And I Love Her (12 page)

Prudence covered her face. “Gavin…what do you want?”

He finally looked at her. “I want a chance.”

“A chance?” she asked incredulously.

Fuck no. This better not be going where I think it is.

“I want you to go out with me—on a date.” He watched the expression on her face. “I want a chance to be something more with you.”

“What?” She looked disgusted. “I’m with Cash.”

“And you should be with me. Do as I ask and I’ll consider lying for you.”

“You’ll consider it?” I snapped. “You aren’t even giving us a guarantee?”

He ignored me. “That’s what I want.”

Prudence shook her head while she stared at him, a fierce look on her face. She
stopped crying because she was replaced with a clear bloodlust. “Why would you want me if it’s forced? What do you expect to get out of that? How could you do that to me?”

“Why don’t you just rape her?” I snapped. “Because that’s what you’re doing, making her
do something against her will.”

“I want a date. And I want a kiss.” Gavin was determined. He couldn’t see reason.

She crossed her arms over her chest, cutting him off. “No…I only kiss Cash.”

I was glad she wasn’t agreeing to this nonsense.

“Fine,” Gavin said. “Then I’m going to tell him the truth when he pays me a visit.”

Prudence was speechless. She turned away and paced the room. I stayed rooted to the spot, threatening Gavin with just my look. I was calculating the cost of a
hit man.  I honestly wanted to kill him. If Jeremy and I put our heads together, we could come up with something. Maybe we’d kill him with our bare hands.

Gavin watched her pace the room before he stepped toward her. “Prudence, listen to me. I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m just trying to help.”

“Fuck you.”

He sighed. “I’m asking for a single date.”

“No.”

“Then you’re going to lose everything.”

“Because of you,” she snapped.

He moved closer to her. It took everything within me not to snap his neck. “If you do this, I’ll consider lying to them.”

She stopped walking and glared at him. The hatred sparked in her eyes. “Gavin, I loved you. You were my best friend. When I think about all the nights we played music together, the days we studied together, all our adventures together, it breaks my heart because I realize that relationship is gone. It didn’t mean anything. How could it when you’re treating me this way?” Gavin looked at the ground. “I don’t want to be with anyone but Cash. He makes me happy.” The emotion caught in her throat. “Happier than I’ve been in a really long time. And I’m not letting you get between that. I’m not letting your lips touch mine. If you seek to destroy everything I’ve worked so hard for, fine. If that’s what you want, I won’t stop you. But I’m not letting you twist my arm like this. I will not go on a date with you. I just hope you change your mind before the wedding.” She stepped away then reached for me. “Let’s get out of here.”

I opened the door and let her walk out first. Before I left, I turned to Gavin. “Good job. Now you lost her forever.”

Chapter Thirteen

♬

Prudence Clearwater

“I can’t believe him.” I stopped in front of my brother’s door. I wasn’t ready to walk inside.

Cash’s hand was hooked around my waist, supporting me. “I know.”

I shook my
head. “I thought he was my best friend. How could he do this to me?”

“Love makes people do crazy things.”

“No,” I said firmly. “I know love and that wasn’t it.”

“You do?”

I do with you.
“He’s going to ruin everything. If Clark doesn’t question him, he’ll come to the wedding and ruin it there. Or it will be sometime after that. We’re screwed, Cash.”

“He’s just one person. If we convince everyone else we’re in love, Clark won’t be able to use one testimony to destroy all that.”

I had a feeling he could. “I don’t know…”

He pressed his face close to mine. “What do you want to do?”

“There’s nothing we can do,” I said sadly.

“You’re sure you don’t want to go through with the date?”

The statement broke my heart.
Cash didn’t care if I went on a date with him?
“Do you want me to…?”

“Not in the slightest.” His eyes glowed with his hatred. “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t want to.”

“I don’t want anyone to touch me but you.”

He took a breath. “I love hearing you say that.”

“I mean it.”

“I know you do.” He grabbed my face and kissed me. “You’re mine and I’m not sharing you with anyone.”

“I don’t want to be shared.”

He rubbed his nose against mine then closed his eyes. He held me for a long time, not saying anything. I didn’t mind the intimate moment. I felt safe with him, adored.

“I don’t want Jeremy to know,” I whispered.

“Why?” He opened his eyes.

“He’ll get upset. And I can’t control anything he does.”

