Chapter 15
“Puck?” I let myself into Cash’s house using the code to the garage he gave me. “Where are you?”
Skittering paws against the hardwood floor greet me as Puck runs to me, tongue hanging out of his mouth. The TV is quietly playing highlights from the game.
I smile. Cash never likes Puck feeling left alone, so he always has the TV on for him. Playing his game, no doubt.
“Hi, sweet boy. Did you have a good night?” I get down on my knees to accept his kisses. “Your dad should be home soon.”
He barks at me, running to the back door.
Dropping my keys onto the counter, I follow him and let him out into the cold night air.
Puck runs around, sniffing at all the things he likes.
I’m anxious to see Cash. I didn’t see him today because I had an exam. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him take a hit like that. Hockey is a brutal game. The guy from Boston hit him with a force I haven’t seen. My heart was in my throat the entire time Cash wasn’t on the ice.
As someone who works with the guys and injuries, my mind kept going to the worst-case scenario.
Broken ribs?
Punctured lung?
Something more serious?
I know what kind of injuries these guys can sustain. And being the stubborn players they are, they play through them.
“Princess?”
Cash is at the door, Puck at his feet. He leans down to scratch behind Puck’s ears, then stands back up with a smile on his face that’s hard to see with the light behind him.
“Finally.” I run to him but draw up short. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
He turns and both of us follow Puck inside. Puck immediately goes to the new bone that is sitting on his bed in front of the fireplace. I follow Cash to the living room where he shrugs out of his jacket and undoes his shirt before sprawling on the couch.
“Cash, that was quite a hit. Are you sure?”
I sit next to him, wanting to run my hands all over him.
Highlights from tonight’s game and the others are playing on a loop. Cash shifts, resting his head in my lap.
“I’m fine.” There’s a slight twist to his face as he says that.
“You would be more convincing if you didn’t wince as you did that.”
Cash glares up at me from his spot on the couch. “It’s nothing.”
“You don’t have to put on a front for me.”
He sighs, sinking into me. “It really fucking hurts.”
“Can I see?”
Cash nods, pulling his shirt off. His ribs are taped, but it doesn’t hide the purple and black marring his entire left side.
“Oh my God! How did you manage to play the rest of the night?” I go to touch it, but think better of it. I don’t want to cause him any additional pain.
“It’s what we do. Nothing was broken.”
“Can I do anything for you?”
My eyes don’t leave his side. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bruise that bad.
He closes his eyes, shaking his head. “I’ll be okay.”
“Cash.” My voice is firm. “Let me help you. What do you need?”
“Did you have fun at the game with Angie?”
“Changing the subject, I see.”
I stroke my fingers through his hair. His eyes close at my touch. I can see his eyelids fluttering as I brush through the silky strands.
With the low light from the TV, Cash looks soft. Beautiful even. I don’t know how, but he takes my breath away.
“I told you, I’m fine.”
“And you don’t need anything. Got it.”
I settle my other hand on his stomach, letting the warmth seep into me. If he wants to be stubborn, fine. But that doesn’t mean I can’t try and help him in my own way.
“Can I confess something?”
“Is it bad?” Cash asks, turning into my touch.
“I got nervous. Coming here tonight without you.”
“Why?”
“I guess I’m still scarred from finding Duncan screwing Ava. Not that you were,” I hurry to finish. “But I guess it did a little more trauma than I realized.”
Cash’s eyes open, a fierce expression on his face. “That will never happen, Piper. Never. Fake relationship or not, I would never do that to you. Or any woman.”
“I know.” I squeeze the strands of his hair in my fist, letting him know I understand him. “It’s just hard to not think that once it’s happened.”
“You deserved better than him.”
“Someone like you?”
“Better than me.”
Cash’s eyes drift shut and I go back to rubbing his head. I want to tell him that there isn’t a better man than him. I don’t know if he would believe me.
He doesn’t let people in, but I’ve seen the real him.
“I want your voice.”
“You want to steal it like a wicked sea creature?” I laugh.
Cash peeks one eye open at me as I continue scraping my hand through his hair.
“No. Listening to you talk helps.”
“Oh.” I try not to blush. I don’t think anyone has ever said anything like that to me before. “What do you want to hear about?”
“Anything. Nothing. You decide.” He sighs. “Just don’t stop.”
I trace my fingers up and down his bare chest as I move my other hand to rub his temples. He leans into my touch.
“Test was good. Should know how I did in a few days, but I know I aced it.”
Between the internship, Cash, and studying, it’s hard to make time for much else. But I want to prove to people that I deserve my spot with my team. Even if my brother helped me get it.
“I knew you would. You’re the smartest person I know, Princess.”
“Not just a pretty face.”
“Who told you that?” Cash’s eyes fly open. They’re staring at me, locked onto my own. “Was it that douchebag?”
