Wild Heart- Extended Edition (The Wild Heart Series) (5 page)

“I see you’re with Cash.” Shelby hopped down, bumping into her hip playfully before leaning into the cooler for a beer, “You want a one?”

“Sure. Unless you have something stronger,” Ani laughed.

“As a matter of fact.” Shelby stood, handing Ani a beer before she made her way to the cab of the truck.

“Oh, Lord. Here she goes,” Linsey laughed, taking a swig of her drink.

“What you doing, Babe?” a large bald man asked from where he stood at the front of the lifted Ford F-250.

“None of your damn business, Jonathon!” Shelby yelled. Ani glanced over at the large man worrying he might become offended by Shelby’s harsh tone, only to see a large grin on his chubby face.

Shelby made her way back over to Ani and handed her a clear mason jar.

Shit.

“It’s apple pie. Just made this batch the other day.” Shelby smiled, “I’ll take a shot of it with you if you want. It’s really smooth.”

“Ok, but someone’s gonna have to hold my hair later if I get sick,” Ani protested.

“I’ll take care of that.” Cash came up behind her. His warm hands slid under the edge of her shirt, causing desire to course throughout her body in every direction.

Oh yeah. I am gonna be naked within the hour.

She pushed the thought out of her mind and twisted the lid off the jar, letting the warm spicy liquid roll down her throat. She could taste the sweetness of apple and the burn of cinnamon as she swallowed down a mouthful.

“Damn girl! You need to party with us more often! Fearless.” Shelby beamed, taking the jar from Ani and downing a large sip as well.

“That is the best moonshine I’ve ever drank, Shelby,” Ani said, wiping the remaining liquid from her mouth.

“I’m a ninth generation moonshiner,” Shelby smiled proudly, passing it to the next girl in line.

“You wanna go take that truck of yours in the mud yet?” Cash whispered in her ear. “Or better yet, I know of a nice secluded spot just down the road.”

“I don’t know, what do you say girls?” Ani cut her eyes back at Cash.
Two can play this game, smartass
. “You want to go play in the mud? I didn’t have many chances to get her stuck up in New York, other than traffic. This will be her maiden voyage.”

Shelby didn’t answer, but bounded off the tailgate and jumped up into the passenger seat of Ani’s truck smiling. Trisha and Linsey smiled at each other before nodding yes and followed Ani to the truck.

“I love your truck, Ani!” Trisha said excitedly as she climbed across the back seat.

“Thank you,” Ani said, cranking the ignition. The truck came to life with a purr as Cash came up to her window.

“Not what I had in mind, but I’m just glad you’re enjoying yourself.” He stepped up onto the roll bar, leaning into her window and kissing her softly on the cheek.
Fuck, there go my panties.

Giggles floated from the back of the truck as she put it in reverse and pulled out toward the mud hole. She could see the large murky pit expanding out for a few hundred yards and, especially with today’s rain, she wasn’t sure how deep it was. Through her windows she could smell the muggy night air mixed with the scent of the red clay and black mud.

“Ok girls, is it deep?” Ani asked “tell me truthfully”. She could feel the moonshine beginning to warm her stomach, giving her just enough courage to not care either way.

“Nah, it’s not that bad,” Shelby chimed from the passenger seat.

“Everyone buckled?” Ani looked in the rear view mirror.

“Aye, aye, Captain!” Linsey gave a thumbs up from the back seat.

“Hold on to your asses then,” Ani said, stomping down on the gas pedal and launching the SUV directly into the large puddle of mud. She could just make out the hoots and hollers of those watching from the bonfire as the engine roared to life. Shrills and squeals came from the back seat as mud slung out in every direction. Some making it into the windows of the truck, sprinkling down on them all and splattering across their faces and shirts.

“Hell yeah!” Shelby yelled from the passenger seat.

As Ani made it through the mud hole and to the other side, she pressed the gas once more, slinging the truck completely around in the other direction. They took off one more time through the mud and pulled back up to the campfire. Laughter erupted from the truck as the girls all jumped out. Ani was beaming as she hopped out and brushed the dirt from her shirt. She grabbed her beer off the hood of the next truck over as Cash came up and ran his hands along her arms.

