by Rye Hart
The game I’d played with Cash had been my first time picking up a cue in years, and somehow with him around, I didn’t mind the feelings it brought back. I remembered the good stuff as if he’d taken all of Rick’s drama and banished it from my mind.
So, as I sat up in bed wondering what to do with my free time, I actually considered shooting a few games alone.
I got up and dressed and walked into the kitchen where Lu was pouring herself another cup of coffee. She was listening to her usual Sunday morning church services via television and yelling at the pastor. He was one she didn’t care much for, but you couldn’t convince her not to watch. I had just taken my cup of coffee to the porch when I heard a truck coming up the road and not two seconds later, Cash pulled into the parking lot.
I left my coffee on the table next to Lu’s rocking chair and ran out to meet him. “I didn’t expect you to show up today.” I leaned in the window he’d put down and gave him a kiss.
“I thought maybe if you weren’t doing anything you’d want to take a ride with me?” He killed the engine and placed his hand on mine.
“I’d like that. Where are we going?” I hoped he had something private in mind, but I wouldn’t be too picky. He was getting me out of the house so he could take me to a landfill and I’d be just as happy.
“Well, since I’m the new guy around here, I thought you could offer up some suggestions and directions of course.”
I flashed him a wide grin and opened his truck door. “I’ve got a better idea. Why don’t you let me drive?” I nudged him over in his seat, and he reluctantly slid across as I climbed in.
“Jesus, girl, you’re going to end up in my lap.” He moved out of the way just in time, but I wasn’t giving him the chance to change his mind about rescuing me.
“You’re my hero. You know that?” I said as I started the car.
“Really?” The look he gave me was warm and kind. I wanted him to sit a bit closer, or maybe put his hand on my knee. I reached out for his, and he took it.
“Yeah, you saved me from my boredom.” We shared a laugh as I drove us toward the lake.
There was a nice little spot I used to go to be alone back when tanning wasn’t taboo. I pulled as far as I could out on the point and stopped. We looked out over the water and then I killed the engine.
“We’ll have to walk the rest of the way, but I think it’s worth it.”
“Oh? I should have worn my hiking boots.” A soft laugh escaped him, but he climbed out the passenger side after taking the keys from the ignition. He shoved them down into his pocket and closed the door. I got out and walked around to meet him in the front, wishing I’d worn better shoes too. I had on a pair of flip flops I kept by the door, but I knew the path wasn’t too terrible.
“It’s right out here.” I led him down the path and to the sandy shore of the lake that was edged with big slabs of clay. I climbed up on one and lost my footing. Cash caught me before I went down.
“There you go again, saving me.” He pulled me closer, and we kissed, but I pulled away and urged him on to my special place.
“Here it is.” We ended up on a large clay slab, where the sun had dried it into a nice hard platform that was big enough for the two of us to lay down.
“Nice. You realize this is going to ruin those shorts, right?” He pointed to my white shorts, and I gave a shrug.
“You know me; I’m not afraid of a little dirt.” A sly grin played around the corners of his mouth.
“You better play it safe and sit in my lap.” He took my hand and kissed it.
“Or I could just take them off,” I whispered those words closer to his ear and caused a smile to break across his face.
“That’s even better.” He sat down on the slab and pulled me down to his lap. As he stroked my cheek and kissed me, his other hand fondled my breast through my top. “There’s no one here to interrupt us.”
“That’s the point,” I said as I slid my hand under his shirt and felt his firm chest. His bulging pecs and washboard abs were warm beneath my fingertips. I carefully undid his buttons and pushed it open across his shoulders. Then I went for his zipper, which I wasted no time tugging down as he rubbed my mound through my shorts. I stood and took them down, pulling my shirt up and lifting it over my head.
He took my hand and brought me back down to his lap, and I sat with his cock between my legs, stroking it as we kissed and as he rubbed my tender bud. The pleasure was building at my core, and I needed him inside me. I moved up on my knees and positioned him at my entrance and then slid down, letting every thick inch force me open more.
I gasped at the heat speared through me, and we moaned together, his more of a grunt of pleasure, and mine a dull, aching hum. We moved together, our chests pressed tight and my mouth down on his.
A slow ache burned in my chest, and I knew that feeling well. Surely I’d had it all those many years ago with Rick, but never quite this intense. I could feel myself falling for him, and though it scared me to death, I couldn’t keep myself from him. I went to him like a moth to a flame, and I even led him here with the sole purpose to instigate this moment.
He bucked his hips upward and bounced me, my breasts jiggling beneath his chin until he gripped them, pushing them together and dragged his mouth along, his tongue tickling until he’d captured another one of my tight rosy buds. I rolled my hips and ground against him until the aching pinch of my release dawning had me work steadily to achieve it.
I let my voice rise as the orgasm rolled through me, the juices making me so slick on his cock that he gripped me below my ass and worked me back and forth on it. He pumped me fast, doing most of the work as I rode through the aftershocks of my release, until his own pulsed through his shaft.
He pulled me close to his hips and thrust as I trembled against him. I’d suddenly caught a chill on the wind from the water, as a beautiful storm cloud rolled across the sun and then it thundered so loud I collapsed against him.
