Chapter Fourteen
Eliza
I stood in the doorway of Lily’s room, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she slept.
Mr. Flopsy was tucked securely under one arm and her new giraffe, Spots, nestled against her cheek.
For the first time in weeks, her face looked completely peaceful, unmarked by the fear and confusion shadowing her since Ms. Winters had taken her away.
The dim glow of her nightlight cast soft shadows across the room.
I lingered there, needing the sight of my daughter, peaceful in her bed.
Quietly, I pulled the door halfway closed and leaned my forehead against the wall.
My fingers trembled slightly as I dialed Pippa’s number. She answered on the second ring.
“Hey, Eliza. Everything OK?” Her voice held immediate concern.
“Yes,” I whispered, moving farther from Lily’s door. “I just need to go out for a bit. Could you come sit with Lily?”
A pause stretched between us. “Cash?” she asked simply.
Heat crept up my neck at the knowing tone in her voice. “Yeah,” I admitted, seeing no point in lying.
“Be there in five.”
True to her word, Pippa appeared at my door minutes later, wearing pajama pants and a Kiss of Death sweatshirt she’d probably stolen from Gunnar. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, but her eyes were alert and kind.
“Go,” she said, gesturing toward the hallway with a gentle shooing motion. “Lily will be fine. She’s been sleeping straight through since she got back.”
I hesitated at the door. “Are you sure? I don’t know how long --”
“Eliza,” Pippa interrupted, placing her hands on my shoulders. “Take your time. You deserve this.” Her expression softened. “He’s a good man. I’ll stay with Lily and call you if she wakes up. Whether she asks for you or not. OK?”
I nodded, unable to form words around the lump in my throat. “I put some blankets and a couple of pillows on the couch.”
She hugged me to her for a brief moment. “You go on. I’ve got this.”
I stepped out into the hallway, leaning against the wall as my heart pounded against my ribs. I pulled out my phone again and messaged. Cash called me back immediately.
“Eliza? Everything all right?” His voice rumbled through the line, concern evident in every syllable.
“Everything’s fine,” I assured him quickly. “I promise. I just… Can I come see you? To talk?”
The brief pause sent my stomach plummeting until he spoke again. “Come on up. I’ll meet you in the hall outside the elevator.”
True to his word, Cash was waiting by the elevator when the doors slid open on his floor. He wore worn jeans and a faded black T-shirt stretching across his broad shoulders. His hair was slightly mussed, as if he’d been running his hands through it.
“Hey,” he said, his voice soft in the quiet hallway.
“Hey,” I replied, suddenly unsure what to do with my hands.
He gestured toward his apartment door. “Come on in.”
His room was near the elevator and he quickly opened the door, ushering me inside. His shoulders held visible tension as if he tried very hard to appear calm.
“Can I get you anything?” he asked, hovering near the small kitchen. “Coffee? Water?”
“No, I’m fine,” I replied, perching on the edge of his sofa. My fingers twisted together in my lap, betraying my nervousness.
Cash sat on the opposite end of the sofa, his body angled toward mine. The space between us felt charged with everything unsaid. He studied my face carefully, as if searching for clues about why I was there.
“Is Lily OK?” he asked finally, breaking the silence.
“She’s fine,” I assured him. “Sleeping. Pippa’s with her.”
He nodded, his relief visible. “And you? How are you doing with everything?”
I almost laughed at the impossibility of answering such a simple question. “I’m…” I searched for words. “I’m figuring it out. One day at a time.”
Cash nodded again, his eyes never leaving my face. “I know you will. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met, Eliza.”
The sincerity in his voice made my throat tight. We lapsed into silence again, the real reason for my visit hovering between.
“Cash, I didn’t come because of another crisis,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “I came because I wanted to see you.” I twisted my fingers together in my lap. “I’m sorry about the way I left before. You did exactly what I wanted, then I…”
“Hey.” He moved close enough to be able to rest his big hand over my clenched ones. “No apologies. Especially not about trying to do what’s best for Lily. You have a lot going on. Just know I’m here when you need me. For anything.”
“I know,” I whispered. “And I appreciate your support.” I took a breath.
“Cash, is there any possibility of things going further between us? I mean…” I swallowed nervously.
