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Her body heaved, and she screamed her release as he picked her up and placed her on the bed. Cash was out of his clothes in seconds and had a condom in place before the last shudder left her body. He didn’t wait. He moved over Chess and, with one sharp thrust, buried himself inside her. She was tight and wet as he began to move, his eyes on hers, his hands holding hers prisoner above her head.
There were no words. Only two bodies moving together in a dance older than time. He brought her to the edge more times than he could count, and when he finally couldn’t take it anymore, he brought them home together.
Cash collapsed and rolled over with Chess curled into him. It was a long time before their breathing relaxed, before their hearts slowed and their minds could think.
He held her close and kissed the top of her head, not used to the feelings that rushed through his body like blood through his veins. He felt protective, wanted, needed even, and yet none of those feeling could fit into his world. After tonight, he might not ever see Chess again.
“Chess,” he said, his voice husky and uncertain.
She looked up at him and shook her head. “You don’t have to say goodbye. We both know what this is.” She snuggled into him, and after a while, her breathing evened out and he knew she was asleep.
How long did he stare at the darkness beyond the window? He had no idea, but it was long enough to feel like he’d just messed up, and that confused him.
Cash was awake before the sun came up, that’s if he slept at all. Chess was snuggled against him. He smiled as she snored softly and turned a bit, closer still. He thought of his coming road trip, of the case and the things he needed to do. He thought about Tanesha and hoped like hell she was okay and that he’d find her and she’d reunite with her parents. He knew the odds were fifty-fifty, even if he found her. Life had a way of throwing curveballs, and not everyone was equipped to catch them.
Usually, when he started a new case, there was a thrill at the unknown, a shot of adrenaline, but right now, with the incredible woman tucked into him like she belonged there, all he felt was…inevitability.
He was going to leave Crystal Lake and Chess, and he didn’t know how he felt about it. The fact that he didn’t know made him feel uncomfortable.
“Shit,” he murmured to himself. When the hell had that happened?
Cash gently extricated himself from the bed and tucked the blankets around Chess. His hand lingered near her cheek, but he didn’t touch her. He knew if he did, he’d probably end up back in her bed. He backed away and then grabbed a shower. By the time he was dressed and ready to go, the first rays of sun shot pink and gold into the night sky. If he left now, he’d get a jump on the day and be in New York City by evening.
He stared out the window for a few moments, thinking he should wake her and say goodbye, but hadn’t they already done that the night before? Why make things complicated? He scooped his keys off the dresser and moved toward the door. He was just about to open it when her soft voice stopped him cold.
“If you’re ever in Crystal Lake again, I’d say you know where to find me, but I have no idea where I’ll be.”
“Chess,” he said roughly and looked over his shoulder. She leaned on one elbow, her blonde hair tumbling forward, the bruises on her cheek now yellow.
“You don’t have to say anything.” Chess’s lashes lowered. “Just drive safe, okay?” She rolled over and pulled the blankets back up, all but disappearing from sight.
Cash waited a heartbeat, then opened the door and walked away from the only woman who’d ever made him pause long enough to consider all those things he should never consider. He wasn’t the kind of man to stay in one place for long. Which meant he wasn’t the kind of man who did relationships.
He got in his truck, and when the engine roared to life, he put it in gear and never looked back.
Chapter Twelve
Chess eventually fell back asleep and didn’t wake until nearly noon. A miracle, really, considering she’d cried like a baby when the door closed behind Cash. She rolled out of bed, her gaze sliding over the empty liquor bottles in the garbage, along with old takeout containers and empty cigarette packs.
Her mother’s bed was still unmade and her clothes were piled in the corner. Chess hadn’t heard a word from the woman since…
Since the night she met Cash.
She slowly got to her feet and took a shower. She washed her hair and then slapped lotion on her body. When she was done, she reached for her sweatpants and the big baggy sweatshirt that went with it, but then stopped, staring down at the faded gray material. It was threadbare in spots, and if it weren’t so damn comfortable, she would have tossed it a long time ago. It was her go-to outfit when she was feeling blue.
She looked at herself in the mirror. At the bruises on her cheek and an eye that was still a little puffy. Her hair was a tangled mess, and she ran her fingers through it, eyes somber as she took in the reflection. She stared at herself until her vision blurred.
This wasn’t her. This shell full of sadness isn’t me.
Chess tossed aside the sweats and dug through her suitcase until she found a pair of jeans and a soft pink sweater. She tugged on camel suede boots, dried her hair, and took her time with her makeup. She had nowhere to go and only the fifty-dollar bill that had been thrown at her a few days earlier, along with two thousand in cash stashed in the top drawer of the dresser from the sale of her last Louis Vuitton bag. It was all she had, and in the grand scheme of things, it sure as hell wasn’t a lot, but she was done feeling sorry for herself. In the space of a few days, Cash had shown her that there was still joy in the world. And, more importantly, Chess could still feel it if she let herself.
She needed a plan. For the first time in forever, she looked forward to implementing one.
She headed back to the bathroom to brush her teeth, then applied some gloss. Stomach rumbling, she decided to go to the diner and eat, because thinking about life-changing things was always better on a full stomach. She walked out of the bathroom, humming some silly Christmas song, and smiled at the thought of seeing Ted. She knew his schedule from all those days peeking out the window and watching life pass her by. He always walked to the diner at one o’clock for lunch. Maybe today he’d let her join him.
“What’s got you so happy?”
She froze and saw her mother leaning against the dresser, a cigarette dangling from her mouth as she tapped her toe impatiently. Her hair was scraped back into a ponytail, the color a dull red that no longer suited a woman her age, her makeup heavy for such a bright day. She wore her winter coat, and her skinny legs were tucked into leather boots that b
