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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Declan

The next few days, I watched a slow transformation at The Roost that was equally exciting and disconcerting.

“It’ll get worse before it gets better,” Cash had assured me when I’d gaped at the holes in my floor after I’d brought the guys a couple of sandwiches the first afternoon.

“It’s just growing pains,” Gray had added.

I’d nodded dutifully, reminding myself that I’d promised Cash just that morning that I trusted him. And I did. More than I ever would have expected.

Cash wouldn’t let me down.

He was here, working during his off time when he didn’t have to—and hard enough that his shirt stuck to him with sweat, clinging to muscles I didn’t even know the man had, though it explained how easily he drew the eyes of other men and women.

Still, when I’d swung by a couple of days later to see paneling ripped off the walls, I couldn’t hold in my gasp of horror. Cash had talked over their remodeling plan with me, and I’d agreed, but seeing sheetrock mottled with glue and remnants of paneling that had gotten stuck to the walls was different than envisioning the final product.

Cash laid down his tools and came to take the bottles of water from my hands. “Breathe, Dec. It’s gonna be great. You have my word.”

“I know. It’s just…” I waved a hand at the wall. “It looks like a lot of work. I should be helping.”

Cash tossed a bottle of water to Gray, then lifted his own to his lips and took a long drink, his throat working as he swallowed.

“You are helping. We appreciate you clearing the path outside.”

“And the food and drinks,” Gray added, saluting me with his bottle of water.

It wasn’t enough. Cash was working around his hours at the resort—and Gray was working around boat tours. I could work around the B&B needs, too. I had to get a couple of rooms ready for guests arriving that afternoon, but I could go over once the check-ins were done for the evening.

Unfortunately, the last guest arrived later than expected—so it was seven-thirty before I was free of front-desk duties.

I went to the kitchen to whip up an easy dinner for the guys, my heart sinking when I saw the taillights of Gray’s truck bounce along the path outside the window.

I picked up my phone and texted Cash.

Declan:

Sorry I didn’t make it over tonight. Had a late check-in.

His reply took a few minutes to come in.

Cash:

No problem, man. You’ve got a full-time job over here.

Declan:

You’ve got a job at the resort too. You’re doing too much for me.

Cash:

I’m doing exactly what I want to do. Listen, I’m kinda busy. Want to come over and just talk to me face-to-face?

I blinked at my phone dumbly.

Declan:

Wait. You’re still over there? I saw Gray’s truck leave.

Cash:

Yeah, he had a booze cruise to cover, but Mom’s home tonight, so I thought I’d get some hours in while I could.

Jesus, this man. He was still working.

I sent a quick text to let him know I’d be right over, then finished sauteing the ground beef in the skillet and made quick work of assembling a few tacos in soft flour shells.

I packed them up, along with a couple of beers, and headed over to The Roost. My heart was beating a little quicker than usual, but I chalked it up to the surprise that Cash was still here and I could contribute to the project after all.

Of course, then I opened the door and saw him.

Cash stood on a stepstool, his back to me, as he sanded sheetrock. His arm flexed, his whole body tensing and relaxing with his movements, and there was just something so familiar and welcome about the sight of him.

My chest warmed, my gut fluttered, and I froze where I was, just staring at the amazing man who’d volunteered so much of his time and energy to me.

I never would have pegged Cash as a hard worker, based on his playful nature, but he was dedicated to helping me.

Even though I’d done nothing but push him away.

A breath shuddered out of me, and he half turned, glancing over his shoulder. A smile lit up his face. “Hey, you.”

“Hey.” My voice came out a little hoarse. I cleared my throat and lifted the platter in my hands. “I brought tacos.”

“Oh, I’m starving. Thanks, man.”

I didn’t love Cash calling me man. Like I was just one of his friends.

I frowned down at the tacos, as if they held the answers to my conflicted emotions. Cash hopped to the floor and reached for the plate, his hands brushing over mine.

“Let me take that. What’s wrong?”

I shook my head. “There’s no table. I should have brought one for you.”

“That’s all right,” Cash said, his voice teasing. “I like it rough.”

I glanced up in surprise. It was the first time he’d thrown a sexual innuendo my way in a while, and for some silly reason, it reassured me.

Cash took the plate from me and sat down in a folding chair he and Gray had set up in a corner. He patted the one next to him. “Sit down. Have you eaten yet?”

“There’s six tacos on that plate. What do you think?”

“You’re right.” He grinned. “Obviously, they’re all for me.”

I chuckled as he lifted a taco and bit into it with relish. He took big ravenous bites, cheek bulging. His poor manners should have been appalling, but he resembled an adorable chipmunk. I smiled as I watched him start on the second taco approximately ten seconds after he started the first.

“Wha?” he mumbled around a bite.

“You really were hungry,” I said, lips twitching.

He straightened up, lifting his arm to wipe at his chin. He winced and rolled his shoulder.

“Sorry. I worked up an appetite.”

He rolled his shoulder again, grimacing, before he tore into the tacos again. I reached over and snagged one, because at this rate, he really might eat all six. I took a small bite and glanced around the room. The walls were still torn up, but several panels of sheetrock had been sanded smooth. There was white dust all over the floor—and Cash.

On impulse, I leaned over and plucked a piece of sheetrock from his dark hair.

His eyes shot to mine in surprise.

I showed him the white papery substance between my fingers. “You’re a mess.”

“No lie there. I feel filthy.” He wrinkled his nose. “Sorry if I stink. I’ve probably sweat out a gallon of water today.”

I ran my fingers through his hair again, brushing dust out of it, but really just absorbing the silky feel of his strands under the pads of my fingers. It was nice.

