Page 23 of Captivated

I was quiet and kept to myself in my life back home, so absorbed in my own objectives that I never had time to ruffle feathers, nor did I have the desire to. But since arriving in Emerson Falls and being forced to start a new life, something in me has shifted—a bold, headstrong version of myself who never wants to be taken advantage of again. As much as I fought my parents on the idea of leaving, part of me is grateful. Because not only did they grant me safety and my freedom, but they granted me the confidence to take care of myself.

And if one thing is for certain, Cash makes me feel bolder and wilder than I ever have been. Maybe that’s the draw to him—what he elicits in me.

“Well, shit!” An old man in the back exclaims, drawing the attention of several people as he pops up in his seat, red paint splattered all over his pants.

“George, sit down so it doesn’t run!” The woman next to him shouts as the red color drips down the front of his khaki trousers.

“Oh boy. Okay, just sit there, George. Let me get some wet paper towels…” I wet a stack of napkins and start to move towards the back of the room, but as I stride over to where George is seated, I collide with a warm and hard body that almost knocks me off of my feet.

“Whoa,” the deep voice travels in my ears, sending a rush of warmth down my spine and fires up my heartbeat as his hands grasp my arms to steady me.

When I find my footing, I widen my eyes as I stare back at none other than Cash Williams, the confident smirk on his face appearing one minute and then quickly vanishing the next.

“You okay?” His eyes search mine for an answer, but all I can do is get lost in the flecks of yellow woven in his ice blue orbs, hypnotizing me alongside his strong jaw and a fresh haircut. What is it about him that screams dangerous but also kicks my libido into overdrive? Why am I so drawn to this man who just the other night went on a date with a woman as part of a bet, and then I let him kiss me senseless? And leaving him the other night in the parking lot was so messy—neither one of us truly asking what happens now. It was awkward because there was no clear answer of how to move forward.

That isn’t the type of man any woman, especially me, should want to be associated with. And yet, I’m drawn to him, attracted to him on a level that is unhealthy with the way he makes my pulse pick up.

“Uh, yes, thank you. George,” I turn my back to Cash now to assess the mess on George’s pants. “Here.” I hand him the wet paper towels and then he proceeds to mop up the globs of paint. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.”

“Nonsense, Piper. This isn’t your fault,” he gestures to his lap. “This is my own clumsiness. I’m just gonna go throw these in the wash and change, and I’ll be right back.” He offers me a polite smile and a quick pat on my shoulder as he turns to leave.

“I know your job is to help them have fun, but having them take off their pants is pushing it, don’t you think?”

Turning slowly to shoot him a glare, Cash stands smugly with his arms folded across his broad chest beneath an OC Rays t-shirt.

“Cash! You made it!” Birdie’s voice echoes behind me as I turn to her, confused even more now by their connection.

“Hey, Birdie,” he closes the gap between the two of them and lays a sweet peck on her cheek.

What the ever loving hell is going on here? Cash knows Birdie?

“Piper, this is my son, Cash, that I was telling you about. Cash, this is Piper, one of the new volunteers and such a beautiful young lady, don’t you think?”

Cash is her SON? I’m so freaking confused right now…

Cash shoots a curious look at Birdie before he focuses back on me, fighting the urge to snatch a look of my entire body, but I can see the desire burning in his eyes. Whatever this attraction is between us, it’s not a simmer. Nope, it’s a raging inferno.

“She sure is, Birdie.”

“Well, come on. Samuel and I saved you a seat. Piper needs to get back to her job, I’m sure. You two can talk more later.” Birdie winks at me and then pulls Cash behind her, but not before he glances back at me with a look on his face of delight, yet utter confusion.

Yeah, I’m just as confused as you there, Cash. What the hell are you doing here?

Chapter 9

Cash

“Alright, spill. What’s going on here?”

“Whatever do you mean?” Birdie coyly replies, picking up her brush and filling in the red roof of her lighthouse.

“I feel like this was a setup. Scrabble is our game, so when you suggested we do a paint night instead, I should have known you were up to something.”

“I just thought trying something new would be fun, huh, Samuel?”

“Yes, dear,” Samuel replies and then shoots me a knowing look behind Birdie’s head.

“You two are so full of shit. Did you know Piper was running this class?” I pick up the brush and start swiping a teal blue color across the bottom of the canvas to create the water. I’m a few steps behind obviously, but there was traffic on the way here that made me late.

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