“Later,” Cash said, starting his motor.
While both men rode out as Drake pulled in, Cash lifted his hand in acknowledgment. It couldn’t have gone better.
Cash enjoyed the ride back to Mag’s house, already anticipating the feel of Rachel’s lips on his dick.
*
Cash stood in the doorway, watching Rachel work with her plants. Her gentle hands worked with them like they were precious jewels instead of seedlings in clumps of dirt.
“Where’s Mag?”
Rachel jumped at the sound of his voice.
“She went to bed a few minutes ago.” She looked at him through the veil of her lashes. “I didn’t cook any extra for dinner. I didn’t expect you back tonight.”
Cash frowned. “Why not?” He had already eaten at the diner with Shade, but it still pissed him off for some reason.
As she turned bright red, Cash couldn’t keep the smug grin from his face.
“Don’t tell me you thought I spent the night at the clubhouse last night and was going to do it again tonight.”
“What you do is none of my business.” She kept fiddling with her plants.
“I didn’t go there when I left here last night. I went to Rosie’s, where I had a meeting. That’s when I got the call from Knox and spent the night chasing after that cousin of yours.”
“Oh.” Rachel shrugged. “Like I said, it’s none of my business. I could make you something if you’re hungry, though.”
Cash was tempted, just to have her do something for him, but he saw she was busy and he was still full. “That’s okay. I’m not really hungry.”
Cash saw no reason to alleviate the guilty expression on her face. He was a self-admitted bastard, and he planned to use the opportunity to gain something he wanted.
“You could give me your cell phone number, and the next time I’m late, I could give you a call or you could call me.”
Rachel bit her lip. “All right.”
Cash felt he had won a minor victory. He already had her cell phone number, but he wanted to establish a more intimate bond between them under her radar. Her defenses were so raised against him he had to insert himself into her life by small degrees.
He pretended to key her number into his phone. When he was done, he walked around the transformed room, which had remained empty as long as he could remember. Mag used to say that, if the good Lord had meant for you to sit your ass in the sun, he wouldn’t have created shade. Now, every time he entered the room, he saw more and more plants.
A machine bubbling in the corner drew his interest. He walked closer and saw it was a large fish tank, but he had never seen one set up this way. He had seen several tanks set up for survivalists to make purified drinking water, yet he had never seen anything like this one.
“This is amazing. You did this?”
“Yes. I’ve been working on it for a while. I have another set up at my home, but I wanted to see if it worked as well with larger tanks.”
“Does it?”
“Yes.”
“Damn, Rachel. I’m really impressed. Now I see why you’re spending so much time back here. I was wondering why you don’t see your clients anymore. Several of the customers coming into the church store have been asking Lily why you’re not taking their calls anymore,” Cash asked curiously.
When she turned, going back to spraying the plants, Cash looked at her stiff back, guilt hitting him. “Rachel, your clients aren’t going to say anything about me opening my big mouth.”
“It’s getting late. I need to get to bed. Night, Cash.”
He watched her leave the room. Hearing the closing of her bedroom door, he turned the lights off in the room and went into the kitchen to get himself a beer. Every time he took a step forward with Rachel, he ended up taking two steps backward. He felt like he was never going to be able to reach her.
“Got one for me?” Mag asked as she rolled herself into the kitchen.
“Yeah.” Cash reached into the refrigerator, pulling her out a beer.