“That’s it, baby,” he grunted. “I’ve got you,” he encouraged. “Get there.”
He reached around and slid a finger over my bundle of nerves. That was all I needed. I shrieked into the pillow as I went over, with him following seconds later, his low groan of release the most satisfying sound I’d ever heard. I collapsed to my belly, and he followed, his weight reassuring as we both panted for breath.
When I shifted slightly, he rolled off, pulling me against his front so we were spooning. “Holy shit,” he panted. “Didn’t even take my pants all the way off.”
I burst out laughing as he squeezed my hip and nuzzled my neck. Finally, he sat up, pulling his boots and socks off and his jeans the rest of the way down his legs while I admired the view. He turned to look at me over his shoulder. “Come on, baby, let’s shower.”
****
“All right, chief, what gives?” Cash’s voice was sleepy as he held me close, his hand splayed on my hip. After an extended shower that had included getting dirty again, we were lying side by side in the dark. “It’s like you’re forcing yourself to pull away.”
I swallowed, trying to organize my response to his very accurate observation. “Me and Ri have been an us for two years. I gave up a lot for that us,” I shared as his hand flexed on my hip in a sign of support. “It wasn’t natural to me, I screwed up a lot in the beginning. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. I still don’t sometimes.” I snorted. “Sometimes our lives are messy and disorganized. But it means more to me than anything in this world.”
“And you don’t want me to break that,” he surmised quietly.
I breathed out a sigh of relief that he hadn’t made me say it. “I don’t think you would on purpose,” I assured him. “But she already wants a daddy so much. And you’re so good with her. I see her starting to let you in. Riley’s world is small. You have the capacity to encompass so much of it. She loves so big. What if you decide that being domestic isn’t actually your thing? What if this doesn’t work out for any number of reasons? I have to think about her—I have to protect her. And you’re like a freight train about to bowl me right over,” I admitted.
I expected a fight in return, but instead he turned me to face him, his blue eyes shining with a challenge I didn’t comprehend. “What if you don’t try at all?”
He’d zeroed in on the one question I’d asked myself over and over again. The single reason I’d let him in at all.
When I couldn’t formulate the words to reply, he continued, “Baby, I don’t intend to walk away. And I could never replace who you are to Ri and what you two have built together. I don’t ever want to do that, I couldn’t. All I’m asking is for a chance to have a spot on the team.”
The combination of his loving tone and the words he spoke with such longing had me dropping my forehead to his chest.
He rubbed my back in soothing circles. “I know I’m coming on strong. We’ve talked about this. And anyone else? I’d back way off. Hell, I would have never cared to try in the first place. But with you, it’s all I want in the world. And I know if I did back off, you’d never let me in. I’m going to fight for you, Layla.”
Damn, how could I ever argue with that?
“It’s really easy to get used to you being around,” I admitted, my voice muffled as I remained with my face buried in his chest.
He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer. “Well, that’s the idea, chief.” He chuckled, kissing the top of my head. “Let’s get some sleep. I’ll set my alarm for early so that I’m back on the couch by the time Ri wakes up.”
“Okay, thank you.” I sighed sleepily as I burrowed as close to him as possible, breathing him in.
When his voice came again a short time later, I wasn’t sure if I was dreaming already. “What you don’t seem to get here, baby, is that the only heart that could get broken in this is mine.”
Chapter 12
CASH
“What’d you find out?” I asked Gunner as I leaned over his shoulder, looking at his laptop at the club a few days later.
“Other than he’s a piece of shit?” he quipped as he scrolled through the research he’d been compiling on Layla’s brother.
“Knew that already.” I grunted. “What’s he into?”
“That’s the thing, man,” he began, looking vexed. “Guy’s clearly not on the up-and-up but I don’t see anything to point me to what’s goin’ on with Layla. He’s been in and out of jail for the past couple of years. A short stint for possession with intent to sell and some other petty shit, but nothing major. He seems to be keeping a pretty low profile down in Florida.”
“Maybe he got into something bigger than he was ready for,” I put in.
“Maybe,” he allowed. “But I gotta admit, that’s not what my gut tells me. Maybe—”
“It’s not the brother at all,” I concluded. On the one hand, I’d be relieved Layla’s flesh and blood, Riley’s father, hadn’t been the cause of the break-in. On the other, not knowing what the fuck was going on was something else entirely.
“Fuck,” I grunted, pushing back from the table and running a hand in agitation through my hair. “I have zero to fucking go on if it’s not the brother. She doesn’t really have any serious exes. Work’s steady, but as a contractor, no regular coworkers.”
He eyed me with concern. “I get it, man. You know I’ll help however I can.”
“Right. Thanks for your help, man.” I clapped him on the back as he shut his laptop.
“No worries, brother. Other than this shit, how’s things with Layla?”
“Good.” I nodded. Thing were more than good. I’d made sure of it for the past three nights I’d spent in her bed. “I’ve gotta head out, gonna meet her at the gym.”
“The gym bunnies get the memo that you’re off the market?” He chortled.
“I’ll stamp it on my fucking forehead if I have to,” I ground out. I’d never been comfortable with the attention in the first place. Now? It felt like an insult to Layla every time it happened. Word had spread I was spoken for, but some bitches didn’t care about that shit. Hell, for some it was a challenge.
He chuckled. “Now that I’ve gotta see.”
“Later, brother,” I replied by way of answer, throwing up a two-fingered salute and making my way out to my bike. My jeans tightened at the idea of Layla behind me, her luscious body pressed to mine. With Riley, we hadn’t been able to ride yet.
But I had to plan to change that. Very soon.
Just had to make sure she went for it.
****
“Remember to keep your fists up,” I reminded Layla a short time later as we wrapped up a boxing session in the empty studio at the back of the gym.
She looked gorgeous with her cheeks flushed and hair thrown up in a haphazard bun. Her gorgeous body was on distracting display in a sports bra and tights that left little to the imagination.
I’d be all over her if I didn’t know how important this was to her.