Page 64 of Cold Foot Cash

“Where’s Carolina? Why are you out here drinking by yourself?”

“Oh, she’s mad at me.” Harley was so sleepy. “She said I’m not allowed to talk to you anymore, and so that’s why I left Darby. That was hard. She said you’re her ex so it’s the rules. I can’t like you.”

“Well, that’s a weird one since I’m not her ex.”

“That’s what I said.” Harley could barely keep her eyes open. “I think you’re a very handsome friend,” she said softly. Her eyelids were getting so heavy. She just needed to take a little nap. “If I could, I would have nine babies with you.”

****

Nine babies.

If I could, I would have nine babies with you.

Cash was having trouble keeping his focus on the road. He kept looking over at Harley’s pretty face as she slept in the seat next to him. God, it took everything in him not to pull over andjust hold her. Just hug her. Just remind her body that she really wasn’t alone.

This woman had no idea how special she was. Watching her walk through fire with grace was bonding his animal to her so fast. She didn’t know that part. She didn’t understand that all he could see and think about was her.

He had to play this cool because she needed to get through this fork in the road, and then have time and space to heal. He knew that’s what needed to happen, but for him, his animal didn’t care about any of these technicalities. He just cared for her, and that was all that mattered.

He wanted to protect her.

He wanted to be with her.

When she said things like she wanted to have babies with him, he could imagine it so clearly.

“Hey,” he murmured, brushing a knuckle across her cheek.

“Hmm?”

“Where’s your home, pretty girl?”

“One four one three five Bark Ridge Avenue. It’s in Bozeman. Montana,” she said in the cutest sleepy voice he’d ever heard. “You said I’m pretty.”

His heart was hammering against his chest right now. She was filling up his senses. The relief he felt when he was around her was wild. He’d never been like this around another person before. He used to think humans were so fragile, and didn’t belong in his world, but he’d watched how tough she was. How she could hold her own. How she could stand up tall in a storm. He admired that about her.

Tomorrow, he would ask her what was happening, and figure out a way to help, but for tonight? He wanted to get her home and all tucked in.

Tonight, he just wanted her to know she really wasn’t alone.

Chapter Sixteen

Harley inhaled deeply, and stretched her legs under the warm covers of her bed.

Just before dawn, the light outside had a gray tone to it, and she guessed from the light filtering through the window, it was about seven in the morning.

The soft murmur of a man’s voice in the other room had her sitting up and trying to make out the words.

Cash was talking to someone on the phone.

She kicked out of bed and pushed off the mattress, then padded quietly to the door to listen.

“Oh, you did get my text last night? Yes, sir.” There was a long pause. “Yes, sir. Oh, Kade already told you what?” Another pause. “Well, he talks about my business too easily, but yes sir. My lady is up in Bozeman and I needed to be here with her. Yes, sir. Thank you. Hey, Tommy?” Another short pause. “Thank you. I’ll be back to annoying you on Wednesday.” Cash laughed and then she could hear him set the phone down on her kitchen counter.

In a rush, she bolted to the dresser mirror and tried to smooth down her hair. It resembled a rat’s nest. She didn’t have make-up on. When had she taken it off. On further thought, now she remembered talking Cash through her entire night-time skincare routine, like she was some narrator on a reality show. Good gah.

Mortified, she slipped into her bathroom and brushed her teeth like a maniac, and then flew to her dresser and pulled out a pair of leggings and a tank top, so she could change out of this absolute potato sack that she was wearing. Wait.

She caught a glimpse of her whole outfit in the full-length mirror beside the dresser. Was this…? Was she wearing one of Cash’s T-shirts?

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