what it was. It made a small, cynical part of me wonder if it was a good idea to be dating him.
Cash paid for dinner like the gentleman he was and drove us home. We sat in silence the whole way. I looked out the window at the moon hanging low on the horizon. I was bitter at James for wrecking what had started as a fun evening with Cash.
What a douchebag,
my libido whined. I agreed.
Headlights occasionally lit up Cash’s face and revealed his hard, closed expression. It was obvious he was just as unhappy about the turn of events this evening had taken as I was. What I still didn’t know was the reason behind all his weird behavior. It couldn’t all be blamed on sibling rivalry, as flattering as that would be. It wasn’t every day two gorgeous men fought over me.
I’m sure that dark, arrogant machismo made James a lot of lady friends, but this lady would be happy if she never saw him again. I’d always found his type of man irritating. The way they perceive themselves as the best thing since sliced bread made me want to take them down a peg or ten. It wasn’t fair that men didn’t have the same insecurity issues that women did.
How did those two come from the same womb?
I thought. Cash seemed so sweet, funny and down to earth and yet his brother was the epitome of metro-sexual modern man. Give me a man who knew how to throw bales around any day.
Cash pulled down my driveway and parked the truck in front of my trailer. Neither of us made a move to get out so we sat in silence a moment longer. I snuck a peek at Cash’s face and I could see warring emotions of frustration, guilt and anger. Out of the blue he punched the dash. The movement was so fast I couldn’t even track it. I only saw the resulting dent. My heart went out to him.
“You know what?” I said, placing my hand on his forearm. Cash turned to look at me with a look of sad resignation. “I know what you said before, about James I mean. But rest easy in the knowledge that I could never be with your brother.”
Cash looked lost. “Why is that?”
I scooted over in the seat until my nose was inches from his and put my palms on the side of his face. I leaned in, lightly pressed my lips against his and I smiled. “Because he’s kind of a dick.”
Cash’s face froze in shock before dissolving into a heart-melting smile. He put his hands on both my arms and stared at me with love and awe painted all over his face.
“I don’t know how you do it, woman, but that was
exactly
the right thing to say. It’s no wonder I’m crazy about you.”
He kissed me so thoroughly that all thoughts of the awkward evening were forgotten. When I felt like a puddle of Shelby goo, Cash raised one finger before darting out of the truck and opening my door. He lifted me out of the truck and carried me, wedding-night style to my front door.
After I unlocked it while still in his arms, Cash shouldered the door open and carried me through the house before plopping me down on my bed. He stood there staring at me for a minute. “Have I told you how devastatingly gorgeous you look tonight?”
I did’t get told that often, probably because I was usually wearing jeans speckled with cow crap. I dropped my eyes to the floor, blushing.
“I’m staying here tonight.” I looked back up at Cash. I couldn’t hide the hope and lust in my gaze, and Cash didn’t fail to pick up on it.
“No, none of that yet.” He waggled a finger at me, backing away. “It’s mainly because if I go home I’m probably going to murder my little brother and that would create all sorts of drama with my family. Plus, with Jack gone, I’m not happy about you alone at night.” He knelt down and kissed my nose. I frowned at him, letting him feel the full force of my disappointment.
“Soon,” he whispered. “I’m going to lock up, so you change into your jammies.”
He walked out of my bedroom and I found myself halfway into my pajamas before I realized it.
I can’t wear boxers and a man’s undershirt when he’s staying here!
I dug out a lacy red nightie that Jesse had given me as a joke.
I laid back down on my bed in what I hoped was a seductive pose and waited for Cash to walk back in. Five minutes passed and he still hadn’t come back. Suspicious, I walked out to the living room and found him stretched out on my couch in just his boxers.
“What are you doing?” I said displeasure thick in my voice.
He looked at me and choked. “Holy Hell, Shelby! What are you doing, trying to kill me?”
He sat up halfway like he wanted to walk over to me, but stayed on the couch instead. The struggle was evident on his face, and he gripped the arms of the sofa with white knuckles, his biceps bulging in efforts to stay sitting.
“You’ve slept with me in my bed twice, but now you’re going to get shy and sleep on the couch?” Pole axed, he gaped at me, his mouth working but no words came out. “Besides, you probably were going to sneak into my room eventually and scare the crap out of me when I woke up. I hardly think that’s necessary.” I waited for his reply, arms akimbo and tapping my bunny-slippered foot.
“Well…I—I thought I’d be polite— He looked at me up and down, eyes thirsty. Before he could say more, I narrowed my eyes and cut him off.
“So, the two times before you admit to being completely rude and inappropriate?” He paled a little, speechless. I enjoyed his discomfort; it soothed my frustration a bit knowing he was flustered. “But now that you have my permission into my room, you suddenly find principles? Hmm…?” I frowned at him and sashayed back down the hall to my room. I left the door open.
I’d turned off the lamp and was settled in underneath the covers when I heard the couch springs creak and Cash cussing in the living room. I smiled to myself, imagining his long body tossing and turning on the couch that was two feet too short for him. I didn’t know why he’d sleep on the sofa instead of the guest bed.
Even though it was forty degrees outside, my bedroom felt like a sauna. Just knowing that Cash was twenty feet away in only a pair of boxers was exquisite torture. The sheets tangled in my legs and I thrashed around trying to cool off. I could still hear Cash rolling around on the couch and I couldn’t help but dwell on how ridiculous it was that we were both in the same predicament.
