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Chess woke up slowly. Did she dream? She couldn’t remember, but if she did they good dreams.
She stretched like a cat lying on the roof in the sun, each limb unfurling with languid grace. She was warm and lazy. When her eyes blinked open, she was surprised to see sunlight falling through the window, chasing the shadows away. She’d been living between shades of gray for days now, and it was nice to escape the chill.
Then she sat up, clutching the covers to her chest.
This wasn’t her room.
Images rolled through her mind. Cash naked, his strong body straining against hers. His touch gentle, his dark eyes intense. He’d touched a part of her she didn’t know existed, and this morning, that part of her cried out for more.
But there would be no more.
Chess slowly exhaled and glanced around the room. His duffel bag was gone, the empties stored in the garbage, and his winter coat and boots were nowhere to be seen. Her clothes were folded neatly on the dresser. On shaky legs, she slid from the bed, gathering the pile of clothes close before heading to the bathroom.
She knew she would think about this night again, but right now, she needed to wipe it from her mind and put some distance between what she wanted and what could never be.
Cash Bodine was gone, and she knew he wasn’t sticking around. It was just… She bit her lip to stop from crying. God, he didn’t even say goodbye. Chess looked at herself in the mirror. The skin on her neck was red from his whiskers, and her mouth was bruised from his kisses. She could still smell him.
She looked away and stepped into the shower.
Ten minutes later, any trace of Cash washed from her body, she gathered her things to go. She’d just slipped into her boots when the door to the room opened and Cash walked in with coffee, Danishes, and the kind of smile that could melt a girl’s heart.
“You’re up,” he said, setting down the coffee tray. “I thought you’d be out for at least another hour.”
She looked at the coffee and then back to him. “I thought you left.”
Don’t cry. Don’t be that woman.
He shoved his hands into his front pockets and hunched his shoulders. She knew he did that when he was trying to decide what to do or say.
“I’m heading to my sister’s soon. She’s expecting me for breakfast. The roads are open and clear.” He looked at her, those dark eyes of his shooting darts straight to her heart. “I want you to come with me.”
“What?” Surprised, she had to work to close her mouth.
“It’s Christmas, and I don’t want you here by yourself.” A slow smile curved his mouth. “Come with me.”
This wasn’t a good idea. Chess knew she was just delaying the inevitable. Cash was leaving for parts unknown tomorrow, and she’d still be here, stuck in Crystal Lake. But tomorrow hadn’t happened yet, and damned if she was ready to grab hold of it now.
“Are you sure?”
“I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t.”
“Okay,” she said softly with a smile. “If you don’t think your sister will mind.”
Cash didn’t answer that. He scooped her up and kissed her until her head spun. And then proceeded to divest her of the clothes she’d just pulled on.
In the end, they didn’t make it for breakfast. In fact, they barely made lunch.
Chapter Ten
His sister’s place sat on the edge of a bluff that overlooked Crystal Lake. A new build, she and Cam had moved in just four weeks ago. It wasn’t nearly as large as her previous house, the one she’d shared with her late husband, David, but the many windows that had been incorporated into the design let in the surrounding nature, and the open concept was bright and airy. It was modern and classic combined, and every detail was filled with love.
“Uncle Cash,” Tawny yelled excitedly.
She nearly took them out as he and Chess walked into Blue’s house. She ran at them full tilt, a bundle of energy and sass and excitement. Dressed in a purple onesie with big pink polka dots, and curls springing in every direction from underneath a Santa hat, she jumped up and down and danced in a circle.
“Santa came in the night, and we’ve been waiting forever and ever to open all the presents he left.” She did a perfect pirouette. “Well, Mommy let me open one for me and one for Brin, because she’s too little to open them by herself. Her present was boring, a little piggy to chew on.” She stopped, noticing Chess for the first time, and pushed hair from her face so she could see her better.
“You’re pretty,” she said with a big smile. “You look like a princess.”
