Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
KINDRED
My whole face is on fire. This new Cash is a lot to catch up with, but maybe it’s not new at all. I suppose there might be another side to me because I agreed to letting him go down on me, and if it’s sticker-worthy, I might return the favor.
Holy hellballs.
“You all right, Cupcake?”
"I don't know what I am." I tell him the truth. He’s got me feeling all over the darn place. "I think I'm trying to play catch-up. I thought we were fake-dating to the wedding—" Here I thought I was the one that was a handful.
"Not fake," he says in a tone that lets me know he’s being serious.
"Then, when I'm kissing you in the bar because all the girls were looking at you with those big heart eyes you see in cartoons, and not to mention the new deputy, who I don't like, mind you, and I'm even more upset at her for making me not like her.
I don't like not being able to like other women.
Then, you're all putting your face between my legs and talking flirty." It all comes tumbling out. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t even make sense to him, but I had to get it all out.
It helps that he's driving, so he can't stare at me while I do it.
"Jealous?"
"Did I say I was jealous?"
"Yes."
"Well, I didn't mean to say that part, so skip over it." Can’t be revealing everything to this man. I mean, I’ve already agreed to way too much today. I need to have some sort of boundaries.
"I'm not skipping it." I huff a loud, annoyed breath since he can't see my annoyed expression. "Babe, I have no clue why you'd ever be jealous. I don't date. Never have. I'm sure as hell not going to date a person who works for me or anyone else, for that matter."
"You don't see how women eye-fuck you."
He actually cringes. "God, I hope not. Sounds invasive."
"Are you serious right now?"
"That I don't want random people eye-fucking me? Yeah, it's creepy. You can do it if you like."
"Of course I can; I let you put your head between my thighs." He lets out a low chuckle. "Whatever, I thought maybe you were dating in secret."
"I won't be dating in secret." He sounds offended.
"Well, you have to date."
"I don't."
"You do."
"Woman, we're going in circles here. I'm not dating anyone but you. I haven't dated anyone else. Why would I? I don't, nor have I ever had, interest in someone else, and I'd be a dumbshit to date when I've spent years trying to get your attention."
“Oh, well. Umm. That’s a lot for me to process, and I’m already on overload.” I take a minute to mull over his words.
“Cat got your tongue, Cupcake?” He thinks he’s shocked me. Which he totally has, but I’m not going to admit it. Cause how the hell has that man never dated nor been interested in a woman before me? I know he said those words, but I can’t wrap my mind around them.
“Just trying to figure out what your level of obsession is with me on a scale of one to ten.” I peek over at him for the first time since his confession of undying love for me. Okay, he didn’t actually say love, but you get my point.
“Babe, I moved here and got a job.” If I were trying to process everything, that would have fried my inner system. We’re almost to my place.
“You moved here for me?”
“Shit, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Why? Was it not true?” I shoot him a death glare.
“It’s true, but I don’t want it making you feel a certain way. Make you think you owe me anything.”
“Oh, well, I don’t.” I mean, I don't because I want him here, and it gives me all the girly feels that he would do that. It says everything. He smirks. "What are you smirking at?" Cash better not be getting too cocky on me. But damn he does cocky so right.
"You make me smirk, I guess." He shrugs. I glare at him. "Babe, I smirk because I find your responses cute. I get a kick out of that mouth of yours, and hopefully I'll get to use it for other things."
"You!" I can't; this time I laugh. “You’re terrible.”
“If that’s what I have to do.”
“When did you start getting funny?”
“I’m not trying to be.”
“Oh, I know.” Another laugh spills free. “That only makes it funnier.” He pulls into my driveway.
"We can do this here, but I'd rather take you back to the cabin."
"You got food over there?"
"I do."
"All right, but I need to grab a few things."
“Pack a bag ‘cause you’ll be spending the night. Let me get your door,” he says as he gets out of his cruiser. He comes over to open my door for me.
“You know, I already agreed to let you in my pants; you don’t have to be extra gentlemanly.”
“I wasn’t trying to be a gentleman. I simply enjoy taking care of and watching out for you. It brings me pleasure.” He steps closer, boxing me into the open door of his cruiser. "I don't do shit I don't want to." Holy shit. I’m completely off-kilter here.
"I've bossed you around a few times," I half-heartedly tease.
"Doesn't mean I don't want to do it."
“I think it was pretty clear a few times you weren’t happy about it.”
“First off, you can be unhappy about doing something and still want to do it, but that’s not the case.” He steps in closer, my body pressing against his. “When do I have your full attention?” It’s so hard to think when he’s this close to me. Especially to answer questions, but I manage.
“When you get me all worked up.” It dawns on me. He’s been doing that shit on purpose, and he all but confirmed it.
“And every time you get going, I’m right where I want to be.”
“This is all real. You really want to be with me.”
“From day one.”
“I thought you were being protective because of my brother and only saw me as a kid sister.” Now it makes more sense why he was quick to correct those comments when I would make them.
“I don’t give a shit if your brother is okay with it or not.”
“So you didn’t ask him?”
“Why would I do that? You’re a grown woman. It’s your answers only that I care about.”
Okay, he might be getting that blow job either way. I mean, he may be sorely disappointed because I have no clue what I’m doing, but I’m going to give it my all. “Let me grab my things, and we can talk about this more at your place while you feed me.”
“All right,” he agrees, and I think he’s going to step back, but he doesn’t. Instead, his head dips to press his mouth to mine. His tongue doesn’t ask for permission this time. Cash thrusts it past my lips, taking what he wants. I moan.
I have been half in love with this man for years while thinking he didn’t see me as more than my brother’s little sister. Now that he’s coming at me at full force, showing me another side of him, I’m a goner.
“Oh shit! About time!”
Cash’s head lifts, breaking our kiss.
“Nick, move along,” I order him. He lives across the street with his parents. It’s his last year of high school. “And don’t be spreading this around town, or I might have to spread things I know about you.” His eyes widen briefly.
“No, you wouldn’t, but I’ll keep it to myself.” Nick heads into his house.
"You got a problem with people knowing about us?" Cash asks, but I can see a trace of hurt in his eyes.
"I kissed you in the bar," I remind him.
"You were drunk."
"I don't care. I honestly thought you wouldn't care for PDA." He can be so reserved, or so I thought.
"If you're letting me touch and kiss you, I'll be doing just that."
"All right, Sheriff. Before you get more handsy, let me grab my things." He steps back so I can move past him, and he gives me a small smack on the ass.
"You're itching to be glitter bombed," I tease.
"I'm used to it at this point."
"Thanks for letting me know. I'll have to come up with something new." He follows me to my front door, and I slide my key into the lock.
Cash's hand covers mine before I can turn it, halting me. I can tell from his expression and the way he's tilting his head that he's listening for something. He presses his hand to my stomach to push me back a couple of steps to unlock the door himself.
Neither of us are prepared for what's on the other side.
.