Chapter 12
Piper
You still coming over tonight?
Cash
I’m not much of a baker
C’mon. It’ll be great. Social media will eat it up
Ugh
You’re not getting out of it
Even if I say Puck will miss me?
Tell him it’s for me. He’ll understand lt;lt;winking emojigt;gt;
My dog likes you too much
He has good taste
I’m beginning to question it
You have good taste too. Maybe I’ll have some special treats you can take home to Puck
Any treats for me?
Guess you’ll have to come and find out
I’ll be there at seven
“Idon’t know why I’m so nervous.”
“Maybe because it’s the first time he’s coming over to your apartment,” Angie tells me over the phone. “If you’ve only ever been to his place, it’s natural.”
Ever since I’ve started going to more team events as Cash’s girlfriend, Angie and I have been talking a lot more. Not that we never talked before—since our dads are best friends—but I always felt like the annoying little kid tagging along.
“My place is so much smaller than his.”
“He’ll fit right in. Stop worrying, Piper.”
I look around the small studio apartment that I moved into after Ava bailed on me.
Well, not bailed. There was no way I was going to let her stay with me after she was screwing my boyfriend.
It’s tiny, not a whole lot to it, but I’ve made it my own.
Plants line the windowsill. Oversized pillows sit perfectly fluffed on the couch with a soft purple throw. Photos of flowers and the mountains cover the bright white walls. The small kitchen is hidden from my bedroom by a curtain with the bathroom by the front door.
I wish there was more room for odds and ends, but I don’t want it too crowded. Could I get a bigger place? Yes. But this was the first one on my budget that I could get on such short notice.
Especially with not knowing what I’m going to be doing after I graduate next spring.
“Look, it’ll be fine. I promise.” Angie brings my attention back to our call. “Better than being out in public if you want some privacy.”
“Angie!” I hiss. “You can’t say things like that!”
“Why not? You deserve fun, Piper. You’ve been through a lot.”
“And I’m hanging up now.”
I end the call just as a knock sounds from the door. I smooth a hand down my simple purple sweater and head to the door. Nothing overly fancy tonight—just jeans and a sweater since we’re staying in.
After a long day of helping at the training center, I really didn’t want to do anything more than this.
Plus, I figure Cash likes fewer prying eyes on him.
I pull open the door, and Cash is standing there in all his glory.
And oof, what a glory it is.
Tall. Broad. He leans against the door, filling the space. Cash has a presence about him that I can’t get used to.
“You just going to stand there, or are you going to let me in?”
“Oh, sorry.” His voice startles me as I open the door for him to walk in.
Cash brushes by me on his way inside. He smells like fresh soap. A smell I’ve never noticed before, but that fits him.
Clean. Efficient.
Just like everything he does.
My apartment seems smaller with him in it. He shrugs out of his jacket and I drink my fill.
A tight black T-shirt clings to his muscles. The gray joggers he’s wearing hug his strong thighs.
He toes out of his tennis shoes and pushes them against the wall.
God, he really is the sexiest man alive.
And I hate that I keep thinking that every time I’m around him.
“So, what are we making tonight?” Cash rests his forearms on the small counter space that I have.
“We’re baking cookies.”
“What kind?”
“Chocolate chip.”
He smirks. “Why not shortbread?”
“Look at you paying attention.”
Cash walks around the counter and pulls me close to him. “I pay attention to you, Princess.”
I get lost in his eyes. Big, brown pools that are open to me. They are telling me everything I need to know about this man right now.
That he’s feeling things for me. Things I’m also feeling for him.
Neither of us makes a move to leave the other’s arms.
“We should get started.” Cash’s voice is deep. Deeper than I’ve ever heard it. I want to hear it whispering sweet nothings in my ear. Calling me Princess as he sinks inside of me.
I shake the thoughts from my head and turn to the pantry. “Let me get you an apron.”
“An apron?”
“I don’t want you making a mess.”
I grab the purple apron covered in macarons and drape it over Cash’s neck. I reach around him to tie it, letting my fingers linger on him.
“How do I look?” He cocks an eyebrow at me. Brown hair falls over his eyes.
