Page 79 of Cash

Makes me cry harder. I’m overwhelmed.

I’m so sore, it hurts to breathe.

“I love Madonna.” I wipe my nose on my sleeve.

“Of course you do.” He ducks his head to look me in the eye. Lowers his voice when he says, “You crushed it today, Mollie. No shame in calling it quits. I’ll be doing the same in an hour. Less.”

My heart full-on plummets. “You really think I did okay?”

“I really do. Go home, Mollie.”

“But you need help.”

“You need to rest.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure. Let me drive you back to the house in the ATV.”

I shake my head. “Don’t be ridiculous. I can walk.”

“You’re a stubborn motherfucker, aren’t you?”

I can’t tell if his words are a dig or a compliment.

I shuffle toward the stall’s door. “So are you!”

“I’ll walk you home, then.”

“Stop.” I wave him away. “See you in the morning.”

But when I reach for the latch on the door, a muscle in the middle of my back cramps. I cry out, heat flooding my face as my knees buckle. How embarrassing to go down like a sack of potatoes like this.

There’s a shout behind me. “Mollie! Jesus fuck.”

Then I’m scooped into huge, hard arms, Cash literally sweeping me off my feet as he cradles me against him.

I look up at him and my pulse seizes. His eyes are dark. Hard and soft and hot, all at once.

Oh, God.Now I really can’t breathe.

“Cash—”

“Enough,” he snaps. “You’re coming with me. Put your arms around my neck. Don’t make me ask twice, or so help me God, I’ll get really angry.”

His steady, rock-hard tone brooks no argument. It also draws my nipples to tight, aching points.

Go figure. My body is broken, but Cash Rivers can still turn me on like nobody’s business.

Help, I say to the universe.

“Okay,” I say to Cash and loop my arms around his neck.

I’ve never been carried damsel-in-distress style before, and I have to say, I don’t hate it. Cash is barely out of breath as he brings me outside and sets me gingerly in the passenger seat of the nearest ATV.

I startle when he grabs my seat belt and buckles me in, his hand brushing the side of my breast.

“Sorry,” he grunts.

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