Chapter 15 #2
“That’s it, baby. Take what you need.” He attaches his lips to my nipple, sucking it deep into his mouth while his hand reaches to where we’re connected, and he begins rubbing furiously against my clit.
Seconds later, I feel my pussy tightening in light pulses that get stronger and stronger until I clamp down around him, my body exploding in a rush of immeasurable bliss.
I throw my head back as the orgasm careens through me, the mind-numbing euphoria making me feel dizzy.
Cash grips my hips and pumps deep inside me before I feel his cock jerking. He yells out words of praise as he comes deep inside me—telling me how good I feel, telling me I was made for him, telling me I’m perfect.
When he slows his movements, we’re both panting hard, his arms wrapped around my middle and mine around his shoulders, with his head buried in my neck. We stay like this for several long moments, catching our breath and clinging to each other as the sweat cools against our skin.
He lifts his head and brushes his lips over mine once, then twice, before pressing his forehead against mine.
“I love you, Cece.”
“I love you, too.”
Cash lifts me off of him and gently sets me on the mattress.
“I’ll be right back.” He walks into the bathroom and returns with a damp cloth.
I reach to take it from him, but he shakes his head and tells me to lie back.
“I like taking care of you,” he says as he spreads my legs, wiping the cloth over my center. “We didn’t use protection.”
Every other time we’ve made love, Cash has worn a condom.
“I liked it better,” I say.
He huffs out a laugh. “Me too, sweetheart, but I should have been more thoughtful. Not that I wouldn’t mind seeing your belly round with my baby, but if that’s not in the cards just yet, we should probably get you to the doctor for some birth control.”
My breath catches when he mentions seeing me pregnant. He would want that? With me?
“What?” he asks when I don’t say anything.
I shake my head, the lump in my throat making it hard to talk. “Nothing,” I choke out. “I just…I love you so much.”
He smiles and leans down, pressing his lips lightly against mine. “I love you, too.” He looks to the side, his jaw tightening.
“What is it?” I ask.
Cash lies down on his side next to me with his head propped up in his hand. “It’s something your sister said,” he answers.
“She said a lot and was completely out of line with all of it.”
He nods. “I get that you see it that way. But she did bring up something that I struggled with when I realized my feelings toward you were turning into more than friendship.” He runs a finger down the side of my face. “I’m a lot older than you are, sweetheart. Over a decade.”
“And?”
“And I want to know if you’ve ever…if you’ve ever thought there was a possibility that I’ve used that to my advantage. If our age difference has ever reminded you of—”
“No,” I interject before he can finish his sentence, knowing where his thoughts have taken him.
“No, Cash. I’ve never even considered that.
I’m twenty-four, and you’re thirty-five.
I’m plenty old enough to make my own choices, even if my sister still sees me as the fifteen-year-old she left at the compound.
The only thing I see when I look at you is the man I love.
The man who has been there with me through my darkest days.
You are nothing like anyone I’ve known before.
I don’t give a shit about the years between us.
I’ve lived two lives in my years on this earth.
The first one nearly destroyed me. I’ll be damned if I live the second one according to someone else’s bullshit issues with our age difference. ”
Cash smiles and shakes his head back and forth. “Goddamn, woman, you are fucking incredible.” He leans down and takes my mouth in a hard kiss. “I fucking love you.”
A bark of laughter escapes me. “I fucking love you, too,” I tell him.
Cash gets up and tosses the cloth in the bathroom. When he returns, he pulls the comforter down. I crawl up the bed, sliding between the sheets and under the soft blanket, before he lies down next to me and gathers me in his arms.
“So much better than the floor,” he quips, and I smile against his chest.
I don’t care where we are; if I’m wrapped in his arms, I’ll be happy anywhere.
The alarm on my phone goes off before the sun has risen.
Cash stirs, but I kiss him lightly on the cheek and tell him to go back to sleep.
I grab his shirt from the floor and pull it over my body, then trudge down the stairs to start the coffee and my baking for Cool Beans.
When Cash comes down, there’s soft country music playing from the speaker, and I’m humming along while I put my last batch of fresh turnovers into the to-go container.
“I saved you a couple blackberry ones,” I say, nodding to the cooling rack behind me.
Cash has a lazy, sweet smile on his face as he leans against the doorframe in the kitchen, his hand rubbing the spot over his heart. God, between the look in his eyes and the way his jeans hang low on his hips, I’m about to melt away on the spot.