“Why is that a bad thing?” The hatred returned to his eyes.

“Cash…”

“I’m sorry.” He stepped back. “I’ll give you anything in the world—but that.”

“Why?”

“He has t
he right to know.” He averted his gaze.

“You better not hurt Gavin
, Cash.”

“Why not?” he snapped. “He’s going to ruin this unless we intervene.”

She shook her head. “That doesn’t give you the right to hurt him.”

“Then he should
have just done as you asked.” The darkness settled on his shoulders. And he was gone.

“Cash—”

“This conversation is over.”

When he yelled at me during our engagement party, it was a different side of him I’d never seen. And that anger emerged once again. I decided not to challenge him. It seemed futile.

We walked into the house but Jeremy was gone. He had to go to work sometime.

“You’re lucky he isn’t here,” he said darkly.

I went to the kitchen table and sat down with a thud. “What are we going to do?”

“We’re still getting married like we planned.” He sat beside me and took my hand. “We’ll convince everyone we’re in love. And it’ll work out.”

“You sound so certain.”

“Because nothing will stop me from marrying you.”

I melted into a puddle on the floor. Cash could be so unbelievably romantic without even trying. I wondered if all his past women fell in love with him just as much as I did. Probably. I wouldn’t be surprised.

I moved into his lap and straddled his hips. Like usual, his cock sprang to life as soon as we touched. I liked having that affect on him. He always made me feel desirable, even on the days I looked like hell. I pressed my hands against his chest and felt the solid concrete underneath. Whenever I was upset, I ran to Cash immediately. He was my safe haven. When I was with him, nothing could tear me down. But I also wanted all of him—every inch of him.

I pressed my lips to his neck and my breasts to his chest. My fingers glided through his hair as I touched him the way he loved. His breathing automatically increased.

“Why do you
always want me when you’re upset?” he whispered.

I nibbled on his ear. “Does it matter?”

He moaned. “No.”

I kissed his chin then pressed my lips to his. When we touched, my mouth devoured his. Every kiss with him felt like the first one. The heat never died out. If anything, it increased.

I unbuttoned his jeans and pulled down the zipper, eager to feel him inside me. Everything was better when he was. Even if he didn’t love me, I could pretend he did. It seemed like it.

He br
oke our kiss and steadied my hands. “Let’s go upstairs first.”

“No.” I sucked his bottom lip then pulled down his jeans and briefs slightly, revealing the cock I adored so much.
It twitched as soon as my hand wrapped around it. I knew I was going to get my way.

Cash’s hands squeezed my ass before he broke away again. “Your brother could come home any minute…”

“Believe me, I’ll be quick.”

He moaned. “Fuck, baby.”

I pulled off my jeans and underwear then returned to his lap. His tip found my entrance like it had a mind of its own and slipped inside. We both gasped as soon as we connected.

I gripped his shoulders and moved up and down. “Cash, you always feel so good.”

Cash’s pragmatism disappeared. He gripped my hips and thrust into me from below. “Not as good as you do.”

“I think it’s both of us…” I pressed my face to his when I reached orgasm. “Right there.”

Cash moved into me harder, making it last as long as possible. “I can’t hold on much longer.”

I panted through the pleasure and dug my nails into his shoulders. When the throbbing decreased and I felt the tenderness between my legs, I moaned. “Go ahead, babe.”

Right on cue, he came. “Baby…” He pounded hard into me while I watched. I loved watching him get off. It was amazing. He enlarged slightly while he released himself, squirting his hot stickiness. “How is there any room in there?”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned against him, our bodies still joined together.

He moved his fingers through my hair then down my neck. “Would you judge me if I said a sick part of me liked it when you were depressed?”

I pulled away. “It depends on why.”

“Because you need me more than you usually do.”

I smiled. “No. I know you’d be the same way.”

His eyes softened when he looked at me. “You’re right.”

I felt the depression return when I thought of Gavin. “It breaks my heart he would do this to me. But I hope he changes his mind when the time comes. I have to have faith he’ll realize how wrong he is.”

Cash averted his gaze and said nothing.

“Cash, let it go.”

“I can’t let him ruin everything.”

“Cash,” I said firmly. “You will do nothing.”

“I will?” he asked incredulously.

“Yes.”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

“Cash,
you will do nothing because I asked you to.”

