Chapter Nineteen
Cash
We were back in my truck, headed home. I glanced at our hands, the way they were joined on the console. I wanted to find a back road and take her parking. Seeing her skin on display for the last hour, it nearly killed me. I wanted to touch it all, I wanted to trail my fingertips from her ribs to her hip. I now knew what she felt like when she came apart, and since then it was all I could think about. I kissed her hand lightly when what I really wanted to tug her into my lap.
“Did you know? That Revival Ink was where my dad went when he wanted work done?”
I shook my head. “No. It’s where my dad and all the uncles get most of their work done.” The fact that Waylon had tattooed Katie’s bio dad, that showed how well the universe worked sometimes.
“Thank you for taking me there. It, uh, meeting Waylon really meant a lot to me.”
“I’m glad, baby.” I kissed her hand again. “How does it feel? Hurt?”
“Nah, not really.” She looked down at the floor by her feet. “I might have to go braless for the next week or so.”
I squeezed her palm. I was horny. Katie spending the rest of the week braless? Not gonna help my situation. I wanted to go at her pace when it came to the physical stuff. I wanted her to lead. When I’d suggested skinny-dipping last night, I fully intended to stay on the other side of the pool with my eyes closed the whole time. I wanted it to be something she could say she did, and I wanted her to have a safe space to do it. She’d wanted more, and I’d been more than happy to give it to her. And I’d be happy to give to her again and again and again.
My phone started to ring, coming through the speakers of the truck. Benson’s name was on the screen, I needed the distraction so I hit accept.
“Hey, fucker.”
Maybe talking to him on surround sound hadn’t been my best idea. “Hey, man, what’s up?”
“I’m working my skinny ass off today with my dad, we’re working calves.” He paused before saying, “I’m having a party tonight, out in the back pasture, you in?”
I looked to Katie, grinning. “What do you say, baby, ready for a pasture party?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Is that on my list?”
“No, but I think making out in a truck is.” I winked. “We could mark that one off real easy.”
“Katie? Wait. You’re hooking up with the hot chick from the other night? The one who knew all the words to my favorite song? What the fuck, man?”
I chuckled. “You’re on speaker phone, bro.”
“Oh.” Short pause. “Hey, Katie.”
“Hi, Benson, thanks for inviting us to your party.” She bit her lip, her action making me want to kiss her mouth desperately.
“No problem. I’ll see y’all tonight.”
I hung up before he could say anything else inappropriate. Katie turned in her seat, propping her arms on the center console. It was a habit of hers I’d noticed, anytime she was about to make a point or say something sassy. “Maybe you could tip over one of those calves? I bet you’re strong enough to handle a baby cow.”
“You’re a funny girl, you know that?”
“I wasn’t kidding.”
We pulled into the compound and I drove to my house instead of her temporary one. Crue’s truck was in the driveway, so I was assuming he and Avory were probably holed up in the media room. “Let’s go see what my asshole of a twin is doing, let him know about Benson’s party.”
We walked into the house hand in hand, like a couple. I was smiling, like a moron. My parents were nowhere to be found, which wasn’t surprising. But I felt almost disappointed by the fact. I wanted them to see me with Katie. I wanted them to get to know her. I wanted them to see how happy I was, how into her I was. I couldn’t really explain it; it wasn’t something I’d ever experienced before. It was almost like I wanted their acceptance? Maybe their blessing?
As we headed through the house in search of my brother, I started to wonder if he ever wanted the same thing. Did he ever wish he could tell them? Did he ever long for them to see him holding Avory’s hand and smile? Not telling the adults about their relationship was all on Crue and Avory; that was a situation of their own making. But for a brief moment in time, I felt a little sorry for them. Only a little.
“Crue. Where you at, man?”
I heard a giggle and took a right; they were in the guest room. Sometimes they hung out there, because there was no real reason anyone would go in that space to look for them. I banged on the door three times then started to count.