He tilted his head into my touch, eyes closing as he sighed. I continued finger-combing his hair, gradually trailing my fingers down the back of his head and kneading his neck.

“You’re not working too hard, are you? I’m going to come over and help more. You shouldn’t be taking so much on.”

The corners of his lips hooked up. “You worried about me? That’s sweet.”

I pressed my lips together to hold in the truth. Yes, I was worried about him. I cared about his well-being. Probably too much.

I dropped my hand away and took another taco. “Let’s finish eating and get you home for some rest.”

Cash grabbed a third taco and ate it—a little slower now that he’d gotten two in his belly. He interspersed his bites with gulps of beer. “How was B&B life today?”

I hummed. “Well, it was a busy day for check-outs. I had to remake a lot of beds. You’d think I’d be a pro by now, but I still have to wrestle the damn queen in the Apple Tree Room every time.”

Cash chuckled. “Why don’t you hire a housekeeping service? My mom works for a service that could help you out.”

“It wouldn’t be worth it to have them out for one or two rooms every few days.”

“I suppose not.”

“Maybe something like the resort…”

Cash nodded. “Yeah, Skylar has contracted them. Mom cleans there at least a couple times a week.”

“You must enjoy working there,” I said. “You’re a natural with my guests.”

“Do I sense a hint of annoyance in your tone?” Cash asked with a grin.

I huffed. “Well, it’s tough enough to get them to like me without you showing up like the damn guest whisperer and making me look bad.”

Cash lowered his beer bottle. “Shit, I was never trying to do that. I’m sorr?—”

“No, no.” I chuckled. “I made that sound like a complaint, but it wasn’t.”

“I’m not sure I follow.”

“I envy your ease with people, Cash. I admire it.”

“Oh.”

“And when you’re at breakfast, conversation is so effortless. I didn’t realize until you joined us the other morning. It was true, even when you were here with another guest. I’d forgotten, because—” I hesitated, but Cash’s gaze was fixed on me, so intent and interested in what I had to say, that I couldn’t hold back. “Because I didn’t like you being there for that reason.”

He grimaced. “I’m sorry.”

I squeezed his knee. “No, don’t apologize. You were free to sleep where you wanted.”

“But it’s your B&B. If you didn’t want me around, you should have said.”

“That’s not it, Cash,” I said, frustration leaking into my tone. “I always want you around, and that scares the shit out of me.”

Cash leaned toward me. “What? Declan, I’m?—”

He froze, face twisting as he let out a hiss.

“You’re in pain,” I said, setting aside my plate.

“Just a little sore,” he gritted out, raising his hand to hold his shoulder.

I rose and circled behind him, setting my hands on his shoulders. “May I touch you?”

“Yeah.” I gently squeezed his shoulders, and he groaned. “For future reference, you never have to ask.”

I pressed my thumb into a knot above his shoulder blade and he hissed again.

“Even when I hurt you?”

“Especially then,” he rasped.

My gut tightened at the tone. I recognized the sensation, though it had been a long time since I’d experienced it with anyone.

It made me nervous, and I turned my focus to working the knots out of his shoulders. His shirt bunched up, getting in the way. I reached down to tug at the hem.

“Is it okay if we take this off?”

“Now you’re undressing me too?” Cash murmured. “Naughty.”

I withdrew my hands. “Sorry. No. I?—”

Cash caught my hand as I retreated. “Kidding, Declan. Always. I respect your boundaries, and I always will, okay?”

I exhaled. “Yeah, of course. You’re such a flirt.”

He smiled sheepishly. “Guilty. Sorry about that.”

“No, I…I like it,” I admitted in surprise. “Don’t stop flirting. You wouldn’t be you if you did.”

He smiled faintly. “Okay. Then take off my shirt, baby. I’m ready.”

He added a ridiculous wink that reassured me he was just playing.

I grabbed the hem, tugging it up and over his head. Cash lifted his arms, and I could tell he was still hurting by the slow way he moved. I draped his shirt over the empty chair beside him, then started on his shoulders again.

His skin was a nice toasty tan this far into the summer and hot as a summer day under my hands. I kneaded his shoulders, waiting for him to relax before I dug into the problem areas. Cash exhaled and sank back against my hands, slowly melting as I worked at him.

I traced my thumbs along his shoulder blades, pressing in, then used my other fingers to rub and knead his upper back and neck. Slowly, I worked out each knot.

His body was firm but malleable, and it was the first time in a long time I’d touched a man this way, skin to skin.

Cash’s breath grew a little uneven, and I glanced down to check he was okay. My gaze slipped over his chest and abs, moving with each breath, to the very obvious hard-on in his pants.

I froze.

“Sorry,” he muttered, pressing the heel of his hand to his erection. “It’s just my damn body liking this massage. I know nothing’s going to happen.”

Those words, more than anything else, made me relax. “You must want some relief.”

“Later,” he said. “I’d suffer a hundred hard-ons to spend a little more time with you.”

My heart stuttered. Was that romantic? It felt pretty romantic. “Do you mean that? You’d really…”

“Yeah,” he said. “But if you want it to go away, maybe let me put my shirt back on.”

He started to move, but I brought my hands back to his shoulders, keeping him in place. “Wait.”

“Okay…”

“If you wanted to, uh, touch yourself while I do this?—”

Cash whipped his head to look at me, and I gently guided him to face forward again.

“I don’t want to do anything that would make you uncomfortable. I’m fine.”

“I know,” I said. “That’s why I want you to do it.”

“You…” His breath caught and his hand went to his crotch, hovering uncertainly. “You actually want me to?”

“I want to see you feel good,” I murmured in his ear. “Touch yourself for me?”

“Fuck.” He sucked in a sharp breath. “Okay. Damn. Anything you want.”

“Then open your pants.”