Whisper To Me In The Dark

by Claire, Audra

  "Cash, isn't this train absolutely dreamy? It's so beautiful. I feel as if I were in a dream," Angelica babbled happily, as she grabbed Cash by the arm yanking him to and fro.

  "For Pete's sake Angelica, let go. I'm not a yo-yo," Cash replied, irritated. "Let's go to the dining car so we can at least get something to eat before we get there."

  Angelica picked up her makeup case and started to drag it along with her.

  "Why in all that is holy are you taking your makeup case to dinner," asked Cash, exasperated as had become the norm over the course of that day.

  "I want to freshen up my makeup when we're finished eating," Angelica explained, as if Cash should be sitting in the corner with a dunce cap on his head for not understanding.

  Cash only rolled his eyes and zipped his lip. "Let's go."

  Angelica's eyes were like saucers as she took in the stunningly decorated dining car, running her hands over the carved wood trim, feeling the cool, delicate leaded glass panes. Standing primly next to the chair by the table in the corner, she looked at Cash expectantly.

  Cash squinted his eyes and looked at her questioningly.

  Angelica giggled, "Aren't you going to be a gentleman and pull out my chair for me?" She smiled demurely, as her golden hair cascaded gently down her milky white shoulders.

  For a moment Cash was speechless. He did have to admit she was beyond lovely. Had it been any other occasion he would have had her on her back hours ago, breathless, moaning, bringing her to heights of unimaginable passion.

  Her luscious lips. For a moment he could concentrate on nothing but her ruby red lips. The things he wanted to do with those lips would make her blush in that way that he had come to find adorable in the last few hours.

  "Cash? Cash? What's wrong?" The sound of her voice interrupted his ongoing erotic fantasy.

  "Sorry. Um, nothing." He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Here let me get your chair."

  Angelica beamed and sat down as Cash pushed her chair close to the table.

  "Maybe we'd be better off with a booth. More secure, you know?" Cash continued.

  "No, it's so lovely here. Please let's sit here. I'd love to look out the window."

  A quick perusal of the menu and they both decided on a light meal of sandwiches. Angelica was far too excited to eat much and frankly Cash was starting to get indigestion from taking care of her already so a sandwich would sit just right. A whiskey would have made Cash more than happy, but Angelica ordered two milks, so he figured he'd shut his mouth and just try to get through the rest of the day.

  A distinguished gray haired gentleman wearing a tuxedo stopped by the table, looking Angelica up and down.

  "Yes?" Angelica asked as she peered over the top of her menu.

  "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were someone that I knew from back home in Kentucky. I apologize. I'm mistaken." The man bustled off, knocking Angelica's chair in the process and nearly sending her flying to the floor.

  Cash grabbed her arm to stop her fall.

  "Ouch." Angelica exclaimed.

  "Would you rather be sitting on the floor?" Cash inquired. Angelica rolled her eyes again.

  "He seemed very suspicious to me. Something just didn't seem right about him." Cash, bit his lip, running over the events of the previous minutes to try to figure out what wasn't sitting right with him.

  "Oh you're suspicious of everyone. Don't be silly."

  Angelica continued her excited chatter as she took little bites of the sadly, very dry, sandwich, which threatened to stick in her throat and choke her. Just as she was about to take a sip of her cold milk the train seemed to hit some kind of bump in the track as the contents of her glass went flying full force towards Cash's newly clean shirt and vest.

  "What the hell is it with you and dumping food on me? Have a secret death wish or something?" Cash yelled.

  Angelica jumped up and grabbed her lace napkin, dabbing at the dripping milk, getting on her knees and hitting some wildly inappropriate areas of his body. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. It was the train," she sputtered.

  "Stop touching me unless you intend to follow through on what parts of my body you just touched girlie," Cash replied infuriated.

  Angelica gasped, quickly stood up, rolled her eyes, threw her napkin on the table, grabbed her bag and stomped off, whispering under her breath, "What a cad. What a jerk. The nerve to humiliate me like that."

