Chapter Twelve
Sydney
I felt the white paint against my forehead as I swiped my sweaty hair to the side. I hadn’t been able to concentrate since Asher dropped me back off at the house.
The way Cash had acted earlier toward the intern had me on edge. I tried not to look too much into the fact that he held me so close to him, or the strong feel of his palm on my waist. It didn’t mean anything, or maybe it did. He’d basically told me he just wanted me to come with him deer hunting.
I’d lied too.
I had been hunting with my brother when I was young, but I hadn’t been back since the accident. I didn’t want to be attracted to Cash. His rude tongue and stern demeanor weren’t things I’d ever really been attracted to. Though, I’d never had a man act this way about me.
“It’s looking good up there,” Gloria said. I dropped my paint brush and looked down at her. “Sorry to startle you, darlin’. I made some cookies, and I thought you might enjoy some. You’re finished?”
“It’s okay,” I said, climbing down the stairs. “And I’d love some cookies. I did just finish, and I always like to reward myself.”
Gloria wiped her hands on her apron and ushered me into the kitchen. The florescent lighting lit up a perfectly cleaned kitchen that I assumed Cash never set foot in unless to eat. “Have a seat right here,” she said, patting the bar stool.
I climbed up, watching as she pushed the plate of cookies my way. The chocolate goodness melted in my mouth, and I felt like a kid again. “These are great.”
She waved me off, her smile steady. “How have you been? Cash told me about your fall the other night.”
Damn him. I swallowed and leaned against the counter. “Fine. My bum’s bruised but I’ll live.”
“Good. So tell me a little bit about yourself. I only see Cash when he’s hungry, so our conversations are limited.”
Gosh, nosy much? I hadn’t expected any less, though. Ninety-five percent of women over sixty-five south of the Mason-Dixon are nosy. They’d tell you they were; it wasn’t a secret. “I’m twenty-five. I teach painting classes at the studio downtown on Pecan.”
She pushed the plate closer to me. “I know the place.
I snagged another cookie. “I love my job. I have a best friend named Frankie.”
She swirled her finger around the outer rim of her sweet tea glass. “What about a boyfriend?”
“No,” I said.
The corner of her mouth pulled into a small smirk. I didn’t like it. It had conniving written all over it. “So how do you like working for Cash so far? Has everything been okay?”
No, it hadn’t. I was physically attracted to him. The wildfire that’d taken flame between my legs when he’d palmed my waist nearly ruined me. I’d never had such a reaction to a man before. Not from just a simple touch.
“It’s been fine,” I said, finishing my second cookie. “These are really good.”
She smiled politely at me. She didn’t want to talk about her cookies because she wanted juice that didn’t exist. “Thank you for these, but I need to get my things cleaned up. Will I see you at supper?”
“Of course,” she backed up and bent to turn her stove on. “I need to get started on it anyway. It was lovely talking to you, darlin’.”
“You, too.”
I cleaned up my things in thirty minutes. My eye had been on the lounge chair next to the heated swimming pool. I knew how to adjust the temperature because my aunt had the same kind. Ah … the luxuries ….
After I had changed into my bathing suit, I adjusted my boobs in my top, making sure everything was neatly positioned. It was way early for Cash to be home but I didn’t want to take the chance of him showing up.
Nyla followed me outside, and I laid my towel on the lounge chair then dove in. The water glistened in the shimmering sun. I broke through the glare and glided forward. The feeling of water consuming me felt better than anything I could imagine. Silent, still and all-consuming.
I hadn’t realized where I was at first.
It didn’t take long, though. Something wet soaked my foot. I jerked awake. The setting sun blinded me for a moment, I could imagine the look of horror on my face, especially when I noticed Cash’s silhouette in front of me.
“Shit.”
His smile sent the chilled goosebumps on my arms into chaos. “You must be freezin’,” he said, holding out my towel for me. I followed his gaze and my thighs went to Jell-O.
My nipples were hard as hell. Sweet Lord, put me out of my misery. He wasn’t looking away from them. Before he could blink, I slipped off of the floaty lounge chair and into the warmth of the pool. It was hotter than before. “I turned it up for you,” he said, his voice slower than usual. Deeper. “I knew you’d be cold.”
I was, but certain parts of me were very warm. I walked to the side of the pool and slowly climbed out in humiliation. He was not hiding the way he stared at me. I wanted to ask him if he’d like to take a picture because it would last longer, but I couldn’t get my mouth to work.