“Shit. We better go.” He pulled out and before we could gather our clothes, the heavens opened up, and the rain poured down on us. I felt his hand land against mine and then a moment later I was standing there, half dressed, kissing him.
As the rain grew heavier, we pulled away and hurried back down from the rock and to the path. By the time we made it to the truck, we were drenched.
He rested me back down across the seat, and we made love until the storm passed.
I didn’t want the night to end.
CHAPTER FORTEEN - CASH
The good thing about my motel room is we’d designed it to be a place I could use and not have to keep it a secret, which came in handy since Starla and I had gotten caught in the rain. Who knew the sunny day would turn so dismal, but after making a quick stop by Starla’s, so she could change and earn a shit eating grin from Lu, we stopped by my place for me to grab a fresh change of clothes.
I wanted to take her someplace for something to eat, but not knowing the area I had no ideas where to go.
“Let’s go to the Burger Shack,” Starla said as she climbed back into my truck. The sky had cleared up, and we’d wiped down the truck from our rain-soaked bodies.
“That sounds good to me, and I even know where it is.” I started the truck and headed out for the place I’d seen on my way to work every day. I’d wondered if it were good or not and hadn’t been too brave to try it.
“What do you get?” Starla sat right next to me and put her hand on my leg.
“I’ve never tried it.”
Her hand pulled away as she clutched her collar. “Never tried it? It’s a town favorite. They have the best buns in town; homemade sweet rolls.”
“Best buns in town? Nope I’ve got that right here.” I poked at her hip.
She shook her head and grinned. “They have the best fries too. You’ll want to eat those with a chocolate milkshake.”
“With it? Like, dip them?” Livvy had always done the same thing. I thought for a moment how wonderful it wo
uld be to introduce them, and my chest ached from missing my little girl.
“What’s the matter?” I hadn’t realized my smile had faded until she pointed it out. “You seem down all of a sudden?”
“I was just thinking of Livvy. She loves milkshakes and fries.” I rubbed her leg, and she locked her arm with mine.
“I’m sorry. I know you must miss her. You should give her a call.”
“I’ll call her later. After we eat. I’m sure she went to church with her grandmother and— I mean her mother and grandmother. They always take her.” I’d almost slipped, and it wasn’t the first time. Starla put me too much at ease, and I’d have to be more careful with the things I let come out of my mouth. The last thing I needed to do was tell her too much about my personal life just yet, or contradict something I’d already said. I was falling into my role as Cash Lang so well, that I was really starting to like it.
“How nice. I haven’t been to church in years. Not since I was a little girl, but strangely enough it always scared me.” She stared out ahead letting her head turn to see things as we passed.
“I can understand that. I used to be afraid of our pastor. He was so old and thin, and he shook like a leaf.”
“Ours had a deep accent, and I was so afraid of him that one time I won a coloring contest and he called me up to accept an award and I had to hold my brother’s hand. My younger brother, mind you.” She laughed, and I wondered what she and Scott had been like as children.
“Well, Livvy seems to like it.”
“Your whole face lights up when you talk about her. Just a moment ago you seemed so down, but now at the mention of her name, you’re practically glowing.” She gave me a nudge and then I slowed the truck to pull into our destination.
The Burger Shack was more like an old roadside diner that someone had fixed up. I imagined that in its day it was quite the charming place, but now it was worn down from age and even the parking lot needed repair.
I found a decent place to park and was surprised by their crowd. I hoped I wouldn’t see anyone I knew on some fluke, but thankfully everyone was a stranger and kept to themselves other than a few folks I recognized from the bar who said hello to Starla.
She’d introduced me to a few of them, and we’d earned a few stares as if they were wondering if her status was about to change. She kept her hand close as we walked together, but never quite holding mine, until we sat down, then she angled her chair close so we could share a milkshake.
She dragged a fry through the cold, chocolaty cream and fed it to me. “It’s not that bad is it?” She watched as I ate it and made a face.
“I think it’s better to do it Livvy’s way.” I dragged another fry through the cream and sucked it clean, the salt mixing with the sweet in a symphony on my tongue. “Mm, now that’s how I like it.”
I dipped another one and held it to her mouth. She took it in and kept her lips closed around it as I pulled it away. Then she closed her eyes and moaned. She peeked with one eye finding me fanning myself, and her cheeks flared red.
“You’re so dirty.” She gave my arm a playful slap.
“You love it.”
“I do,” she admitted with a giggle. I did the same over and over until we both had experienced brain freezes and ran out of fries.
We’d gotten burgers too, and we made quick work eating them, and I couldn’t help but notice how relaxed she seemed. It had to have been because away from the bar she was able to loosen up as if the stress could only follow her so far.
“It’s good to see you having a good time.”
“I am, and I owe it all to you. It’s nice escaping what’s going on with Scott. I’m worried sick about him all the time. Between us,” she glanced around the room and then leaned in closer, “Lu and I both know Scott’s into something that he can’t get out of. We’d help him if he’d tell us exactly what, but he says we’re better off not knowing.”