“What are we doing?” Katie’s hand was still in mine and her arm was pressed against my body. She was whispering even though I’d pounded on the door loud enough to wake the dead.
“We’re giving them time to put clothes on.” I sighed. “Always give them the time. Always.” I finished counting in my head and then threw the door open. “Hey, Benson’s having a pasture party tonight. You guys in?” They were sitting on top of the covers, Crue’s pants were undone and he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Avory’s sundress appeared to be on backward. Pretty par for the course for a thirty-second countdown.
“Sure.” Crue leaned back on the mountain of throw pillows. “Y’all want to do dinner first? We can hit up the diner in town then head back this way to Benson’s.”
I was a little shocked to be honest. I’d spent time with Crue and Avory nearly every day; we shared most meals. But if we ever went into town to eat it was with a big group. What Crue was suggesting was basically a double date. I looked over at Katie, silently asking if she was good with that plan.
“That sounds fun.” She answered on her own, leaning her head against my arm.
Crue smiled, tight lipped, and then shooed us with his hand. “Great. We’ll meet you in the living room, around seven.”
I stood my ground, staring at him. Jacking with Crue when he wanted to be alone with Avory was one of my favorite pastimes. Somewhere over the last two years, I’d forgotten that. It took about forty-five seconds for him to lose his cool. He grabbed a pillow from behind his head and threw it at me. I let it fall to the floor and kept staring.
“What are we doing?” Katie whispered the same question from earlier.
“Jacking with Crue.” I whispered back.
She stood up straighter, like she was joining forces with me. “Okay.”
Avory started to giggle and Crue lay back down on the bed covering his face with his hands. “I’m about to take my pants back off and get back to what I was doing before you two walked in here. So. You can leave, or you can watch.” He hooked an arm around Avory, pulling her back down beside him.
I snorted and left the room, bringing Katie with me before she got an eyeful of my brother’s dick. We shut the door and then stepped into my room, three doors down on the right. “Are you hungry? You want lunch?”
I sat down on the edge of my bed, taking both her hands in mine and bringing her closer to me. Her eyes were busy, darting around the space and taking everything in. Other than my family, I’d never had a girl in my room. I didn’t think it was anything special: baseball trophies, letterman jacket, framed pictures of me and the people I loved. “I want to take a nap.”
I raised an eyebrow. “A nap? That was definitely not one of the things I was expecting you to say.”
She joined me on the mattress, toeing off her shoes and tucking her legs underneath her. “I thought about adding it to the list, but I didn’t want you to think I was lamer than you already do.”
“How many time do I have to tell you? You aren’t lame. You aren’t boring. You aren’t naïve. You aren’t any of the things you think you are, baby.” I turned fully toward her, taking her gorgeous face in my hands. “You are everything amazing.” I kissed the corner of her mouth then pulled back. “And if you want to nap, I’ll nap with you.” All in all, a nap did sound pretty nice.
“I’ve never slept with a guy, like just slept. I’ve never, uh, spooned, I guess.” She scooted back on the bed, laying her head back on my pillows.
I kicked off my shoes and crawled up toward her. “The only person I’ve spooned is Halen.”
“The only person you’ve spooned is your cousin.” She didn’t pose it like a question, but I got what she was saying.
And I felt like maybe my statement did deserve a little more explanation. “When Beau left, Halen was in a really bad place.” I lay down next to Katie; we were facing each other and her eyes were homed in on mine. It was making it hard to think clearly. “Of course, none of the parents knew what was going on. I didn’t want her to be alone, so at night I’d crawl in her window and watch TV with her. Or hold her while she cried. Sometimes we fell asleep like that.”
“You’re a really good guy, Cash Matthews.” Katie reached out and traced the lines on my face. “Your family is lucky to have you.” She smiled. “I’m lucky to have been banished to this odd little compound for safekeeping.”
I kissed the tip of her nose, and then motioned for her to flip. When she was settled, I pulled her body against mine, and, burying my face in her neck, I whispered, “I’ll keep you safe, Katie Baby.”