Warm. Everything was warm. Heat crept up into my ears, and I hardly heard Nyla’s meow from beside Cash. Traitor.
Cash lifted the towel toward me slowly, his mouth slightly ajar as he drug his light eyes up my body. I laced my fingers together behind my back, and I felt myself becoming weak-kneed. His eyes were so memorizing.
He cleared his throat and gently pushed the towel toward me. “Take it,” he whispered.
I snatched it, wrapping it around my shoulders. “Thank you.”
Cash lifted his eyes and looked just beyond my shoulder. “Dinner will be ready soon.”
I scratched the side of my nose. “Okay. I’ll go shower really quick. Sorry for falling asleep I—,”
“You’re more than welcome to swim whenever you want,” he said. “I’ll be inside.” He turned on his heel and marched into the house. My heart beat took an entire minute to slow down.
I hurried to shower, scrunching my hair quickly, and pulling a pink sundress over my head. My flats slapped against the concrete as I ran toward the bay doors. The smell of baked pork chops flooded the air and my mouth watered.
When I rounded the corner, Asher and Cash were at the table. Scotch glasses sat in front of them, the glow from the sun shone through the dining room. My heart thumped harder against my chest when Cash turned to look at me. He’d changed into a pair of low-slung jeans and a white cotton T-shirt.
My mouth dried.
“Sydney,” Cash said, standing at the same time as his brother. “We’re ready Gloria.”
I ignored the glares as I walked over to my seat, sliding my hands against my bottom as I sat down in my dress. Cash watched me, his fingers tightened around his scotch glass. “Pretty dress,” he mumbled as he took a drink.
I grabbed the glass of water in front of me and took a long unnecessary drink. “Thank you.”
Gloria brought our meal out, giving me a friendly smile on her back to the kitchen. “Why won’t she eat with us?” Asher asked.
Cash shrugged. “She always declines,” he said, straightening his shoulders. “And the woman is stubborn as hell.”
“I heard that,” she yelled from the kitchen.
I smiled at my plate, grabbing my fork to dig into my pork chops. “The entrance looks amazin’,” Cash said. “It’s more than I could have asked for.”
Heat crept up my cheeks. “I’m glad you like it.”
I stole a glance at him as I took a drink of the wine that Gloria poured me. His raven hair looked soft, and I itched to touch it. My body was too aware of the way he watched me. His light eyes were intense, unlike Ash whose eyes smiled all the time, Cash’s felt like they wanted to devour me. He—Mr. Jenkins̶̶ ̶ wanted to devour me.
“Sydney.”
“Hm?” I looked over at Asher.
He grinned wider, his fork hanging from his hand. “I asked you if you had anything in mind for the mural in our office.”
Oh. Had he even spoken? I didn’t hear anything. “I think I do,” I said, dropping my eyes to my food.
“Well, you can start Monday mornin’ if you’d like to,” Cash said.
Asher leaned against the table. “Yeah, at least you won’t be the only newbie Monday morning.”
Cash clanked his fork down against his plate and glared at Asher across the table. I could have cut the tension with a knife. Cash’s jaw was set tight but despite his seriousness, Asher grinned. “Oh, Cash,” he mumbled before taking a sip.
What did that mean? Did he not like Brayden? “Kill it, Ash,” Cash snapped.
Ash put his palms out in surrender. “My bad.”
Cash tilted his head and squeezed his eyes shut tight; a low chuckle rumbled in his chest. “I have tons of paperwork to do,” he slid from the table. “I’ll see you in the morning at six.”
I watched as he marched from the dining room and disappeared down the hallway. His door slammed a few seconds later.
Ash sighed. “He’s always been dramatic.”
I watched silently as Asher finished his dinner nonchalantly. What in the hell just happened?
I woke before the sun the next morning. I loved early mornings but not when I hadn’t slept much the night before. My eyes felt like heavy weights drug them down, and my body felt like goo.
When I crawled out of bed, I found a camouflage shirt and pants sitting on the hope chest that sat in front of my bed. Perched on the floor was a pair of black hunting boots and socks.
Fear slowly crawled up my chest and knocked against my throat. I hadn’t worn anything resembling hunting attire since Ryder’s death. I never wanted to go again because it was our thing.
Part of me wanted to grab my phone and text Cash to tell him I didn’t feel well. The other part of me wanted to go with him because the desire I had to be close to him again was ruthless. It didn’t care that Ryder was the last person to take me hunting, it wanted Cash to take me.
