There was no doubt about it. Cash Mooney was terrible. Terribly charming. Terribly attractive and terribly dangerous. He was the epitome of a playboy. A cowboy casanova. And a walking red flag if there ever was one.
“Where’d you get that shit,” Mister Mooney replied, having recovered enough from his coughing fit to speak. “Outta a Cracker Jack box?”
Cash didn’t even have the sense to blush. He probably didn’t even know how to. He was so ridiculously confident. Just like Whit.
“Well, you sure know how to charm a girl, don’t you?” she replied just as confidently, grinning right back at him.
If she hadn't come here with Travis, the two would make a fantastic pair. Her and Cash together could be trouble. I mean, he was gorgeous, but he had heartbreak written in bright neon letters hanging above his head, along with approximately eight million red flags.
Cash’s lips tugged into a lopsided grin. “Come on out with us tonight and I’ll show you a real good time.”
His best friend, Ryder, smacked him across the chest, breaking the moment. “You got a girlfriend, remember?”
Cash shook his head, the smile on his mouth faltering as if he’d just been shaken awake out of a daydream or daze. “I know,” he replied, his voice holding a mock defensiveness as he clapped a hand over his heart. “I ain’t plannin’ on doin’ anythin’. Iama gentleman, after all.”
His father snorted, falling into another coughing fit, while everyone else had a good laugh.
The tall cowboy spoke this time, his voice low and deep. “The only thing you are is an idiot.” His words were harsh, but there was warmth swirling in his bright jade eyes.
Cash shook his head before sticking his nose up in the air, giving off the facade that he was offended. Honestly, I doubted he got offended or embarrassed, like, ever. “Y’all are assholes,” he huffed.
Hux chuckled. “Takes one to know one, Mooney.”
Cash shrugged and then clapped his hands, going so far as to rub them together as he said, “So, what’s the plan? We goin’ out and celebratin’ tonight or what?”
His friends and dad both grumbled their agreement amongst themselves before Cash aimed his gaze mine, Whit, and Hux’s way.
“What about y’all?” he asked, clapping Hux on the shoulder hard enough that I felt it reverberate through me.
Hux just laughed. A deep, genuine sound that made my heart flutter in my chest like butterfly wings. He’d hardly even flinched, which absolutely shocked me. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know he didn’t like people unexpectedly touching him. Crazy what a little bit of closure could do to his confidence.
“What’dya say, darlin’?” he murmured in my ear.
Shivers danced up and down my spine at the feeling of his scruff scraping against my skin. God, he was so incredibly hot.
I squeezed my arm around him just a little tighter, leaning further into his embrace. “I’m down,” I replied, before glancing at Whit. “You coming too?”
Her grin and eyes glimmered with mischief. “Duh.”
Deciding to go outmight not have been a good idea.
“Are you sure you want to be here?” I asked Whit as we followed our new group of friends toward the main bar of Roughie's, a little honky tonk in town that hadn’t been open for very long. It was everything I envisioned when I thought of a cowboy bar. Cool rodeo posters, a whole western aesthetic complete with wagon wheels, saw dust on the floor, and lots and lots of cowboy boots and hats, and a massive dance floor. They even had a mechanical bull that a large number of people stood around, cheering on whoever rode.
Hux and Cash walked together, and even though I doubt Cash noticed the tension in Hux, I did. He hid it well, but his shoulders were stiff, rigid, his back ram-rod straight. Worry wriggled like a worm on a hook in my stomach. I’d check on him as soon as we got settled and the two of us had a moment alone.
Despite her little argument with Travis, Whit still seemed to be in exceptionally high spirits. She flashed me a warm grin. “Of course, I want to be here. A night with my bestie, new friends, and dancing…what more could a girl want? Now, all I need is someone to buy me drinks.”
I laughed. “I’m sure Cash would be more than happy to.”
She grinned, her gaze flicking to him for a moment. “He’s hot as fuck, but I think that’s a ride that I’m not ready for.”
“So what are you gonna do about you and Travis?”
“I don’t know. We aren’t a couple. I mean, he’s cute and sweet, but I don’t like sore losers, and I’m not down for someone trying to control what I do. The way I see it, he's free to do whatever he wants and so am I. And as far as tonight goes, I don’t want to hear another word about him.” She pushed her long waves over her shoulders as we came to a stop at a table that Hux, Cash, and the others had settled around.
“Fair enough.”
Drinks were ordered—well, shots. Cash demanded that everyonehadto have one, save for the tall cowboy. Cash hadn’t even tried to get him to drink. Despite the fact he completely fit in looks wise here, he stuck out like a sore thumb. He kept quiet, checking his phone every now and then while watching the crowd. When his appraising jade gaze met mine I offered him a soft smile. He only tipped his hat in response before scanning the room once more.