  ***

  Cash was welcomed back into their room by the sight of Angelica casually laying on the bench, that would apparently become her bed later that night. Not a word spilled from her lips as she sat there tapping her foot on the ground, drumming her fingernails and just trying to annoy Cash as much as she possibly could before bedtime.

  "I'm going to change." Cash began unbuttoning his blue shirt, his massive chest straining against his shirt, making the buttons look like they'd pop off any minute in that way it always did. "Try to behave yourself while I'm gone."

  Angelica tapped some more and fidgeted just a little bit. She'd use this opportunity to change into her own nightclothes while he was gone. A good warm flannel nightgown would be perfect. It was chilly in the room and she could not yet fathom how that bench would change into a bed. At this point she couldn't care how frumpy she looked in front of stupid Cash. She wouldn't even bother with her makeup tonight. Cad that he was.

  The door to the washroom was open about two inches. Angelica could hear Cash whistling happily, some off key tune, she knew not which. He'd removed his shirt and was washing his upper body with a washcloth. She was peering so intently she suddenly got dizzy and grabbed the wall to balance herself. She had to admit once again that her initial impressions were true - that he was truly magnificent. His golden skin, those bulging muscles. Angelica had never seen a man with such muscular legs in her life. Like he was some sort of bodybuilder like she'd seen once at a carnival. Angelica blushed as she saw his navel and got strangely dizzy again. Well, Edward certainly did not have this effect on her. How very worrying ... She'd better sit back down before she swooned in front of him.

  Putting on her best poker face, Angelica sat on her future bed and bit her lip hard to prevent herself from saying anything nice after his rude display in the dining car.

  Angelica stood up, pressing hard against the wall. A few quick motions and Cash had turned her bench into a semi-comfortable looking bed.

  "I cannot believe you're forcing me to share a room with you." Angelica shook her head with irritation

  "How does it feel to be a wanton?"

  Angelica rolled her eyes yet again.

  "If you keep doing that they are going to get stuck that way. I don't think there is much call for an actress with her eyes stuck rolled back in her head."

  Angelica stuck out her tongue.

  "Much more mature. Remember to tell Edward what an adult you've been on this trip."

  Angelica rolled her eyes for the final time and turned off the light. She'd be as happy to get rid of him as he apparently would be to get rid of her.

  ***

  Ten minutes of Cash's gold, engraved pocket watch ticking later, Angelica flipped the light back on.

  "I can't sleep. I'm just so overwhelmed by ..."

  Cash broke in, "It helps if you shut your eyes."

  "But I just can't ..."

  "And your mouth ..." Cash added, very unhelpfully.

  "Hmmph!" was Angelica's only reply.

  "That's not a word."

  "Yeah, I have a word or two for you ..." Angelica grumbled.

  Cash stretched his long legs, trying to get comfortable in whatever the contraption was that was serving as his bed for the night. The moonlight peeked through the corner of the shade that threatened to fly back up, flooding the car with more light than he was willing to deal with when his eyelids were so heavy.

  "So other than being forced into your role as my apparent babysitter, what brings you to Boston?" Angelica inquired.

  "Work," was Cash's terse reply. "No
w go to bed. I'm trying to get some sleep. I wasn't aware that I signed up for a slumber party. Turn the light off."

  Not to be deterred by his cranky mood, Angelica continued, "What kind of work? I know you're a deputy. But Boston isn't exactly your home base. What case are you working on that would bring you so far away from home?"

  "None of your business."

  "Well then it's none of your business why I'm really going to Boston."

  Angelica's cryptic response piqued his interest. He did need to protect his brother if she had some sinister plans, although there didn't seem to be anything remotely sinister about Angelica. Ditzy maybe. Flighty maybe. But nothing malevolent.

  "Ok I'll bite. Why are you moving to Boston, other than your so called acting career?" Cash queried.

  "So called?!" Angelica blurted. "You are so rude and obnoxious. Just never you mind."

  "Ok, ok. I'm sorry. What brings you to Boston instead of like New York? I’d think you’d have more opportunities in New York for your acting career. I'm genuinely interested."

