33. Thirty-Three
Thirty-Three
Abi
I woke to Cash’s lips peppering kisses all over my back. He would lick a spot, then kiss, then move to a new area, repeating again and again and again until I stretched against him. His knuckles trailed along my side until they reached my neck, moving my hair before his lips found my skin.
I wasn’t lying when I told him it had been a long time since I had been with someone. Sylas was the man I lost my virginity to; he was the last one to see me so vulnerable, but with Cash, there was nothing but complete trust. The way he moved against me, his hands finding all the right places to send sparks through my skin, his tongue tasting every piece of me…just thinking about it made my skin sizzle. I couldn’t remember the last time I had experienced a night like this. And it was Cash who gave it to me.
And he had said he loved me. My chest swelled just at the memory of him saying those three small words. I didn’t expect them to fill me like they did. Love? Already? In the back of my mind, I was telling myself to protest it, tell him it was way too soon for any of those kinds of emotions—but it felt so good to hear him say them, and it felt right to want to say it back. Even though when I started, I choked…but there would be time for that. I knew there would be.
Lifting my arm over his head, I stretched before turning to my back, relaxing as I wrapped my arm around his neck, pulling his lips to mine.
“Good morning,” he whispered against my lips. “Did you sleep well?”
“Hmm,” I hummed. He wrapped his arms around me and held me as close as he could. His skin was warm, his body soft and comforting yet, hard in all the right places. “I did. What time is it?”
“Early still. You’ve only been asleep for a few hours.”
“A few hours.” I arched my back slightly, as much as he would let me. “You woke me up?”
“I couldn’t wait anymore.” He kissed me.
“For? Don’t we have to leave pretty soon? Quinn was pretty determined that we had an early morning.” I squirmed, but his arms tightened around my waist, stopping me.
“We have plenty of time.” He bent his neck, kissing my bare shoulder.
I giggled. “Cash, we don’t.”
“Oh, but we do.”
“Cash Callahan.” I laughed, trying to be stern, but absolutely loving the way his body was responding to me, the way mine was responding to him. I could already feel the heat building. “How about…” I pushed him playfully, trying to peel myself away from his arms.
It was a struggle to even pretend to want to be away from him. I could spend all day in this bed, letting Cash do whatever he wanted with me—whatever I wanted to do with him.
“We spend all day here,” he finished for me, basically reading my mind.
“I wish we could.” I let my head fall back onto my pillow, imagining spending all day in bed with him. I had never ever done that before. I never had the chance, but with him…now…complete euphoria.
“Perfect.” He turned, keeping one arm holding me to him. “I’ll call Quinn—”
“Cash!” I squealed, moving to stop him, climbing on top of him in the process. “As much as I’d love to stay here, and make love to you over and over—”
He closed his eyes and dropped his head on the pillow, letting out a soft moan, “Yes, please.”
I giggled, “Well, I was going to suggest we take a shower, and then meet Quinn at the stables to get the horses and head to Montana.”
His eyes fluttered open. “That’s probably what needs to happen. Why are you always so responsible?”
“If I’m not, who will be?” I leaned over him, kissing him deeply before rolling off the bed. “Come join me.” I teased as I sauntered into the bathroom.
Eventually, we checked out of the hotel and followed Quinn to the next rodeo. As Cash popped the truck in park, I took in our surroundings before his hand cupped my cheek and pulled me to him for a kiss, reminding me that he was mine. My lips still buzzing from his kiss, we jumped from the truck to the back side of the arena, the side not many people saw. Hundreds of livestock waited for their chance to play—after all, they had to have fun at this, too. I stopped to scratch a few horses behind their ears, giving them all the love they deserved. Once we reached Quinn’s trailer, we caught her just in time to see her lead Charming out of the back, her turquoise button down the perfect choice for tonight’s rodeo. Quinn looked elegant in the best way possible for a rodeo gal; even her boots had a slight shine to them.
“Nope.” Cash let go of my hand to take the lead from her. “No way. You rode Charming last night.”
“Yeah, and we got a seventeen point six, so we’ll be repeating that again tonight.” Quinn reached for the lead, snatching it back.
“On Hook.”
Quinn eyed the black horse in the trailer. She had gotten used to him at the ranch, but this being a different setting, I could tell she wasn’t quite sure how the horse would react to the crowd. Taking a deep breath, she looked at me and then back to Cash.
“Fine.” She gave in. “But if I fall—”
“You won’t.”
“—You’re paying for my medical bills.” She gave Cash a pointed look as she aggressively shoved the lead back to him.
“Yeah, yeah, good thing you have health insurance then, huh?” Cash chuckled. “Come on, let’s go get you checked in. Abs”—he turned to me, kissing my temple—“stay with Charming?”
I gave him a sweet smile and nodded, taking the reins from him and reaching up to scratch behind the horse’s ear. I watched until Cash and Quinn were out of view before giving Charming a big smooch on his nose. The horse, as calm as he was, leaned into my touch.
“Awe, bud, I’m going to miss you when you aren’t living next to Luna. I bet she’ll miss you, too.” I fished in my pocket for a peppermint, thankful it’s become a habit to carry them, and laid it flat on my palm. “She likes you; I know she does.”
He harrumphed, his head bobbing as he sucked down the candy.
Looking down the hall, trying to catch a glimpse of Cash and Quinn, I felt warmth spread through my heart. The only thing missing from this moment was having Stetson run after him. I could see it clearly. Me, hanging by the trailer making sure the horses we brought were taken care of. Cash and Stetson—most likely hand in hand—running to get Quinn, or maybe in the distant future, Cash checking himself in. I’d wait for them, making sure Cash had everything he needed for a ride. Joy radiated through my body as I pictured it, as I realized that more than anything, I wanted it. I wanted Stetson to be here with us, and I wanted Cash in our lives.
