Whisper To Me In The Dark (9 page)

"Cash I think I've found my sister. It has to be true. It just had to be. But you will never believe it," Angelica said with a soft voice as if saying it louder would make the whole thing true, which she was not sure if it was something that she wanted. "It's Rita! I heard the whole story she told you. That was me she was talking about. Me. I was there when she broke the vase."

"Rita's your sister?" Cash chuckled. "There is no way in this world you two are related."

"What exactly does that mean?" Angelica asked, perturbed by the tone in his voice.

"I just mean that there could not be two women that are more opposites in the entire world."

Angelica raised her right eyebrow suspiciously, as if he was about to say something rude and chauvinistic, which wouldn't be a stretch by any means.

"You're petite, blonde, charming, sweet and kind. She's a tall narcissistic platinum blonde, with an ego surprisingly even bigger than mine," Cash replied cautiously with a smile.

"Oh," was Angelica's soft answer. Sometimes he was just so darn sweet her heart ached. Angelica walked over and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. Sometimes he was just so adorable, like an overgrown boy.

"If she's such a witch why do you spend so much time with her?" Angelica asked sadly.

"I have my reasons," Cash replied cryptically.

Yeah, Angelica bet she knew his "reasons."

"Anyway don't believe everything she says," Cash offered helpfully.

Angelica mulled over her afternoon, cleaned up the table and washed the dishes while Cash stared out of the window, watching the shimmering sun beams dip low beyond the horizon.

Angelica curled up in a ball on one end of the couch, sitting in silence, completely lost in thought. Cash walked over to her, bent down and claimed her mouth in a sizzling hot kiss, taking Angelica by surprise. She looked so lost and sad he just wanted to protect her. He moved her legs out of the position she was curled into and lay her down on the couch. He wanted her so much, but it wasn't the time. He laid on top of her and began kissing her passionately, holding her tightly to his body, but nothing more - just showing her that he was there for her.

She loved feeling his hard body on top of hers. He knew every intimate curve of her body and she just loved the feeling of him being pressed so close to her. She would have surrendered to anything he'd asked at that moment. At any moment if truth be told.

"If you need anything whisper to me in the dark, Angel," Cash whispered as he stood up and clasped her hand close to his heart.

He turned and left, leaving Angelica sadly alone and weepy and desperately wishing he had stayed.

***

Cash sauntered into Angelica's apartment as if it were his own and was met with a very pleasing sight. Angelica in her red high heels, matching red garter belts and corset, delicately dabbing perfume on the back of her knees.

Angelica had become very nonchalant recently about Cash's apparent belief that he also had domain over her place of residence. She smiled and laughed, "I hate to let you know, but you don't actually live here."

Unruffled, Cash laughed and asked, "So what ideas are brewing in that devious little head of yours?"

Angelica giggled and replied, "Oh, you'd be surprised."

Cash winked. "The sad thing is I don't think I would be ..."

"Stay with me ..." Cash stretched out on the bed, crumpling her pretty bedspread, making dusty bootprints with the heels of his cowboy boots in the intricate layers of lace.

"For God's sake, were you raised in a barn? Get off my beautiful bed. You're making it all messy." Angelica sat on the floor, adjusting her new dress, her back leaning against the bed, her glowing hair flowing in ringlets, almost touching Cash's leg.

Cash wrung his hands, trying to control his urge to run his fingers through her flowing locks. It was one thing to sleep with her. After all she was his. No matter what she said. No matter what Edward thought. No matter what anyone thought. But his overwhelming urge to run his fingers through her hair seemed strangely too intimate a thing to do at that moment.

In that deep baritone voice Cash implored, "I said stay with me ..." Cash's arm reached down to Angelica's delicate wrist and grabbed it.

"Stop being silly. You know I have to go. I have a date." Angelica tried to rip her wrist from his grasp, but it was a futile gesture.

It was a battle of wills and he would not let her win.