  Although Cash's yawn betrayed his apparent interest, Angelica decided to answer. "My sister lives there I was told. I'm trying to find her again."

  "You've lost your sister?"

  "Do you think you can try to ask a question without using sarcasm? Hmmm?" Angelica asked. She was trying to engage Cash in some intelligent conversation, but he seemed to have the verbal skills of a cave man and it was starting to exhaust her.

  "She went to live with some relatives during a hard time in my past and I've lost track of her. Her name is Sissy. Well that is what I called her anyway."

  "Ok, Sissy. Got it ..." came his muffled reply.

  Angelica waited for another sarcastic question, but Cash's only response was the sound of deep breathing as his bare, massive chest moved up and down. He apparently didn't have any issues with modesty. Although she was furious, the sound of his breathing was strangely comforting and she fell quickly to sleep.

  ***

  Angelica was busily buzzing through the tiny car, looking for her makeup case, trying to primp and preen before Cash woke up. She propped her makeup bag on the bed, trying to pry it open. Strangely she'd never met any resistance before in the simple task of opening its shiny lock.

  Hey, this wasn't even her bag!

  "Cash? Cash?"

  "Hmm?" Cash groaned as he stretched lazily. The morning light greeted Cash with a smack in the face. His one pounding eye would have sworn that he'd been on an alcoholic bender last night instead of a cozy slumber party with Angelica.

  "This is not my bag!"

  "What is not your bag?" Cash's brain was too tired to deal with Angelica's riddles this early in the morning.

  "THIS is not my bag," Angelica ranted, as she plopped the heavy case smack dab in the middle of Cash's stomach.

  Cash groaned even louder. "What is wrong with you? Are you trying to maim me before we get there?"

  "This is not my bag! What did you do to my makeup bag?"

  "Girlie, I did nothing with your damn bag. You're the one who took it out to supper last night. Maybe it decided to run away from home. I could understand that urge."

  Angelica smacked Cash on the arm.

  Cash rolled his eyes and propped himself up on the bed, leaning his muscular back against what served as the headboard.

  "I didn't take an inventory of what luggage you took with you. I'm not your valet." Cash responded.

  "Open it," Angelica demanded, as her tiny fingers were having no luck in loosening the shiny platinum lock.

  Cash pulled out his pocket knife and with one swift motion snapped the lock off, as the case opened, spilling out hundreds of thousands of dollars of rubies, diamonds, emeralds and pearls.

  Angelica sat still, with her mouth open, like a kid in a candy store. Running her fingers through the jewels was magical. It was as if all of her dreams had suddenly come to life.

  Angelica didn't appear to be a jewel thief and Cash obviously was the one who originally carried her bags to the train. They definitely weren't this heavy when he carted them.

  "Damn it. I'm supposed to be on the lookout for a jewel thief and you've got me so frazzled we were in direct contact with him and I didn't even realize it. Do you know how bad that will make me look? It had to be that man who stopped by the table and crashed into your chair. He must have switched cases. I noticed that the porters were looking through some of the cases. Stay here. I'm going to go and talk to the porter. That man has probably already gotten off the train at another stop." Cash flung on his shirt, buttoning it crookedly and stomped out of the door.

  Angelica continued to look on in mesmerized joy, running her fingers over and over through the glimmering stones, letting them slide down her milky skin, picking out one particularly large diamond and setting it on her finger like an engagement ring. She suddenly had a mental picture of her wedding, wearing a gorgeous lace dress, with a shimmering diamond on her finger. She could picture her handsome husband, Cash, standing there looking at her lovingly.

  Cash?! Cash? What was she thinking. It was Edward. Edward that she was betrothed to! She threw the diamond back into the case and backed away. She must be delirious. That was it.

  Chapter 3

  Angelica trailed along down the sidewalk, as always, like a little lost puppy, desperately and unsuccessfully trying to keep pace with the easy strides Cash took with his long legs, trying to juggle three suitcases by herself as Cash clung protectively to the case with the jewels.

