Lovin' on You

by Fabiola Francisco

  My eyes fly open and I look around. I hear a snicker and find the source between my legs. Bastard. I jump as Cash’s tongue runs along my opening. His eyes are on me and he nips my inner thigh. I moan loudly and lean back. I hate him right now.

  Cash’s tongue flicks my clit with purpose and my hips buck of their own accord, giving me away. He laughs against me and continues to torture me, stopping right before I reach my release. His body moves up along mine, and he smiles. It’s a sinister smile, I swear.

  “So close.” He kisses me and I taste myself on his tongue. It’s erotic and one thing he knows turns me on instantly.

  “I hate you.”

  “You love me,” he murmurs against my lips as his fingers brush my sensitive core. “Even?” He looks down at me.

  “Even.” My voice is hoarse and I yell out when he thrusts into me. My payback didn’t end up too badly for either of us.

  It has been great being home. The last few weeks have been hectic between practice, recording and interviews, but I love that we can do all that from Nashville. Especially since Olivia and I have worked things out. I need the time here to be with her, to show her how much I care about her and how good we are together. I also want to keep her safe and make sure that son of a bitch doesn’t get near her again. I know she took care of it with her lawyer, but I just wish I could have been there to comfort her.

  Now, I am focusing on making up for lost time. Olivia says we can’t be together all the time and I agree, but I do want more time with her. She was right when she said we still have so much to learn about each other, and these last few weeks has provided that. The more I learn, the more I fall. She has silently made her way into my life, and I’m working on making her stay permanently.

  Peyton hasn’t mentioned more tours or bigger events like that, but it’s only a matter of time before we are back out on the road. I want to make these months count, and have a normal relationship. The more popular our band becomes, the less normality we will have. These are all things I think about when I am alone in my thoughts.

  Earlier today we had a meeting with Peyton, where he updated us on some news from the label and our recording schedule for the next few days. Vivian called in to check in on us. We will have a few days off to just relax, and we are all looking forward to that. First thing I’m doing with my time off is going to see my niece.

  I see Luke standing on his front porch and jump out of my car as soon as I put it in park.

  “Hey.” I walk towards him.

  “What’s up?” He says, keeping his hands in his pocket.

  “What are you doing out here?” He was just standing staring out.

  “I needed a minute.” His tone is serious.

  “All is well?” I say, my tone laced with concern.

  “Yeah. It’s Maya. She won’t stop crying. She has been nonstop for thirty minutes. Not that cute little cry, but that top of the lungs, beet-red in the face cry. Nothing works, nothing makes her stop. I’m desperate.”

  “Where’s Maddie?”

  “Inside, with Maya.” I raise my eyebrows and he curses.

  “I know, I know. I should be in there with her, but I needed a second before I lost it. I’m just tired.”

  “How do you think she feels?” At that moment, Maddie opens the door and looks at Luke.

  “Take your daughter.” She hands Maya to him and says hi to me. I smile awkwardly. Clearly, things are tense around here. Luke holds Maya close to him, her cries softer now, as he walks back and forth in their front yard. Maddie sits on one of the chairs they have set in their porch, I sit in the other one.

  Maddie confesses how difficult is has been to adjust to parenting. Seeing the stress and tension surrounding them, I offer to babysit tomorrow so they can go out and have some fun. It’s clearly much needed, and I want them to know that they have family to lend a helping hand.

  I tell her I’ll bring Olivia along to help me tomorrow night, and Maddie teases saying I just want to play house with her. If she only knew how much I want that for real.

  I gratefully accept the beer my brother brings out for me after he puts Maya down for a nap and notice Maddie’s smile when he hands her a glass of white wine. Suck up.

  I walk into their house and throw my empty bottle into the trash. Those two need some alone time. I grab a fresh beer from the fridge and sit on a stool in the kitchen. I pull my phone out and send a text.

  Cash: We have plans for tomorrow night. You’re helping me babysit.