I reached forward, grabbed the clothes, and made a beeline for the shower. Forty minutes later I stood in front of the body length mirror that hung in my closet. The clothes fit me perfectly. Not like it was just my size, but actually fit me everywhere perfectly. I’d never seen hunting gear so—fitted.
Three knocks came from the front door, and my heart pounded in my ears. Giving myself one last look, I shut the closet door and started toward the entrance.
Cash stood on the other side. His eyes were the first thing I noticed. The magnetic pull his eyes had on me never changed. It was so hard to look away, like they were magnetic, you couldn’t even think about looking away.
The hot morning air crackled around me; my mouth went dry, and I desperately wanted the coffee I knew he held because of the aroma. I pried my eyes away from him and gave him a once-over. His camo shirt fit him well and was tucked into a pair of matching pants. It was a typical hunting attire, but something about the way he wore them had my hormones playing soccer inside of me.
“Good mornin’,” he said.
My eyes moved up to the scruffy jaw that allowed those lush lips to speak. “Mornin’.”
Cash dropped his gaze and took me in slowly. I squirmed in the huge boots that felt like they weighed ten pounds, my fingers intertwined behind my back. Cash offered me my coffee.
“It’s hazelnut.”
I lifted a brow and took the goodness into my hand. “Thank you.” I wanted to ask how he knew which one to get, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know.
Cash gestured me forward. “This way.”
I followed beside him, sipping on my coffee and trying to avoid the husky scent of his body. It wasn’t cologne, maybe soap? I didn’t know and didn’t care. He cleared his throat when we approached a ginormous Gator sitting in his driveway.
The tires had to be as big as the mud tires on some trucks. I swallowed my coffee, glancing up at Cash who watched me from the corner of his eye. “Ever been in one of these?”
I nodded. “Yeah, at my grandmother’s house. But I’m pretty sure you’ll be going more than ten miles an hour.”
His eyes lowered. “I plan to.”
He helped me into the passenger side, taking my coffee and placing it in the holder. I buckled myself in; my fingers tightened around the side of the leather seat. “Relax,” he said. “It’s only about two miles up the road.”
The engine roared to life; Cash pressed on the gas, and we took off down a dirt trail that led deep into the woods around his house. Tall tree limbs hung lazily over the trail, blowing gently over our heads.
Cash’s demeanor was content; his eyes focused on the road ahead of us. “Do you have to work today?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yeah. I have two classes today.”
“I’ll have Joey drop you off and pick you up. He can take you to Friday night dinner and pick you up right afterward.”
Friday night dinner would be Friday night horror. Since I had skipped the week before, and was living with my boss, I could only imagine the freak show that’d take place behind those beautiful walls. “Okay.”
My cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I dug it out to see a text from Frankie.
Mayday. Jeremy kicked me out of the truck last night, and I had to walk home. Call me when you wake up, please.
Damn. He kicked her out? I’d kicked his scrawny ass for that.
“Everything okay?” Cash asked.
I nodded. “Yeah, just Frankie drama.”
Cash grinned and my lady bits tingled. I hated that his smile did so much to me. Maybe if he did it more often, it wouldn’t feel like fireworks in my chest.
I’d spent most of my sleepless night thinking about his smile, the way he ate me alive the night before, and those eyes that I could swim in.
“My brother has the hots for Frankie.”
“She’s engaged,” I said, even though I wasn’t that fond of Jeremy, especially lately.
Cash nodded, turning right down a small trail. “I know this. My brother can be—stubborn when he wants something.” He turned to look at me, his eyes telling me something that I couldn’t decode.
I didn’t respond, mainly because I didn’t know what to say. Cash slowed a few seconds later, pulling the Gator into a small spot that looked worn and torn against the forest floor.
Cash killed the engine, looked over at me and unbuckled my seatbelt. He got out, grabbed a gun from the gun rack behind our heads and offered me his hand. “Come on.”
I took it, relaxing into the warmth of his strong grip, letting him pull me from the seat. I followed him around a cluster of trees to where a huge tree stand stood. Living in Savannah, I’d seen my fair share of them, but never one so large.
The top was a thick camo canopy that looked big enough to shelter fifteen people. Cash gestured toward the ladder that disappeared into the floor of the stand. “After you.”
Swallowing, I started up the ladder. Ryder and I never had a stand this big. His was a simple one that he and Dad made when he was younger. This was hunting for royalty, which made me giggle. I’d never really thought that Cash hunted, only that it was a good business and he made money off of it.
