He glanced up when he finished, and there was no missing his surprise. He hadn’t seen me walk out, he was so engrossed in his task.
“What were you doing?” I motioned to the list in question.
“Preflight checklist.” Reaching through the open door of the plane, he tucked the clipboard holding the list into a pocket behind his seat, then came to me and took my bag, putting it in as well.
I moved closer to him. I always wanted to get closer to him. “So how many properties are we delivering to?”
His gaze slid to me, then down to my mouth. “Four.”
I licked my lips, and his gaze grew intense. Suddenly, I wanted to climb my mountain-sized husband and kiss the hell out of him. Somehow, I resisted. “I know it’s a paying job, but are some of these people your friends?” I was curious. I wanted to see him with people he was close to, people he had an actual history with.
His forehead puckered. “Yeah. And the last drop-off is for my cousins, Beau and Hank.”
“Oh, really? So I’ll get to meet some of your family?”
He dipped his chin again. “Their women and kids as well.”
Now I was really looking forward to the trip, despite the flying. “So both Hank and Beau have wives?”
“Yep,” he said absently, still walking around the plane checking things.
I followed. “What are their names?”
“Hank’s woman is Birdie. Beau’s, Freya.”
I had no idea what Hank and Beau were like, but if they were anything like Cash, maybe these women had some insight they’d be willing to share on how to deal with my gruff, uncommunicative husband. “What are they like?”
Cash stilled and frowned, like he’d never considered it. “Nice.”
Nice. That was it. Good Lord, the man was impossible to get talking. Except, of course, when we were enjoying each other’s bodies.
Then he turned to me again, that frown still there, and surprised me by expanding on that one word. “And they love cooking for their husbands.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, and he grinned. I nearly fell over. He was teasing me, turning our fight into something we could laugh about. My heart exploded in my chest from the sheer pleasure of it. And holy hell, he was beautiful when he smiled, flashing his straight, white teeth, his eyes lighting up and softening all at the same time.
“Har har, and too soon, Mr. Smith. Too damn soon,” I said, but I was pretty sure there was no hiding how breathless I sounded.
And then he went and chuckled, and I thought I might actually pass out.
“How did they meet?” I asked when I’d shaken off the shock of hearing that low, raspy, incredibly sexy sound. “Your cousins and their wives?”
“Birdie got lost on the mountain. Hank found her.”
He moved to the other side of the plane, and I followed again. “And what about Beau and Freya?”
His gaze flicked to me. “Like us.”
“Online?”
“Yep.”
“Is that where you got the idea from?”
“Yep.”
Now I really wanted to meet these women. “How long have they been together?”
“Few years.”
Wow. I liked this. A lot. “Do they have kids, as well?”
His gaze flicked to me again. “Yep.”
I tucked my hair behind my ear. “Do you think you’d want kids one day?” This was probably something I should have asked him before we got married. I mean, I’d wanted my own family forever. I’d been alone most of my life, sent away to school so my parents could travel without me getting in the way. But the family I craved didn’t necessarily mean children. My parents had been terrible, and the idea of raising children kind of scared me.
He straightened, his eyes moving over me, my breasts, my belly, back up, and his nostrils flared. “Yep.”
Okaaaay. My heart was racing again. “How many?”
“Three.”
No hesitation. This was something he’d definitely thought about.
He moved toward me, and I tilted my head back and my heart raced even faster. Then his hands were on my hips and he was lifting me up, planting me in my seat. He didn’t let go right away, kept his hands there, gently squeezing and releasing, his gorgeous eyes locking with mine. “You want kids?”
I swallowed, my mouth suddenly bone dry. “I-I’m fine, either way.”
And that was the truth. I wasn’t closed off to the idea. And maybe having kids with Cash would be amazing. He certainly wouldn’t abandon his children, I knew that much. He gifted me with another smile, a smaller one this time but no less devastating, and shut my door.
When he climbed in I asked, “And when do you want these kids?”
Now I was thinking about how we’d make these babies. We hadn’t had sex yet, and all of a sudden, I really, really wanted to, to the point that I was squeezing my thighs together. I mean, not the making babies part, not yet, but I was good with lots of practice.
He glanced at me, and his gaze moved over me again, hot and intense. He was thinking the same thing. It was there in his gaze. “No hurry.”
I let out a relieved breath as he leaned over and helped me buckle in like he had the first time I was in here with him. Only this time he didn’t shy away from touching me. No, his long, thick fingers grazed my arm, and as he pulled the straps over my shoulders his knuckles brushed the tops of my breasts. But he didn’t stop there. He then dragged his hand down the strap, skimming over my now hard nipple and down to the juncture of my thighs to lock it in place.
I sucked in a sharp breath and squeezed my thighs together again.
Cash made a low sound but didn’t look at me, or touch me more. He put my headset over my ears, then straightened, put on his own headset, and started the engine. I concentrated on breathing through the confusing feelings of fear and intense lust as we started moving.
“Okay?” he asked roughly.
“Yes. I know you’ll keep me safe,” I said again without thought but believing it with everything in me.
We barely knew each other, but in that, I had no doubt.
He’d keep me safe.
I also knew he needed me as much as I needed him. Cash had been lonely out here by himself. Anyone could see that. And I was determined to give him everything he needed and more. To nurture this connection between us.
Maybe his family could help me on that front? I had no idea how to get through to him.
I wanted my husband to let me in, and I’d do whatever it took to make that happen.
6
Cash
We’d been to the general store and loaded the plane with supplies. Landon and Riley had talked, free and easy, like they’d known each other for years, and I hadn’t liked it. Christ, I’d been jealous. I wanted to be able to talk with her like that, and I couldn’t goddamn do it.
Yeah, we had talked a little more since we left home, but not like that. There was an easiness between her and Landon, an easiness I craved but couldn’t find. I glanced at her again as we were coming in to land at our third drop-off and swallowed hard. Ever since we’d talked about kids all I could think about was planting a baby inside her. Riley all soft, her belly round.