His lips were sealed.

“Tell me you won’t do anything.”

“I can’t…”

“Threatening him and hurting him won’t help the situation. If anything, it will make it worse. Then he’d go out of his way to contact the immigration department and tell them everything. The only way it’d work is if he died.”

Cash’s eyes lightened slightly.

‘That’s not funny.”

“Why are you protecting him?” he snapped. “He obviously doesn’t give a shit about you.”

“That has nothing to do with this. I don’t play dirty. I never have and I never will.”

He shook his head slightly. “You’re willing to ruin everything you’ve worked for?” His voice shook before he spoke again. “To risk us?”

The idea of losing my career was unthinkable. I’d go back to an ordinary life and play my guitar in solitude, without an audience. But losing Cash sounded worse. It was definitely more important to me than fame and money, even if it was temporary. But there was nothing I could do. “It’ll work out. We’ll be so convincing, everyone will realize Gavin is just in love with me and is trying sabotage our relationship because he wants me all to himself.”

“You’re making a lot of assumptions,” he said sadly.

“It’ll work out. It has to.”

He didn’t seem convinced.

“Cash, tell me you won’t do anything.” He wouldn’t lie to me.

His hands moved to my waist and squeezed me gently.

“Cash.”

He kept his silence.

“Do this for me or no hanky-panky.”

A smile stretched his lips. “You’re threatening me now?”

“Damn right.”

“I’m calling you
r bluff. Ninety percent of the time you’re the one holding me down and fucking my brains out.”

“I like fucking your brains out.”
I ran my hands up and down his chest. “But I can resist if I must.”

He chuckled. “Sure…”

“Then just do as I ask.” I gave him a serious look. “And don’t tell my brother.”

He growled at me.

“And as a thank you, I will give you the best head you’ve ever gotten.”

His eyes widened. “That does sound tempting…”

“Even though you’re going to do as I asked simply because it’s what I want. But at least you get something out of it.”

“Can I alter that reward slightly?”

“Maybe.”

“Can we record us screwing
?”

I narrowed my eyes. “Why?”

“So we can send it to Gavin.”

I shook my head. “You’re unbelievable. You want him to see me naked?”

“I’ll cover you. He can see my bare ass.”

“The answer is no.”

He smiled. “I had to try.”

“Now agree to what I asked.”

He sighed. “Fine. I won’t.”

“Promise me.”

Cash’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “My word is good enough. I don’t need to promise anything. You know that by now.”

“You’re right.” I kissed him gently. “I’m sorry.”

He gripped my hips and pulled out of me. “We should get dressed before your brother comes home. It’s one thing for him to hear us, but seeing us would just be traumatizing.”

I rolled my eyes. “Just because he doesn’t have a personal life.”

Cash buttoned his jeans then adjusted his shirt.

I wondered if Cash knew anything. They’d been spending a lot of time together, and guys talked as much as girls did. “Has my brother said anything to you?”

He pulled up my jeans and adjusted my clothing. “You’re just asking to be caught.”

Was he avoiding the question?
  “Cash, has my brother said anything about his personal life?”

He grabbed one of my legs and pulled
it to other side of his waist so I wasn’t straddling him. “You can straddle me all you want when we we’re alone. But when we’re in your brother’s house, you need to be a little more conservative.”

“You didn’t have a problem fucking me a second ago.” I cupped his face and forced his look on me. “Now answer my question.”

Cash thought he was off the hook after he dismissed the question twice. Nope. “Pass.”

“Pass?”

He looked uncomfortable.

“Why won’t you tell me?”

“He asked me not to.”

Was my brother hiding something? Did he already have a girlfriend but he didn’t want me to meet her? Was he already married? Maybe I was being a little paranoid.
“Why doesn’t he want me to know?”

Cash sighed. “Baby, your brother and I are friends. And I’ll keep his secrets as much as yours.”

I loved that Cash and my brother got along so well. My brother was a hard man to impress. But I was hurt he told Cash something he refused to tell me. His excuse about being private was all a lie. He told Cash and he hardly knew him. My brother was my best friend. Wasn’t I his?

“Don’t take it personally,” Cash said gently. “It’s just a guy thing.”

“My brother and I tell each other everything. Why is this any different…?”

Cash kissed my forehead. “Don’t let it bother you. It’s really not a big deal.”

“Maybe to you.”