Blank Space (Dirty South Book 1)

by Alla Kar

I squeezed my fingers together. “Yeah—but not because I didn’t enjoy last night. I was confused …”

  Cash pulled at my bottom lip with his thumb, his eyes searching mine then dropping to my mouth. “What are you confused about, Peach? I can’t fix it if you don’t tell me.”

  “You’re my boss …” I whispered.

  I felt his gritty groan in my stomach. “I am your boss but it wouldn’t matter if I weren’t. What happened last night was far more than be being your boss, and us sleepin’ together. It’s about our attraction to one another. I know you felt that. It wasn’t just some casual act of loneliness; it was a fuckin’ connection.”

  I wanted to believe that because it’s exactly how I felt. I’d felt it the night before, and I felt it in every step I took this morning. “I asked you last night if you were okay with goin’ forward and you said yes. I knew you’d say yes before you did, I could see it in those pretty green eyes. Don’t shake me off because you work for me. We had an agreement, nothing that happens from here on out will affect your position. You have it no matter what. What’s there to lose? Give me a chance to show you how much I want you.”

  I was sure if he could have looked down he would have seen the dampness of my panties. Christ I didn’t want to do anything but have him over me. “Okay,” I whispered.

  One hand cupped my cheek. “Eat your food,” he whispered.

  I started to eat slowly, taking a bite of the buttermilk biscuit on my plate. His fingers dipped to my waist, his fingers running against the damp cotton. “I really like these panties, Peach. I can easily see how bad you want me.”

  My body relaxed at the feel of his finger and convulsed at the feel of his teeth on my neck. “Keep eatin’. You need your energy.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Cash

  She was underneath me again, finally.

  I’d wanted to take her back to bed the moment I saw her standing half dressed in my room. I’d had a feeling she might try to sneak away. That’s what she was used to. After the night before, I couldn’t imagine anyone not wanting to sink into her again and again.

  Her bottom lip opened into a hushed cry, her blond hair splayed out beside her, her bare breast soft against my chest. The soft purrs she’d make had me harder than I could remember being.

  She’d climaxed twice already, and I couldn’t take too much more of being inside of her. I’d sunk deeper, making her whimper when I came undone. She kept grinding against me until she pulled every drop of cum out of my dick and into the condom.

  I’d wanted to bareback her as soon as I felt her through her panties in the limo. But I wanted her to feel safe with me. Unprotected sex wasn’t safe, and getting her knocked up would certainly not go over well with the family.

  “Peach,” I said, dragging her to my chest. We’d hardly made it to the bed. We had scattered the picture frames on my dresser all over the floor. It hadn’t taken long for my fingers to find their way inside of her. “Your lips are bruised.”

  Her tiny fingers touched her bottom lip, and she laughed. It was a sleepy laugh that had my dick on high alert. “We’ve been at it for hours, Cash,” she said, her voice raspy. “I can’t believe that it’s already five in the afternoon. I need to get up and do somethin’ with my life.”

  I ran my fingers through her hair, down her soft back to her backside. “Well, I’m positive you won’t be in trouble with your boss.”

  At first she was quiet, but then a giggle burst from her lips, and she slapped her palm against my chest. “Hush,” she whispered.

  “Can I ask you a question?” I whispered.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “Sure.”

  “Who is Ryder?”

  I could have found out by now. As soon as I thought of it, I could have had Joey look it up for me. I didn’t because I wanted her to tell me. I wanted to know that she trusted me.

  She tensed briefly against me, her fingers fiddling with the sheets next to me. “My older brother.”

  Her brother. I remembered the picture that lined her family’s walls when I was there. Then suddenly it all came tumbling back, I remembered it in the news several years back. The Henry’s had closed down the store in town for a week. He’d died but I didn’t remember how.

  My tongue stuck to the top of my mouth. I wanted to erase the question because I knew I’d brought up hurtful memories. “He died when I was younger. He fell from a tree trying to get Nyla out of it.”

  Christ.

