Cash (2 page)

Chapter Two

How
she’d lucked out with finding a guy like Cash, and at the auction of all
things, she still didn’t know. Tonight she almost wanted to lick him. Hell, she
wanted to tell him to forget about the show and dinner. She’d take him into her
room and rip off the crisp white shirt he was wearing, seductively pull down
the fly on the dark navy blue pants that adorned his thighs, and slip her hand
inside.

“Katy.”

She
jumped. She wasn’t aware she’d been so into that dream until she’d heard Cash’s
voice talking to her.

“What,
I…”

“Were
miles away,” said Cash.

“Sorry,
must be the jet lag.”

“You
do realize we’re only lost one hour flying here?”

Shit,
she hadn’t thought of that.

“Only
joking,” she said
.
“If you’re tired we can skip dinner after the show,” he said.

“No,
I’m starving.”

“Okay,
let’s take our seats. I’m really looking forward to this.”

She
followed him through to the theater and they found their seats in the middle of
the row.

“You
mind if I sit on this side of you?” asked Cash.

They’d
been out enough by now that she knew he always like her to sit on the right of
him. His little quirk, he’d told her.

She’d
even thought it was cute. Even she had her little superstitions.
Like always touching the window before she entered the store each
morning.
It brought her customers. She knew it.

The
place slowly filled up before the lights grew dim and the show began. She loved
the way Cash laughed at the opening act and then the way he mumbled,
that’s incredible and how the hell do they
find the courage to do that,
at the aerial act high above them.

She
snuggled into his thigh, deciding to take the initiative. She reached out and
slipped her hand into his as they watched some guys on a trampoline.

He
gripped her hand. She looked at him. He looked at her. Had they just made a
break through? Maybe they should skip dinner. But they’d only eaten a couple of
energy bars on the plane and one thing she hated when she was having sex was a
stomach that rumbled.
Something very unromantic about it.
Not quite as bad as farting, but pretty damn close in her books.

Katy
squeezed Cash’s hand again and this time she set her head on his shoulder while
they watched another aerial act high above them. The show was great so she
shouldn’t have closed her eyes but Cash made her feel all dreamy and sleepy
almost. His aftershave hung in the air. It was spicy, alluring and she took a
deep breath to take in more of it.

“You
okay?” asked Cash.

Katy
opened her eyes, hoping he hadn’t seen her and thought that she’d fallen asleep
on him
.
“
Yes, why?”

“I
thought you were dozing off. You had your eyes shut and it sounded like you
were snoring.” He gave her a playful nudge and winked. He loved to tease her.
She’d hated when her big brother had done it to her when they were growing up,
but Cash made it seem perfect.

“Just
really relaxed and looking forward to dinner,” she said.

****

Cash
couldn’t help looking at Katy as she sat across the table to him. Sure they’d
eaten out together many times before but tonight the twinkling lights of Vegas
outside the restaurant window seemed to play up her beauty. They’d chosen to
eat in one of the eateries at the hotel where they were staying. They’d picked
it because it was on the top floor that overlooked a large portion of the town.

“So
many lights,” said Katy as they waited for their dinner to arrive.

“Not
exactly eco-friendly,” said Cash before taking a sip of his beer.

“I
wonder what the total bill for all the electricity is or even the water bill?”
asked Katy, twirling her finger around the rim of her wine glass.

“Yeah
I wouldn’t like to pick up the tab for that one.”

The
waiter arrived with their meals. Cash had opted for the roast chicken while
Katy had chosen the lobster linguine.

“Anything
else I can get you folks?” asked the waiter.

“Nope,
this seems about it for now,” said Cash.

The
waiter left and Katy took a bite of her meal. “Wow, you have to try some of
this.”

She
stabbed a piece of lobster and twirled some pieces of pasta around her fork and
offered it to him. He leaned over and took it in his mouth.

“That
is incredible,” said Cash.

“You
think they’ll let me take some home with me?”

“My
cousin lives in Maine and he used to send my folks a live lobster every year
for their anniversary,” said Cash.

“These
things are delicious but I hate the thought that they put them in boiling water
while they’re still alive.”

“I
know…seems a bit heartless.”

“You
haven’t told me much about your family. Do your folks still live in
Grantsville?”

Cash
shook his head. Family wasn’t something he really liked to talk about. “They
never lived in Grantsville. I grew up in Columbia Falls. Mom was a teacher.
Dad, well I guess you’d call him an entrepreneur. They divorced when I was
eight. Mom passed away shortly after and my dad remarried when I was fourteen
and I did not get on with my stepmom, still don’t. And in fact, I haven’t
spoken to my father for a long time.”

It
was best to get the background on the
Doyles
out of
the way in one shot.

“I’m
so sorry to hear that. Do you have siblings?”

“Yeah, a brother who lives in Miami and
a sister who lives in Boise.
My uncle Bill Doyle’s the one who lives
in Grantsville.”

“And
do they all know your secret?”

Cash
stopped eating and went still.
Secret.
Did Katy know what he’d been hiding from her?

“I
mean that your great, great, great, great grandmother ran the best little
whorehouse in Grantsville?”

Cash
expelled the breath he’d been holding in. Shit, that had sent his blood
pressure soaring.

“Yeah,
just about everyone in the family knows.”

