Free Cash (Hawthorne Brothers Romance) by M.L. Young Page A

home or back to his place, but I was sort of hoping for the latter. I just wanted to be with him, cuddling and feeling his strong arms around me all night long. I wanted to feel secure, and I did with him, whether he knew that or not.
    I didn’t say anything, and instead went along for the ride as we went in the opposite direction of my place, towards what I thought was his house. I told Malia earlier that I might or might not come home tonight, and of course she sat there and hoped and prayed that I wouldn’t come back. She seemed to think Cash was somehow her meal ticket in life, though she was going to be sorely mistaken if anything did come of us.
    As we pulled onto his street, the houses looking familiar, I got a little antsy in my seat as he opened his gate and we drove inside. He got out of the car and opened my door for me, helping me out, as my eyes felt a little heavy and tired. 
    “Want to get in bed?” he asked, to which I quickly nodded.
    We walked up the stairs and to his room, holding hands the entire time, before we went inside and kicked off our clothes. Neither of us initiated anything sexual, even though it was both familiar and likely wanted, but we instead opted to crawl into bed. I felt his arms around me, my head flush against the pillow as I smiled. He laced his fingers with mine, his chin on my shoulder, before I breathed in a heavy breath and let it out slowly.
    “Thank you for tonight. I had the most wonderful time ever,” I said as his feet brushed softly against mine.
    “Thank you for coming out tonight with me, and for being so great. I’m glad you decided to stay tonight,” he said.
    “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here right now,” I said, biting my lower lip gently.
    No more words were spoken as the two of us let go and let our minds go to sleep. It didn’t take long, a full stomach rolling me into sleep as my eyelids became heavy and my breath deepened. This was much better than being alone in my own bed.

Chapter Thirteen
     
    Cash
     
    I pulled up to the airport in my SUV and waited as my mother called me, frantic, wondering how she and my father were going to find me. It had been about five days since I’d last seen Jenna, and two days ago my mom surprised me and said they were coming to visit whether I wanted them to or not. She was a stubborn woman, always wanting her way or the highway, but I still loved her for it.
    “I’m just out front. The slew of paparazzi should be enough to show you where I am. Wait, I see you!” I said, putting my car into drive and pulling up to where they were.
    She hung up, waving, before putting her phone in her purse and walking with my father in tow. I pulled up to the side, the paparazzi running from where I just was, before I put my car into park and got out to greet and help them.
    “Are they always like this?” she asked, looking at the photographers.
    “Pretty much. I’m not even sure how they found me. I think they were trying to get somebody else,” I said as I hugged her.
    My father gave me a quick hug, him never quite the one for gratuitous affection, before I opened my trunk and tossed their suitcases inside. My father got in the car, up front with me, before I quickly got in, locked us all inside, and drove off while the camera flashes were still going off. I hated that part of the whole acting thing.
    “So, how have you guys been?” I asked.
    “I think we should be the ones asking you that, honey,” my mother said.
    “Why?” I asked.
    “It’s so hard to get a hold of you. You know your brothers don’t give us that trouble,” she said.
    “Well, they don’t have demanding jobs that keep them busy twenty-four-seven,” I said.
    “Still, would it kill you to call me once or twice a week?” she asked.
    “No, it wouldn’t. I’ll do better, I promise,” I said.
    “Good, that’s all I wanted to hear,” she said.
    “So, work has been going well?” my father asked.
    “As good as it can, I guess.