“I like you in my shirt,” he says as he prowls toward me, a playful glint in his blue eyes.
“I know.”
“I really don’t like waking up without you though.” He wraps his arms around me from behind and nuzzles his face into my neck.
“Sorry, I wanted to let you sleep in.”
“Don’t care what time you get up, sweetheart,” he says, his breath tickling me. “I don’t want to miss a second with you.”
“Noted.”
He kisses his way down my neck and over my shoulder as he pulls the collar of the shirt away so his mouth has access to more skin. “How long until we have to leave?”
I look at the clock on the stove. “About twenty minutes.”
“Perfect.” He spins me around and lifts me in one motion, setting me on the counter.
I let out a surprised squeal. “What are you doing?” I ask on a laugh.
He spreads my knees and lowers himself to his. “Eating my breakfast.”
When his mouth connects to my center, my head falls against the cabinet behind me.
Holy shit. Cash’s mouth making me come before I’ve even had my second cup of coffee is quite the way to start my day. If I wasn’t before, I’m thoroughly addicted to him now, and I have a feeling that’s exactly the way he wants it.
Cash takes me to Cool Beans to drop off the pastries, then we head to my sister’s house.
He parks the truck against the curb, and I stare at the front of the house.
The curtains of the kitchen window move, so I know someone is up, and they know we’re here.
So much for grabbing a change of clothes and making a quick exit.
“If you aren’t ready, we can go back to the house. You really don’t need clean clothes. We can just not wear any for the rest of the day.”
I let out a surprised laugh, appreciating him trying to lighten my mood. I felt great this morning—after Cash made me come with his mouth before bending me over the counter and taking me from behind, making me come again.
I really love that kitchen. So many good memories in it.
On our way over, my mood slowly started to sour as I thought about running into Lucy, and I’m tempted to give in and say fuck it—Cash is right. We don’t need clothes.
Still, I’ll have to face my sister eventually.
Blowing out a breath, I shake my head. “They saw us. We can’t just run away.”
“We can do whatever you want, sweetheart. It’s your life. You don’t have to live it by anyone else’s standards. Even Lucy’s.”
I look at Cash, then lean over and give him a particularly indecent kiss. It doesn’t matter if anyone sees us. Cat’s out of the bag now.
“I want to get it over with. She’s going to have to accept it, and I’m not going to hide from her.”
Cash nods and opens his door, walking around the front of his truck, then he opens mine. My hand is clasped in his as he leads us down the walkway and up the front porch steps.
“Here we go.” I take a deep breath and exhale as I open the door and step into the quiet house.
I walk into the kitchen with Cash right behind me, his hand still holding mine. Jude and Lucy are sitting at the kitchen table.
“Morning,” Jude says, his gaze darting between my sister and me. “Coffee?”
“Sure,” Cash replies, and Jude gets up from his seat, looks me in the eye, and nods to the chair.
Cash gives my hand a reassuring squeeze, and I let go, walking over to the table to sit across from my sister.
“Hi,” I say, and Lucy offers me a tight smile. “I know yesterday was a bit of a surprise—”
“Gee, you think? I walk into the kitchen and find this guy”—she nods at Cash, who is now standing on the other side of the counter next to Jude—“with his hands all over you.”
“You overreacted,” I tell her.
“How exactly was I supposed to react, Cece? I had no idea you were anything more than friends. Which I never had a problem with, may I remind you. Then to hear him call you his woman? You never told me anything about something more between you. You never tell me anything.”
“I know. Talking isn’t my strong suit. Opening up to people, especially you, doesn’t come easily for me.”
“Why?” she asks, her voice pleading. “You used to tell me everything when we were kids. I knew all of your secrets, and you knew mine. You kept them just like I did yours.”
“That’s why, Lu. A lot has changed since you left.
I’m not the same person I was at fifteen.
But it feels like you still see me as that little girl.
You still treat me as though I’m her. I’m not, and I haven’t been for a long time.
You have this notion that you’re the only one who can protect me.
I don’t need your protection. Not anymore. ”
“All I want is for you to be safe. I couldn’t do it when we were kids, and I hate that I left you there. I hate what happened to you when I was on the run.” A tear tracks down her face and I reach over, covering her hand with mine.