6
CASH
EVERLY FOLLOWS MY MOM INTO the backyard while giving me the cold shoulder.
She has plenty of reasons to be upset with me, starting with putting her in this predicament. I have a tendency to dive into situations without evaluating the potential repercussions of my actions, and I suspect I’ll face the fallout when we’re alone later.
The last thing she wants is to pose for photos with my family and pretend we’re in love, especially when she’s upset about me not bringing up the acquisition sooner. As soon as I suspected she might not be aware of it, I should have addressed it. To hell with the merger’s confidentiality rules. I should have put Everly first. I won’t make that mistake again.
Once we get to the back deck, Mom and Harrison leave us to help Mike and the photographer with arranging a couple of wooden benches in front of an ivy arch on the property’s edge.
Everly and I stand side by side as Marlow comes out of the house dressed in a bright blue summer dress and silver sneakers. Her golden-blonde hair falls in waves to her waist, framing her distinct, mismatched eyes—one blue, the other green.
She moved in next door to Dylan a year and a half ago, and he didn’t exactly roll out the welcome mat. Everything changed when his long-term nanny quit, and Marlow stepped in to help care for Lola. It didn’t take Dylan long to fall for Marlow, and after three months where she lived abroad, they moved in together and recently got engaged.
“Look who finally showed up,” Marlow teases me.
“It’s good to see you, Mar.” I wrap my arm around her shoulder in a side hug.
“You must be Everly.” Marlow extends her hand to Everly, who accepts it with a small smile. “I’m Marlow, Dylan’s fiancée, and that’s our daughter, Lola.” She motions out into the yard, where Lola is running, chasing after their dog, Waffles.
“Waffles stole my headband again,” Lola shouts in our direction.
Marlow adopted the Australian Shepherd/Corgi mix with comically large ears from an animal shelter before she moved to Aspen Grove. She felt an instant connection because he also has mismatched eyes—a combination of one brown and one blue.
I laugh when I spot the three tiny furballs with floppy ears trotting closely behind Lola, yipping with excitement.
Dylan slings his arm around Marlow’s shoulders and tugs her close.
“I can’t believe you’re keeping the whole litter,” I say with a hint of amusement.
Marlow recently started volunteering at the local animal shelter, and a couple weeks ago, someone brought in three Aussie-Corgi mix puppies they found on the side of the road. Instantly reminded of Waffles, she knew she had to take them home with her. What started as an offer to foster them quickly led to her adopting all three.
“Yeah,” Dylan grumbles, but his tone changes when he glances down at his fiancée with affection. “Marlow doesn’t want to separate them.”
“They’re part of our family, and I won’t abandon them,” she declares. “Who else would love them like we will?”
“I’m sure Cash and Everly would.” Dylan smiles at us. “What do you say, lovebirds? Do you want an adorable puppy as a wedding present? Consider it therapy to bring you closer when the honeymoon stage is over.” He winks at me.
Everly fixes him with an icy stare. At least we can agree that Dylan’s joke isn’t funny. The last thing we need is to add an untrained puppy to the mix.
“Dylan, tell me you did not just try to pawn off one of our dogs.” Marlow swats him on the chest.
“I’m sorry, sunshine.” He places a kiss on her forehead. “I was just messing around. They’re not going anywhere,” he promises.
Dylan might not be enthusiastic about sharing his home with three more furballs, but he’s smitten with Marlow. He would do anything to make her happy, even if it means being the owner of four energetic dogs.
“Let’s hope you have better luck training them than you did with Waffles,” I taunt, shooting him a playful smirk.
“Hilarious,” Dylan responds dryly.
“I thought so.” I grin triumphantly, squaring my shoulders.
Everly glances between us with a confused look.
“Waffles wasn’t trained when I adopted him,” Marlow explains to Everly. “Dylan made it his mission to whip him into shape, but Waffles gave him a run for his money.”
“Hey, now,” Dylan playfully chides, his voice filled with amusement.
“I’m just messing around,” Marlow quips, using his own words against him.
Dylan chuckles. “Touché.” He takes Marlow’s hand, lacing his fingers with hers. She gives him a soft smile, and he looks at her like she’s his entire world. When Marlow came along, Dylan was a grumpy cynic whose primary focus was raising Lola and growing Stafford Holdings. She has brought light into his life and taught him how to smile again.
Even as a carefree, unattached bachelor, I often wonder what it would be like to look at someone the way Dylan looks at Marlow. My gaze drifts to Everly, who’s watching Marlow and Dylan’s interaction closely, chewing on her lip. Despite our less-than-ideal circumstances, I’m glad she’s here. It didn’t occur to me how much I missed her until I saw her sitting at that hotel bar in Vegas.
“Dylan, Cash, why are you all just standing around?” Harrison shouts from the yard. “The photographer is waiting.” He motions for us to get a move on.
“We’re coming,” Dylan hollers back.
“You ready for this?” I whisper in Everly’s ear.
“Do I have a choice?” she mutters.
“Nope.” I grin, taking her hand in mine as we follow Dylan and Marlow to join the rest of my family.
