Page 60 of Resting Beach Face
“Let me take that. What’s wrong?”
I shook my head. “There’s no table. I should have brought one for you.”
“That’s all right,” Cash said, his voice teasing. “I like it rough.”
I glanced up in surprise. It was the first time he’d thrown a sexual innuendo my way in a while, and for some silly reason, it reassured me.
Cash took the plate from me and sat down in a folding chair he and Gray had set up in a corner. He patted the one next to him. “Sit down. Have you eaten yet?”
“There’s six tacos on that plate. What do you think?”
“You’re right.” He grinned. “Obviously, they’re all for me.”
I chuckled as he lifted a taco and bit into it with relish. He took big ravenous bites, cheek bulging. His poor manners should have been appalling, but he resembled an adorable chipmunk. I smiled as I watched him start on the second taco approximately ten seconds after he started the first.
“Wha?” he mumbled around a bite.
“You really were hungry,” I said, lips twitching.
He straightened up, lifting his arm to wipe at his chin. He winced and rolled his shoulder.
“Sorry. I worked up an appetite.”
He rolled his shoulder again, grimacing, before he tore into the tacos again. I reached over and snagged one, because at this rate, he really might eat all six. I took a small bite and glanced around the room. The walls were still torn up, but several panels of sheetrock had been sanded smooth. There was white dust all over the floor—and Cash.
On impulse, I leaned over and plucked a piece of sheetrock from his dark hair.
His eyes shot to mine in surprise.
I showed him the white papery substance between my fingers. “You’re a mess.”
“No lie there. I feel filthy.” He wrinkled his nose. “Sorry if I stink. I’ve probably sweat out a gallon of water today.”
I ran my fingers through his hair again, brushing dust out of it, but really just absorbing the silky feel of his strands under the pads of my fingers. It was nice.
He tilted his head into my touch, eyes closing as he sighed. I continued finger-combing his hair, gradually trailing my fingers down the back of his head and kneading his neck.
“You’re not working too hard, are you? I’m going to come over and help more. You shouldn’t be taking so much on.”
The corners of his lips hooked up. “You worried about me? That’s sweet.”
I pressed my lips together to hold in the truth. Yes, I was worried about him. I cared about his well-being. Probably too much.
I dropped my hand away and took another taco. “Let’s finish eating and get you home for some rest.”
Cash grabbed a third taco and ate it—a little slower now that he’d gotten two in his belly. He interspersed his bites with gulps of beer. “How was B&B life today?”
I hummed. “Well, it was a busy day for check-outs. I had to remake a lot of beds. You’d think I’d be a pro by now, but I stillhave to wrestle the damn queen in the Apple Tree Room every time.”
Cash chuckled. “Why don’t you hire a housekeeping service? My mom works for a service that could help you out.”
“It wouldn’t be worth it to have them out for one or two rooms every few days.”
“I suppose not.”
“Maybe something like the resort…”
Cash nodded. “Yeah, Skylar has contracted them. Mom cleans there at least a couple times a week.”
