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I’m hit again by the urge to cry.

“Don’t,” I whisper.

“Don’t what? Tell you that I was wrong? That you’re everything I thought you weren’t? Big-hearted and generous and smart as hell and, yeah, fuckin’ beautiful? Sexy as hell?”Cash’s eyes graze my face. “Tell me to go, then. Tell me to let you go, and I will. But you gotta say the words, honey, or?—”

“Or what?” I blame him calling mehoneyfor this sudden burst of bravery. “You’ll give me what Palmer couldn’t?”

His eyes flicker. “You’re such a brat.”

“Yeah, well, you’re a brute.”

“I am.” His gaze is pleading. “Tell me to go.”

But I don’t. I look down at my hands, which are still on his chest. He’s a solid wall of warm muscle. I can feel his heart beating against my palms.

“You’re the center of everyone’s universe, you know,” I manage. “Everyone on the ranch. Everyone in your family. They all look to you, and you never ever let them down.”

He breathes in. Out. “They’re everything to me.”

God, how have I not gone up in a fireball yet? Because truly, there is nothing sexier than a man who shows up for the people he loves.

He’s showing up for me.

“You being here.” I swallow. “Sticking up for me. Helping me. Filling me in on everything I missed with Dad. That’s everything to me, Cash. You’re a good man, and I…”

The edges of his eyes crinkle. “What, honey?”

“At first, I couldn’t fucking stand you.” I scoff. “And now I can’t fucking stand how much I want you.”

His eyes look positively feral. “Ask me.”

“Ask what?”

“Ask me to give you what you want.”

I stare at him. “I can’t?—”

“But you can.” He steps closer, melting his hips into mine. “Because you gotta know by now, I can’t deny you anything, Mollie. Not a fuckin’ thing.”

I thought swooning was something that only happened in books. I can now affirm it is an actual thing that happens to actual people, because it’s happening to me.

I go weak in the knees; the only thing holding me up is the solid weight of Cash’s body pressing me against the sink.

Reading me like—ha—a book, Cash curls an arm around my middle. The throb between my legs blares hotter at the onslaught of contact. Iloveit. Love the feel of him pressed against me. So much so that I feel my eyes rolling to the back of my head.

I bite my lip. “Be the brute,” I breathe. “Leave the good man?—”

“Hello?” There’s a knock on the door. “Hello?! Y’all, I have to use the bathroom?—”

“Get fucked,” Cash shouts.

Then he glides his hand onto my face and leans in and kisses me.

Cash Riverskisses me,his scruff catching on my skin as he presses his mouth to mine.

It’s the kind of kiss that immediately has my toes curling inside my boots. It’s urgent and hot and hard, weeks of pent-up frustration finally let loose. I close my eyes and move with him. His lips are soft but eager as he drinks me in, hard, thirsty pulls that demand surrender.

And, oh, am I all too happy to surrender. The soft, slick feel of his mouth gliding over mine draws a moan from the back of my throat. My hands fist in his shirt. His other hand moves from the small of my back to my side, his thumb brushing the underside of my breast. A bolt of lust cracks down my middle, fast and loud as lightning.