Two hours later, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Lani, the photographer my mom hired, isn’t messing around. She must have taken hundreds of photos by now, and I’m hoping she’ll wrap things up soon.
Everly has kept her distance despite Lani and my mother constantly encouraging us to stand closer together. She talked with my dad and siblings in between poses and tolerated my mom’s never-ending questions.
From my shameless eavesdropping, I’ve learned that Everly depends on coffee as her lifeline, works long hours, and is a décor enthusiast.
I’m the type to go with the flow and never sweat the small stuff, but even I’m left wondering how we can pull off a fake marriage. We couldn’t be more opposite if we tried.
I don’t own a coffee maker—I prefer protein shakes and smoothies. I’m usually the last one to arrive at the office in the morning. And let’s just say the décor in my London apartment is somewhat lacking.
“Cash, Everly, you’re up next,” my mom announces, breaking me out of my thoughts.
What is she talking about?
“For what?” Everly questions, mirroring my confusion.
“Couple photos,” my mom states like it’s obvious. “I have no pictures of your wedding, so this is the next best thing.” She clasps her hands together with anticipation.
“Come sit over here.” Lani motions toward a blanket she’s laid out, with several fruit trees and the barn in the background. “Everly, I’m going to have you take off your shoes, if that’s alright.”
“Okay,” Everly says, her voice filled with uncertainty.
She’s wearing a light blue spaghetti-strap dress. Her hair is styled in loose waves, and she has on a pair of open-toed heels. Even without advanced warning, she came ready to crush family photos.
She’s a goddamn vision. I can barely contain my fingers itching to reach out and draw her close to me, to feel the warmth of her skin against mine.
“I’m going inside to make dinner,” my mom announces. She turns to Marlow and my brothers, sitting on a nearby bench. “I could use some help.”
“Sure thing,” Marlow jumps up, pulling Dylan along with her.
“Have fun, you two,” Dylan calls out as they walk toward the house.
Harrison gives Everly a sympathetic look before he follows behind.
Presley and Jack disappeared inside thirty minutes ago, right after their photos. I don’t even want to guess what they’re doing.
My dad is playing with Lola, Waffles, and the puppies on the deck, and when my mom reaches the patio, she gestures for him and Lola to go inside too.
With everyone out of view, Everly exhales and her tense shoulders drop. I offer her my hand to help her down onto the blanket, but she shakes her head.
“I can do it on my own,” she says curtly.
“I know, but I want to help,” I reply, my hand cradling her elbow as she lowers herself to the ground.
She glances up at me, her eyes softening for a moment. “Thanks,” she murmurs.
Everly settles on the blanket and I take a step back as she slips off her shoes. Once she’s finished, she shifts to the middle and smooths out her dress, waiting for further instructions.
“Cash, sit behind her, please,” Lani directs me. “You’re going to spread your legs with your knees slightly bent and once you’re in place, Everly will lean against you,” she instructs.
Once I’m seated, Everly reluctantly leans into me, her back pressed against my chest as her thigh brushes against my leg. She fidgets with her hands and I can feel her breathing quicken as she leans into me.
“Cash, wrap your arms around her and kiss her forehead. Everly, hold his hand and place your other hand on his calf to show off that gorgeous ring of yours,” Lani instructs.
Everly’s eyes widen in alarm, but luckily, I’m the only one who notices. Lani is too busy checking the settings on her camera, and my family is all inside.
It was convenient that my mom required every member of our family to help with dinner except Everly and me. I don’t buy it; she always has an ulterior motive. She probably figured she’d get better photos of us without an audience, and I’ll do my very best to make sure Everly is as comfortable as possible.
Everly lets out a nervous laugh as she awkwardly rests her head on my shoulder. Her hands tremble as she places one on my knee and the other on my lower leg.
Lani moves positions, and the angle of her camera focuses on my left side. My hair is pushed back from my face, which means my scar is visible. My body freezes up, and my breathing becomes shallow. I was so focused on making sure Everly was okay that it didn’t cross my mind that couple photos would include close-ups of our faces. There’s a reason I don’t like to look in the mirror. I’m not under any illusions that I’m physically attractive, and prefer to avoid daily reminders of that.
Group shots are easy to manage since I can stay in the back and angle my face away from the camera. However, I steer clear of close-up photos whenever I can.
Everly tilts her head back, worry etched on her face. “Are you alright?”
“Let’s try another pose,” I suggest. “I’d prefer my good side showing.” I gesture to my face.
“If you’d like, I can edit out your scar,” Lani offers.
“Absolutely not,” Everly interjects sharply, glaring at Lani before looking back at me. “You’re beautiful. Your scar is part of you.” Lowering her voice so only I can hear, she adds, “This situation isn’t easy for me either, but we’ll get through it together, okay?” She gives me a soft smile as she brushes her hand across my scar.
I blink down at her, rendered speechless. I’m well aware that most women don’t find me attractive. They tolerate my looks because they have to, but no one has ever called me beautiful. Part of me wants to dismiss her words as mere pity, but I know that’s not accurate. If it were anyone besides Everly, I wouldn’t believe it, but she’s not one to mince her words.
