Chapter 24
Chapter twenty-four
Sun To Me
Maverick
There were some times that I wondered how Cash and I were related. This was one of those times. The brash, brazen behavior, the dumb logic. It all baffled me. But it clearly worked for him.
I shook my head as he educated Cheyenne on the CASH system.
He’d come up with it not long after Dakota left. I think it was a way for him to deal with the pain. A way to feel in control after everything he’d ever hoped and dreamed for shattered right before his eyes.
“So, it works like this,” Cash said, cracking open a Coors and taking a sip.
“You start out with the letter C—charm the piss outta ‘em. Find out what they like and shit. It’s your chance to really win ‘em over.” Another sip. “Next, assist them—A. Make her feel like you’re useful. Capable. This leads into S—seduce them. This is my personal favorite.”
Charlie groaned, rubbing a hand across her forehead. “Dear Jesus, remind me to never let Cason take dating advice from you.”
Cash chortled, his obnoxious donkey bray of laughter echoing through the room. Thankfully, Cason had already run outside with Dutch and Brandy. After another swig, Cash went on. “The last letter—H—stands for hightail it outta there.”
Cheyenne moved around the island and to my side, all the while her attention still on Cash. She leaned her head against me in a silent show of affection before disappearing behind me as I worked.
As Cash explained his ridiculous system, I finished up searing all the chicken and placing it on a serving plate.
It was only then I realized I wasn’t the one who’d gotten the plate out in the first place.
I frowned, glancing around to find Cheyenne over in the dining area setting up the table with plates and utensils.
A small smile pulled on my lips. It must have been her.
Crazy how easy things had been since she’d come here. I’d expected more of a struggle… I guess there was still time for that. It had only been a few days, but I don’t know, I’d expected more problems by now.
“Oh my God,” Cheyenne finally huffed, a disbelieving chuckle escaping her. “You’re a sociopath, Mooney.”
The whole room laughed, including Cash. Charlie’s eyes glinted with playful mischief as she came up to Cheyenne’s side and smirked. “I don’t think he even knows what that means.”
Cheyenne’s lips pulled up into a matching smirk. “Bless his heart.”
The two of them erupted into a fit of giggles that were drowned out by Cash’s laughter.
As the night wore on, I noticed Cheyenne’s inner light begin to dim. It was gradual, subtle, and unless you were really looking you probably wouldn’t even notice.
But I did.
She still laughed and smiled and interacted, but the glimmer in her eyes had dulled. She was tired and uncomfortable, looking the way I felt most of the time.
I reached out a hand and squeezed her bare thigh—soft beneath my touch. Her gaze snapped to mine, a question brimming in her eyes.
I lifted my brow. You okay?
She offered me a strained smile and nodded. So, not fine.
I scanned the room, my eyes landing on Charlie. She gave me a knowing look, like she could see Cheyenne was done too. Patting Ryder’s leg, she sighed loud enough to halt the chatter in the room. “I think we should probably get a certain little dude to bed.”
“Aw, come on, Auntie Charlotte. I’m not even tired,” Cason groaned from his spot on the floor. Brandy and Dutch were glued to either side of him as he stroked the coats lovingly. A yawn escaped him, as if to contradict his words.
Charlie laughed. “Oh really? Your yawn says otherwise, bud.”
He whined and pouted as Charlie and Ryder rose from their spots on the couch. But it all turned to laughter when Cash scooped him up, tossing him up onto his shoulders like a sack of potatoes.
“Come on, little man,” Cash said with a grin. “Have I ever told you the bed story of Goldicocks and the three whores?”
“Dear God, Cash!” Charlie hissed, before glaring at Ryder—albeit playfully.
Ryder frowned, his shoulders shooting up to his ears in a defensive shrug. “What’dya want me to do about it?”
“He’s your best friend! Control him.”
Ryder and I shared a knowing look, smirks crossing our faces. There was no controlling Cash. We’d tried and failed on many, many occasions. “I’d like to see you control him, darlin’,” Ryder said, a brow rising in challenge.
