“You’re the one that was talking about panties and lack thereof.”

“Oh my God! I can barely remember that far back.  Too many traumatic things have been said since then.”

“It was forty-five seconds ago.”

“Told you it was traumatic.”

She laughs again, and this time, the sparkle in her eye is back.  Just like I like it.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Olivia

Cash’s teasing makes it easy to forget what’s about to happen, but the sharp knock at the door brings reality with it.

“Who’s that?” I ask.

“Gavin.”

“We’re leaving from here?”

“Yes. I thought it would be safer.  On the off chance anyone followed me here, they wouldn’t see Gavin and know to look for him.  He should be parked on the next street over.  This way I know no one will see you and be able to follow you to your mom’s.  They’ll still be watching for me.”

“So you’ll be by yourself.”  Fear nips at my insides, making them quiver.

“Just for a while.  Nash and I have a plan for tomorrow.”

“Care to tell me what that is?  Or would you rather I not know?”

He eyes me with a strange expression. I’m not sure what to make of it.  My mind and my heart are all over the place.

“I don’t mind you knowing if you’re interested.”

“Of course I’m interested! I’m worried about you!”

“Hey, I’m just asking. I don’t want to assume anything with you.”

That sparks my anger.  How in the world could he think I’m not interested?  Granted, I’ve had some doubts resurface over the last day or two, but I don’t think I’ve ever given him the impression that I don’t care.

Have I?

The momentary uncertainty is like a wake-up call.  I can’t let all this go down with Cash thinking that I don’t care.  I couldn’t live with that.

“Cash, I’m very interested.  And I care very much about what happens to you.  I know I’ve got some…issues to work out, but that has more to do with me than you.  You’re…you’re…”  Words fail me as my throat closes around a knot of agony.  I pause to regroup before I continue.  “You’re important to me.  And I know you’re a good guy.  Deep down, I know it.  And I trust you. I really do.  It’s just hard to describe how I feel sometimes.  But please, please don’t ever think I don’t care.”

He smiles down at me, moving in to brush his lips over mine.  “Okay, okay.  I believe you.  And I know what you’re saying.  I feel the same way.”  His expression sobers.  “It’s not always easy for me to say what I feel, but I want you to know I—”

“You two all right in there?” Gavin calls from the hall, pounding on the door again and interrupting Cash.

“Just a minute,” Cash snaps gruffly.  When he turns back to me, he sighs.  He doesn’t continue.  The moment is lost.

My heart sinks. I would give anything to hear where that sentence was going.

“We can discuss all this when you get back.  I can tell you about how our plan went off without a hitch and how I ended the day kicking my arrogant brother’s ass, and you can tell me how you explained Gavin to your mother and how she passed out in the floor.”

He grins.

“Oh shit!”

“What?”

“What am I gonna tell her?”

Cash shrugs.  “You’ll have to think of something, because Gavin won’t be leaving that house.  And you won’t be leaving his sight.”

“I guess I could tell her we’re seeing each other.”  As I chew my lip in thought, I see the muscle in Cash’s jaw tick.  I frown.  “What?”

“Nothing.”

“No, not nothing.  What?”

“You’re creative.  I’m sure you can think of something else to tell her.”

“What difference does it make?”

“If she thinks you two are together, she’ll expect to see some affection.”

“So?”

“So, I’d hate to have to kick Gavin’s ass.  And then kick yours.”

I can tell the last was added teasingly.  I can’t help but grin.

“Kick it? I thought you wanted to spank it.”  I’m not normally so brazen, but in the circumstances, I feel like the gloves should come off.

I see desire flare to life in his sinfully dark eyes.  It kindles heat low in my belly.

“Whatever I do to it, I promise I’ll kiss it and make it feel better afterward.  How’s that?”

His fingers are trailing lazily up and down my arms. It’s an innocent touch, but more than enough to make me wish his hands were on my naked skin elsewhere.

“Promises promises,” I purr in challenge.

“I guess I’ll just have to show you when you get back then.  And if you happen to be wearing panties, make it a pair you hate.  It’ll be the last time you see them intact.  Consider yourself warned.”

A thrill of anticipation skitters down my spine.  When Cash loses control, it always ends in us lying, exhausted, in a sweaty heap somewhere.  And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Duly noted.”

Gavin pounds once more on the door.  Cash winks at me before he turns and crosses the room to pull it open.

“Damn you’re aggravating.”

Gavin’s smile is full of mischief.  “Here I was hoping to get a glimpse of something good, but you let her get dressed.”  The punch Cash gives his arm seems a little less than gentle.  Still grinning, Gavin looks to me.  “You ready?”

I heft my bag up over my shoulder.  “I guess.”

I cross to stop in front of Cash.  “Gavin can fill you in on the details since we were so rudely interrupted,” he says meaningfully, glaring at his buddy.

“Just be careful.  Promise me you won’t take any unnecessary risks.”

“I promise.”

Rather than the tiny peck I figured he’d give me in front of his friend, Cash pulls me into his arms and kisses me.  Really kisses me.  My toes are curled and I’m breathless when he lets me go.

“Don’t forget,” he says quietly, his eyes roaming my face like he’s memorizing it.

“I won’t.”

I don’t know what he’s referring to—don’t forget what he told me, don’t forget his promises. Don’t forget him.  It doesn’t matter, though.  It still has a ring of finality to it that makes me feel like this is the end.

I can’t stop my chin from trembling as Gavin leads me from the room.

********

Gavin is quiet as he smuggles me down the stairs—all the zillion stairs—and out a side door.  The night air is cooler than average.  It’s like a slap in the face when I feel it hit the wet streaks on my cheeks. I didn’t even know I’d been crying.

Maybe that’s why Gavin is so quiet.  He thinks I’m about to melt down.