“Part of the reason I left so suddenly was because I knew I could see myself with you. Tangled in the sheets each morning. Sitting down to breakfast before we all went about our day.” I glanced up at him.
“Sitting on the couch holding hands while we watch some silly TV show with Lily.”
Cash shifted closer on the sofa, close enough I felt the heat radiating from his body. “What are you saying, Eliza?”
I met his gaze directly, my heart hammering. “I’m saying I want this. Us. Whatever a relationship between us looks like. I want to find out if I can finally have the fairy tale I’ve always wanted.”
His hand came up slowly, giving me time to pull away if I wanted. When his palm cupped my cheek, I leaned into the touch, my eyes fluttering closed briefly. “Eliza,” he murmured, his thumb brushing over my cheekbone. “Are you sure about this? About me?”
I opened my eyes, finding his face inches from mine. “I’m sure about how I feel when I’m with you. The rest we’ll figure out. But I’d like to figure it out together.”
The first brush of his lips against mine was tentative, barely there. I leaned in closer, my hand resting on the solid warmth of his chest. His heartbeat thundered beneath my palm, matching the rapid rhythm of my own.
The second kiss was different. Cash’s arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer, claiming my mouth with newfound certainty.
Heat bloomed low in my belly, spreading to my clit and pussy as his tongue traced the seam of my lips, seeking entrance I willingly granted.
I curled my fingers in his shirt, anchoring myself against the surge of desire threatening to overwhelm me.
When we broke apart, both breathing hard, Cash rested his forehead against mine. “I will never, ever get enough of kissing you, Eliza.”
“I’m sorry I ran, Cash.”
He shook his head slightly, his nose brushing against mine. “You weren’t ready. Are you ready now?”
Instead of answering with words, I kissed him again, pouring everything I couldn’t say into the press of my lips and the slide of my tongue against his.
His arms tightened around me, lifting me easily into his lap so I straddled him, pulling me tight against him.
His hard cock mashed tight against my pussy, making me gasp.
Cash swallowed the sound with another searing kiss.
Cash slid his deliciously rough hands under my shirt and around to my lower back. Each touch sent shivers racing up my spine, igniting nerves only Cash seemed to be able to control. I arched against him, suddenly desperate for more contact.
“Cash,” I breathed against his lips. “I want --”
“What do you want, lil’ Liza?” he murmured, his mouth trailing down to the sensitive spot just below my ear. “Tell me.”
“You,” I said simply. “I want you to fuck me.”
Cash stood in one fluid motion, lifting me with him as if I weighed nothing.
My legs wrapped instinctively around his waist as he carried me three steps to pin me against the nearest wall.
His mouth never left mine, the kiss deepening with a hunger matching the fire building inside me.
I moaned against his lips as his hips thrust forward, the hard ridge of his cock rubbing over my clit through our clothes.
He gripped my thighs, supporting my weight effortlessly as he broke the kiss to trail his lips down my neck.
Each touch of his mouth against my skin sent electricity coursing through me.
“You’re so fuckin’ beautiful,” he murmured against my collarbone, his breath hot against my skin. “Bravest, strongest woman I’ve ever met.”
His words sent a shiver down my spine, the raw honesty in his voice more arousing than any practiced seduction. I tugged at the hem of his shirt, suddenly desperate to feel his skin against mine.
“Off,” I commanded, my voice barely recognizable to my own ears.
Cash set me down gently, stepping back just enough to pull his shirt over his head in one smooth motion.
I’d caught glimpses of his tattoos before, but now I had the luxury of really looking at him.
Intricate designs flowed across his broad chest and down his arms, each one telling part of a story I wanted to learn.
Beneath the ink, his muscles rippled with each breath.
His skin was hot beneath my fingertips, his pulse jumping at my touch. Cash stood perfectly still under my exploration, his breathing becoming more ragged as my fingers traced lower, following a trail of tattoos disappearing beneath his waistband.
“Your turn,” he said, his voice rough with desire.
I whipped the T-shirt over my head. The cool air kissed my skin as Cash took the garment from me, letting it fall forgotten to the floor. His gaze traveled over my exposed skin, appreciation darkening his eyes to midnight.
“Christ, Eliza,” he breathed, his fingers trailing reverently over the swell of my breast above my bra. “You’re fuckin’ perfect.”