“You still got it,” he said as he smiled down at her.

“I know,” she answered playfully. Before she could realize what she was doing, her arms were wrapping up around his neck. Quickly she pulled them back down and turned to walk back to the fire.

“Ani?” She could hear Cash’s voice calling out for her, but she needed to walk away from it.
Not ready for this.
However, she paused a few feet from where he stood behind her.
No, I am ready for this.
But her heart thumped loudly and reminded her that even though she might not remember the pain that she felt years ago when she and Cash had split up, it did. 

“Where’d that moonshine go?” Ani asked as she came back up to Trisha and Shelby.

“Right here, little lady,” Shelby smiled, holding it up.

Ani took the jar and another large swig from it. Over the next two hours she drank, drank more, and drank some more after that; avoiding Cash at all costs. She knew she couldn’t go there, she knew that even if she got close to him she would cave. They’d had an amazing relationship when they were younger. He had been more than her boyfriend, but one of her best friends too, which had made their break-up that much harder. She felt betrayed by the way he had handled the whole conversation that afternoon in his truck. He’d always taken up for her and supported her decisions before. So she’d never been able to wrap her head around why he hadn’t supported her decision to go to school outside of Tennessee.

Before long, Mr. Baxley’s son was out with the tractor and each of the guys were now taking turns trying to get their trucks stuck. She sat and stared into the fire from the back of her truck. Her head was fuzzy and she was tired of caring. Tired of holding back. Over the past few days Ani had felt more emotion, more confusion, than she had ever felt in her entire life. There was a reason why fate had brought her back home, and maybe it was to reignite the fire that obviously still burnt between Cash and herself. Fuck, why was this so bewildering?

This was her night to have fun and she’d be damned if she was going to sit here like a
stick in the mud
. She watched as the wood in the fire shifted, pushing hundreds of glowing embers up into the air. Slowly they floated up above the flames and then disappeared into the night. She needed to let go just like those embers, no longer holding on to the past; holding on to what they once were. As the rest of the group made their way to the other end of the field, Ani walked around and hopped into the driver’s seat of her truck.

“Whoa there. Where do you think you’re going?” Cash came up toward her door and grabbed it before she could close it.

“Get in,” Ani smiled.

“How about you scoot over and let me drive,” Cash looked up at her with a slight smile, “you’ve been hitting the jar pretty hard tonight.”

“Ok.” She didn’t protest as she scooted across the middle console and into the passenger seat.

As Cash climbed into the truck, she rolled her window down and pushed the number five CD button. Quietly, Willie Nelson and Ray Charles came crooning through the speakers singing “Seven Spanish Angels”. She looked over at Cash to find him staring at her with wild eyes. This was their song. The only song they’d ever made love to. The only song she knew every single word to. The only song that could still bring her to tears if she listened to it without him.

“Ani…” he started, but she brought her hand up to his mouth stopping him.

“Don’t, Cash. Not tonight,” she pleaded, pausing for a moment before dropping her hand.

That moment, she wanted him. Badly. She wanted him to consume her, to feel his hands travel along her skin as she lay underneath him. Screw indecision, she was ready for whatever was going to happen tonight. Before thinking, she leaned over and their lips met. She lingered briefly until he began to move. His hand traveled to her hair and tugged lightly on the loose strands at the back of her neck. Her lips parted as his tongue slid in, tangling with her own. She took a deep breath through her nose, trying to calm her heart from pounding straight out of her chest. She could feel Cash’s hands traveling down to her shorts. Their lips broke long enough for her to attempt to pull her shirt over her head.

“Wait,” Cash’s voice was low and protective.

“Cash?” Ani paused and sat back down in the passenger seat.

“Not here.”

Ok fair enough.

He put the truck in drive and took off around the bonfire toward the trail they had come up. She could hear the faint shouts directed at their truck as they sped off into the cover of the forest. She leaned back in the seat as the warm Tennessee air came in through her window, blowing her hair in every direction and kissing lightly against her damp skin. She could hear the faint sound of water falling from the mountainside as he pulled up into a dark back corner of the property.