  "Such a gentleman ..." Angelica whispered to herself.

  "I'm not actually old enough for my hearing to have gone yet. You know I can hear you ... even when you try to whisper," Cash replied with a laugh. "You should really invest in a hat with a veil so I can't see you rolling your eyes."

  Angelica ignored Cash's quip and continued, "Where are we going anyway? It would be nice if you kept me apprised of what was going on."

  "You don't need to be kept apprised. I'm in charge here, remember? We are bringing this valise to the police department. That is where I'll be working while I'm in Boston."

  Angelica looked hopefully at Cash as he replied, "And, no, I refuse to ask them to search for your makeup case."

  Angelica rolled her eyes for the tenth time on their very short trek. Luckily she wore a natural beauty that really needed no makeup, but the loss of her makeup was giving her a mini girly panic attack as she needed it for her future glorious plans of becoming an actress.

  "What are you thinking about now?" Cash asked, as he noticed the intense look in her eyes.

  "How I'd better invest in that hat with the veil, very, very soon ..."

  Chapter 4

  The Police Station was so modern looking, so unlike the one jail cell monstrosity back home. Wanted posters hung on the walls, littered with ugly faces of criminals Angelica couldn't fathom anyone wanting to capture. They definitely looked better off left alone. Modern lighting. Telephones in each room. Rows and rows of legal books. It was strangely intoxicating.

  The deputies, in their shiny blue uniforms and polished black shoes, looked knowingly at Angelica. One deputy, rotund and smiley, looked at Cash and asked, "I assume you've got another prostitute to be jailed?"

  Angelica's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she heard his comment. "How dare you! I'm not a ... a ..."

  Cash placed the valise on the front desk, laughing hysterically and replied with a smile, "No. I'm Cash Worthington. She's only my traveling companion. I'll keep your suggestion in mind if she doesn't start behaving though."

  Cash cleared his throat and continued, "I'll be working here. You should have received a telephone call regarding this matter."

  "Oh yes," said the deputy knowingly. "We've been expecting you."

  Angelica heard only snippets of the conversation in the next room. She sat primly on the bench, looking like a child being scolded, waiting outside of a school Principal's office. She just wasn't in the mood to be mistaken for a lady of the e
vening again, even though Cash found it hysterically funny and would, undoubtedly, not let her forget it. She was even more irked that some criminal was carrying around her bag full of her best blusher, eyeshadow and lipsticks.

  Cash strode confidently out of the back office, not even bothering to turn around to see if Angelica was following him out of the building.

  "Cash, what is going on? Explain to me what is going on. Where is my bag? Why did that man switch cases like that? You're going to be working there. I don't understand. Please explain it to me." Angelica's questions were endless and her bubbly voice was starting to grate on Cash's nerves.

  They turned the corner walking toward a boarding house three blocks down. The deputy had suggested it as a safe place for Angelica to take a room.

  "Would you please just be quiet. Just for a little while. I am trying to get everything settled and your incessant babbling is driving me insane."

  Angelica was truly hurt. She was just trying to make pleasant conversation. Just trying to learn what was going on. What in the world was she thinking to take a trip with this man - alone to Boston? She barely knew him. She'd be better off alone and scared than having to deal with his cranky disposition - even though he'd be gone soon.

  "All I'm asking is simple - tell me what is going on. I have the right to know and ..."

  They turned and entered an alley behind the boarding house. Cash dropped Angelica's luggage with a thud as Angelica looked down quizzically at the cloud of dust created when they thumped on the ground.

  Cash grabbed Angelica roughly and pulled her close. So close she could feel the pounding beat of his heart. So close she could feel every rippled muscle in his body, the heat emanating from his skin, his rough hands running slowly down her arms, giving her shivers. His delicious scent that made her knees so weak. He savagely claimed her mouth, kissing her so she couldn't catch her breath, pressing her closer so she could feel exactly what she did to him. How every time he looked at her he had no control over his body - how hard he got just from one touch of her voluptuous body.