  I stroked her head. My other hand pulling her closer to me. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

  I saw the tear roll down her cheek before her palm got to it. Before I knew any better, I pulled her closer, wrapped both of my arms around her. She sunk her head into my shoulder, and her body shook against mine.

  I wasn’t a therapist or a shrink, but I knew when someone had bottled up emotions. And because of her strength, I knew her parents didn’t do much to help her healing process. Their relationship was rocky as hell, but if I’d lost my brother, my mom would have done anything it took to keep me sane.

  I held her for hours. The evening pink clouds littered the sky around us. Sydney stared out into the sunset, all her tears dry, and her bright green eyes large. “I think I’m hungry,” she said, her voice raspy from silence.

  I grinned down at her, pulling her to a sitting position. “I can smell dinner cookin’ downstairs.” I lowered my eyes to her chest. “But I’d suggest puttin’ some clothes on. Gloria may work for me, but she’d flip her lid if you walked downstairs like that.”

  Sydney gave me a narrowed look. “You’re the one that wouldn’t let me put it on this mornin’, sir.”

  She squealed when I reached out to pinch her nipple. “Okay, I’m getting dressed.” She jumped up in a hurry to pull her clothes on. “I actually went and got you some stuff to wear this mornin’.” I pointed toward a pair of pajama bottoms and a tank top.

  “Oh,” she said. “Thank you.”

  I grabbed a shirt while she dressed beside me. She kept her eyes cast downward at first, knowing I stared at her. She only looked up when she slipped her shirt over her stomach. “Better?”

  Grabbing her waist, I pulled her to me, her hands pressed tightly against my chest. “You know I like the other better, Peach.”

  She looked down at the neck of my shirt. “If you say so.”

  I leaned down, my nose pressed against the soft skin of her cheek. The honeysuckle smell of her skin was a smell I’d never get tired of. “I do.”

  I was only saying goodnight.

  The trouble was that I’d already said goodnight, thirty minutes ago. After an awkward encounter with Gloria for supper, I’d given her a few hours to herself before I knew she’d be getting tired.

  I’d kissed her to tell her good night, and now I was in-between her legs, dry humping her like a horny teenager. I’d fallen in love with the way I fit between her soft thighs, and how fast she reacted to my touch.

  The only reason I hadn’t torn her panties down her legs was because she’d told me she was too sore. I could have imagined. I’d been inside of her the entire fucking day.

  “I thought you were comin’ to tuck me in,” she whispered into my ear, a soft giggle slipped out.

  I drug my teeth up the side of her throat. “You tasted too sweet to leave without a kiss.”

  I skimmed my hands up her thighs, pressing my cock against her wetness, wondering what had gotten into my head. I hadn’t had this much sex since college. But I’d never felt it like this before. I couldn’t get enough of her.

  “Okay,” I whispered, my palms tight on her legs. “I’m gonna walk away now.”

  She laughed against my mouth, bucking her hips against mine. “Maybe I’m okay for a qui—,”

  “No, no, no,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I’ll give you some time to recover, so the next time I won’t have to be soft.”

  Sydney pressed a kiss to my lips as I raised up. I wanted to reach out and touch her again. Her heavy
eyes stared up at me, a sleepy smile on her face. “I like that plan, sir.”

  I grabbed her ankle and pulled her down on the bed. She squealed and scurried back up to the top where she covered herself in blankets. “I’ll see you tomorrow mornin’, I suspect you’ll get a good night’s rest over here—alone.”

  She shrugged, playing with the end of her hair. “Maybe, who knows who’ll stop by …”

  “Oh yeah?” I asked, sinking my palms against the mattress. “I guess he’ll have one hell of a night to live up to, Peach.”

  “I’d be lyin’ if I didn’t agree with that,” she said, pushing me off with her foot. “You better leave before anything gets started. It’s like a ticking time bomb.”

  She was right. I swept my lips across hers once more before forcing myself out of the room. “Goodnight, Peach.”

  “Goodnight.”

