He reached her in a few long-legged steps and scooped her against him. Before he said a single word, he kissed her lips and hoped for the best.
He got it.
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and wound her fingers in his hair and kissed him back. And damn, did that feel good. No, better than good. It felt right.
“Guessing you read my article?” she asked, her big blue eyes turned up to him.
“I love you, too.”
Wetness clouded her eyes. “Cash.”
“So much.”
She grinned, and it lit up her entire face.
“Guessing you didn’t win the contest,” he said.
“Oh, I won.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I’m holding off booking my flight to London in case I’m needed in Tennessee.”
“You’re needed and not just in Tennessee.” His turn to grin. “Just so happens my upcoming tour includes international stops.”
“How convenient.”
“I’m so sorry, Presley. For putting you through this not once, but twice. For not telling you how I feel about you. For not recognizing it at first, and then when I did, denying it. I had no idea the heavy feeling in my chest was you, crushing my heart into a million pieces.”
She palmed his cheek. “You don’t have to say anything else.”
“I do. I should have told you the second I knew I was falling in love with you.” He dropped his forehead to hers and murmured, “Which happened at the same moment you were falling in love with me. That rainy day on my couch.”
He earned another longer, hotter, wetter kiss. It must have gone on a while. From the bar, he heard his brothers clear their throats and mutter under their breath.
When Presley’s lips left Cash’s, the only thing on his mind was taking her home. Taking off her dress. Taking his time once he had her underneath him.
“By the way, ‘Lightning’ is the song that needs to be rewritten.”
“Beg your pardon?” He frowned.
“Well, see, you were wrong.” She tightened her arms around his neck. “In our case, lightning struck twice.”
“Does this mean I’m forgiven?”
“Yes.”
His chest expanded.
“I’m not wasting another minute on regret or what-ifs.”
“Aw, honey.” He kissed her smile off her face, earning more mild protesting from his brothers. “You’re my one in a million. Thanks for giving me another shot.”
“Not so fast. You have some lost time to make up for,” she whispered against his lips. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Good idea.” He intertwined his fingers with hers and led her to the elevator, no need to steel himself for the ride down. After fearing the worst, that he’d lost her permanently, everything else that scared him was a joke. She loved him and he loved her and that was all he needed to feel ten feet tall and bulletproof.
“Hey!” Will called as Cash and Presley stepped onto the elevator. “What about the rewrite for ‘Back for Good’?”
Cash glanced down at Presley, who squeezed his fingers and offered a gentle shake of her head. Then he looked up at his brothers and answered, “Think I’ll leave it the way it is.”