Angelica sighed, "You know the only reason you're in a mood is because Rita is yanking you around on a short chain. Being with Rita is like being stuck in quicksand. She pulls you down with her until it's too late."

"I am NOT on a chain. And no woman has the power to 'yank me around'," Cash responded, annoyed, as he used his free hand to run his fingers through his own thick black hair, as if it would somehow help clear the dust out of his mind.

"Now let my damn arm go!" Angelica yanked a second time, as Cash held on even tighter.

"Damn arm. Now. Now. Watch that pretty mouth. Though you do remind me of that girl who dumped the sugar and honey on me so many months back. I've missed her lately. Seems like you've become such a prim and proper lady that I rarely recognize you anymore." Cash propped himself up against the headboard and smiled. "And how exactly is it that you are 'dating' when you are engaged to my brother?"

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him." Angelica bristled, irritated, as she brushed imaginary dust off her pretty skirt with her one free arm. "And how exactly do you have no qualms about what you asked me to do last night. Hmmm? I was engaged to your brother then too, wasn't I? So don't get all high and mighty on me Mr. Worthington."

Cash laughed, "I do love it when you use my full name. Gives me delusions of grandeur."

Angelica had to laugh to herself, under her breath. She dared not let Cash know how amused he often made her. Noticing the ticking of the mantel clock, she realized that this useless exchange had been going on for over ten minutes.

"Now stop being stupid, and let me go."

Cash leaned over and whispered soft words of promises never kept.

"I said no." Cash's left hand began a slow, delicious, path across her bare shoulders, giving her shivers from the tips of her perfect red high heeled shoes to the top of her angelic golden hair. His strong grip immediately left her arm, giving her an unearthly chill where his fingers had been.

The ticking of the clock seemed to be pounding somewhere deep inside her. Cash remained motionless, eyes closed, still leaning leisurely against the headboard, still making a mess out of her gorgeous bed, breathing deeply, as his massive chest rose and fell in rhythm with his pounding heart.

The jumble of thoughts flew around Angelica's weary head. Mr. Noble would be livid. She was late for their date. He could make or break her. It was her career that was at stake after all ...

Angelica peered up at Cash, not entirely sure if he was asleep or just caught up in one of his pensive moods. Every once in a great while, if she closed her eyes hard enough, she could glimpse that hurt little boy somewhere - somewhere deep in those dark eyes.

Angelica reached up and interlaced her fingers with his. The reassuring squeeze she felt let her know he was not asleep, just waiting ... Just waiting …

Chapter 11

There was a new addition to the theater company. A tall distinguished blonde man named Roberto. He made nearly as big of a splash as Cash did when he arrived, sending all of the young actresses into a tizzy. Nearly as tall as Cash and almost as well built, he was a welcome addition to the theater at least for the female patrons in the audience. They sat in the audience, fanning themselves with their programmes, swooning, literally overwhelmed just by his magnetism and presence as he walked on stage. He was a legend - at least in his own mind ...

Rita was in full agreement and spent hours fawning over him much to Cash's irritation. The temptation was too great and Cash trusted Rita as far as he could throw her.

After one particularly gratifying performance, with three standing ovations, Roberto sat smugly backstage talking to Cash, trying to get the scoop on all of the beautiful young women - making a mental list of which he could bed next.

"So what can you tell me about the little blonde, Angelica?"

Cash ran his fingers through his thick black hair and bristled. "She's with me," was his terse reply.

"I thought you were with Rita?" Roberto asked, confused.

"Who says I can't be with both?" If this was a contest of machismo, Cash was determined to win.

Roberto thought that Rita would definitely be interested in this piece of information since she thought she owned Cash - body and soul - or at least that is what Rita had told Roberto between moans of ecstasy when she was in his arms last night.

