heart of the problem and doesn’t take my shit. “What else can I do for you, partner?” No matter how hard I try, I can’t tear my gaze from her mouth. The memory of those ruby red lips wrapped around my shaft haunts me every night.
“I’m not your partner.”
“There you go again, breaking my heart.” I press a hand to my chest, feigning pain. “And I was hoping to up our relationship to the next level.”
“That would be impossible. You have to have a heart before it can be broken.” The roll of her dark eyes inspires a dozen dirty fantasies inside my head. I love her fire, her rebellion, her absolute refusal to bow to my whims.
“Come on.” I stand and hold out a hand. “I’ll take you home.”
Her eyebrows lift. “Really? That’s it? No arguments? No blackmail?”
“Yep. If you’re not into it, I totally understand. I thought you had what it takes to make it in this business, but I can see I was wrong. No hard feelings.” A furrow of displeasure mars her smooth forehead. My girl has a competitive streak. We have that in common. She likes to win, and I like watching her inner turmoil. Deep down, she wants this as much as I do. I jerk my head toward the door. “Let’s go.”
Five
Jagger
In the foyer, Cash hesitates. “Hold up a sec.” He disappears down the hall and returns with a duffel bag. He drops it on the floor between us. “There’s two hundred and fifty grand in there. It’s yours.”
“What?” I stare at the gray canvas bag.
“It’s the money you paid me.”
I blink up at him, confused by the shift in his demeanor. He draws his lower lip between his teeth as he waits for my reaction. A shaft of evening light cuts through the leaded glass panes of the front door, transforming his brown irises to the rich gold color of expensive whiskey. “You’re giving it back? Just like that?”
“You might be surprised to know that I’ve got a conscience.” There’s something different about the line of his shoulders, something less intimidating. He shoves his hands into his pockets and shrugs. “I fucked up.”
I crouch beside the bag, retract the zipper, and stare at the stacks of crisp bills. “You put me through hell for nothing?” I don’t know if I’m angry or relieved. Relief wins the contest. I’ll be able to repay the mortgage loan and have a little left to bolster my empty bank account.
“No, I put you through hell because your sister stole from me, and then you stole from me. I had a right to be pissed off. But, after some thought, I’ve decided to forgive you. We can’t have the past hanging over our new partnership.” He extends a hand. “Look what you accomplished. Aside from a few hiccups, you met every challenge. Not many men have had the balls to face me the way you did. You’ve been a kick-ass adversary.” I accept his offering, slide my palm across his, enjoying the rough texture of his skin against my smoothness. His fingers thread through mine, and his voice becomes tender. “I think you have a promising career in front of you.”
“Thanks.” My throat tightens at his surprising confession. Few people have ever expressed conviction in my abilities. I’ve always been in the shadow of Callie’s outrageous adventures. A kernel of self-confidence begins to replace my uncertainty. Genuine warmth shines in his eyes.
“Let’s get you home.” With the duffel bag hanging off his shoulder, he continues to hold my hand on the opposite side and doesn’t let go until we reach the car. He opens the passenger door of the convertible for me then drops the duffel into the trunk.
I’m too stunned for conversation. Who is this guy? Through the veil of my lashes, I study him. His long fingers wrap around the steering wheel. The elbow of his opposite arm rests on the window sill. Hot summer wind ruffles his hair. With black sunglasses resting on the bridge of his straight nose and the ink of his tattoos visible on his arms and neck, he’s one delectable mother fucker. For the first time since our acquaintance, I see a different side to him—one that’s personable and considerate and attainable. A side that makes my tummy flutter in the best possible way.
Instead of taking the exit toward Baxter’s Corner, Cash veers off the interstate toward the business section of Carmel. I grab his arm. “Wait. This isn’t the