Charlie leveled him with another glare that nobody really bought. The smirk on Ryder’s face turned to one of his easy, lopsided grins, accentuating his scar, the look in his eyes saying, you know I’m right.
“Goodnight y’all. Thanks for the games and company,” Cheyenne said, rising from her spot and hugging each of them.
I nodded goodbye as well, holding the door for them all as they filed out and headed for the Polaris to drive back to their houses. I gave a final wave and closed the door, blowing out a deep sigh as I turned the lock.
Cheyenne huffed out a laugh. “You sound exactly how I feel.”
Don’t get me wrong, I loved them all, loved living on the ranch with them and having such a close bond, but there was a certain point in the day where I was just done peopling.
I moved to her, grabbing her hand in mine, and pulled her toward the bedroom. She resisted a moment. “Shouldn’t we clean up first?”
I wasn’t the type to leave a mess usually, but I could see the weight of the day dragging her down.
Waving a dismissive hand at the kitchen, I urged her on once more.
She didn’t resist this time, but followed along as I led her to the bathroom.
I let go of her hand and turned on the water to the tub, glancing back at her.
“You wanna take a bath?” she asked, her eyes sparking with interest.
I pointed to myself and shook my head before pointing at her and nodding.
Her brows furrowed together, her nose scrunching up slightly from the motion. “You want me to take a bath?”
Another nod.
“But you need help. There’s so much to clean up.”
I pulled her to me and dipped my mouth to hers, kissing her long and slow. My fingers played with the hem of her royal blue crop top, earning a little shiver from her as they scraped against her torso.
“Maverick…” she whispered, breaking the kiss as her head fell back, a silent plea for me to kiss her neck. She did that a lot. Hell, she could keep doing it, I didn’t mind one bit.
The sound of my name on her lips just about shattered any resolve I had. It was husky, smokey, seductive. She could say it a thousand times and I’d never tire of it.
I grabbed her shirt and pulled it off her, revealing her white lace bra beneath. Kissing her once more, I nodded toward the tub. A silent request to get in.
One of her manicured brows rose even as a skeptical scowl formed on her lips. With a defeated sigh, she shimmied out of her denim shorts.
God, she was beautiful. Intoxicating. All tan skin and curves… And I wanted all of her. Every inch of her. But when I had words. When I could tell her just how much I wanted her. Just how I wanted her. I couldn’t even count all the ways at this point.
Right now, I just didn’t have the words in me. They would come. I could feel it. I just needed a little more time.
“You sure I can’t help you?” she asked, settling into the rising water. “Or at least convince you to join me?”
I gave my head a single, firm shake before kissing her once and leaving her. If I lingered any longer, I would be joining her.
I wasn’t ready to give her all of me, but I still have plenty to offer her. Plenty to keep her happy and satisfied with. But she didn’t need that right now. She needed to relax and unwind. And I needed to clean.
Music drifted through the speakers that ran through the Google Home not long later. Cheyenne’s doing, no doubt. Some newer country bullshit because she knew I hated it and couldn’t do anything about it. Not when I had to talk to the speaker to control it.
So, this is my punishment for leavin’ her. My lips pulled up into a grin as I washed dishes.
I tuned out most of the songs while I cleaned up, though I hated to admit it, some weren't half bad.
By the time I walked back into the room twenty minutes later, she stood in the bathroom wrapped in a soft, fluffy black towel, brushing her hair out as she sang along to the radio, using her brush as a microphone as she sang for Brandy at her side.
She was completely oblivious to me, so I just watched her.
It was probably—no, definitely indecent of me, but I couldn’t help it.
She was so wild, free, full of life. And to think of what she’d gone through as a kid.
For as shitty as my father was, he hadn’t left.
Hadn’t given up on us completely, though, you could argue it would have been better if he did.
But her mom just left. Left a poor, innocent child.
And unlike me, who’d withdrawn and retreated within myself, she’d embraced it, moved on from the trauma, and didn’t let it affect her. She ate the cake, took back control. I wished I could be like that.
