Page 76 of Cold Foot Cash

For tonight though, she just watched him dress in the deep quiet of the forest.

Harley couldn’t name much that she loved more than flying with Cash, and tonight, after everything, it had been the perfect balm to her soul.

What could be more freeing on her day of freedom than being in the air away from every problem that existed, with the man she was falling for.

Up there under the stars, it was just them.

He didn’t put on his shirt or shoes before he made his way to where she sat quietly on his tailgate. He’d turned his truck on to warm it up, and the lights from the cab sent a soft glow across his face.

The second he was close enough, she reached for him, and slid her hands over his smooth shoulders, then gripped his hair in the back as she melted into his hug. He pulled her closer to the edge of the tailgate and held her so tightly, his face buried against her neck, his fists clenching the flannel jacket that blanketed her.

His body was so big compared to hers. So strong. Tense.

“What’s wrong?” she whispered.

“I don’t want to leave tomorrow,” he said low.

The stars were so pretty above them. She stared at them and committed this moment to memory. “I don’t want you to go either. I don’t feel ready. I feel…I feel…” She swallowed hard and couldn’t find the right words to finish her thought.

“I feel too,” he said gruffly, and she knew he understood.

They could be their exact selves now. No restraint. No rules. Just she and Cash, and whatever life they wanted to build. And right when the chains were removed, he had to go.

Four hours between their homes felt like they would be a world apart.

She angled her face and pressed her lips to the side of his neck, and Cash’s hands tightened in the fabric of the flannel, pulling her even closer.

She kissed him there again, reveling in the freedom to do so.

A soft groan escaped him and smoothly, he eased back and pressed his lips to hers. This man could kiss every thought right out of her mind. Everything went so quiet when he touched her like this.

His hand slid up to cup the side of her neck as he deepened the kiss, pressing his tongue against hers.

A soft curse escaped his lips, and he eased back, resting his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes, and drew her hand to his bare chest. Against her palm, his heart was beating so fast. He inhaled deeply and kissed her lips again. And again. Shorter, and shorter until he pulled back completely.

“What are you thinking?” she whispered, afraid to disrupt the magic of the woods.

“That I need to go slow with you,” he answered softly.

Harley nodded, searching his bright glowing gold eyes. “Because you want to go slow?”

He shook his head. “If the timing was right, I would want everything from you.”

“I’ll make you a deal for tonight.”

“What is it?” he asked, his eyes sparking with such hunger as his gaze dipped to her lips.

“You don’t think tonight, and neither will I. Tonight is just for us.”

His gaze flickered back up to her eyes, and he understood what she was saying. She could tell. A slow, wicked smile curved up the very corners of his lips. “No thinking?”

“I don’t want to think anymore, Cash,” she uttered on a breath.

He locked his arm on either side of the tailgate, thumbs brushing her hips as he hung his head and thought about what she’d said. Three breaths. She had three breaths before he leaned forward and kissed her again. This time was different. This was intense, and needy. It was arms thrown around each other, and lips moving against each other like they’d done this a hundred times before. He stood straighter and slid his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her closer, angled his face the other way and drank her in until he’d accomplished it—she couldn’t think. Nothing existed outside of him.

He pushed the flannel off her shoulders, exposing the lace tank top she’d worn under her dress jacket today. Cash pulled that over her head, and was back on her immediately. Harley’s body was on fire as he slid his hand under her bra and cupped her breast. She gasped and arched her head up to the sky as her body tingled with warmth under his touch. Cash pulled the bra down, exposing her skin to air, and she groaned as his lips found her. He sucked hard, and then gentle, hard, then gentle, and she was clinging to him now, rolling her body, needing more.

She moved to lay back, but he caught cradled the back of her head with his hand and wouldn’t allow her back to touch the cold metal of his truck bed. He shook his head. “It’ll hurt.” His voice was so deep and gritty now.

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