“I
got so emotional when I read her diary. She really, really loved Ryan Doyle.
I’m so glad she stuck to her guns and finally got her man.”

Was
that an indication how Katy would be too? Had she set her sights on Cash? Fuck,
he was going to be one sorry disappointment to her. At least Ryan was a
complete man. Yeah, he’d had a skeleton in his closet that Gracie didn’t know
about at first. When she found out what had happened to him, would she leave?
He didn’t think Katy was the sort of woman who’d do that but if she
did,
it would be yet another setback for him.

He
had a tear in the corner of his eye. He knew it and he didn’t want Katy to see
it. She’d ask what was wrong. He’d look weak just like his father had always
reminded him. Cash slyly dabbed his mouth with his napkin and brought it very subtly
up to his eye hoping Katy hadn’t seen him.

The
waiter headed over to them again and took their plates.

“That
was great,” Katy told him.

“It’s
always a favorite with the returning customers. Would you like to see the
dessert tray?” asked the waiter.

“I’m
pretty full,” said Cash.

“And
I can never say no to dessert so how about we share one?” asked Katy.

“I
guess we’d like to see that tray,” said Cash.

He
liked the fact that Katy wasn’t a calorie counter. She was fit but not rake
thin and didn’t pick at her food. Even his father would approve of that sort of
woman.

The
waiter returned with the tray and balanced it on the edge of their table.

“Oh
boy, decisions, decisions, decisions,” said Katy.

“You
like chocolate?” the waiter asked her.

“Love
it,” she said.

“Then
I’d go with this flourless torte with the raspberries,” said the waiter.

“That
sound good to you, Cash?” she asked him.

“Sounds
perfect…so one of those and two forks,” he said.

“I’ll
bring that right out and any coffee for either of you?”

Cash
shook his head.

“None
for me either,” said Katy.

The
waiter left and Katy drank the last of her wine.

“So
what time do we have to check in at the convention?” asked Cash.

“Doors
open at 9 a.m. but you if want to hang out at the pool all day I can go on my
own.”

“No,
the convention might be fun.”

The
waiter arrived and placed a generous slice of cake down between them and then
handed them each a fork.

“Enjoy,”
he said before he walked away.

Cash
was just about to dive in when Katy stopped him.

“Wait,
you have to make a wish first. It’s a tradition in the Nolan-Delaney family
that you always wish for something before you take the first bite of pie or cake.”

“Okay
and do I have to tell you or do I keep it to myself?”

“To yourself.
That’s another
one of our traditions. If you share it, it doesn’t come true.”

That
was just perfect because Cash didn’t have to think twice about what he was
going to wish for. He wished and hoped that Katy would accept him for
everything he was.

****

Katy’s
sex shop sold books and one of them was on the topic of foods to get you in the
mood. Chocolate was on the list so it wasn’t too surprising that she was
feeling like having sex and having it soon. She and Cash exited the elevator
and walked toward their rooms.
Their adjoining rooms.
 
He might have insisted on separate
rooms but when she’d booked, she’d made sure they were next to one another with
a connecting door. Once she got him between the sheets, he’d want their adjoining
door definitely open for the remainder of their stay.

She
had it all worked out what was going to happen tonight. First she was going to
kiss him. Not just let him peck her on the cheek like he always gave her when
they said goodnight. This one would be the sort that was a prelude to sex.

They
arrived at Katy’s door.

“I
guess I’ll see you around seven and we can hit one of the breakfast buffets.
I’m told they’re cheap and…’

She
didn’t let him finish before she put her lips on his. Now she really was taking
the first step by throwing her arms around him and crushing her body into his.
He kissed her back, nudging open her lips and letting his tongue slid over them
and into her mouth.

Yeah,
this was more like it. She pushed her body into his some more, feeling that old
familiar pull in her pussy, knowing that the wet patch in her panties was
growing by the second.

Katy
ran her hand up Cash’s back feeling his erection pushing against her belly. Maybe
waiting had been a good thing because when he slipped his cock into her she’d
see more lights than even Vegas had to offer. However, he did something she
wasn’t expecting. He pulled away from her and yawned.
He damn well yawned.

“I
need to get to bed because I’m about to fall asleep. See you tomorrow,” he
said. He slid his room card through the slot faster than she thought possible.
He was inside before she had a chance to respond.

Tears
formed in her eyes as a couple holding hands and looking very much in love
walked by. She looked away, not being able to stand other people’s happiness
right now. She hurried to the door of her own room, pushing the card through
the slot faster than Cash had but not having as much luck at getting into the
room as he had. She dropped it twice and then the red light blinked back at her
as if to mock her in her agony.

Finally
the green light appeared and she turned the handle and went into the room,
putting her back toward the door. The way he’d kissed her back had told her he
found it thrilling, found
her
thrilling. The hard-on told her he was as excited as she was.
So why the sudden exit?

Maybe
he was married and having second thoughts about cheating on his wife.

Maybe
he was gay. Maybe he just wanted to be friends and hadn’t worked up the courage
to tell her yet.

Maybe
he was a lost cause.

Katy
sat on the bed. The maids had been in and turned down the covers and left
chocolates on each pillow.
Comfort food.
Yeah, she
needed comfort food right now. She grabbed both of them. She
unwrapped
them and popped them into her mouth. She burst into tears. Why were men and
relationships so fucking complicated?