Thorned Heart (Cash Me Outside 2)

My neck burns, and I’m self-conscious as I spout all this shit in front of everyone, but if we’re going to be together, a lot of our relationship will be like that. Because being with Seb comes as a package deal.

“That’s ... understandable,” Seb says. “I still don’t like it because I don’t want to have to think about contingencies, but it makes sense.”

“Then we’re happy for you,” Cash says, like he speaks for the whole band.

I narrow my gaze. “You guys already talked about this, didn’t you?”

“Yep.” Cash grins.

See? They’re involved whether Seb and I want them to be or not. But I wouldn’t have it any other way because they’re part of Seb. And now I’m part of them.

Cash stands, and his deep brown eyes cut through me. “You know, it makes sense.” He waves a finger between us. “You two.”

“It does?” I ask.

“I didn’t see it before, but when Locke told me how you’ve looked at Seb for years without us knowing, I started thinking it over, and I realize you’ve been pretty obvious and we’ve all been too lost in our own personal worlds to notice. I like you for Seb. He needs a commanding presence to ground him.”

“Hey,” Seb whines, but when we look at him, he relents. “Okay, that’s fair. But still ... ouch, dude.”

“It’s not a bad thing,” Cash says and steps over to him. “I want you to be happy like I am with Locke, and Thorne can give that to you.”

“I think so too,” Seb says, his voice low.

His eyes meet mine. When he smiles in a shy and uncertain way that is so not Seb, I can’t resist pulling him against me.

He fits against me, and nothing has ever felt so right.

“I promise to give you whatever you need,” I whisper into his hair.

“What if I need a—”

“Within reason. I’m talking happiness, support, an emotional rock. Not, like, a unicorn wearing a rainbow harness.”

Seb snuggles into my side. “It’s like you can really see into my soul.” He turns to the others. “Speaking of which, who wants to go shopping with me tomorrow? I need to get Thorne a new Christmas present.”

“I’ll go,” Locke says. “I need something extra for Cash.”

Seb smiles. “Perfect.”

Apparently my man’s soul is full of unicorns and me in sweatpants, and I’m totally okay with that.

Chapter Ten

Seb

The nearest mall is about an hour away from the mansion, so Locke and I are gone for most of the day. He struggles with something to get Cash who can literally afford to buy anything he wants, and I keep flip-flopping over what to get Thorne. Other than sweatpants one size too small for him. Those were the first stop.

I want something else though. Something that shows I’m all in and that I’m taking our relationship seriously even though it’s all new for me and my feelings for Thorne are still … confusing.

It’s hard to comprehend how it’s hit me all at once, which makes me think about every nice deed he’s done for me, all those times I thought of him as more than just our manager. Every time he’d call me a client, and it made me feel sick.

Just how long have I been in love with him and not known? I guess it doesn’t matter in the big scheme of things, but it does make choosing this gift difficult.

It doesn’t help that the mall is packed with people doing last-minute shopping, and it’s pure chaos as people empty shelves of crap to give their family members.

We walk past a row of ugly Christmas sweaters, and I point at them.

“No,” Locke says emphatically.

“I was actually thinking we should get them for Cash, Greg, Jasper, and me, and do an ugly band photo for Insta.”

Locke’s face lights up. “In that case.” He throws the first four he sees into a cart, and I laugh.

“But for real, I have no idea what to get Thorne. What’s something that says I’m serious about him?”

“Well, Cash showed me with this.” He holds up his left hand where his engagement band sits.

“Yeah, Thorne and I have been together for twenty-four hours. I’m gonna go ahead and say that’s too serious.”

Locke laughs. “Cufflinks? He wears suits a lot.”

“That’s probably more romantic than Tylenol which is what I have been thinking.”

Locke’s forehead scrunches in confusion.

“Because the band always gives him a headache.”

He laughs. “Hey, that’s a good gag gift, but I agree, it doesn’t tell him how you feel.”

“There’s a jewelry store up here. Let’s look at the cufflink thing.”

The limited assortment the jeweler has doesn’t really appeal to me. They all feel impersonal and … blah.

I deflate. One good thing about being in rural Montana is no one has recognized me at all. Not that it’s a common occurrence with me anyway—especially not when I’m without Cash, but it lessens the pressure on getting in and out in a hurry. It also probably helps that everyone is distracted trying to fill their own shopping needs.