Page 89 of Cash

"Let me decide what that is. I get to decide who I love. I get to decide if I keep working. I get to live my life. Not you. If you can't accept that then you don’t get to be in it anymore."

She pulled back like she had just been slapped.

"I should’ve done this a long time ago. Things need to change between us. I'm leaving and I don’t want to see you or even hear from you until I'm ready. Do you understand?"

She just nodded, even though her eyes were wide with surprise.

"Let's go," she said to Cash, who kept his hand on her back and swept her away. Once they came to an elevator, he pushed the button for their floor.

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly in her ear as they waited.

She nodded. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

"That was fucking hot," he said to her grinning.

She smiled but just shook her head not looking up at him. She was quiet in the elevator, and he was going to let her come down from that. He knew the adrenaline had to be pulsing through her.

She turned and went into the bathroom and came out with her bag all packed. Then she started getting her clothes ready to go.

"What's going on? I'm game for anything, I just wanna know the plan."

"We’re not staying here. I don’t want to risk running into her."

"Okay," he said easily as he turned and started getting his things together too.

"Are you going to change or are you going home in that cotton candy get up?"

She finally stopped and looked him in the eyes. "I just want to go home. I'm so sorry she said those things to you, Cash."

"Hey," he said, crossing the room to her, closing the distance between them. "I don't care what she has to say about me. As long as you'll have me, I’ll be right by your side." He dropped a sweet kiss to her mouth and then turned to get his charger from the side table.

"Got everything?" he asked.

"Yep, let's go."

They made their way down the elevator and through the lobby without running into anyone which he was immensely thankful for.

They got to his big black truck, and he tossed their bags in the back seat and then turned to help her get in. He tried to bite back the smile as she hiked up this big pink ball of fluff and tried to climb up.

"I swear to god. You better keep your mouth shut," she said, looking up at him with playful irritation.

"I didn't say a word.” They finally got her in and wrangled the rest of the dress in. As he leaned over to help her buckle, his face was mere inches from hers.

"Just so you know, baby girl, I love you too."

She huffed out a breath and looked up at him with shocked eyes. "What?" she said barely above a whisper.

"You told your mom back there that you loved me. I just want you to know that I love you too. I have for a while now."

"Oh." That was all she said, and he couldn't take it anymore. He cupped her face and kissed her. Her hand fisted into the lapel of his suit pulling him closer to her and deepened the kiss.

He finally pulled back and looked at her.

“I meant what I said, I really do love you,” she said as she held his face. He couldn’t help but take another quick kiss.

"Where to, baby girl?" he asked.

"Take me home."

---