I slipped inside, pushing myself up into the room—or it was big enough to be a room at least. It had bench-like seats with cushions surrounding the wall. A large comfortable chair in the far corner. Two huge windows were cut out where Cash would watch for his prey.
“Cozy, huh?”
I turned, my fingers pulling at the sides of my pants. Even though there was plenty of room, I still felt too close to him. Knowing I had only one way to escape, and this space wasn’t as large as the guest house, sending my nerves into overdrive.
“Very cozy,” I whispered, my eyes locked on the window, anything to keep myself from looking at him. “How often do you hunt?”
Cash watched me carefully, a small smirk on his face. He knew something I didn’t or he could see right through me. I didn’t know which one it was or which one was worse. “Often. I do own a deer stand company.”
Taking a seat away from him, I tried to busy myself tying my boot. “I know, but I didn’t think you’d actually hunt.”
Cash cleared his throat, which I’d come to realize meant he wanted me to look at him. “I’m from Georgia, Peach. I love to hunt. That’s why Ash and I started this company. We test out all of our products ourselves.”
“You just don’t look like the hunting type.”
Cash grabbed his gun. “Those suites you see me in are just for business. Camouflage is my favorite color.”
Silently I watched as he aimed his gun out of the window, fixing his scope before turning to look at me. “Do you want to try?”
Me? Try what? I hadn’t handled a gun since Ryder and I went hunting together. “I don’t know—,”
“Get over here,” he said, reaching out to grab my elbow. He didn’t give me time to move before he pulled me to him, positioning me against his front. All the air sucked from the room, my heartbeat thudded in my throat, an invisible pair of hands tightened their viselike grip around my neck.
Cash’s breath hit the side of my ear, his lips only a few centimeters away. “The first thing you want to do is hold your gun right. This one has a kick, so I’ll hold it against my shoulder. Put your fingers here.” Cash slid the palm of his hands against the outside of my own, pulling me tighter against his chest.
I tried to focus on my fingers, but the minty smell of his breath against me had my head gone. The muscles in his chest felt strong and hard against my back. “Just like that,” he whispered. “Now you set your scope. Look through this with one eye, and close the other.”
Carefully, I looked through the scope, adjusting it until I could see several hundred yards away. “Can you see?” he whispered, his right hand sliding against my hip, his strong fingers gently digging into me.
“Yes,” I whispered, breathless.
“Now we wait,” he whispered.
Cash became quiet after that, his lips skimmed the outer shell of my ear, his fingers tightened on me. I can’t breathe. I felt my body tense, and I hated that it affected me so much. A soft chuckle vibrated against my neck. “Relax,” he whispered.
Relax. How could I relax? My boss was behind me, and I wanted his lips to taste the skin of my neck. I wanted more than that. It wasn’t right, but it felt so good. “What’s next?” I asked.
Cash made a small sound I couldn’t pinpoint and turned his head to nuzzle my neck. Jesus Christ. My already tense body turned rigid. Cash pressed his lips against my neck, his tongue running against the smooth path. “Cash,” I whispered, not recognizing my own voice.
Suddenly the gun was sat down, and Cash had me straddling him over the chair in the far corner. My eyes blurred, and the spots where we connected lit flame. His huge palms engulfed each hip, his fingers stroked over the curve of my ass like he’d wanted to do it for a while. “Cash I—,”
He wasn’t a great listener.
He pulled one hand from my hip, sunk it into my hair and guided my mouth to his. It was hot, warm, smelled like toothpaste and hazelnut. There was only one small press of his lips before he pried my mouth opened for more. I was thankful I sat on his lap because if I had stood, I would’ve fallen. My knees grew weak, and I hadn’t put any pressure on them.
“Jesus,” he mumbled into my mouth, his fingers pulling at the start of my hair. “Your mouth is sweet.”
Sweet. Sweet like the coffee I’d drank or just sweet? Unable to stop the movement of my hand, I tangled my fingers into his dark mop of hair and pulled. “Please,” I whispered, not sure what I begged for. For my mind to clear the fog that surrounded it, or please don’t stop making my toes curl with your lips.
Cash pressed me into him, the bulge in his pants pressed against my v, showing me he was as aroused as I was. Those two green eyes opened and watched me, my lips, my face. His heavy breathing hit my mouth, and each puff of air that escaped into my own felt like gold. “Do you want me to kiss you again?” he asked.