  I smile, knowing she’ll probably be confused, and a little annoyed, at my demand. I chug part of my beer and wait patiently for her reply. A few minutes later, my phone goes off.

  Olivia: Babysit? What makes you think I don’t already have plans?

  Cash: Because you can’t resist spending time with me. I want to give Maddie and Luke time off. Help me watch Maya?

  I wait as the bubbles pop up on my phone while she types.

  Olivia: I finally get to meet Maya?

  I smile at her excitement.

  Cash: Yes . . . If you agree to watch her with me.

  Olivia: Watching you carry a baby? I’ll be there just to watch you pull this off.

  Right when I thought she was going to get all sentimental about me wanting to care for my niece, she goes on to mock me. I’ll make sure she’s begging for me at the end of the night.

  Cash: Watch and learn

  Olivia: Ready to take lessons from the one and only, Cash Knight

  I smirk down at my phone. That’s my girl.

  “What are you doing?” Luke walks into the kitchen.

  “Drinking all your beer.” I hold up the bottle.

  “Thanks for offering to watch Maya. I appreciate it. It’s been a rough couple of weeks. You’d think the older she gets the easier it becomes, but she’s just gotten more cranky.”

  “No need to thank me. I saw the tension when I got here. Treat your wife to a night she deserves. Remember, you’re struggling, but she had to carry that child and birth it.” I shiver. “Lord only knows how painful that must be. We get it easy.” We both laugh and relax into conversation.

  When I leave a couple of hours later, Maya is still sleeping. Poor parents will probably be up all night. She has slept more than her regular nap.

  “I’ll see you guys tomorrow. I’ll be here at six.”

  “Thanks, Cash,” Maddie says as she hugs me.

  “You got it.”

  Olivia is on my mind the entire ride home. I wonder if I can convince her to go out for dinner tonight. I head to her house instead of my apartment and knock once I get there. I find myself rerouting often, my mind always leading me straight to her.

  “Hey,” Olivia says as she opens the door.

  “Hi.” I lean down to kiss her. “You smell good.” I inhale like a fucking idiot. She giggles and thanks me.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I could be romantic and say I missed you, but considering I just sniffed you, maybe I should act more like a man.”

  “I love your soft side.” She hugs me tightly, and I wrap my arms around her waist. “I missed you,” she murmurs.

  I lean back to look at her, my arms lazily around her waist. “Want to grab dinner?”

  “Yes,” she lets out. I laugh loudly. “Sorry. I’m so hungry and been sitting in front of that computer for too long.”

  She makes me proud. Anyone else can judge her long hours, but I admire her hard work. Each day she wakes up ready to tackle any job. Olivia makes sure she becomes more successful each day.

  “Come on, babe.” I grab her hand and lead her out of the house.

  “Wait.” I look over at her. “Do I need to change?” I focus on what she’s wearing.

  “Nah, you’re perfect.” I’ll just admire her ass in those yoga pants.

  “You’re only saying that because you like the way my ass looks in these pants.” She laughs, reading my mind.

  “Can you blame a guy?” I slap her butt playfully and
open the car door for her.

  “You’re lucky I love you,” she mumbles as she gets in.

  “Yes, I am. Damn lucky.” I kiss her warm lips and walk to the driver’s side.

  We arrive at Joe’s Sub Shop and order our subs. We grab our sodas and sit as we wait for them to finish preparing our food.

  “How’s Maya?” Olivia asks.

  “Cranky. I felt bad when I saw Maddie and Luke. It was so tense when I arrived. I thought giving them a night off would help.”

  “That’s nice. Not many men I know will watch a baby.”

  “I’m one of a kind. What can I say?” I wink.

  “You are.” She reaches for my hand.

  “So you’re going to come with me?”

  “I guess I should be there to supervise.” I lean in to kiss her right when they call my name out for our dinner. I notice a few people whispering, but I ignore them. Tonight’s about us.

  As we eat, Olivia tells me about her current project. The new brewery asked her to design new promotion items for their new bar. She describes her vision for them. I listen intently and smile as I watch her get all excited about work. My girl is amazing.