I shrug a shoulder. “Yes. Friends. People see my blonde hair and big blue eyes and think there’s nothing else to me.”
“Really?”
I nod. It’s not something I like to admit. There’s the old adage about dumb blondes for a reason. “I try not to let it bother me, but sometimes it does. I think because of my dating history and the way I look, people think I just want to be a trophy wife.”
Cash sits up, wincing as he spins around to pull me onto his lap. “People really think that?”
I nod but don’t say anything. Maybe not being vulnerable with people makes them think I don’t have much substance.
I don’t want him to see all that, so I focus on his chest.
“Piper.” Cash tips my chin up so I have to look at him. His eyes are blazing. “When I say you’re one of the smartest people I know, I mean it. Sure, you’re sexy as hell, but that’s not the thing that makes me attracted to you.”
“It’s not?”
Cash laughs. “It’s not a bad thing, but I’ve seen how you are with everyone around you. You’re smart. And kind. And you make everyone around you feel like they are the most important person in the room. That’s a hard quality to come by. And I would know.”
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t get a lot of that growing up.”
“You didn’t?”
Cash never likes talking about his childhood. I’ve asked him in the past, but he’s brushed it off. This is the first time he’s even hinted about it.
“I was good at hockey. When my dad realized that, that’s all I became to him. A means to an end. If I was playing well, I was doing my job. But if I got into fights, I got attention.”
“That’s why you were always causing trouble on the ice.”
He nods. “I’m not proud of it, but it was a hard pattern to break.”
“Because you wanted your dad’s attention.”
“Yeah.” He scrubs a hand over his face. This time, the pained expression isn’t from his injury, but from cracking his chest wide open to me.
“What about your mom?”
“She cut out when I was three. Never saw her again.”
“Cash.”
He pulls me closer, hands drifting up and down my side. “I don’t want your pity. From what I gleaned from my dad, she wasn’t cut out to be a parent. Neither was he for that matter.”
“Still. You shouldn’t have had to fight for attention like that.”
“It’s the only thing I knew how to do.”
“Do you still see him?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “He died when I was in college. But the need to impress him hasn’t really left I guess.”
“Oh Cash.”
My heart aches for him. At the sweet little boy that was raised like that. It’s the image he shows the world. The bad boy. The villain. Someone not to be messed with.
But that’s not the real Cash.
It’s the man sitting in front of me. Whose tender heart was battered and bruised growing up. Cash put up walls to protect himself. I can’t blame him when that’s how he grew up.
“Thank you.” I press a kiss to his lips.
“For what?”
I rest my hand over his heart. “For telling me. I know it’s not easy.”
“I don’t like people feeling sorry for me.” He blows out a breath, cupping my cheek to pull me in closer. “Especially you.”
“All I see is a person who survived the only way they knew how. I’m glad you told me.”
“Only you, Princess. You’re the only person I’ve told.”
His words carry a weight I never would have imagined. This thing between us has an end date. I went into it with eyes wide open. Spending time with Cash to help him? I’ve done worse things.
But now that he’s opening up to me? Telling me things he’s never told anyone else?
I want to be worthy of this man’s secrets. I want to be the person that he can continue to turn to when things don’t go right in his life.
Can I? Can we keep this thing going? No wonder Cash doesn’t do relationships. His mom left him and his dad only wanted him for his own gain.
“You’re looking a little murderous there.”
“I just hate that your parents were like that.”
“It is what it is.”
Cash’s face has gone soft. Both of us are just looking at each other. Really seeing one another.
“It seems like we have more in common than we think.”
“Not letting people in?” he asks.
“More like not letting ourselves be vulnerable with people.”
“Being vulnerable with you is easy,” Cash whispers against my lips. “Easier than I thought it would be.”
“Your secrets are safe with me, Cash.” I place a sweet kiss on his soft lips.
“I know.” He brings me in closer and we sit like this for who knows how long. Soaking in each other’s strength having bared our weaknesses to one another.
“I know this might be a big ask…” I say into his neck. It might be easier if I’m not looking at him.
“What?”
“Come over for Christmas dinner next week. I know you’re gone on a road trip until then, but come for dinner with my family.”
“What?” Cash pulls back, looking into my eyes. “You want me to come over for a holiday?”
“I know this thing is fake, but if you don’t have plans, I want you to come with me. You and Puck.”
Puck runs over to the couch and hops on when he hears his name.
“Are you sure? I’m not the type that people bring home to meet the parents.”
“I wouldn’t invite you if I didn’t mean it. Assuming you don’t have other plans.”
“You really mean it?” I can hear the nerves in his voice. You wouldn’t know it from the look of steel on his face.
“Yes.”
“Then I guess I’m celebrating the holidays with the Fields family.”