Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
KINDRED
The nearest strip club is located a few towns away, and I believe it only features topless dancers.
I have nothing against a woman making her coin, but I don’t love the idea of Cash going to strip clubs.
He wouldn't even let me pull my panties to the side.
I guess I didn't see him as the type that went to those places.
I’ll never understand how people think strip clubs can be a free pass in relationships. Having the sign say Strip Club on it doesn’t make the inside of the building different from any other place when it comes to the terms of a relationship.
“Babe, I was in charge of a lot of men in the Army and Rangers. They went out partying when they had downtime."
"And you didn't?"
"I don't care to be touched."
"Really?" I have never gotten that vibe from him.
"You can touch me all you want, but in general, I'd prefer people to keep their hands to themselves, and most do."
"So you're not a big hugger?" I tease.
"There wasn't a whole lot of hugging in the house I grew up in. Suppose I'm not used to it." Cash never talks about his childhood. I know both of his parents have passed. He doesn't ever talk about them.
"You never talk about your childhood."
"Wasn't a good one. Father sent me to military school thinking it would shape me up how he wanted, but I enjoyed it. At least there, when I got in trouble, I deserved it."
"Oh." I can read between those lines. He was raised in an abusive household. "I'm sorry."
"It's in the past." He shrugs. I reach over and place my hand on his thigh.
"That stuff lingers and can shape us. You didn't let it destroy you and turn you into an angry, hurtful person. It says a lot about you."
"If my father taught me anything, it was to never be the man he was."
"You're a good man, Cash. I mean, you've had me in love with you for years, and I have never crushed on anyone else. Knew you were different. I sensed it even when you wanted to throttle me."
"Kindred." He glances over toward me. "You cannot say that shit to me when I'm driving."
"What?"
"Love."
"Sorry." I shrug. "But it's true. I mean, of course I love you." He nods his head. "Hey." I tap his thigh. "And don't go thinking I'm saying that like I would about other casual people in town. It's different."
"What did I just tell you?"
"When do I ever do what you tell me?" I tease him. "Besides, we have exited the holiday movies and entered into the Halloween movie. I must tell you these things before we die."
"Kindred." He growls my name, and damn is it hot.
"It's okay. I'm a virgin, so I'll make it out alive. Sorry for you and my brother’s luck." He does that normal slow shake of his head at me. Once upon a time, I thought he was annoying. Now not so much.
"Then I should be all right too." If Cash was trying to take my mind off the crap done at my house, this would do it. “I was thinking about putting in a gate here,” he says, pulling down the road that leads to his house. I suppose it’s a driveway, but the house is really far back.
Is he seriously talking about putting in a gate when he just dropped a huge bomb on me? “You okay?”
“I’m stuck back at you being a virgin. That’s what you meant, right?” How that’s even possible is beyond me.
“Told you, I don’t care to be touched.” But I can touch him. Wow, see, I knew from the start Cash was different. That he was meant to be mine, if we could both get out of our own way. “Is that a problem?” I realize we have stopped and are now parked outside of his cabin.
“No, but you have a dirty mouth for a virgin.”
“I don’t think my mouth has anything to do with my sexual history and more to do with you. I often say what I’m thinking, and you provoke those thoughts.” He’s so getting that blow job at some point.
"Mmkay." I lick my lips, not sure what to say.
"You got a giant smile on your face."
"What?!" I reach up and touch my cheeks. "Don't get cocky."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
I narrow my eyes on him. "Then why didn't you tell me you wanted me forever ago if you say what you're thinking?"
"I'm saying I'm not shy. What I was doing with you, I had not a fucking clue.
Told you I'm shit with women, and I didn't think telling you that I couldn’t stop thinking about how your pussy would taste or how much farther your dresses would pull up your thighs if you were pregnant with our baby would go over too well. "
"Holy crap," I whisper.
In my daze of shock, Cash gets out of the car, coming around to open my door for me. He grabs my bag too.
"That whole whore thing that happened at my house might not be so bad."
"You've lost your mind." He unlocks the door, letting us in.
"What? We cleared up so much crap on the car ride."
"I was planning to clear it all up tonight. It's not women that I need to learn to understand and be good with. It's you, and I'm seeing now you rather enjoy when I'm more direct and forceful."
"I do not," I lie, slipping my shoes off.
"Are you sure about that?" he challenges, setting my bag down to turn and face me.
"What do you mean?" Is it hot in here? What does he keep the thermostat at? He takes a step toward me, a hungry expression taking over his face. Cash never shows any of his emotions, but right now he's showing me everything.
"Running scared?" He cocks his head, and I realize I have now pressed myself against the closed front door.
"I don't run scared." His hands come down beside my head, caging me in.
"I can check for myself." He leans down, and I think he's going to kiss me, but his mouth brushes my jaw before he presses a kiss to the column of my neck. "If I slipped my hands into your panties, would you be wet for me?"
"Cash—"
“Damn, Cupcake. You know how hard it makes me when you say my name all breathy? You never use that tone with anyone else." The man really doesn't miss anything when it comes to me.
"Maybe."