Unable to resist the magnetic pull of her any longer, I strode for the bathroom and pulled her into my arms. Her turquoise gaze settled on me as she whirled around, her cheeks blushing even as she continued to sing the last few lines of the song. I found myself swaying softly to the beat.
I don’t think I’d ever like dancing, but I’d dance for her.
As it ended, a satisfied smirk tugged on her lips. “See, I told you you’d like Zach Bryan.”
I shrugged. Fine. I liked him, but I liked the song more because she was singing it. Her smile widened, and she reached up on tiptoe to kiss me. Lightness filled me and, one by one, I felt the muscles in my body relax. She had a soothing touch. It was like a balm to my worries.
I cupped her face in my hands, pressing my forehead to hers. I hadn’t told her just how grateful I was for her, but I hope she felt it. I hope she saw it in my eyes, and felt it in every touch, kiss, embrace.
“Thank you for forcin’ me to take a bath,” she said softly. “It was relaxin’.”
I nodded, giving her an I-told-you look.
She smirked and rolled her eyes, her fingers playing at the pearl buttons of my shirt.
“So y’all do dinner every night?” There was a layer of guilt tangled in with the curiosity in her tone.
I shrugged. Usually. But there were some days when it was just me. Or just the boys and I. Or Charlie. I think they all felt like Cheyenne and I—well, let’s be honest, I—needed the company after the fire.
“Is it worse because of what happened?” she asked, all but reading my mind.
Another shrug and a curt nod.
She blew out a breath. “Figures. Don’t get me wrong, I adore them all and it’s nice that y’all are so close, but… damn.”
I felt that in my soul.
I huffed, a soft smile pulling on my lips as I tugged her toward the bedroom.
She followed along easily, grabbing some of her things from the dresser.
I’d given up a couple of my drawers to her.
Without it even needing to be said, we’d both decided on her staying in here after that first night.
Not gonna lie, I didn’t mind. Things felt a little easier with her around.
I’d always struggled with sleep, and after the fire my anxiety and insomnia were through the roof.
But she helped. Her sunshine presence helped chase away the shadows and darkness.
I sat in the leather armchair by the window and pulled my boots off, my eyes glued to Cheyenne as she slipped into a pair of bright pink, lacy underwear and one of my t-shirts she’d stolen that barely covered the curve of her ass.
“You gonna shower?” she asked, coming to stand before me.
I nodded as she undid the snaps on my shirt, tugging gently downwards to pull the fabric off me.
Her eyes traveled over me, the intensity in her stare scorching.
I shivered as she pulled my tank off next, all the while admiring my scars.
I didn’t get it. Didn’t understand what she found remotely attractive about them.
They were brutal and hideous and I hated them more than anything I’d ever known…
I’d spent twenty years keeping them covered up.
Only a handful of people had ever even seen them.
Even less had touched them. Yet here she was, running a manicured fingertip up and down the mottled canyons of my flesh.
“Can I join you?” Her words were a husky whisper, holding the same sultry edge to it that her gaze did. I couldn’t stop myself from grabbing her jaw and pulling her mouth down to meet mine.
A little hum of approval trickled out of her that almost shattered my resolve completely.
As much as I wanted her to join me, she needed rest. Under the desire and lust burning in her gaze, exhaustion lingered.
She’d been through a lot this week. What with being sick, her home burning down, and now dealing with a roommate and all of the social functions we all did on a weekly basis.
Besides, we had to spend tomorrow morning getting everything loaded up and ready for the rodeo this weekend.
And I know this wasn’t fair of me, was probably a bit cruel, but I picked her up in my arms, lips still pressed to hers, and carried her to the bed before setting her down.
Pegging me with a harsh, disbelieving stare, Cheyenne’s bottom lip jutted out into a pout. “Ugh, seriously?”
I grinned, leaning over to kiss her once more before flicking her gently on the nose and walking toward the bathroom.
She stayed on the bed, much to my surprise, though I could hear her grumbling over the music and the spray of the water as I turned the shower on.
She stopped pretty quick though, and when I came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, she was curled up under the covers, her hair a wild mess on my pillows, sound asleep.