Cash's Fight(94)

Rachel buried her face back in the dog’s fur.

His hand slid to the back of her neck, lifting her face to his. “I haven’t fucked another woman since you saw me with Bliss.”

Her suspicious gaze didn’t shy away from his.

“It’s the truth. I haven’t really wanted anyone since I was with you at your house. I wasn’t ready to accept that you got under my skin, though. I like to say that your brothers are slow. The truth is, I was slow in admitting that it was more than just sex with you, Rachel. I didn’t plan on falling in love with you. I didn’t care if you wore a trench coat tonight, only that you were there, with me.”

“Go back.” She moved away from his touch. “I couldn’t ever do the things I saw there tonight. I wouldn’t want to.”

“I didn’t show you so that you would participate; I showed you because I didn’t want any secrets between us. I like the Friday parties, but if you don’t want to go, that’s cool.” Cash tried to make her see she had all the choices.

She raised her face from the neck of her dog. “Do Lily and Beth and the others?”

He wanted to respect their privacy, but he needed to tell Rachel the truth. “Yes. They found the part that they enjoy and leave the part they don’t alone. Tell the truth, Rachel. Be honest to both of us. Did you find the whole thing upsetting? There wasn’t one thing you found arousing?”

“No.”

Cash took hope that she sounded unsure. It was her first experience with their lifestyle. None of his brothers’ wives had taken it any better when they had found out.

“That’s okay,” he assured her, moving closer to her side and placing his arm around her shoulders. She still clung to her dog, but she sank against him, letting him hold her. He sat holding her quietly, letting her absorb everything she had learned.

“I don’t know,” her voice was quiet in the darkness, “if I can get over the fact you’ve had sex with all my friends.”

“I haven’t had sex with any of your friends,” he denied. “Cheryl isn’t your friend. I haven’t fucked Lily, Beth, Diamond, or Winter.”

“Willa?” He caught a faint trace of amusement in her voice.

“Nope.”

“Melody Ward?”

“Who?”

“My best friend in high school.”

“Her, I fucked, but she doesn’t count,” Cash stated, refusing to let her pull away.

“Why in the hell doesn’t she count? She was my best friend!”

“Because I didn’t know I was going to be courting with you then! I’ve fucked around, okay?” Cash said, frustrated, raking his hands through his long hair. “If I knew I was going to be with you, then I could have done things differently, but back then, she was just another girl.”

“You don’t remember her?”

“No!”

She looked at him suspiciously. “Does it count if you don’t remember them?”#p#分页标题#e#

Cash thought she was talking to herself and kept his mouth shut. He wasn’t touching that question with a ten-foot pole.

She must have answered it for herself because she laid her head on his shoulder. While the dog gave him an unhappy look, he brushed his mouth over her still-damp cheeks, smiling to himself. They sat there quietly in the dark, holding hands with the dog lying beside them.

After a while, a shadow moved from behind a tree not too far from them, heading toward Rachel’s home. Cash recognized Tate as he left them in the darkness. He wondered how long he had been listening and why he hadn’t tried to keep him from Rachel when it had been plainly obvious she had been running from him.

“How are we going to get back?” Rachel asked sleepily.

Cash pulled out his cell phone. “Rider, sorry to interrupt, but could you pick us up at the bottom of the Porters’ driveway?” He hung up when Rider said he would be there in ten minutes.

Stiffly getting to his feet, he helped Rachel up.

“Go home, Sampson. Go!” The dog trotted off toward the Porters’ home.

“Whose dog is it?” Cash asked.

Rachel sighed. “It’s technically Tate’s dog.”

Cash hid his relief. He didn’t dislike dogs; he just thought they should be dog-size, not horse-size.

Rider was waiting for them at the bottom of the driveway.

“Where to?” Rider asked.

Cash let Rachel decide. “The clubhouse.”

As Rider pulled out, driving back to the clubhouse, Cash squeezed Rachel’s hand in his. He had been afraid she would want to go back to Mag’s. He’d wanted her to make the decision to spend the night with him and was relieved when she did.