“Cash, there’s another bedroom,” I called out, frustration evident in my tone. I waited for a reply but the silence was deafening. “You stupid stubborn man,” I mumbled. I huffed, then rolled over and faced the window. The moonlight streamed in and shone on my face as I watched the oak trees sway in the wind.
I felt a weight on the bed next to me. I rolled over expecting Cash, but instead, I got a wolf. He licked the entire side of my face before lying down against my legs with a thump. I scratched his ears thoughtfully.
Cash must have let him in,
I thought, brows furrowed.
But why?
I had always thought when Cash finally did meet my wolf, he would strongly object to how fond of it I’d become.
Suspicious, I got out of bed and padded to the front door to check the locks. Cash wasn’t on the couch anymore. I hadn’t heard him get up but he must have gone into the guest bedroom. The door and deadbolt were locked. I walked back down the hall to my room but paused by the guestroom’s door.
I stood staring at it with my arms crossed, hugging myself and my skin prickling against the cold. I shifted from foot to foot a bit to keep my toes from becoming ice cubes.
To knock or not to knock
…
I turned towards my bedroom and heard the door click open behind me. I spun and gasped. Cash was leaning his shoulder against the doorframe in only his boxer briefs. His arms were crossed over his naked chest which made his hard, corded muscles stand out.
Hot damn, he’s cut.
His hair was mussed and messy and his eyes shone in the darkness. My brain short circuited.
“Did you need something?”
His voice was deep and husky and I’m pretty sure my panties spontaneously combusted.
Yes! Oh yes I definitely need something!
Shutting up my libido, I glanced down at myself and was surprised I didn’t see flames.
“Um—”
I struggled to remember what I had wanted to talk to him about but was stunned into momentary silence by his washboard abs. A dusting of dark hair traced a line from his pecs and made a very happy trail down his stomach to disappear underneath the waistband of his boxers. I licked my lips while my mind scrambled to reboot. I continued to drool over all six feet four inches of man in front of me. Cash’s eyes were still bright in the darkness of the hallway and they reminded me, finally, of why I’d left my bed in the first place.
“Did you let in my…dog?” He winced slightly before his eyes widened in feigned innocence.
“Is that some sort of weird innuendo?”
I rolled my eyes at his teasing tone. “No. Fang got in the house and I didn’t let him in. Did you?”
“Fang, that’s real original, Shells,”
I shot him a scathing glare over my shoulder and walked back to my room. I didn’t feel like being made fun of, even if he was smoking hot while he did it. But as I crossed the threshold of my bedroom I froze. Fang was gone. A tingle of unease shot through me and I spun to search the house for him, positive that no one had let him outside.
My head smacked into Cash’s chest with a thump and I nearly fell on my butt. He gripped my upper arms to steady me and an amused smile played on his lips. He looked deep into my eyes and slowly tipped his head until his lips were a few millimeters from mine.
“I just wanted to say goodnight.”
I felt his breath fan across my mouth as he spoke. I squeezed my eyes shut and drew in a ragged lungful of air but was cut off sharply when he pressed his lips against mine. His hands left my arms only to get entangled into my hair and he pulled me hard against him.
I felt like I would combust. I could feel heat pouring off his body and it was threatening to burn me to a cinder,
but boy, what a way to go!
His mouth was gentle, despite the forceful way he kissed me.
It was over almost as soon as it had begun. He pulled away from me with a soft groan and ran his fingers through his hair. I stood, dazed, as I gasped for breath and my heart threatened to beat out of my chest. Cash shook himself before glancing down at me. His eyes were glowing green mirrors in the night.
“Goodnight Shelby.”
I woke from a fitful night’s sleep to a silent house. I sat up and noticed that my wolf hadn’t returned and my bed was empty of anyone save myself. A large part of me, namely my bottom half, was deeply disappointed. I got out of bed and wrapped myself in my ratty flannel robe and shoved my feet into my bunny slippers and tried not to imagine them looking up at me with sad eyes.
I smelled the delicious scent of coffee as I shuffled zombie-like down the hallway and my body zinged with anticipation that Cash would be sitting in my kitchen waiting for me.
Cash and coffee, my two favorite things in the morning.
Unfortunately, when I finally shambled to the kitchen it was Cash-less. I made a little moue of sadness as I grabbed a mug out of one of my cabinets. When I reached for the handle of the coffee carafe I noticed a yellow sticky note clinging to the face of the coffee maker.
A little bit mollified that he’d thought to at least leave me a message before he abandoned me, I snatched it up and read it.
Gorgeous,
I had to leave early to organize the other wardens that are helping me bust your drug grower. I’ll be back to check on you in a couple of hours.
Think about me,
Cash
I smiled to myself and took a sip of coffee, reading and rereading the note.
Think about me.
As if I could go a day without doing that, especially if he made such wonderful coffee! I sat down at my kitchen table and reveled in the taste of the piping hot liquid wondering how he used the same beans and water and got a completely different drink than I did every day.
I glanced over at the clock on my oven and realized I had about a half hour before the cowboys showed up and started off the roundup. It was five thirty and the Harris trucks were due at eight. I poured myself another mug of Cash’s magic brew, hustled to my bedroom and changed into my cowgirl getup.
By the time I had Roanie saddled up and ready to go, Billy and four other men had pulled up in his Chevy Dually and gooseneck slant load trailer. I coveted and noticed the built-in living quarters in the front. I had known girls that were big into horse shows whose parents had trailers like that and I never ceased to be jealous of the luxury. If I took my little gooseneck trailer camping the only spot I had was in the neck where you were supposed to put hay for the horses to snack on. Not so comfortable.