“Whatever you say, boss,” I choke out, overcome with unexpected emotion.
“Everything okay?” Lani asks.
“Yes,” Everly says, turning back to face her. “We’re all set to continue.”
“Perfect. Cash, wrap your arms around her,” Lani says when I don’t move.
If she finds it strange that Everly and I are uncomfortable with each other, she keeps it to herself. Thank god Dylan and Harrison are inside, or they’d be teasing us without mercy.
I band my arm around Everly and pull her tight against me. My racing heart reverberates in my ears, its steady rhythm grounding my senses. Everly’s shallow breaths are a dead giveaway that I’m not the only one affected by our proximity.
She feigns indifference, but now and then, I catch her mask slipping. Like when she couldn’t stop sneaking glances at me when I walked into the hotel bar. Or when I woke up with her clinging to me like a baby koala.
“Everly, scoot a little closer to Cash, please,” Lani calls out from behind her camera. “Pretend I’m not here, and you’re just sharing a special moment as newlyweds.”
Joke’s on her because Everly would rather watch me get struck by lightning than be my wife. Unfortunately for her, she’s stuck with me—at least for now.
The sooner we cooperate, the sooner this will be over.
I take the opportunity to enjoy this fleeting moment as I bury my face in her hair and inhale the scent of jasmine, lavender, and vanilla. She smells like heaven, and I’m forced to push aside any thoughts of her writhing against me in pleasure.
Fuck me.
Maybe taking photos together was a bad idea. This woman is toying with my mind. One minute, I’m agreeing that getting an annulment is a good idea, and the next, I’m consumed by an overwhelming desire to explore every inch of her.
My instincts take over as I grip her hair in my fist and push it over her shoulder. A part of me can’t help but wonder what it would feel like if I peppered kisses along her neck, holding her hair like this. Would she hum in delight or cry out in pleasure as I played with her breasts, alternating between pinching and twisting them with my fingers, my tongue slipping inside her mouth.
That’s not an appropriate thought to have during a family photo session.
That doesn’t stop my cock from pulsating with excitement. I use my newfound daydream to keep me in the present as I caress Everly’s hand in a hypnotic fashion—back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. She sits still as a statue but grips my calf tightly, proof that my touch is affecting her—no acting necessary.
Her reaction pushes me forward, and I drag a finger along her arm, leaving goosebumps in my wake. I pause for effect, and as she lets out her next breath, I plant several kisses along her shoulder as my hands tug her closer to me. The tension crackles between us.
“Why don’t you kiss her on the mouth, Cash,” Lani suggests as she snaps another picture.
That’s a terrible idea.
Common sense doesn’t stop me from fixing on Everly’s plump red lips, practically begging to be kissed. Technically, our first kiss was at the chapel after we exchanged vows, but we were both buzzed, and I didn’t get to enjoy it the way I wanted to. There’s no chance I’m passing up the opportunity to taste her now that we’re sober.
One little kiss can’t hurt, right?
I’m sure that thought will come back to haunt me later, but I can’t find it in me to care.
My dick is doing the thinking when I lightly grasp Everly’s chin and tip her head back, coming face-to-face with her wanton expression, her chocolate-brown eyes ablaze with desire. Our intermingled panting is music to my ears as I slant my mouth across hers.
“Can I kiss you, Ev?” I murmur.
“You’ll smear my lipstick,” she whispers teasingly.
“Fuck it, I’m kissing you anyway.” I brush my lips against hers in a teasing stroke, and I’m both shocked and pleased when a soft moan escapes her mouth. As I deepen the kiss, the tension between us becomes an inferno.
Our lips are interlocked as I cup her cheek with my hand. She shifts position—her ass pressed against my rock-hard cock.
Kissing her is like tasting forbidden fruit. Every touch is electric; every breath is charged with anticipation, making it all the more sweet.
I’m lost in the moment when Lani’s high-pitched voice jolts me back to reality. “That was perfect,” she exclaims. “I got so many incredible shots. I’m all set.”
I jerk my head up to find her retrieving her equipment bag from one of the benches nearby. Everly and I were so caught up in the intensity, I briefly forgot Lani was here.
My gaze pings back to Everly. She stares at me, cheeks flushed, like she can’t believe what just happened. She finally snaps out of it, scrambling out of my arms, pausing when she sees my face.
“Uh, you should take care of that,” she says as she motions to my lips.
I swipe at my mouth with the back of my hand, grinning when I glance down at my hand, now marked with red lipstick.
“I’m going inside,” she announces, refusing to make eye contact.
She puts her shoes back on in record time before hustling toward the house.
“I’m right behind you.”
Holy shit, I just kissed Everly … again.
Now is not the time to panic; it won’t do me any good.
When I look at the house, I spot Harrison and Dylan watching out the window with smug expressions on their faces.
Even I’m starting to see that our dilemma has gotten out of hand. The sooner we leave for London, the better.
Something tells me that our kiss just complicated things, especially since now I want to do it again… and again.