What? I’d never had a guy ask me if I wanted him to kiss me. Sure, when I was in third grade Billy Owen asked if he could kiss my cheek, but this was different. He wanted my permission to continue; he didn’t just take it like other boys. And he asked me. I didn’t take Cash for a man who would ask permission. He was rude and ruthless at times.
I wanted that more than I wanted to take my next breath. Impatience lingered in his eyes, but he hid it behind a kind face. He wanted this as much as me. The fact that he was my boss could be worked through later, right? Yes, later. Much later.
Instead of answering, I didn’t trust my own voice, I lowered my head and kissed him. Our mouths were wet; tongues danced at a dangerously seductive rate. He groaned into my mouth and curved his palm over my ass, squeezing me into his large hand, the feeling of being powerless consumed me. I loved the strength he possessed, the feeling that I was so small to him.
He may have asked for permission, but he controlled this. His mouth was in charge; his fingers knew what to do to me, how hard to squeeze and how fast to push up against me. “More?” he asked between assaults from his tongue, his voice deeper and more southern than before. “Can I have more of your mouth?”
I didn’t hesitate this time. “Yes.”
Cash groaned, lowered his palms to my thighs, holstered me up and lay me against the soft cushion of the bench. Oh God, he was above me. Positioned between my thighs, laying against my throbbing center, he stared down at me with hungry green eyes. “This is okay?” he asked, placing his palm beside my head.
More than okay. I nodded, my body trembled when he lowered his mouth again. This time, when he kissed me, it was like the first time all over again. New. Fresh. Hot. Cash gripped my thigh and encircled my leg around his waist, dropping his mouth to my ear. “You show me how much you want me.”
Heat exploded inside of my stomach; nothing made sense in my brain. All I wanted was more of him. I pulled him in closer with my leg, loving the feel of him pressed against me. Cash lowered his head and nipped my neck, then my ear, gliding his tongue against my jaw. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since the first damn day I saw you at your parents fuckin’ house.”
Slipping my hand against his abs, I tugged at the front of his pants with my hand. He froze, his breath fell hard against my forehead, his eyes soft. “Not yet,” he whispered.
Something heated my body, but it wasn’t lust. It was rejection. He didn’t want to have sex with me? His thick brows pulled in, and he sat up, dragging me up against him. “Not today, Peach. I’ll fuck you; I swear I will, but not today.”
I imagined the pink hue that stained my cheeks, how ridiculous I must have looked. Anger took over, rejection clogged my throat. “I—We shouldn’t have done this,” I whispered, pressing against his chest.
Something flickered in Cash’s eyes. “No, we should have,” he said, pulling me closer to him. “And I’m gonna do it again and again. You’ll fuckin’ love it just like you did now. Just not yet, Sydney,” he snapped.
“Don’t tell me what to do. You’re not my bo—,” well shit, he was my boss. He was my boss. Christ I just made out and dry humped my boss in a deer stand.
A smile shot up his face, and he lifted a brow. “Don’t go gettin’ cold feet on me now, Sydney. I’ve already tasted you, you’re mine now.”
The hell I was. “The hell I am. You’re my boss, and I should have never gotten up this mornin’ and put on these too tight for huntin’ clothes!”
Cash stood up casually. “You’re gonna scare off the deer. And I picked those out on purpose. They fit you well.” He sat back at the window and looked through the scope of his gun all nonchalantly.
Oh, this man—
Grabbing the half-empty coffee that Cash had brought me, I tossed it at him. Cash sat still for several seconds before he turned to look at me. The look in his eye was hard to pinpoint. It teetered in-between anger and arousal.
He took a step forward, wiping the coffee from the side of his face, his fingers lingering over the scruff of his jaw. “Oh, you’re gonna regret that.”
I wouldn’t because I was totally out of there. I stepped toward the ladder, and started down like I was in a race. “Sydney,” Cash said as a warning. I didn’t stop. My hormones bounced around inside of me like a lottery wheel. He’d turned me down and acted like it wasn’t a big deal. He was my boss; I had to see him every day. I lived with him now. Oh, brother.
“Stop,” Cash called out, hurrying to catch up with me.
Instead of stopping, I climbed faster, running full speed when my feet hit the ground. The Gator sat in the spot where Cash left it, the keys dangled from the ignition. The beast was a standard, but my grandpa taught me when I was in high-school.
I scurried into the seat, pressed the clutch and brought it to life. “Sydney, don’t you fuckin’ dar—,”
I pressed it in reverse and took off down the worn path. Cash stood in my review mirror, a look I didn’t know just yet on his face.
But when he smiled I knew I was in trouble.