“Did I have fun?” Cash placed the dish he was scrubbing back in the sink and dried his hands before seizing her waist and hoisting her into the air. Sable shrieked with laughter as he sat her on the counter, but her voice fell silent as Cash pushed himself between her thighs. His grip tightened on her hips, and her breath hitched as he yanked her against him.
“Being with you all day made me happier than you realize,” he growled before slamming his lips against hers. Sable’s legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, and she gasped when she felt him below his jeans.Surely, she was imagining things. There was no way he was that big.
“Fuck, Sable.” Cash released her hips and tangled his fist in her hair, yanking her head back to gain better access. With a seductive roll of his hips, he ground her against him, and this time Sable’s gasp was embarrassingly needy. He was that big, and even through her jeans, he was burning her alive. Every thought fled her brain as she kissed him. He invaded her body, her mind, her soul, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer. Arousal flooded her moans, and she parted her lips to allow Cash’s tongue to slip inside her mouth. She could kiss this man for the rest of her immortal life and never tire of him, and as he guided her writhing hips against him, she wondered if his tongue would be that talented buried between her thighs.
“Fuck.” Cash tore himself away from her, and Sable almost fell off the counter at his dizzying departure. “I can’t.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, not entirely sure why she should be sorry.
“Don’t apologize, you’re perfect,” he growled, his voice so low with desire that she wascertainshe could climax from the sound alone. “It’s why I can’t do this.” He stepped forward and cupped her jaw, forcing her to meet his gaze.
“I realize I’m not playing this cool, but I’m a dad. Dads aren’t supposed to be cool, but everything I’m about to say is true,” he said. “I like you, so I can’t fuck you on my kitchen counter. Not yet, at least. I hope to earn that privilege, but I want to get to know you first. I’m sorry if thiscomes offa little strong, but I’m not looking for a hookup. My son likes you, and I like how you include him, so please forgive me for being blunt. I want to do this right because I hope this lasts between us. So, I won’t fuck you in my dirty kitchen tonight.I’m going totake my time and make you fall in love with me. Then…” he smirked at her, sending her heart into overdrive. “Once you love me, I’ll fuck you on this counter. It’ll be hot andabsolutelyfilthy, but not yet.”
“Cash…” Sable whispered, seconds away from confessing her sins because she thought she was alone in this obsession. She assumed she was the only one experiencing destiny’s tug, but based on the way this gorgeous man clutched her knees, he was falling off the edge without a parachute along with her. She should tell him. She should come clean because she wanted to live that future he’d described. The one where they put Clover to bed after pizza and tv and then came downstairs to clean up only to get distracted when Cash bent her over the table and fucked her so hard, she had to hold a palm over her mouth to keep quiet.
“Did I just freak you out?” he asked, rubbing her knees gently. “I did, didn’t I? People don’t talk like that after three dates.”
“You could never freak me out.” Sable cupped his jaw and pulled him close, kissing him slowly. She savored the tasteofhim, the scent, the feel, the power of him, and then she hugged his neck, unable to look at him for this next confession. “I want to get to know you too.” She started to cry, tears streaming down her face where he thankfully couldn’t see them.
“You do?” Cash slipped his arms around her waist and stepped between her thighs, but this time, her legs wrapped around him in a hug and not lust-filled arousal.
“I do.” She forced her voice to remain steady despite her tears. Shedidn’t have afuture with him, but her words weretrue. She wanted him, even if it was impossible. If she told him the truth, the competition’s organizer would kill him. And if He didn’t kill Cash, the other thieves might. His best chance at survival was if she stole the egg. She had no choice. She could either break his heart and save his life, or stay and get him killed. It didn’t take a genius to know which she would choose.
“That makes me so fucking happy,” Cash said, oblivious to her tears. “But just because I’m not going to fuck you tonight doesn’t mean I can’t kiss you on this counter.” He twisted his head and captured her lips.
“I like the way you think,” she teased.
“Good girl.” Cash gave her hair a sexy little tug. “Now shut up and kiss me.”
“Yes, sir,” she moaned, and it was the last words she spoke for the rest of the evening because even once he pulled her off the counter and they finished the dishes, they couldn’t stop their lips from meeting in a conversationdeeperthan their voices could ever achieve.
“Oh my god, stop dying!” Sable shouted as her simulated self died once again while trying to remove the egg from its pedestal.She’d programmed every security measure she’d discovered into the three-dimensional model of the museum, and she was so close to an answer, but thesensor under the egg kept killing her at the end of each simulation. Her fake death would be concerning if she’d programmed the sensor correctly, but she hadn’t quite figured out what she was dealing with. If she flat-out asked Cash about its design, he would become suspicious. The sensor below the egg wasn’t common knowledge. She’d only noticed it because she knew what to look for, and if he learned she’d found it, he’d put the pieces together and realize she was a thief. If she saw it in person again, though, she might be able to decipher what held the egg’s safety in its electronic hands, and while she didn’t want to abuse her doomed relationship, she might need to use it just this once.
Filled with shame, Sable changed into a cute but simple outfit and donned her wig. She then stopped at the coffee shop, ordered two coffees and some pastries, and walked to the museum. Cash hadobviouslyput her on a list since the ticket agent didn’t charge her for entry, and with her guilt growing by the minute, she found herself knocking on the security office’s door.
“Sable?” Cash stared at her in surprise when he opened the door.
“Coffee?” She shrugged and handed him the second latte. “I needed an afternoon pick me up, and I figured you could too.”
“This is perfect, thank you.” He didn’t take the cup, opting to pull her into a hug first, and after a kiss that melted her every concern until only her ever-growing affection remained, he accepted the drink.
“That worked better than the caffeine,” Sable said, her brain deliciously hazy.
“Any time you needa pickme up, you know where to find me.” Cash threaded his fingers through hers and led her down the hall. “Do you have a few minutes? I could use a break.”
“I have as much time as you’ll allow,” she said. “I brought pastries, too. Would you like some?”
“I’m starving, but I don’t want to eat all your food.”
“I got enough to share.” She held up the bag. “Do youreallythink I bought this many for myself?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you have a bigger sweet tooth than you’ve let on.” He tugged her closer and kissed her temple.
“I’m an ea—” Sable caught herself before she told him what she was. As an Easter Bunny, she had a strong love of chocolate, but she couldn’t admit that to him. Sheliked to imaginethat he’d be thrilled to discover she was also an immortal, but the truth would only complicate things now. “I’m a girl,” she corrected. “What girl doesn’t love chocolate?” She opened up the bag and pulled out two chocolate croissants.
“This looks almost as good as you do,” Cash said, accepting her gift. “You need to be careful just showing up randomly, though.”
Sable’s stomach clenched. She’d assumed she would be welcome, but had she overestimated his eagerness to see her?
