Penmort Castle (Ghosts and Reincarnation #1)(137)

After her muttered prayer, the door opened and Cash walked in.

Abby turned to look at him and her breath caught in her chest.

He was wearing a black tuxedo, clearly expensive, with an immaculate cut which made it obvious it was tailored just for him. His crisp, white shirt had a series of pin-tucks at the chest, there was a flash of gold at his cuffs but other than that it was simple and, on Cash, alarmingly masculine.

Abby felt her knees go weak and she had to put her hand to the bureau to hold herself upright.

Then she caught the hungry look in his eyes as they swept the length of her and her fingers clutched the edge of the bureau as her weak knees were joined with a full-body tremor.

She had the distinct feeling he liked the dress.

Deciding something must be said before she spontaneously combusted under his hot gaze, she muttered, “You look nice.”

His eyes, resting in the region of her belly, cut to hers and he replied, “You don’t.”

Abby felt her body jolt at his words, thinking she’d misinterpreted his look, and whispered, “I don’t?”

He started walking toward her slowly, his eyes holding hers captive.

“No,” his voice was low and rough, “the word ‘nice’ describes a lot of things. What it does not describe is you in that f**king dress.”

Abby stood solid as he stopped close in front of her and his hand came up. The tips of his fingers slid down the satin at her side from the curve of her breast to her waist where his hand flattened and his fingers curled, pressing forcefully into her flesh, searing her there like a brand.

It was safe to say she wasn’t wrong in her first conclusion about how Cash felt about her dress.

“Cash –” she breathed but he talked over her.

“After this is done, we have to talk,” he announced.

At the serious look on his face Abby’s worry came crashing back and she swallowed her fear before querying, “About what?”

Cash didn’t hesitate with his reply. “About you. About me. About our future.”

Her heart hammering, the fear taking control, her voice was higher when she enquired, “What about it?”

His fingers at her waist pulled her closer and his head dipped further to look down at her. “Not now. Later. Now we need to focus on getting through the night.”

Abby stared at him, holding back the fear (just barely) and requested, “Maybe you can give me a hint.”

His hand slid around her back, it encountered skin and stilled for a brief moment then pressed in, moving her to him.

His face dipped closer. “Things have changed.”

“What things?” Abby asked.

“Everything,” Cash replied firmly yet mysteriously.

Abby had no idea what that meant but before she could ask, he touched his lips to hers.

When his head came up, he muttered, “Now, darling, you need to focus on tonight.”

“Okay,” she agreed but even as she did, she didn’t.

There was no way in hell she’d be able to focus on taking down a ghosty she-bitch when Cash’s life was also in danger and her future with Cash was in question.

On that thought, her brain reminded her of her pledge to live the time she had with Cash to the fullest. So their upcoming, scary-as-heck talk might mean the end, now they were still in the middle.

Not to mention, she might end the night flung out a window.

Obviously there was no time like the present.

Therefore she decided to carry on like there was going to be no end. Or, if there was, however that might come, she was intent to give him something which he could use to remember her even after she was gone.

She lifted her hand to rest on his cheek and whispered, “I have something for you.”

She saw a flash in his eyes but before she could read it or lose her courage, she pulled away and walked to the bedside table.

She opened the drawer and retrieved a small, black velvet box, tied in a black satin ribbon.

She came back to him, held the box in the palm of her hand between them and caught his eyes.

Then she murmured, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

His gaze held hers for a moment then dropped to the box. She saw a muscle leap in his jaw, a reaction that usually indicated he was angry. She bit her lip in concern but his hand came up, he took the box from her, pulled at the bow and tossed the loosened ribbon on the bureau before he flipped open the box with his thumb.

Inside was a pair of cufflinks Abby purchased while out shopping with Jenny the day Angus called. They were gold, set with oval onyx. Seeing them, she thought they were smart, handsome, elegant and very Cash therefore she felt at the time he had to have them.

Now, spying the cufflinks in his cuffs, also gold, probably more expensive than her gift, she thought they were kind of lame.

How many men needed two pairs of gold cufflinks?

Hurriedly she told him, “I didn’t think when I got them. I just liked them. Of course you already have a pair.” His eyes went from the cufflinks to hers, their black depths were blazing but she couldn’t quite read why so she blathered on. “You don’t have to wear them. If you don’t like them, I can take them back and find something else. A tie pin or –”

She stopped talking when he caught her in his arms, jerking her forward almost violently. She crashed into his body and his arms held her tight as he buried his face in her neck.