  I see a couple of people wanting to approach me, but I ignore them and focus on Olivia. This sends the message that tonight I’m with my girl. I am usually all about my fans, but I want this time with her uninterrupted. Even if it’s in a small, mom-and-pop sub shop.

  “We have a few days off coming up. Do you think you’ll have some free time, so we can take off?” I try to ignore the constant pinging coming from my phone.

  “What were you thinking?” Her smile brightens her face. She’s so beautiful in her natural glow. When my phone chimes again, she signals for me to check it.

  “Fucker,” I murmur.

  “What happened?” Olivia sits straighter.

  I debate whether to tell her, as I skim the comments. Fucking Cole and his obsession with checking our social media.

  I hand Olivia the phone, knowing it’s best to show her. Her mouth drops open when she reads the messages. Wide eyes look back up at mine.

  “Don’t worry, babe. I’ll make sure he stops.”

  That motherfucker, Nathan, just messed with the wrong guy. Since he didn’t learn his lesson with the police, he’ll learn it through me.

  Cock sucking whore.

  Pisses me off to read his words and insults.

  “Baby, look at me, no one will take him seriously.” Olivia just nods and plasters a smile on her face. A fake ass smile.

  “Tell me about the trip.”

  I indulge her, hoping to get her mind off the asshole trying to ruin her reputation.

  “Not sure yet. Maybe going to the caverns? I just want to get away with you for a few days.”

  “The caverns sound fun, but can we go back to Georgia?”

  “Really?” I look at her, amused.

  “Yeah. I heard Helen is gorgeous, and we can go tubing down the river.”

  “Whatever you want, babe. I just want to spend some time alone before shit gets crazy.” I’m thinking right now is the perfect timing to get her out of this city.

  “I like that.” She tilts her head and looks at me. “I guess I won’t be able to keep you all to myself for long.”

  “I’ll always be yours.” I assure her.

  “Always?” she asks, unsure of her question, even though she knows how I feel. I guess the thought of my future is weighing down on her, and Nathan’s antics are adding to it.

  “Always,” I promise.

  The scenic view once we enter the Chattahoochee National Forest on the way to Helen is impressive. Tennessee has gorgeous views with the mountains, but this part of Georgia is indescribable. The colors of the trees and the curves that take us around the mountains feel like a magical place. I have always wanted to visit Helen for its uniqueness, and the drive there has been worth it. Especially, to ease my mind.

  I have been obsessively checking Rebel Desire’s social media comments. I am shocked that after his conviction and jail time, Nathan is starting this up again. Bitterness does not look pretty on him. It’s sad, but I need to protect myself and Cash. His fans are reading that. Everyone has access. Thankfully, this trip came right on time.

  “We’re here,” Cash says as we drive around the small city. I look around in awe. The buildings have that German charm I had always seen in pictures. White walls with painted trimmings in greens, blues, and browns. The roofs are pointed, taking you back to Europe.

  “It’s so pretty,” I say.

  “Yeah, it’s different.” We watch people walking around and a horse drawn carriage taking a family of four down the road. “Are we still in the States?” Cash jokes.

  “Right?” I look over at him.

  We follow the directions on the navigation system and arrive at our cabin to check-in. Just outside of the city center, surrounded by mountains is the cabin Cash rented for the next few days. Below us we see the river flowing as we stand on the balcony.

  “Thank you.” I turn to face Cash and smile. This man owns my heart completely.

  “You’re welcome.” He kisses me softly and just holds me.

  We look through the rest of the house, becoming familiar with each room. The cabin has a deck with a hot tub and two more balconies. Cash’s eyes twinkle when he sees it.

  “Want to go check out the city?” I ask him.

  “Yes, but we’re going in there tonight.” He nods towards the hot tub and gives me a sly smile.

  “I did bring my bikini.” I place my hand on his chest.

  “Don’t think you’ll be needing it tonight,” he growls and pulls me in, intoxicating me with his kiss. Wanton desire surges through me, but I control it so we can venture out. Tonight, I’ll act on it.