She looked over at Cash, her eyes on fire with hunger for him. This was
their
spot. The same place he’d made love to her for the first time on her eighteenth birthday. She was so naïve back then. She thought that he’d be her first and her last. But times had changed and she hoped, down to her core, that if she got it tonight out of her system that she would be over this silly obsession with him for good. She knew there was too much hurt and disappointment to go back down that road for good. Both of their hearts had been battered, like a ship tossed around at sea while caught in the midst of a treacherous squall. But pain and hurt was the last thing that she wanted to worry about tonight. Tonight she was going to let fate decide, because as she’d learned at this point, that there was no use trying to make plans around that bitch. Fate had a mind of her own.

“Ani,” his voice pulled her from her thoughts as she looked over at him. His bright green eyes were shining like gemstones in the moonlight that cascaded through the windshield.

“Cash, I don’t want to talk about this right now,” she said, climbing into his lap with her back to the steering wheel. “Just take me, Cash. Now.”

Again, her lips crashed down against his as his hand pulled the handle, letting his seat all the way back.
Just this once. Just for tonight.
His hands traveled back up to her shirt as the old memories flooded back into her mind and with each flickering thought she let them float out into the breeze that blew gently through the windows. Her body ached for his touch and sang out as his fingers trickled down her hips and to her thighs. As her lips closed around his, she let herself succumb to the eruption of bliss that was encompassing them both. And as the pine trees sang out their lullaby, she let herself believe that nothing had ever changed. That she was just a girl, in love with this boy, and that tomorrow they wouldn’t have to answer to anyone.

CHAPTER FOUR

HAIR OF THE DOG

Ani woke feeling as though her head would split in half at any moment. She blinked her eyes through the pain and digested the new teal and burlap curtains she had hung a few days earlier.
How the hell did I get home?
She sat up slowly on the bed as the room spun, causing her stomach to flip. She looked over at her clock to see that it was already past eleven in the morning.
Damn, how long was I out?
She remembered being with Cash last night.

Cash fucking Roberts.

She growled out loud at the thought of his name. All she had wanted was just one innocent hook up. Just one night of free will. No feeling, no emotions; but no, he couldn’t do that. She rubbed her throbbing head as she thought back to last night.

“Ani. Wait,” Cash’s voice was cut off by Ani’s sloppy kisses.

“Shh. Cash stop talking.” Ani leaned up and ripped her tank top over her head and threw it into the back seat.

As she came back down to taste more of his lips, he caught each side of her face and held her still just inches from his, staring deep into her eyes.

“Ani. I can’t do this,” his voice was apologetic.

“What the fuck, Cash?” she fumed, “You’ve been fucking me with your eyes for the past week and now all of a sudden you don’t want me?”

“Of course I do, Ani.” He sat up in the seat, wrapping his arms around her now shivering body. “I just can’t do this when you’ve been drinking. I can’t take advantage of you like that.”

“I haven’t had that much,” she slurred as she tried to cuddle further into his warm body.

“Yeah, you have.” He held her tightly as he handed her back her shirt, “How about I take you home so you can sleep it off and I’ll call you tomorrow?”

“Whatever, Cash.” She rolled her eyes, pulling her shirt back on and hopping over into the passenger seat.

She chanced a glance over at him to find a shit-eating grin that only irritated her even further.

“Just like old times, grumpy,” he chuckled, putting the truck in reverse and pulling back out toward the road that led back to the party.

She remembered pulling back up to the bonfire, but shortly after is where it all went to a blur. She was glad Cash hadn’t drank last night, because if so, they would have been sleeping in her truck in the field; that or she would have been walking her ass home. It might have taken her a few days, but she would have been happier doing that then cuddling up next to Cash all night.

She slowly got up from her bed and made her way into the bathroom.
Hot damn, woman.
She was a hot ass mess, mud still clung to the ends of her hair, along with a few twigs and some leaves mixed in with it. Her make-up was smeared across the side of her face and she was still wearing the same dirty pink shirt from last night. It felt like high school all over again; except this time she hadn’t had to sneak back in through her window. Her stomach rumbled as she got into the shower to wash off the fun from last night.