  I listened to the sound of my bare feet hitting the wooden floor on the way out. I set her alarm system; my head spun on the way back to my office. I knew I had tons of missed calls because my cell phone had vibrated all morning before I slammed my fists against it. Damn, could I get one personal day?

  Two—I meant two. I’d taken Saturday off too. A distant feeling ate at me as I shut my office door. My brother had begged me to get out of the house, the office, for months but I never had the time.

  Why hadn’t I thought twice to silence my phone or ignore my e-mail? It’s never been like this before. Improving our business had been my number one priority. It still was, yeah, it still was. I’d had a much-needed, sex-addictive weekend.

  My chair rolled against the floor, and my fingers brought my computer to life. Pulling up my emails, I strolled through meeting times for tomorrow, possible intern emails but underneath the clutter of little things to do, there was one from her… Mrs. Henry.

  Reality slammed into my throat, threatening to strangle me. I’d been paid by her mother to have her here. To date her. Not spend my entire weekend between her legs.

  Shit. Bricks filled my stomach.

  Like a robot, I clicked it opened and scanned the words.

  While it looked as if you two had a splendid time, darlin’, I’d appreciate if you took her somewhere where the media could get a whiff.

  Good publicity was the terms, not a good time.

  Dammit. I hadn’t been thinking about any publicity when I made our dinner reservations only the promise of touching Sydney.

  I thought about Sydney, and how that stupid funeral dress turned me on. She looked like she was in mourning but I wanted her all the more. I’d made a bet, a bargained deal, and I’d fucked things up royally already.

  Despite the voice in the back of my head that told me it was a bad idea to agree to the terms, I shook Mrs. Henry’s hand anyway. I’d made that bet before I realized I’d want her like this. I didn’t think physical attraction from a picture in the paper could cloud my judgment. Being physically attracted to someone can change the minute you meet them, as soon as they open their mouth even, but it didn’t change for me, I was just as attracted to her as I had been when I saw her picture in the paper …

  I glanced at the time on the wall. It was eleven at night. Mrs. Henry wouldn’t expect an answer back this late, would she? I decided against it and signed out of my email.

  I’ll deal with her later. Much later.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Sydney

  The next morning, I rode with Joey into work.

  There’d been a note left on my pillow that said Cash had to go in early to catch up on work that he’d missed out on over the weekend. The thought of me being his distraction warmed my skin.

  I’d worn a loose red T-shirt and a pair of work cutoffs to paint in. Joey informed me that Cash had my things set up already for me to work. I wasn’t sure, but I thought most painters for hire brought their own paint in.

  We rounded a corner and I snapped back to reality. I asked if I could ride in the front seat while walking toward the limo but Joey gave me a short shake of the head. I’d only spoken to him a few times, and the fact that he never conversed with me made me uneasy.

  I rolled down the window and glared at him.

  I couldn’t tell if he looked at me in the review mirror or not because of his sunglasses. “So, how long have you been friends with Cash?”

  Joey’s head inclined a little. “Since we were kids.”

  I nodded, trying to act nonchalant. “Oh, so you know his brother Ash, too?”

  Joey only nodded.

  “So, what do all those symbols on your neck mean? Are they military tats? Or prison? Not that I think you’ve been in prison but—,”

  Joey parked the limo and got out. I sighed as he opened my door. “I didn’t mean that I thought you were,” I said.

  Joey lifted a brow over his glasses and gestured for me to walk. Giving up, I walked alongside him toward Cash’s office. When we’d made it to the top floor, I’d asked Joey another set of questions that he either grunted to or pretended to ignore. I guess he didn’t accept my apology.

  Joey opened Cash’s door with swing, and my greedy eyes searched the room for him. The breath in my lungs paused, and my mouth dampened at the sight of him. His dark hair was pushed back, but I could tell that he had put moose in it today. It wouldn’t be as soft as when I pulled on it all weekend, but the fact that it gave me a view of those too alert eyes meant I’d survive

  A white, crisp button-down curved to his broad shoulders, and down to the slender waist I’d been wrapped around. I could feel the heat burning underneath my cheeks as I walked farther into the room. “Good mornin’, Sydney,” he said, his voice silky.

