When Cash picked me up for a date, Gavin stayed in his room. He always seemed to be locked away when Cash came over. But if that made it easier for him, that was fine with me.
“I found a restaurant I think you’ll like.” His hand hooked around my waist as he led me to the street. Our affection and closeness increased the longer we spent time together. He quickly became my favorite person in the world, and not just because he gave me screaming orgasms.
“What is it?”
“It’s a vegan restaurant.”
“What will you eat?”
“I’ll find something.” We reached the sidewalk but his limo was nowhere in sight. I looked around in confusion. Cash pulled out his key chain then pressed the button. A Range Rover lit up. “I thought I’d drive tonight. I hope that’s okay.”
“We won’t be able to screw on the drive.”
His eyes widened and he halted. “Damn.”
I smiled. “But I’ll give you a nice blowjob on the way home.”
His eyes became even wider. “I love you.”
I laughed loudly then got into the passenger side. He shut the door then walked to the driver’s seat. The Police were on the radio when we drove to the restaurant. His hand grabbed mine and caressed my knuckles. Traffic wasn’t that bad on the drive, so we reached the restaurant in twenty minutes.
When we were led to our table, Cash pulled out the chair for me and helped me sit down. After he pushed my chair in, he sat across from me. The black shirt he wore looked nice on his chest and shoulders.
“I love your shirt.”
He nodded. “Thank you.”
“And I like the way you look in it.”
He smiled. “I like that compliment more. And I love your dress.”
“You always like my dress.”
“You look gorgeous in everything.”
I didn’t blush at his words or hide behind my menu. I was more comfortable with him than I was with anyone else. Despite the strong physical relationship we had, the friendship underneath was strong and trusting. It was a relief to be with someone who wouldn’t lie to me. Cash never misled me about his intentions, and I knew exactly what he wanted from me. It was such a breath of fresh air.
“What are you thinking about?” He stared me down with his intense gaze.
“How happy I am.”
His eyes softened. “Am I responsible for that?”
“More than you’ll ever know.”
He stared at me, waiting for me to elaborate. I’d gotten better at reading him over the past few weeks.
“I was hesitant about our relationship because of the physical aspect, but I’m so glad I didn’t reject you. I know our relationship is going to end, and I know it doesn’t mean anything, but it’s so nice to be with someone and not have to worry about anything.”
“Like what?”
“Commitment, lies, cheating, betrayal, stuff like that. I feel like you’re a friend I sleep with. It’s nice.”
His eyes darkened slightly while he studied my face. “I’m glad I make you happy.”
“Well, you’re pretty good in the bedroom.”
He smirked. “But it seems like I make you happy for other reasons.”
“You do.”
Cash leaned across the table then rested his hand on mine. When his fingers brushed my knuckles, I felt the bumps on my arms. It made me tingle. When I stared at his handsome features, I was slightly sad I wouldn’t always see him. Eventually, he would disappear and start a new arrangement with someone else, but that was the way life was, at least how I wanted it to be.
After we ordered, the waitress brought our dishes. I had fried noodles with tofu, and he had a salad. It was delicious.
“Do you like it?” I asked.
“It’s very good.” He finished his plate then wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“I’d be a vegan if I had the time and money.”
“Why can’t you do it now?” he asked.
“Being healthy is important, and it’s difficult to do that when you have no animal protein in your diet. So it takes a lot of research to get all the vital vitamins, nutrients, and protein you need. Plus, fresh fruits and vegetables are expensive.”
He nodded. “It must be impossible on a musician’s salary.”
I chuckled. “I knew I’d be poor when I picked this hobby.”
“Hobby? I thought it was your career?”
I didn’t want to admit I was looking for a job with my degree. Then I’d have to admit I wasn’t really leaving, which might freak him out. “For now, it is.” I drank my wine then returned it to the table. His eyes were on me the whole time, burning holes into my flesh. I was used to it. When I looked up, I saw a man staring at me from another table. Naturally, I looked away. But when I glanced back, he was still studying me. Maybe he recognized me from a show? When he stood up and approached our table with a woman, I felt panicked.
Cash caught my expression. “Baby, is everything alright?”
The man clapped Cash on the shoulder. “Look who it is.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. It was obviously someone Cash knew. When Cash glared at the man, I could tell he wasn’t happy. The woman rubbed Cash’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I missed you the other night.”
The scowl disappeared from his face when he addressed her. “It’s nice to see you, Vivian. I hope Natalia isn’t spending too much time with her new toys.”
Vivian smiled. “She loves those things. Now you are her favorite person in the world, not just her favorite uncle.”
Uncle? He never mentioned that to me.
“She’s too damn cute to resist.” When he turned back to the man, the scowl returned. “It was nice seeing you, Denver.”
When I looked at the man, I recognized the familiar features. The blue eyes were the same color and shape, and the sway of his shoulders reminded me of Cash. They both had hard chins and wide chests. They must be related.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me?” He turned his gaze to me. He wore a buttoned white shirt with dark jeans.
Cash looked pissed. I was obviously missing something. “This is Prudence.”
“Prudence…” Denver said my name slowly. Then he extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Prudence. I’m Denver, Cash’s brother.”