Page 65 of Bound to Burn


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“A man does not help defend your home from a wildfire for no reason.” She looks at me and I swear she can see everything, as if I’m turned inside out.

Her concern for me is the reason I love her so much. I have no doubt that even if Cash didn’t have feelings for me, he would have still done everything he could to help save my house. The fact that he did so that I could sit here at this table with my grandma will never be forgotten.

I look up at her with fierceness in my eyes. “He is a good man.”

Grandma Jo leans back in her chair, squaring her shoulders as she assesses me. All she knows is that Cash owns a record store, not the guy who was in a grunge band back in the day.

Her expression softens and she places her hand over mine. “You tell him thank you for me.”

My body relaxes and I stand up from the table. Grabbing my camera bag from the hall table, I look back at Grandma Jo before I leave. “I will.”

Grandpa John comes in through the back door and Grandma Jo gives him a dirty look. “You can’t stay mad at me forever, Jo,” he says to her. “She’s intact.” He points to me as if I’m an object that he didn’t break.

I stand there awkwardly in the middle of them. Grandma Jo further narrows her eyes at him.

“The fire department closed the road,” he tries to explain before she can reply, and I can only imagine their conversation in the truck on the way back to the house.

“There is not one man in that fire department that would have been able to hold me back if my granddaughter was in danger.” Grandma Jo is mostly soft spoken, a little stern perhaps, but in this moment, she is more intimidating than Grandpa John has ever been.

“Jo, darling,” he grovels, and that is my cue to leave.

I head out the back door, realizing I don’t have my Jeep. It’s still at the record store.

Shit.

When I open the back door again, Grandpa John looks at me and then digs in his pocket, handing me his keys without a word.

* * *

I pullinto the parking lot ofUnderground Recordsand shut the truck’s engine off. Cash’s bike is parked out front, letting me know he’s there.

The bell above the door chimes as soon as I enter. My heart beats wildly in my chest, and the minute Cash steps out from the back, I feel a rush of emotions flood to the surface. All I see is his relieved expression as I walk towards him, and I know everything is going to be okay. My shoes squeak on the linoleum and I crash into his chest, feeling the weight lifted off me. I’m usually the strong one and I can handle a lot, but if he hadn’t been with me yesterday, I might have fallen apart.

I press my head to his chest, hearing his heartbeat, and it’s like music seeping under my skin. All of the tension falls away in the same way the saltwater recedes back into ocean. It takes with it the stress I have carried the last twenty-four hours. I feel Cash kiss the top of my head and his arms feels heavy and grounding around my body.

I don’t think I have ever felt safe inside a man’s arms, or allowed someone take care of me the way I have with him. I have always been taught to handle my own messes, take responsibility, but last night when I watched Cash spend hours spraying down my house to keep it safe, I know what a gift it is to let someone take on your burdenswithyou and notforyou.

His heart beats faster against my ear, but it doesn’t tell me what he’s thinking. Only his eyes can do that. I pull away just enough to look at him. Some people would describe grey as dull and lifeless, but his eyes are anything but dull. They hold so much depth and so many secrets that I want to uncover, if only he’ll let me.

“I didn’t want to be in the way,” he brushes the stray hairs from my face.

I swallow hard because I don’t want to be that needy girl who’s always questioning someone’s motives. I find it hard to look at him now, having found my humility as I stare at his lips. Those lips that kissed every inch of my skin and made me fall apart around him.

“I thought…”

“Don’t overthink it.” He presses his lips to mine, and I can’t help but smile that he’s using my own words against me.

He’s right though; I’m being stupid. Whatever this is, I’m going to enjoy every goddam minute of it.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I stand on my tiptoes to reach him and open my mouth to his slow and hot kisses. He drags the palm of his hand up my body to cup the back of my head possessively. There is so much more to explore with this man, and I am willing to give him everything I have. I want to climb inside this kiss and never come up for air, but the bell above the door chimes and we break apart like we’ve been caught doing something we shouldn’t be.

“Was I interrupting something?” Jack says.

Cash rolls his eyes. “You have impeccable timing as always,” he says grumpily, moving away from me.

I narrow my eyes at Jack and square my shoulders, because the look he is giving me has the potential for all kinds of accusations, namely being caught kissing Cash.

Jack stands with his legs parted and his arms crossed over his chest and the air shifts in the room. Cash looks between us, confused like there’s a conversation going on that he’s not privy too.

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