Rita, with her blonde hair tied in an elegant roll, glamorous as ever, dripping in diamonds, the train of her black dress following several feet behind her, glided in, grabbed Cash by the arm and said, "Cash, we're going to be late for dinner. Let's go. They have a table waiting for me of course. Let's go now, silly."

Cash, although wanting to finish his conversation with Roberto just to see what his intentions were with Angelica, obediently followed, not something that he enjoyed nor was used to.

***

Cash sat in the second row, enjoying the comfortable theater seat, just relaxing, with his feet up on the seat in front of him, thinking of the fine day he had ahead of him. He was so sick of that theater, so sick of the actors, so sick of the greyness inside of the building. Fresh air, green trees, blue skies and a shining sun lay ahead of him that day. He'd go riding, come home late and just go to bed. Didn't sound like a terribly exciting prospect but in fact he was desperate for a little quiet. Boston just did not agree with him. His restless nature clashed with the constant hustle and bustle of the city and it made him long for his old life in Texas. The wide open spaces. The clean air. The peace.

His peaceful meditation was interrupted by the excited flurry that was Angelica as she sat down in her most ladylike pose in the seat next to him. "Cash you promised to take me riding some day. Can't I go with you today?"  She recognized his restless nature, and knew of his need to be alone, but she desperately wanted to spend time with him away from the apartment, and away from that rat Rita.

Cash huffed and puffed, feeling strangely happy about Angelica wanting to come with him. What was wrong with him? He didn't allow anyone to go riding with him. It was his innate need for solitude. Cash didn't know exactly why he was like that, but he accepted it as a big part of his personality.

"I know you wanted to go alone, but I just would like some fresh air. To get away from this place," Angelica begged. Ok she actually hated the outdoors, but she wanted to share this part of Cash's life. Wanted to understand his true nature which he rarely shared.

"Please???!" Angelica twirled her hair around her finger, batted her eyelashes and begged one final time. If only she could get him to love her before Edward came into town life would be perfect. Why, oh why, did life have to be so complicated?

"Is there something wrong with your eyes? Got something in them?" Cash asked, strangely puzzled by Angelica's furious blinking.

Angelica looked embarrassed and replied, "Oh it must just be some makeup - um the greasepaint, that got into them. Nothing important." Ok her seduction techniques apparently needed some work. At least he'd always been the gentleman and never mentioned her missing padding that once was used to complete her buxom figure.

"Ok fine. Meet me there at three o'clock." What could it hurt Cash figured? Angelica had become such a part of his life that it seemed almost strange that she didn't share this aspect of his life.

"Oh thank you Cash!" Angelica squealed as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and ran off.

If it hadn't been for the deep tan he always wore on his chiseled face, Cash would have sworn that he was blushing. He'd bedded so many women over the years, brought them to such heights of unimaginable passion, listened to them beg and plead with him to never let them go - watching them as they offered themselves to do his bidding - having them do such delicious things to him that his body exploded with fire even now thinking about them on their knees before him  - yet with one quick kiss Angelica made his knees weak in a way that not one of those hundreds of other women had.

Chapter 12

Three thirty and still there was no Angelica in sight. Cash had wanted to show her his favorite places to ride. The places where he could just get away from it all - be at one with the world. The horses were getting restless, much like Cash himself so he thought about taking them for a little ride down the road anyway, just to clear his head.

No such luck. Stumbling his way through the underbrush was Mr. Noble, all decked out in his riding outfit, accessorized with riding crop and bootstraps, with Angelica trailing behind, looking slightly panicked.

"Cash, Cash," Angelica nearly screamed to get his attention. Sadly the sight of Mr. Noble crawling through the trees was something that he couldn't avoid looking at.

"Isn't it wonderful - Mr. Noble heard about me going riding and wanted you to give him a lesson? Isn't that just great?" Angelica's words tumbled out of her mouth, in a panic, knowing full well Cash would be in no mood to give Mr. Noble a lesson, but desperately trying to keep Cash's often belligerent mouth shut to save her job.