Happy New Year!

A Speed Rail bonus

“I don’t want to go out tonight.” Cash growls into my hair as he pulls me tight against him in bed. We’ve already spent way too long under these covers and I strain against his arm as I try to climb out. He grunts and doubles down, so I do what any reasonable person would do in this situation and I bite his arm. 

As he yowls I spring from the bed and point a finger at him. “You do not get to be a hermit on New Year’s Eve, Cashel Brennan. I bartered long and hard for childcare tonight.”

More groans and moans from the bed as I rummage around our shared dresser for my fancy bra and “going out” underwear. Which is to say, one of a handful of pairs I actually own. Ruby is long gone to her sleepover with the twins down the block. The three girls plan to stay up all night long watching T Swift videos and painting each other’s nails. It only cost me a month of free classes at Pipe Fitters for Margo to stay in with the girls on New Year’s Eve. 

When I emerge from the shower, Cash is still in bed, and I whip him with the towel I had wound around my hair. “Cash! Up. Sweater.” Esther pulled out all the stops tonight for the party at Bridges and Bitters. I should reframe that. Samantha and Nicole footed a huge bill for a joint private party at the swankiest bar in town. All Samantha’s Vinea employees will be there and Nicole is bringing Stag Law folks as well as all her Beltane Engineering in-laws. “Babe.” I whip Cash one more time as he finally sits up. “There is a lot of networking I want to do tonight.”

I admire my boyfriend as he stands up and scratches his hairy chest. He’s such a gigantic oak tree of a man, and he’s all mine. I smile at him as I loosely braid my hair so it will dry in fun waves. By the time Cash puts himself together in a deep green sweater and dark jeans, I’m half inclined to drag him right back into bed.

I opted for a sparkly sleeveless jumpsuit and gold flats for tonight, knowing full well Cash will yank it all off me later. But first—friends. 

“I’m driving,” I insist, grabbing my Fiat keys from the hook by the door as Cash protests that he doesn’t even fit inside my car. He’s not entirely wrong…but I’m pretty sure parking on New Year’s Eve will be tight. “You know you’ll thank me when you don’t have to walk out in the cold.”

He puts his arm around the back of my seat, mostly because his shoulders don’t fit in the car otherwise. “I like walking in the cold with you.” He grins at me lecherously. “It makes your nipples hard.”

I swat his arm and zip down the road toward Butler Street. Sure enough, I’m able to wedge the car into a tiny spot just a few buildings down from Bridges and Bitters, which is fully decked out in gold streamers and sparkle decor. There’s even a disco ball. “Will you do The Hustle with me, Cash?” I stretch up on tiptoe and plant a kiss on his cheek as he ducks into the door to avoid a garland. He spots Teddy and AJ and his face relaxes a little. I’m glad he likes hanging out with my friends’ dudes. 

Soon, champagne punch in hand, we’re mingling and I enjoy the warm feel of his arm around my waist. I’m having a terrific time and meeting new potential clients, but Cash starts scowling. He leans in to whisper, “How come she gets to leave the party? Isn’t that one of your Foof friends?”

He uses his eyebrows to gesture at Lyra Gwan, who is indeed slinking out the door with a guy in a bowtie. I smile into my champagne flute. “I think she’s leaving to scratch an itch.”

Cash’s brow furrows and the hand on my waist dips lower on my butt. “I’m very, very itchy in this sweater, Piper. So itchy.”

I consider my options and decide to tug Cash down the hall to the supply closet we use too often. Hopefully Esther doesn’t know, but I think she’s a little too busy to scold me. “Tell you what.” I pull him into the dark room and drop to the floor on my knees. “I will give you a little scratchy scratchy if you promise to sing me a lullaby later.”

I move to yank down his fly but Cash catches my hand. “No deal. A lullaby isn’t enough for you, Pipes.” I smile and keep tugging at his zipper. “I’m serious. I need to know you feel good, too.”

I wave a hand. “I’m too wound up to come right now, babe. But I always love hearing you sing.” 

I squeal when Cash bends down and lifts me from my armpits until I’m standing in front of him. “I’m not going to be itchy if you’re not going to be scratchy. Even though you look very itchable in that outfit.”

I laugh at his ridiculous play on words as Cash drops his head back, presumably deep in thought. “Come on,” he growls and pulls me back down the hall into the throng of the party. He glances around, searching for something or someone and leaves me standing by the bar as he stalks toward one of Esther’s new staff members. “You got your guitar with you today,” Cash asks as the startled bartender nods rapidly, pointing to a coat tree where I see a guitar case propped up behind a sea of pea coats and boas. 

Before I have a chance to register what’s going on, Cash has whipped out the guitar, gotten Esther to turn off the music, and sidled up to the mic where Samantha seemed to be planning a speech. She purses her lips but then fans herself when Cash says, “I’d like to kick things off tonight with a song for my beloved.” 

And then he winks at me and I think I might faint as he launches into an acoustic version of Auld Lang Syne. Cash’s voice is deep and low, gritty and unbelievably sexy as he gets everyone in the room to raise a cup of kindness. Esther stops by me to pat my arm and give me a thumbs up as Cash closes his eyes, feeling the chorus. By the time he’s done singing and everyone applauds, I am ready to do whatever he asks as long as it’s naked.

Slowly and carefully, Cash tucks the guitar back into the case and walks back over to me, tugging at the collar of his sweater. He arches a brow in question and I nod in answer. We rush back down the hall to the supply closet, lost in a tangle of limbs and zippers and jumpsuit ties. 

Partially naked and balanced on cardboard boxes, we come together, panting and sweaty. Cash nips at my ear lobe and growls that he loves me. I tug on his chest hair and squeal that I love him. He spins me around in his arms so my back is against his chest and he reaches around me, stroking in between my legs like my body is a guitar. I come to pieces on his fingers as he whispers into my ear and spreads me open, sliding inside me like we belong together. 

And we do. Cash bends me over a box when I want that and builds up my business when I need that, too. I love dragging him out of his comfort zone and chasing him up a career ladder he built himself. 

He grabs hold of my braid and tugs with a final thrust as he explodes inside me and I collapse along with him, electrified by what we just shared. “I love you,” I pant.

“I love you, Piper. So fucking much.” Cash’s heart pounds in his chest against my back and I feel the truth of his words in the pulse of his veins. 

“We still have to stay at the party a bit longer,” I tell him. He laughs and hands me a paper towel from above the utility sink.

“You go out first. I need a minute to recover.”

I pull up my jumpsuit and smooth out my hair. “You’re just trying to avoid your rabid fans,” I tease him. “They’re going to demand an encore.”

Cash grins as he pulls his sweater back over his head. “All my encores are for you, Pipes.”

Thank you so much for reading! Be sure to check out Last Call, Esther’s book and the finale of the Bridges and Bitters series, coming spring 2023.