The ranch was only a portion of my life, not all of it. Maybe tonight, after feeling Cash inside me once again, I would ask him for his advice on it. He knew I loved the stables, the horses and some of the work that came with the ranch, but I could also tell him my new desires, my new dreams…and he would support me. He would help me through this, guide me to make the right decisions. For us. For my family.
Family.
I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks. Did I really see Cash as a part of my family now? It hadn’t been very long, but maybe Kyla was right. Maybe life moved fast, and you had to follow it.
I could feel my heart dancing at the thought. This is what happiness felt like, wasn’t it? This is what it was like to feel whole again.
“I don’t believe it.” A high, almost shrill voice caught my attention. “Abi Hartwell?”
Hartwell?
That made me turn.
Holding tightly to Charming’s lead, I twisted my torso, coming eye to eye with the one woman I never wanted to see again. Carolyn Callahan…well, the former Carolyn Callahan.
“Carolyn,” I stated, my back stiffening. I forced a pleasant look, a smile I knew was fake. She didn’t deserve even a fake smile, but she didn’t need a scowl either.
She looked exactly the same, maybe a little more Botox to her face, but her hair was just as blonde and straight, falling over her shoulders. A long, thin nose lengthened her face, leading right to her bright red lips. Her deep plunge neckline dress made her stand out more than anyone else, seeing as it was bright pink, and two long necklaces drew your eyes to her breasts, and under…a rounded belly, being cradled by her hands. Next to me—jeans, boots, a blue t-shirt and my hair tied back into a ponytail—Carolyn looked like a supermodel—ageless. Looking down at my hands, I noticed my fingernails were cow-shit free.
“I didn’t think I’d ever run into you at another rodeo.” She gave me a fake smile.
“Why not?” I asked, still trying to find my bearings. What do I say here? Do I be polite or slap her across the face for the way she treated Cash? I settled with crossing my free arm over my waist, gripping my forearm as I squeezed Charming’s lead.
“I come to all my husband’s events. I see your brothers from time to time, but never you.” She tilted her head, rubbing a circle around her belly, as if to draw attention to it.
“Funny.” I fully faced her now, tilting my head, mirroring her. “They never mentioned seeing you.”
“No, they wouldn’t have.” She laughed with a tension she was sure to deny. “I mean they don’t speak to me, I just see them.” Her laugh got louder.
I did not miss this laugh.
I hummed, feeling my lips pull into a sneer. If Lachlan were here, he’d remind me to put those big girl pants back on. “I see congratulations are in order.” I motioned to her very pregnant stomach. “How far along are you?”
A slight blush ran across her cheeks, and she looked down and stroked her swollen belly. “Seven months. It’s our third.”
“Three kids. Wow.” I faked my enthusiasm, glancing over my shoulder to see if Cash was coming back. It may be for the best if he didn’t. He didn’t need to know she was here.
“How many do you and Sylas have now?”
Excuse me… what ?
I twitched. “Come on Carolyn, you know Sylas passed.”
“Oh, that’s right.” Her face contoured, her eyebrows furrowing, and lip puckered out. “Must have slipped my mind.”
“Slipped. Your. Mind? Carolyn, you were there the day he had his accident.” My voice began to shake. She knew damn well he was gone, and she was just trying to rile me up. Why? I hadn’t figured that part out yet. It was just her nature.
“Abs.” I heard Cash’s voice from behind me, but I didn’t take my eyes off Carolyn. Her expression went from fake remorse to shock once Cash appeared at my side. Her eyes locked on him, and her jaw went from being slightly open to the widest, fakest smile I’d ever seen. Cash touched the small of my back. “Carolyn.” He said sternly, any and all enthusiasm gone.
“Oh, I should have guessed.” She laughed then, the shrill sound carrying on through the back of the stands, echoing as if to mock us. “How long have you two been together?”
“Don’t see why that matters.” Cash’s fingers moved on my back, finding my waist to pull me close. “Congrats by the way.” He gestured to her stomach.
“It’s her third.” I repeated, looking up at him, just in time to witness the anger fill his face. He wasn’t hiding anything now.
“Third?” Cash looked shocked, almost, until he gave a small laugh. “How old are your kiddos?”
“Jada is two and Peter will be four…”
“Four?” He questioned, his body jerking with the word, a shock to his voice that even caught me off guard.
“Yes, Cash. Four. You knew I always wanted children.” She glared at him, then bounced to me. “Anyway, I’m sure you two must have other children besides Steven running around.”
Steven?
“Who?”
“She means Stetson. She always called him Steven, even though I corrected her every time and no, Carolyn…you know…we…” Cash began to stumble. I turned to him. Why was he stumbling? The relationship was new. We just became official last night. Why would the concept of kids make him stumble?
She hummed. “Well…”
I turned to Cash, placing my hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat faster. He met my gaze, his jaw tense. “I’m going to go walk Charming around, I’m sure he doesn’t want to be in the trailer anymore.” I leaned up on my tip toes and gave him a sweet kiss, and then gave Carolyn one last nod. “I would say it was good to see you…”
“Wonderful to see you Abi. I’m sure we’ll see each other again before the event is over.”
I smiled, looking at Cash for reassurance, and once he gave me a nod of approval, I clicked my tongue and began to lead Charming out to the field, taking one last glance at the man I was falling in love with and the woman who broke him.