Up to Me - By M. Leighton Page 0,15

much. "How'd it go?"

I chastise myself. The call is what I should be worried most about anyway, not trying to keep my hands to myself. Or wishing Cash wasn't keeping his hands to himself.

Cash's sigh stirs the hair behind my ear and gives me chills down one arm.

"They went for it. I don't think they liked it very much, but I think I kept my cool and convinced them that the books were locked up at the bank for safekeeping. Assholes," he whispers at the end.

"Did they let you talk to Marissa?"

"Yeah."

"And? How was she?"

"I think there's a pretty good chance she'll actually kill them by accident. I feel kinda sorry for 'em."

I can't help but grin. "So she wasn't taking her...captivity well?"

"She seemed to be polite to them, but she chewed my ass. There's no question who she blames in this scenario. The good thing is, unless they tell her I'm both brothers, she can just blame me and not drag Nash and all his accomplishments through the mud."

"With Marissa, I would expect nothing less."

I feel bad speaking that way about her when she's being held hostage. I mean, what a nightmare! But Marissa's pretty much a nightmare, too. Maybe the whole thing will somehow make her a better person. Or maybe a sharp blow to the head will give her an epiphany. Or maybe they used chloroform on her and it will alter her personality and make her likeable and decent. Anything's possible, right?

"So what's the plan then?"

"There are some things I need to look into tomorrow. And I want to go see Dad. Not only does he need to know about this, but he might be able to help."

"How? The man is in prison."

"I know that," Cash replies a bit sharply. "But he knows these people, knows how they think. Plus, he's always been good with plans and strategy. I don't want to risk overlooking something. There's too much at stake," he says, pulling me tighter against him.

We fall silent. I'm sure Cash's mind is churning harder and faster than mine, which is pretty damn hard and fast. But he has the added weight of guilt, not to mention all the buried pain this must be unearthing.

"Cash," I begin softly.

"Yeah, baby," he whispers near my ear, the endearment settling around me like a warm blanket.

"I don't blame you."

He squeezes me and presses his lips to my shoulder. I can barely feel them through the lapel of my robe.

"Can I take this off you?" he breathes. "I want to feel your skin against mine."

A pang of desire zings through me at the thought of him holding my naked body against his. It was only a few hours ago that we had sex for the fifth time today, but it feels like an eternity ago. So much has happened since then, so many emotions have come and gone, that it feels...different.

"Yes," I whisper in response, answering him before my mind can talk me out of it.

I start to sit up, but Cash stops me. He leans up on one elbow and pulls my hair away from my face and neck, bending to press his lips against the soft skin beneath my ear.

"Let me."

I do my best to relax when I feel his hand go to the knotted belt at my waist. He works it loose with his nimble fingers and then slowly pulls one end until it falls away.

Next, I feel his skin brush mine at my chest. He runs his hand along the inside of the lapel of the robe, opening it and pulling it away from my body all the way to my hip.

As light as the lavender scent emanating from my pores, Cash reaches up and eases the plush material over the ball of my shoulder, gently pressing his lips to the skin there. "You smell so good."

Ever so slightly, his hips tip into mine. Desire gushes low into my belly when I feel his hardness press against me.

He drags his fingers along the skin of my arm, pushing the robe away as he goes. I bend my elbow and pull my arm free of the sleeve. Cash reaches down to push the rest of it off my legs.

"Turn toward me."

Excitement humming along my nerve ends, I do as he asks and