Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 114263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
“It does, yeah,” I say.
Then I burst into tears. I’m swept up in a rush of emotion. Relief, exhaustion. A little bit of disappointment too, which takes me off guard.
Cash doesn’t hesitate. He scoots over and pulls me into his lap. I curl up there, burying my face in his shirt, and I weep. He wraps his arms around me, holding me tightly against his chest.
“See?” He kisses the crown of my head. “It’s okay, honey. We’re okay.”
We are okay. I’m not at all okay. I’m relieved and sad and happy and terrified.
My life may be in Dallas, but now my heart is in, well, Hartsville. Should’ve seen that one coming.
Cash wasn’t upset when I told him I was late. As a matter of fact, the things he said almost made me think he wishes I was pregnant. Ordinarily, that’d raise my hackles. Is this guy trying to tie me down? Hold me back? Keep me barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen?
But I know Cash isn’t that guy. He’s got big dreams, and he respects the big dreams I have too.
I think he just wants a family.
I need to tell him. Now.
Sniffling, I sit up in Cash’s lap. His blue eyes are full when they lock on mine. Full of concern and softness and something else.
Something that makes my breath catch.
“You said you don’t feel guilty.” I swallow the thump of terror in my throat. “About potentially getting me pregnant.”
“I feel bad you were scared. But we’re two consenting adults, having a lot of fun doing…stuff together.”
I laugh, running my finger over the broken-in fabric of his T-shirt. “That stuff is great.”
“Exactly. If something happened because we were enjoying that stuff a little too much…” He closes his mouth. Opens it. His eyes dart to the window.
Holy shit, Cash is nervous. About what?
What is he going to confess? I’m suddenly so anxious to know, I’m shaking.
“What if I was pregnant?” I ask softly.
His eyes return to mine. “I respect your timing, Mollie. I’d never push you to do something you weren’t ready for. But if we did make a baby?” His Adam’s apple bobs. “Honey, I’d marry the shit out of you. Not because it’s the right thing to do, but because I’m in love with you.”
I blink, my eyes bulging. Maybe that’s why they fill with tears all over again so quickly.
The timing couldn’t be worse.
It couldn’t be better.
“Cash,” I breathe, because I can’t formulate proper sentences now that my heart has beat its way out of my body.
He takes my face in his hand, doing that thing where he wipes away my tears with the calloused pad of this thumb. “It’s no secret I’m in love with you, Mollie. I’ve been—” He clears his throat. “I wanted to wait for the right moment to tell you. Not when we’re naked or working or whatever. And that’s all we seem to do these days. Be naked or work.”
I fist his shirt in my hand. “That so bad?”
“I ain’t complaining.” He arcs his thumb over my cheek. “But I wanted this to feel special. I also don’t want you to feel alone after a pregnancy scare. I told you not to worry, and now you know why I said that. I’m in, honey. I have no idea how you feel or where your head’s at. But now you know what’s goin’ on in mine.”
I can’t.
I cannot even with this man.
I can only yank him to me and crush my mouth against his. Our teeth collide and it hurts a little, but Cash only laughs, tilting his head so he can lick into my mouth with long, luxurious strokes of his tongue.
I have to tell him how I feel.
I want to tell him.
“I”—kiss—“love”—kiss—“you.”
He smiles against my lips. “That’s a fuckin’ relief.”
And now I have to tell him the other thing. The not-so-great thing.
My heart is throwing elbows inside my chest. The pressure is unbearable.
Cash deserves to know. Our relationship clearly isn’t a flash in the pan for him. I don’t want to lead him on if there isn’t a way for us to be together.
If I’m ultimately going to end up in Dallas and he’s going to be here, we can’t do long-distance forever. And our lives in each of those places are so, so different. How could we possibly bring them together?
How can I possibly leave this man?
I break the kiss and lean my forehead against his. We’re both breathing hard.
“I’m in love with you, Cash. But Dad’s will—the stipulation keeping me on the ranch—it got struck down.” I swallow. “I think—Cash, I have to go back to Dallas.”
CHAPTER 29
Cash
COWGIRL ERA
My heart sputters, then stops altogether.
I open my eyes and see Mollie looking at me. A thick rim of tears lines her bottom lashes. Her eyes toggle frantically between mine.
She’s looking for something. What, I don’t know.