  We drive back into the center and fully take in the originality of this city. It feels like we are in Little Germany. The architecture and colors add a magical atmosphere that takes you back in time. People are surrounding the center, some sitting where tables are set up, having a few beers. Others are walking like Cash and I, going in and out of stores.

  We walk into a soap company and the combinations of scents hit me right away. I love anything that is natural and homemade. Cash is patient as I buy a few bars of soap and some oils. I also find a natural bubble bath mix and add it to my pile.

  “Is that for me to use with you?” Cash whispers into my ear.

  “Maybe,” I say, moving forward throughout the store. I notice he puts something in the basket I am holding and giggle.

  “I figured we would get two so I have more reasons to lay in the tub with you.”

  “No excuse needed, babe.” I give him an impish smile. I pay for my things and we walk out, hand in hand, just wandering around as the sun sets between the mountains.

  “Dinner?” Cash asks.

  “Sounds good.” We check out the menus for a few places and decide on a restaurant that sits by the Chattahoochee River. The deck overlooks the river, and we make sure to grab a table out there.

  “Thank you for this trip,” I tell Cash once we’re seated. We have only been here a few hours, but I love this place already.

  “You don’t have to thank me. I wanted to get away with you for a few days. This is perfect.” He looks happy. I mirror his smile, feeling whole as I sit with him, despite my warring emotions. I am grateful we get to have this time. For the next few days, Cash and I get to focus on us; what we want to do for fun, spending time together, and taking advantage of that hot tub. It may be a temporary fix to what could happen if Nathan continues to torture us, but I’ll take it.

  According to Cash, he told Vivian to keep an eye out for anything Nathan related, but I know someone’s social media posting is much more difficult to monitor. I’m assuming that’s why Nathan did it. It’s public and instant.

  “What do you want to do tomorrow?” Cash asks, taking a sip of his beer.

  “Tubing. It looked like so much fun when we watched people pass by t
he river in their floats. Besides, I get to see you shirtless and wet.” I wink. Cash laughs and shakes his head slightly.

  “You can have me that way whenever you want. In fact, I offered a shower when we were in Atlanta. That was naked and wet.”

  “I needed to get you back, then.”

  “Oh, you did, but I think we both won in the end.”

  “Yes, we did.” I reach for his hand and lace our fingers on the table. “I love you.” My eyes are soft as I look over at him. His hair is disheveled from walking outside in the heat. His eyes are happy, and his dimples are exposed.

  “I love you, too.” He kisses my wrist.

  The waitress drops off our food. My shrimp and grits smell delicious. She looks between us, and then stares at Cash for a few seconds. I laugh when she squeals in recognition and asks him to sign a napkin for her.

  “I have no idea what she’s going to do with a napkin,” he shrugs.

  I laugh and tease him. “She’ll probably frame it, sit it next to her bed, and every day she’ll kiss it goodnight.”

  “You’re so weird.”

  “Don’t tell me she isn’t capable.”

  “You’re weird because you’re my girlfriend and telling me how another girl will kiss a framed signature of mine.” I shrug and laugh.

  “It comes with the territory. You’re hot and you sing. Ladies love that.”

  “Hot, huh? Is that what attracted you to me?” He takes a bite of his steak as he waits for my answer.

  “Actually, it was how you played it cool when I didn’t go on stage at Country Fest but were still honest with your words. You weren’t cocky. You were just you.”

  “That’s all I could be.”

  “And I love that. You don’t pretend.”

  He reaches over and palms my cheek, rubbing his thumb on my skin. His calloused skin feels like home.

  I drop my bags on the bed in the cabin and go into the bathroom. All day I have been thinking about Cash in that hot tub. He isn’t the only one with a plan to get intimate.

  I lean against the doorframe of the bathroom with my hands on my hip once I’m done and look at Cash sitting on the edge of the bed. “I thought we were going to soak in the hot tub.” Cash does a double take and curses.