Page 51 of Cash

“You make the same sounds he does while eating,” laughs Pigeon.

“Sounds?” I ask, bewildered.

“Moans,” Trigger replies with a huge grin.

“And you guard your food like Chubs too,” adds Horse.

“I like food,” I say unapologetically with a shrug of my shoulders.

“Don’t let anyone say you shouldn’t. You be you, girl, and to hell with the world’s opinion,” Trigger advises before taking a long draw of his beer.

“Why are you out tonight with these two dumbasses?” Cash asks Trigger.

“Tammy and Pippa are meeting up with that social worker they know. Not sure if it’s about an intake or what. I decided to come along to keep these two out of jail,” Trigger answers.

“Speaking of jail, can you make tickets disappear?” Pigeon asks me while attempting another theft from my plate.

I stop my growl before it’s heard by the others, but that doesn’t slow down my hand from stabbing at Pigeon’s with my fork. He jerks back in the nick of time, but it was a close call for him. I point my fork at him in silence and in warning. I catch the eye of our waitress and wait for her to arrive before lowering my fork.

“This man-child wants to order food,” I inform her.

“This man-child does not,” Pigeon states. “He simply wanted that tomato you’ve been ignoring.”

“Might be healthier if you order your own, Pigeon. I’ve seen Livi take down bigger men than you,” the waitress informs him with a smile.

“She couldn’t take me down,” Pigeon responds with a cocky grin.

“That’s what I thought about Ava and you saw how that turned out for me,” Horse Nuts adds with a laugh.

“Order food or leave Livi’s alone,” Cash says in a voice that ends the discussion.

The men place their food orders while Cash and I finish our meals. Cash places a warm hand on the back of my neck, and I get shivers when I feel his thumb stroke gently along the side of my neck. There’s power in that hand, and yet it’s comforting to me. I lean my weight into his side and listen to the men talk bikes.

“Ready to go?” Cash says quietly in my ear.

“Yeah, if you are.”

Cash leaves the table to pay our bill, and I turn to say our goodbyes. I find three smiling faces looking back at me. Slinging my purse over my shoulder, I grin back at them.

“Nice meeting you guys.”

Trigger and Horse both return the sentiment, but Pigeon has more to say.

“Make you a deal, Livi. I’ll keep my hands away from your food if you put in a good word for me with your partner.”

I pretend to ponder his deal for a moment before I open my mouth to agree. Before I can form the words, Trigger tosses out a deal of his own.

“I’ll buy you the dinner of your choice, every week, if you hang his ass.”

“Shut your face, old man!” Pigeon shouts.

“When you grow a set big enough to make that happen, I will,” Trigger calmly responds.

“I need to think about your offer, Trigger,” I answer and then laugh at the look of horror on Pigeon’s face.

“We’re out of here. See ya’s later,” Cash says from behind me only a second before he places a hand on my lower back.

We make the drive to Cash’s in a comfortable silence. Once we were on the road, Cash took my hand in his and rested them on his thigh. I realized on the drive that Cash is a hands-on kind of guy. He’s easy to be around, and if I’m within reach, he’s touching me in some way. I also realize how much I like that about him.

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