“But you know what it is?” I placed my hand on hers and rubbed above her wrist.
“I think I’m starting to figure it out. The problem is, I know what he’s doing, but I don’t know how he’s pulling it off.” She shrugged and then shook her head. “Enough about that, here I wanted to escape his drama, and then I sit and dwell on it.
“Maybe it helps to get it out.” I needed her to keep going. If she’s been watching and listening long enough, then maybe she could tell me something I didn’t know, like the name I’d been waiting someone to drop.
“It does. It’s just scary and sad; scary because I feel he’s in over his head and sad because there is nothing I can do about it.”
“So tell me. What’s been going on?”
She chewed the bite of burger in her mouth and then took a sip of soda to wash it down. “They show up with a crate or two one night and leave with a big black bag, twice the size, another. And even though I know they’re leaving it behind every single time, I can’t find where they’re hiding it.” She shook her head as the frustration built in her eyes.
“So it’s a big bag of what? Drugs? Guns?” I didn’t want to be too obvious that I’d learned anything.
“I’m not sure, but they are stashing it there.” She met my eyes with a pleading stare. “Scott is a good guy, really. He’s never been in any trouble, but he got caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was a gambler, not a very good one, but he got on a lucky streak. He told me a bit about it, and I knew he was going on a trip to gamble instead of taking Lu out for her birthday. I was so angry with him, and he told me how he was on a winning streak, and he was going to ride it for all its worth.”
“His luck ran out didn’t it?” She shook her head before I ever finished.
She took a deep breath, and I rubbed her back to soothe her. “Yeah, and by then he was so far in debt that he couldn’t afford to pay it off. Lu didn’t have that amount without selling the bar, so he did the only thing he could do to keep us all safe.”
“So he told you this?” I couldn’t believe she’d known that much all alone. It was a great burden to bear.
She nodded, the sadness on her face about to break my heart.
“So, who did he owe?” All I needed was a name, and it didn’t matter if it was one for a seventy-year-old man.
“His name’s Kings Mitchell. Scott doesn’t know I found out, but it wasn’t hard.”
I knew I had to choose my next words carefully.
“And this Kings guy comes to the bar with your brother?”
“No, he sends his men. He’s too powerful. I’ve only seen him once when he was scoping out the bar.”
My phone rang, and it was Livvy. “Do you mind? It’s my daughter.” I waved the phone to her, and she shook her head. I took the call, and she was screaming so loudly I couldn’t make out her words. “Slow down, baby. Tell Daddy what’s wrong?”
Starla sat with her hand over her heart as I listened to her check off the list of her day. “And I got three stickers today at Sunday class.”
“Three whole stickers, wow. That’s amazing Livvy!” I looked at Starla and shrugged, but the smile didn’t leave her face.
“Daddy, when are you coming home?” Livvy’s voice was filled with frustration. “I want to show them to you!”
“I’ll be around as soon as I can. You be good, okay?” I waited for her to agree and then I hung up.
Starla was teary-eyed over her burger. “That was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN - STARLA
Another week had passed, and Cash and I were getting along better than ever. We’d spent more time together, and though the sex was amazing, his company was even better. I had fallen and in a big way.
He’d come to dinner most nights before my shift, and we’d spent the time together at work exchanging glances and anticipating our moments alone. Most of those came in the store room where we’d slip off to when it was slow, and Penny had even caught us kissing behind some boxes. It wasn’t that I had to sneak, but it was more fun if
we pretended we were.
Aside from all that, I’d confided in him more about Scott’s situation, and it was so nice to get that off my chest. I had to share it with someone. I couldn’t go by myself, carrying the weight of that news.
But Cash couldn’t know everything, not if I wanted to keep him safe. I’d told him about the men coming in and then returning the next night and so after watching them strut into the bar and take their sweet ass time after hours doing whatever it is they do. I’d still had no luck finding the damned bag, and I’d looked all over for it.
So knowing they’d be back, I sat in the shadows, peeking out my bedroom window, where no one would notice me. I’d done it every time Scott and his buddies had shown up until I figured out their routine. I wasn’t worried about getting caught. The three men were more focused on whatever they had in that big bag than if anyone was in the shadows watching. Besides, it wasn’t like they didn’t know Lu and I were there. But Scott had asked us to stay out of it for a reason, and we’d learned to act natural and oblivious around the other guys.
They had come in about thirty minutes before closing time, and after everyone had left, they’d retreated to the office. Cash walked me out, and I’d waited until he drove away and hurried to my bedroom. I was watching out the window for a while when I saw something move out of the corner of my eye.
Suddenly my brother and his friends came out, all of them glancing around like they were waiting for someone to move in on them.
I watched as they lugged out the large bag and then hopped in the truck. As they were driving off, I spied something, no someone, and they seemed to be crouched down lurking in the trees.
Someone had been watching and was onto whatever Scott was mixed up in. I watched as they stood up and then my heart sank. It was Cash. He was wearing the same dark clothes he’d worked in and had apparently doubled back to sneak through the bushes.
Telling him about Scott had been a mistake, and if he kept up this bad habit, he was going to get hurt.