  I couldn’t stop the giddy smile on my face. “Good morning, sir.”

  Someone moved to my left. I turned to face the intern I’d met last week. Brandon? Brayden? His sandy brown hair was cut in a short, military style, and his animated eyes were darker than night. “It’s nice to see you again, Sydney,” he said, offering me his hand.

  I reached out to shake it, noticing the way he smiled down at me. It felt like a boyish smile that differed from the way Cash smiled at me. Cash had an underlying meaning to every smile he threw my way, considering they were scarce anyway. I felt it deep down when he smiled.

  “Good to see you again.”

  Brayden touched my forearm softly as he stepped back away from me. It didn’t take me long to feel the mood shift in the room. Joey caught my attention first. He had the same deadpanned face as always, but his brows were pinched in the middle.

  The door behind us opened, but I didn’t make it that far. Cash was stiff, both hands shoved into each pocket, a tightness over his cheeks caused by his clenched teeth.

  “I need everyone to get out,” Cash said abruptly.

  I tried not to make eye contact with him, but I couldn’t look away. The lips that’d kissed every inch of me all weekend long were pressed tightly together.

  Ash’s chuckle from behind me startled me, giving me the distraction to look away. “Brother, it’s only fuckin’ nine thirty.”

  Cash didn’t respond. The awkward silence felt like a looming storm.

  Joey’s stiff demeanor from across the room faltered into a hysterical laugh. “Pay up, Asher.”

  Asher gave Cash a shit eating grin. “You jackass. I just lost a lot of money.”

  What did they bet on?

  Brayden hooked his thumb over his shoulder. “Would you like me to step outside?”

  “Yes,” Cash said.

  Brayden walked quietly out the door. Asher shook his head. “Okay, guys. I’ve got to be done after this one. You’ve scared the new intern already. You didn’t even make it thirty damn—,”

  “Please excuse us,” Cash snapped.

  Us? I had to stay? Or Joey? Please let it be Joey. I gave Joey a worried glare over my shoulder, but he didn’t seem too nervous as he walked out of the room. I guess he did mean me.

  Asher hesitated by the door. I tried to pin the look he gave Cash, but
I didn’t understand it. Cash just glared at him until he finally shut the door behind him.

  Immediately as the door shut, Cash jolted around his office closing blinds and locking doors. I watched cautiously from the middle of the room, my hands interlaced in front of me.

  When the final door was locked he stopped, standing several feet away from me. His chin was lifted slightly upward like he wanted to say something but didn’t know how.

  Cash’s Adam’s apple bobbed slowly in his throat. “Come here.”

  Was this the walk of shame? Had all the things that happened this weekend finally sunk in with him? The orange juice must have been spiked yesterday.

  I took a few small steps toward him, stopping about two feet away. His palm snaked my waist, the other hand gripped the base of my neck. “I need to go ahead and lay some guidelines for workin’ at the office.”

  I nodded.

  The tip of his tongue slid against his bottom lip. “I want to keep being with you, Sydney. And that means that nobody else gets to.” A rough finger spanned across my jawbone. “If that little prick in there so much as looks at you wrong, I’ll fuckin’ lose my shit, Peach. I’m jealous as hell when it comes to you.”

  A sense of need settled within me. I’d never had a guy just want me before. How could he just want to date me? How could I believe it?

  Cash silenced all my thoughts with a searing kiss, his palms sliding over the curve of my ass. My brain fought for control, but the wild taste of his mouth had me hurting for more, I knew it was a losing battle.

  I wanted to believe him.

  That’s what I would do—for now. I’d believe the words his mouth enforced into mine. I’d believe him until he showed me otherwise.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket three different times before I climbed down the ladder to answer it.

  Frankie’s number appeared across the screen. “Hello.”

  She snickered into the phone. “Is Belle there?”

  I rolled my eyes and sat back against the ladder to admire my work. “She’s not here right now; she’s slavin’ away at master’s castle.”