"I know, baby. Took me a while to understand it all myself but now I do. It's crystal clear and I feel like a d.a.m.ned big idiot for not getting it sooner."

A puzzled look crossed her face. Cash stood then gritted his teeth in irritation when Noelle backed up a step.

"Getting what, Cash? You're not making any sense."

"I'm making perfect sense, darlin'. You just aren't listening." Cash stepped closer to Noelle then without touching her, he placed his lips against hers, keeping the kiss sweet and innocent.

"What I'm trying to say," he murmured against her lips, "is that I love you, Noelle. With every breath I take."

Her head snapped back on her shoulders as if she'd been slapped. "Don't do that. Don't mess with me like that, Cash."

Her eyes were awash with unshed tears, making their green depths appear even more luminescent. Cash's heart ached for her, with her, but there was little he could do if she wasn't ready to listen.

Noelle held her hands up as a single tear streaked down her face. "Just go. Please," she pleaded when he opened his mouth to speak.

Cash, knowing he would only make things worse by staying and pushing her, cupped Noelle's cheek then wiped the single tear away with the pad of his thumb. "I'll go, sweetheart, but I won't go far or stay gone for long."

He heard her breath hitch at his words and knew she was fighting for composure. With regret running through his veins, Cash turned from Noelle. He left the bar, but instead of heading straight back to Raising Cain, he wandered aimlessly until he realized the moon was high in the sky.

Cash was thankful for his family and the fact that Connor and Carson were at the bar and would close up when he didn't return. He just needed some time to think, time to get used to being in love with Noelle, but most of all, he needed time to plan exactly how he was going to win her over.

Even when his body was so tired he could hardly drag himself home, Cash's mind whirled. He couldn't get visions of Noelle out of his head. The sight of her head thrown back in pa.s.sion as she slowly took every inch of his c.o.c.k within the tight depths of her warm and willing body made all his blood travel straight to his groin.

Once in bed, Cash took the length of his rigid shaft in hand and, with thoughts of Noelle, stroked himself to a groaning completion.

Noelle woke the next morning after crying herself to sleep, feeling completely out of it. She was so afraid to believe Cash's words of love. But something inside of her not only remembered but also held dear his words. The way he caressed her cheek, wiping away the tear she'd let slip, touched a spot deep within Noelle's soul, a spot that yearned to be loved unconditionally by Cash.

Afraid she was making too much out of Cash's spur-of-the-moment admission of love, Noelle readied herself for work. By the time she left her apartment, she was running on nerves and giving real thought to moving away from Chaos once again.

Ringing her bell didn't bring the same wicked delight it had been. She didn't want Cash to notice her, much less come storming across the street to complain about how she was dressed. What she wanted was to forget what a fool she'd been.

Luck was having none of it, though. Noelle had only been at her post for an hour when the front door of Raising Cain opened. Her pulse skyrocketed at the sight of Cash dressed as usual in faded jeans and a b.u.t.ton-down shirt.

It wasn't until Noelle noticed the rest of the McCain family all but tumbling from the door that Noelle began to panic. Leaving them all on the sidewalk in front of the bar, Cash made his way across the street to her. He was almost nose to nose with her before Noelle found her voice.

"What's going on?"

Without a word, Cash gathered her against his solid chest. He was warm and comforting and smelled sinful. His face was cleanly shaven and smooth against the side of her face as he nuzzled her, getting closer and closer while arousing her to no end.

"Cash?" Noelle could have kicked her own a.s.s for allowing her voice to quiver in such a way.

"You know how I feel about my family, right?" Cash didn't let Noelle do more than nod her head against his chest. "I got to thinking last night, trying to come up with a way to prove to you how much I love you, and the only thing that came to mind was to do it in front of my brothers, sister and whoever else in the town just happened to be watching. I thought maybe then you'd believe me."

Noelle couldn't believe what she was hearing. The impact of his words nearly blew her away. Cash really did love her. When he tried to pull away, Noelle couldn't help but cling to him, afraid if she didn't, he might very well be lost to her forever.

"It's okay, baby. Just give me a minute."

Noelle struggled to loosen her hold as Cash backed away from her. When he lowered himself on bended knee before her, Noelle let the tears flow.

"I love you, Noelle Jacobs, with everything I am. Be my wife?" Cash's tone was hopeful. Only Noelle saw the tenseness he held in check. When he pulled a simple emerald ring from his pocket, Noelle held out her shaky left hand, allowing Cash to place it on her ring finger.

"Did she say yes?" The hollered question came from Casey who was still standing across the street.

Noelle laughed, she couldn't help herself. Then, gathering Cash's face in her hands, she kissed him full on the mouth, deep, slow and sensual. When she was done, she smiled. "I love you, cowboy, and, yes, I'll marry you."

His hoot of excitement could have raised the dead. Cash got to his feet then lifted and swung Noelle in a circle. "She said yes." His voice was loud enough that no one could have misunderstood. Cheers came from all around them, from both family and friends. Noelle was finally home.

Epilogue.

Cash carried her across the street and into Raising Cain where the rest of the McCain clan had set up a table full of appetizers and drinks. Folks continued to mingle and talk long after Noelle and Cash snuck away to be alone.

They'd made him wait, putting him through the misery of holding Noelle by his side yet never being alone with her long enough for much touching. And if that wasn't bad enough, Noelle had spent most of the time torturing him with whispered words and provocative wiggles.

Cash had decided she'd pay for her part in keeping him with a hard and throbbing c.o.c.k for hours on end.

Carrying Noelle over the threshold, even before the wedding, would forever be a high point in Cash's life. He made his way through the apartment without slowing his pace then unceremoniously dumped her on his bed.