A giggle escapes me as I take him in. “You look ridiculous.”
“Alright, alright. Let’s get started.”
“Wait. I need to snap a picture to post.”
“Right.” Cash clears his throat. “Good idea.”
Those corners of his mouth pull into a small smile.
“Now, we need to follow the instructions closely.”
I already have all the ingredients laid out. I step up next to Cash, the two of us moving things around.
“So why are we making cookies?”
I hand him a measuring cup. “Tomorrow is Claire’s birthday, so we’re having a small potluck at lunch.”
“That’s nice of you.”
“And nice you’re volunteering to help.”
“I might not be much help with cooking. I never did much of it.”
“Too busy with hockey?”
“Yeah.”
The way Cash says it has me thinking he’s not telling me the whole truth. But I’ll let him slide tonight.
“My mom and I did a lot of baking when I was growing up. She loved being the team mom for Noah’s hockey team, so I got to help with the cookies.”
“That sounds nice.”
Cash focuses on measuring out the sugar. His tongue peeks out from his lips, and I can’t help but snap another photo.
“What?” he asks, looking up.
“Nothing. You look cute.”
“I’m not cute,” he grumbles.
“Oh yeah? Then what are you?”
I hop up onto the counter and grab the tub of flour.
“Puck is cute. I’m a sex god.”
I burst out laughing, covering my mouth with my hand to try and rein it back in.
“A sex god?”
“Why are you laughing?” Cash throws the spoon down on the counter.
“You went from cute to sex god on quite a leap there, sex god.”
“I can’t have you thinking I’m cute.”
I bite my lip to keep my words from spilling out. That he’s way more than cute. I don’t know if he’s a sex god, but I’d like to see his moves in action.
I don’t tell him that though.
Instead, I focus on the flour. Except the bin is too full and a puff of it comes exploding out when I pull the lid off.
It settles all over both of us, coating Cash’s hair and face and falling onto my legs and arms.
“Okay, can I say you look cute now covered in flour in that apron?”
Cash laughs, an unfamiliar sound but one that washes over me and takes hold. I want to hear more of it. It’s an easy sound.
“Was this your plan the whole time?” He tries to wipe it from his eyes, but only pushes it around.
“Hang on. We need to document this.”
I spin Cash and wrap an arm around his shoulders. Flipping the camera onto us, I snap a photo.
What I see on the tiny screen surprises me. Cash’s lips are tilted up into a smile. Flour coats both of us, some still floating through the air.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we were a real couple.
“Send that to me.”
“Why?” I ask.
“So I can post it too.”
Right. Posting. I nearly forgot.
“Everyone is going to love this.”
I send it to Cash and make a quick post about cooking with my boyfriend.
“The bad boy of the Black Diamonds covered in flour?”
I bark out a laugh and reach over to grab a paper towel to clean ourselves up. “Is that what you call yourself?”
He shakes his head, stepping between my legs.
“No. But it’s how people see me. So maybe a little flour will help soften the image.”
“Sweeten you up,” I tell him.
“I don’t think I need cookies for that.”
“Why not?”
Cash leans in closer. The stubble along his jaw looks soft. I want to feel it under my hands.
“I have you for that.”
Cash leans in close, taking my lips in the kiss to end all kisses. I’m prepared for a reckless assault. For him to kiss me like he plays hockey. With a force that he can’t seem to contain.
How he’s kissing me now? It’s with a softness I wasn’t expecting. A brush of his lips as he opens my mouth with his tongue. Heat gathers in my core as I cling to him. I want to feel every bit of him. Of this kiss.
Cash Williams is going to drive me wild with these kisses. He pulls me to the edge of the counter, tilting my head and deepening the angle. I give in to him. Let him have complete control as my body falls under his spell.
Rough hands slip under my T-shirt. It feels like heaven. I want to peel off every layer and let him have his way with me.
Except…
“Show me,” he whispers against my neck.
“What?” My brain is in a kiss-induced fog.
“How you get yourself off.”
I pull back, staring at the man in front of me.
Instead of saying anything, I hop off the counter and saunter toward my bed.
Because if Cash wants to see me get myself off, he gets what he wants.