She had excused his behavior as sowing his wild oats until he had taken her. Now, she saw herself as another woman he had used. Her witnessing him with Cheryl and Bliss had made her feel as if he had thought of her as one more conquest.

He turned away for a moment, staring down at one of the plants blindly. She had never been obvious about her feelings; she was too cautious for that. It had been the furtive, secret glances that had given her away.

He didn’t have to worry about protecting her from the lifestyle he led; she wouldn’t let him touch her now if he was the last man on earth. He had a big hill to get over with her, but he had come to realize she was worth it.

Cash liked that she didn’t take any of his shit, that she had a sexy as hell body, and she didn’t know it because she was more used to walking through the mountains than onto a dance floor. When he had fucked her, he had felt as if he was burning alive. He had been trying to recapture that same fire with numerous women since then. It was time to face what his body had been telling him all along and get to know the woman who had him by the balls.

He had faced insurmountable problems before. Hadn’t the past few months proven that? His doctors had told him he wouldn’t walk again, and he had proven them wrong. He would prove her wrong. He was the guy for her.

Rachel set down the watering can before going to the end of the row where she began potting the seedlings, ignoring his presence. He might as well have been invisible for all the notice she took of him. He was used to the shoe being on the other foot. He didn’t know which bothered him more: the fact she didn’t care he was there, or the disdain in her face when she realized he was.

At a loss, he retreated to his bedroom. He tired easily and needed to be around the exercise equipment at the clubhouse, but he had wanted to spend the night here after coming to his decision. Finding out she hadn’t ignored his accident had been a game changer for him.

When he had regained consciousness and Shade had told him Rachel had returned to town, he had been relieved. It had taken away the worry that he would be responsible if she had become hurt. Rachel was a country girl. She’d had a difficult time remaining away from home just to go to college; how would she survive in the real world? Not only had she survived, but she had outsmarted her brothers and him.

Shade hadn’t found out where she had been those weeks, and Cash wanted to know. Wherever it had been was an effective bolt-hole that he wanted beyond her reach. He had never failed tracking anything—animal, man, or woman—yet Rachel had eluded him. He wanted to close that avenue to her to make her less likely to run when he began his pursuit of her.

He had tried to do the gentlemanly thing and leave her alone, but what had it gotten him? Her hatred and a hospital bed.

Beth, Winter, Diamond, and Lily had all adjusted to their men’s lifestyle. Rachel could, too, with his care. The Porters believed they were the best hunters in the county, but the fact was, he was going to prove he was the best. He was going to catch a little fox that thought she was over him. She hadn’t had the real Cash yet, but she would.

Rachel will be in my bed before the end of the week, he thought confidently.

Chapter 16

“Would you like another piece of pizza before I leave?” Cash looked at Rachel balefully as she picked up her purse, preparing to leave.

“Where are you going?”

Rachel’s head tilted to the side, the wispy, red tendrils giving her a more sophisticated appearance. “Pastor Patterson is having an anniversary party for his wife. Do you want the pizza?”

“No, I don’t want the pizza,” he snapped, sounding like a whiney, little kid. His hands tightened on the arms of the chair he was sitting on in the living room. His grandmother was sitting in her favorite chair, pretending to watch her favorite game show, but Cash knew damn good and well she was listening to him make an ass of himself.

“Goodnight, then.” Rachel bent over the back of Mag’s chair, giving his grandmother a kiss on her cheek and treating him to a view of her tits practically pouring out of the top of her dress. He almost swallowed his tongue and had to sit lamely by as she glided out the door in her four-inch heels. When the fuck had she started wearing heels?

“You can put those eyes of yours back in that head. She’s gone.”

“Shut up.”

Mag’s cackle of laughter reminded him of why he didn’t stay with her often; a little of her went a long way. Combine that with his lack of sex since the night Rachel had seen him with Bliss, and he wasn’t exactly in the best mood.

Mag, being as old as God, sensed his predicament and showed no mercy, flaunting Rachel in front of him like a prized mare. The woman had a truly warped sense of humor.

He was forced to sit and watch television with her for the next several hours, his eyes going to the gigantic wall clock. Mag had told Cash that every minute she lived was a milestone at her age, and she wanted to be able to appreciate them. He thought the clock was the ugliest thing he had ever seen.

At eleven-thirty, his grandmother’s bedtime, she gave him an enigmatic smile as she rolled out the door.

Did preachers have parties this late? Cash’s fingers drummed on the arm of the chair as he contemplated calling Rachel’s cell phone, but then the key turning in the door had him pretending to be interested in the late-night talk show.

“You’re still up?” Rachel asked, closing the door.

“I wasn’t sleepy.”

“You need to get more exercise.”

He bit back the retort on the tip of his tongue about exactly what kind of exercise he needed. “I work out enough.”

She looked at him curiously at his sharp answer. “Oookay. Well, I’ll leave you to your show. Goodnight.”

He hadn’t sat there half the night to be blown off the minute she walked into the house. “How was the party?”

“It was fun. There are several new people who have moved into town that have started going to church. It was nice getting to know them. Beth brought the babies. They are so cute—”

“Any new men?” Cash interrupted her.

Rachel had been walking across the room, talking to him like he was one of her fucking brothers after being out.

“Yes, two. King hired them. One’s a chef and the other his manager.”

“Single?”

Rachel’s face lost her friendly expression. “I believe so, yes.”

“You going to chase after them like the rest of the women in town?”

“I’m thinking about it.” She narrowed her eyes on him, turning to face him fully.

“I wouldn’t if I were you, unless you want them to leave town before they have a chance to unpack.” He was tired of pussyfooting around her, trying to make amends for being a jackass. If he wasn’t careful, she would be in someone else’s bed while he was still trying to gain her forgiveness.

“You son of a bitch! You can go to Hell. You think you can sleep with me then have any woman you want, flaunting them in my face. Your attitude toward women sucks. I want a man who wants marriage and children. I want a house and four kids. I want a husband who, when he walks out that front door, I’m never going to doubt he’s mine. And I sure as shit don’t want you. I not only hate you, I despise you.”