"Shh." He had plans for Noelle. Down and dirty, s.e.xy as h.e.l.l plans that didn't include talking, unless the sound of her screaming his name as she climaxed over and over was considered talking.

"No talking, huh? Just f.u.c.king," Noelle said, pushing with words guaranteed to get his attention, her voice hopeful.

"There's going to be plenty of f.u.c.king, darlin'. Now lift up so I can strip the bed down."

Noelle did as asked, her movements eager. Cash wondered just how long it would take before she was cursing with her need for release.

"Now for your clothes, they've got to go too." Noelle hesitated. Cash could only a.s.sume it was from the tone of command clear in his voice. He was on edge and in need, a man barely hanging on to his control.

"Now, baby."

Cash wasn't worried he'd scare her. The way her breath fluttered out in excited little bursts, not to mention the way her nipples pressed against the fabric of her shirt, begging for his touch, proved just how unafraid she was.

By the time Noelle was completely nude, Cash was so d.a.m.ned hard, he though he might keel over. Her breath came in panting little bursts as she waited on her knees in the center of the bed for his next move.

Cash was unable to get past the need to taste her, to f.u.c.k his tongue so deep within her depths he'd never be free of her essence.

"Face the wall on your knees and hang on to the headboard, sweetheart." Her pupils dilated. Cash was lost.

He climbed onto the bed behind her until they were touching, Cash's shirt-covered chest to Noelle's nude back. Her bare a.s.s was cradled in his lap. Cash thanked his lucky stars he hadn't yet undressed because if he had, it might have all been over before it ever got started.

With his hands, Cash brought her to the brink by touching and teasing her soaked center but never allowed her to fall completely over. When she was pleading for release, Cash pulled away then settled on his back behind her. With deft movements, born of an intense need to taste and savor, Cash pushed himself to the head of the bed and comfortably between Noelle's thighs.

At the first swipe of his tongue, Noelle whimpered, "I... Oh, G.o.d, Cash." She nearly screamed the place down when he circled her thighs with his arms and sucked the swollen bud of her c.l.i.t between his lips.

"Mmm." Cash knew his mumbled response would only add to her pleasure.

"Please, please, please."

Cash gripped Noelle's thighs tighter then pulled them down the bed just a bit. Their new position left her leaning forward, perfect for what Cash had planned.

Moving his hands from her thighs to caress the full, round globes of her a.s.s cheeks was only half the fun. Her gasp of pleasure as he collected her own cream before sinking knuckle-deep into the ultra-tight channel of her a.s.s was like music to Cash's ears. Her climax nearly sent him over the edge.

Within minutes Noelle was bucking back against his finger. Cash, unable to wait, pulled himself from between her thighs. It took every ounce of his self-control to reach for a condom and lube and not just plunge b.a.l.l.s deep into her body.

Once protected, Cash moved back to where Noelle now lay sprawled on her belly. "Noelle." It was as close to asking for permission as he was able to grit out.

When she looked over her shoulder, blonde hair in wild disarray and smiled, Cash's pulse leapt. The intensity of their position only grew as he spread the pale cheeks of her luscious a.s.s. With lubed fingers, Cash carefully prepared Noelle's a.s.s for the thick length of his shaft.

Inserting first one finger and then a second, Cash stretched Noelle's tight channel until she lay panting for breath, her skin covered in a light sheen of sweat. When he was sure she could handle his girth, Cash sank into her inch by inch until he could go no farther.

"Oh...oh! Please hurry! Hurry!" The last came out as a shrill scream. Cash couldn't hold back, powering into her body over and over, as she spasmed around his c.o.c.k, he came with her.

After they were sated, lying with their bodies entwined, Noelle asked. "Why, Cash? Why would you want to marry me?"

It wasn't like Noelle to be so cautious, so unsure, but when it came to loving Cash, she had to know.

"Besides the fact that I love you more than words can say?" Cash asked, as he started beneath the sheets once again.

"Oh yes," Noelle gasped not at all sure if she was answering Cash's question or urging him on his wicked journey down her body.

"I figured it was the only way I could get you to stop ringing that d.a.m.ned bell."

About the Author.

Maggie Casper's life could be called many things but boring isn't one of them. If asked, Maggie would tell you that blessed would more aptly describe her everyday existence.

Marrying young and being loved by a great husband and four gorgeous daughters should be enough to make anybody feel blessed. Add to that a bit of challenge, a lot of fun and an undeniably close circle of friends and family and you'd be walking in her shoes.

Speaking of challenges and fun, when not writing, Maggie's alter ego spends her time fighting fires and treating patients as a Lieutenant and Advanced Emergency Medical Technician with the local fire department. These awesome people are like her second family, no picking and choosing, they're just stuck with her.

A love of reading was pa.s.sed on by Maggie's mother at a very early age, and so began her addiction to romance novels. Maggie admits to writing some in high school but when life got in the way, she put her pen and paper up. Seems that things changed over the years because when she finally decided it was time to put her story ideas on paper, the pen was out and the computer was in. Took her a while to catch up but she finally made it.

When not writing, Maggie can usually be found reading, doing genealogy research or watching NASCAR.

Maggie welcomes mail from readers. You can write to her c/o Ellora's Cave Publishing at 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

Also by Maggie Casper.

Maverick's Black Cat - w/Lena Austin.

O'Malley Wild: Hayden's h.e.l.lion.

O'Malley Wild: Honoring Sean.

O'Malley Wild: Zane's Way.

O'Malley Wild 4: Tying the Knot.

Discover for yourself why readers can't get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora's Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

www.ellorascave.com.