Chapter 14 #2
“Uh uh.” Cash smiled so wide that she melted a little. “You said it. No taking it back. You want to live with us.”
“Of course, I do… when it’s the right time,” Sable admitted. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for good, and while I know we have things to work through, this is where I belong.”
“So, are you giving up thieving?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Could you give up who you are? Because being a thief is more than my job. It’s in my blood. I would be miserable if I couldn’t do it… at least in some capacity.”
Cash nodded slowly, and Sable’s gut knotted. This was it. This was the moment he realized their attachment didn’t cancel out her illegal lifestyle.
“Is that a deal breaker?” she asked when he said nothing.
“What if you only robbed bad guys?” he asked. “Like you did with the egg? You stole it from the thieves after my ex turned it over to Him and saved my job. Would that satisfy the itch?”
“So, you want me to only steal from people who have it coming? Like a vigilante?” she asked.
“Yeah… because then you’d technically be a hero.
” He twisted until he stood before her, the position forcing her to look into his eyes.
“You said it, but I haven’t. I’m trying to go slow, but I can’t let you be the only one to have said it, so I love you, Sable.
You filled a void in my life that I didn’t realize was a raw and bloody wound.
You’ve healed a part of my heart that I thought would remain forever damaged, and watching you fight for my son when his own mother wouldn’t changed everything.
I need this between us to work, and if you won’t stop stealing, then at least do good with it.
I can live with that because what I can’t live without is you.
So, can we find a way to make this work? ”
Sable didn’t care that they had an audience, and she slipped her arms around Cash’s neck. She hadn’t expected him to say those three simple yet life-altering words, but he had, and her soul filled with peace. She was home. She’d found her family, and she would do whatever it took to keep them.
“If I use my skills for good, you don’t mind what I am?” she asked, lifting her lips to his as she spoke with a tone so seductive that his eyes almost rolled back into his head.
“Yeah…” he trailed off, unable to focus on anything but her mouth.
“Then I’m determined to make this work because you are worth it.”
“Fuck, Sable,” Cash whispered. “You need to be careful. There are people in this room, but if you keep speaking like that, I’m bound to forget.”
“Then I’ll save that voice for later.”
“You play dirty.”
“Always.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention?” the Easter Egg Hunt Coordinator said through his microphone, and Sable and Cash jerked apart like teens caught making out under the bleachers. “We’ve tallied the eggs, and we have your winners!”
The crowd erupted, and Clover raced to join his family for the verdict.
“The winner will receive a chocolate replica of the Precieux egg as well as gift cards to local restaurants,” the coordinator continued. “Second place will win a few baseball tickets, and third place will receive a voucher for the museum’s gift shop. So, without further ado, the winning team is…”
“Good luck, guys,” Sable said as the trio joined hands.
“Aron from security and his family!” the coordinator said, and as Aron’s family exploded in cheers, Sable and Cash gawked at each other.
“What!” Clover wailed. “How did they win? We had so many.”
“Yes, but look at the size of his family,” Sable said, rubbing his back to soothe his disappointment. “There are ten of them and three of us. They had better odds.”
“Yeah, but we had you,” Clover said.
“I’m glad you think so highly of me.”
“Aron’s family located six hundred and forty-five eggs,” the coordinator said, and Cash, Sable, and Clover all shared an excited squeal. That was only one egg more than they’d found, which meant…
“And coming in second place with six hundred and forty-four is our beloved Head of Security, Cash and his family!”
“Baseball tickets!” Clover shouted as the trio whooped and hollered. “We won baseball tickets. I can’t wait.”
“I think that’s a better prize than a chocolate egg, anyway,” Sable said, spinning the boy. “We get to hang out together and eat hotdogs. I’m so happy.”
“Me too!” Clover jerked to a halt and flung his arms around her waist. “I love you.”
Sable instantly burst into tears at his confession. Big, fat, ugly, uncontrollable tears.
“Did I say something bad?” Clover froze with a sick expression splashed across his face.
“Oh my god, no!” Sable stooped to cup his cheeks.
“I’m just happy because I love you, too.
” She pulled him into a hug as the boy started sobbing.
They missed the third-place winner announcement as they clung to one another, and before long, Cash joined them, his encompassing arms safe and strong.
Sable planted a secretive kiss on his cheek before kissing Clover’s because this was her family. She felt it in her marrow.
“Hey, Cash…. Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Aron said, and the three of them twisted as a unit to realize he and his wife hovered over them.
“No, you’re fine.” Cash stood, and by the hitch in his voice, he’d been crying too. Gods, she loved this man. “What’s up?”
“My kids want to invite everyone over for pizza and a sleepover to celebrate,” Aron said. “I realize it’s Easter, but we’d love to have Clover over.”
“Please, Dad, can I go?” he captured his father’s hands as he vibrated with anticipation. “It will be so fun.”
“Sure.” Cash smiled. “I didn’t make any Easter dinner plans. I don’t have a toothbrush or a change of clothes for you, though.”
“No worries,” Aron’s wife said. “He can borrow clothes from my boys, and with all my kids, I buy toothbrushes in bulk.”
“Ok, great.” Cash shook Aron’s hand. “Thanks, man. I’ll pick him up before school in the morning.”
“Sounds good.” Aron and his family left, but before Clover followed, he hugged his dad’s waist.
“Thank you.” He let go and hugged Sable. “Love you. See you tomorrow.”
“Love you too,” Sable and Cash chimed together, and while it was definitely too early to be dreaming of such a future, Sable couldn’t help but wonder if they’d be saying I love you to more kids one day.
“He’ll have a blast,” she said, sad that the night was ending. She didn’t want to go home alone, and that crappy apartment felt painfully empty now.
“He will, and to be honest, I’m glad he has plans.” Cash’s voice turned dangerous as he stepped behind her. His chest pressed suggestively against her spine, and when he gripped her hip, a small gasp of arousal escaped her lips. It amazed her how the man’s voice alone could turn her on.
“Because I feel like a hunt of our own.” He kissed her throat, and Sable’s core tightened at his meaning. “How about it, Sable? I keep what I catch?”
“Yes, sir.” Anticipation coated her words.
“Good girl. Now run.”