He lifts his head at my response. "Babe, don't make me prove it. Your brother is almost to the front door, but if you want me to—"
"Okay, I am!" I hiss, my cheeks starting to flame. His hand cups the back of my neck, his thumb stroking my pulse point.
"Good girl." He kisses the top of my head and steps back.
“You’ll pay for that,” I whisper, and he smirks. I love how much more he's doing that now, not just giving me that blank expression. I bet that's also a part of his childhood trauma. You learn to hide your emotions. “You know what?” I point my finger at him. He grabs it, kissing the tip.
“What?” I think he is ready for anything that I could throw his way. Cash is a lot more laid back than I realized. He can really roll with it—roll with me and my antics.
“Nothing.” I duck my head because I’m so not letting him see me smiling. He gives my ass a small smack. I try to slap his hand but miss by a mile, which he finds very amusing as he opens the door for my brother right before he gets to it.
“Damn, you’ve done a lot to this place,” he says as he enters.
“Slowly but surely.”
“I’m sure now that you got Kindred close she’ll have it all done up in no time.” Cash flicks a glance to me. I don’t say anything because he’s not wrong, but I don’t live here yet.
"Can I get a proper hug?" I ask my brother.
"Shit, sorry." He gives me a sheepish expression but wraps me in a tight hug. "I'd ask how things are, but there is a lot of shit happening at once."
"Yeah." I let out a sigh. "I suppose I should tell you about the prank calls I've been getting."
I fill him in on that as we make our way to Cash's office. He turns on his computer. I can tell my brother is trying to keep his anger masked.
"This is going to piss you off, Cupcake, but your tire was slashed."
"I knew I didn't hit a curb." I narrow my eyes at Cash.
"I never said you did." Oh, right.
"If I did, and it’s a big if, it wasn't hard; I kind of clipped one or two.
" They both stare at me as if not shocked by this.
"It's hard to see them when snow is piled up in ginormous piles! You should really look into that, Sheriff. It could be a safety issue. You’re the one that is supposed to be keeping us safe and all.”
"Think he already knew your curb issue. It’s why he got you the Bronco." My brother kicks his legs out in front of him, stretching out in the chair he's taken up residence in.
The office is beautiful. I must have missed it the other day. All the built-ins make it a dream office, the bay window with a sitting nook only adding to it. It’s very manly and fits Cash.
"Wait." I snap out of my adoration of the office that has me all over it. "Why did you say Cash bought my Bronco when you did?”
"I never said I bought it," my brother defends. "I just gave you the keys, and when you said you couldn't take it, I told you I couldn't take it back." He smiles. "Because I couldn't.”
"Don't get all selective with your words so you can lie to me."
"Pretty sure that's a family skill set," Cash mutters, his attention on the computer screen. That might be true, so I'm not going to respond.
"This office is really nice."
"Knew you loved built-ins."
"How do you know that?"
"When you talk, I listen."
"Okay, but when did I talk about built-ins?"
"When I told you about doing my office, I asked for tips and ideas." A million and one conversations flutter through my mind. He is always asking for my opinion on everything.
"Hey, we might be tricky with our words to dodge lying, but you're being manipulative with yours," I accuse.
"Yes, I'm an asshole for asking my girl the things she likes so that I can make them happen for her."
"Glad we got that cleared up." I drop down in the oversized fluffy chair next to my brother. I have nothing smart to say back to that because I’m trying to process it. This man surprises me at every turn. Never in a million years would I have thought he was so thoughtful.
“As much fun as I’m having here, what's the plan?” My brother asks.
“I didn’t want to talk inside the house, but when the tire was slashed, the person knew where the cameras were and moved one.”
“Really?” Cash nods at my question. “I’m not even sure where all the cameras are.”
“I have an idea, but I can also spot them if I’m searching them out,” my brother says. “Are you pulling shit up?”
“Yeah.” Cash stares at the screen.
“You got something over there, Captain?” I ask.
“There is nothing. All of it was turned off.” Cash’s dark brows pull together.
“Is that possible? Like it was hacked and turned off?” I’m not the best at technology, but I’m not terrible either. That doesn’t sound right.
“No, only the company could, or whoever has the codes and access.” Cash leans back in his chair, his attention switching from the computer screen to my brother and me.
“Does it tell you who did it?” I ask. Why is he taking so long to tell us?
“You thought you scared them off?” he asks my brother. “Did you hear them?”
“No, but they only fucked up the living room. Shit was knocked over, and the one word was written on the wall. Felt incomplete. You think they would have done more damage.”
“Agreed.” Cash rubs his jaw, which he does when he’s thinking.
“Cash, does it say who turned the alarm off or whatever?”
“Yeah, but it has to be an error.”
“Why?” I get up to come see for myself, but he answers before I can.
“It says it was you.”
“Me?” I come around, and Cash pulls me into his lap as I read over the screen. It shows the log of ins and outs of the house, along with setting alarms and turning off cameras, and they all do in fact say me.
"Kins, you really shouldn't talk about yourself that way." I pick up a pen off the desk and chuck it at my brother.
"I would have come up with something better than what was written."
Cash is quiet; I turn slightly in his lap. "What are you thinking?"
"That someone is fucking with you, and that person is far too close."
.