A/N: This chapter contains sexual content. While not explicit, I recommend skipping it if you're uncomfortable with this.

QUINN

I don't rip myself out of Cash's embrace because he's wincing under my weight, like my show of affection is physically painful for him. Nope. It's because it hit me pretty darn hard that I'm getting too attached to him. That's what has me retreating.

When I got home, I literally couldn't focus on anything outside of wondering if he was okay. I was sitting there in the dark, being pummeled by thought after thought of what could go wrong.

Dylan's death destroyed me in ways I still haven't fully come to terms with. Sulking in my apartment and replaying events that haven't even happened yet with Cash is a detrimental wrench thrown in my plans of avoiding the scary stuff.

I need to remember what this is about. Just another temporary relationship to temporarily distract me from the temporary issues. That's a funny word, temporary. Temmm-pohhh-raar-eee. Who came up with that –

"Stop."

Cash's steely voice sucks me out of my head, back into the kitchen where I just assaulted him with a shoe.

"You stop." I fire back, offended for unknown reasons.

"I'll stop if you stop."

Wait...what is he going to stop? Was he doing something? What am I supposed to be stopping? Uhh...I might have missed something.

"Huh?" I cock my head to the side, baffled by our exchange.

His light waft of laughter fills me with joy, and I shove the negative feelings I was just experiencing deep down.

"I'm so glad I finally got to witness this." He barks out a laugh, placing his palm against my countertop and leaning sideways.

"Witness what?" I ask cautiously.

"You. Confusing yourself. I was wondering if I'd ever see it."

I wasn't confused! I was just...momentarily lost in...something. I want to be mad, but I smile up at him sheepishly instead.

Okay...is it bad that my cave of wonders is begging for exploration the second I spot the cuts attempting to heal themselves spread out across his face? The same thing that had me in a catatonic state earlier is now the source of my arousal.

Sex. I can do sex. I can sex the shit out of Cash!

That doesn't involve feeling weird, gooey emotions. Just a gooey vagina. Ewww, no. Rewind. Delete that from the tape. I never said it. If anyone tries to prove me otherwise, they'll end up in the backyard with the pets and the forbidden organ.

Cash is staring at me with something that resembles interest.

"I'm not gooey!" I blurt out, internally smacking my head against the fridge. "You didn't hear that!" I yell, horrified.

His lip twitches upward but his posture stays relaxed.

"Didn't hear what?" He raises an eyebrow.

Was that in my head? Did I not actually say that out loud?

"That I'm gooey?" My brow matches his as I ask my question.

Damn it! Okay, time to move along and put this whole gooey mess behind me.

"I'd like you to take your clothes off now, por favor." I mumble absentmindedly.

He crosses his arms and shifts his body so his hip props him up against the counter.

"What do you think I see when I look at you?" He asks softly, but there's a challenge in his tone.

This is a trick question. He turned me down last time because, apparently, I was too self-conscious. I need to play my cards right if I want the penis-prize!

"That I'm beautiful."

"Correct. What else?"

Oh, come on. Does he want a damn list?! I rack my brain, trying to come up with something that I think Cash would say.

"Yoouu seeee...someone you think is worth it?" I draw out with an awkward smile.

Shit! The furrow in his brow makes it seem like he's disappointed in that answer. He stands at full height and steps into me until I'm crooking my neck so far back to look up at him, it might have entered another dimension.

"I don't think you're worth it. It's a fucking fact."

His cold eyes should make me retreat. A week ago, they might have. But, right now, I'm mesmerized by them. Like they hold all the answers to questions I haven't even thought to ask yet.

NO! Sex, Quinn. Keep it sexy!

"O-okay." I choke up. I may have stuttered, but it was completely sexy.

His knuckles brush from my jaw, down to my collarbone. And wouldn't ya know it, I forgot how to push air through my lungs. Funny thing how the body just shuts down all willy-nilly, like it thinks you can live without its functionalities.

"Cash?" I whisper, voice cracking.

"Yeah?" He takes up the same tenor.

"Please don't turn me down...again." I plead, not able to look him in the eyes anymore. Back to staring at the damn chest. "I need you."

His large palm caresses my head as he tilts it back again, his eyes boring into mine.

"You don't need me Quinn, but I'll give you anything you want."

We spend a few minutes just standing there, staring into each other's souls like we're trying to steal them from one another. I finally remember how to breathe, but the inhale is turbulent, and the exhale is shaky. Sexy shaky, of course.

His hand finds my lower back and glides down until it's cupping my ass, pulling me in closer to his body. I almost crumble completely. I silently thank God for blessing me with solid knees, or else my legs would have given out.

His fingers play with the hem of my shirt, clenching it in his fist. But then he stops and looks at me.

"Can I?" His voice is so gentle, I almost didn't hear it over my obnoxious thoughts.

As soon as I nod, he peels the shirt up over my head and drops it on the ground. My cheeks flush, but only for a second. Because the way he tilts back to examine me extinguishes the insecurity that ate me alive last time. He isn't comparing me to the succubus.

No, he's falling in love with my boobs. I look down at them too and smile. I guess they are pretty cute. When he sees the giddy smile on my face, his eyes light up like I just gave him the last Double Stuf Oreo in the pack.

Now I'm the one stepping in, pressing my bare chest against his still-clothed stomach. I grab the bottom of his shirt and start lifting it, shifting my body just enough to let it surpass me. Once I hit my wingspan limit, he finishes the job for me.

He slowly unwraps a bandage from around his waist and removes it along with an icepack. My stomach twists up in all kinds of ways, remembering that he's hurt. But his skin is so warm and has a faint scent of bodywash and sun and sweat. It swirls around in my nostrils, making me dizzy.

My lips press against his chest muscles and a sigh of contentment escapes him as his body relaxes. Like he had all this built-up stress that vanished with a single kiss.

I let my fingertips trace the peaks and valleys of his stomach while his hand loosely sweeps up and down my back. I could stay like this forever.

What? Forever? HAH. Nope. Temporary. I can stay here temporarily.

I pull back and see the start of a large bruise forming beneath the skin. It starts on his side but travels around to his back. The fear sets in all over again. Something could have happened to him, and I never would have gotten to experience this moment. How many other memories might I possibly miss out on if he disappears?

My hand reaches out to touch the mark, but I end up just hovering over it, frozen in place by forces of nature I won't pretend to comprehend.

"I'm okay." He rasps, sensing my concern.

Sluggishly, I shake my head, disagreeing with that little statement of his. He squats down, lifts me off the ground, and stands straight again. My arms loop around his neck for extra support, even though I know he won't drop me.

My legs don't dare wrap around his waist, worried about getting too close to the danger zone. I don't like seeing him hurt, and I want no part in making it worse.

Oh my god. I beat him with my friggin shoe! Hopefully none of those marks on his face came from me.

After carrying me into the living room, he flops me down on the couch and squats between my legs.

"See? All good. Unbreakable." He chides with a semi-cocky grin as his pecs flex.

I mean...he does look okay. Who am I kidding? He looks better than okay. And the sight of him crouched between my legs has my internal furnace kicking on.

"You're beautiful, Cash." I whisper in awe.

His head dips down, forehead resting on my knee as his shoulders bounce with laughter.

"Thanks." He mumbles into my leg.

The heat his breath sends through the thin fabric of my sweatpants has my leg muscles clenching and a breath of air whooshing out of my lungs. His hands tightly grip my calves, and his eyes snap up to mine.

Something transpires between us in that brief period of time, and I couldn't even tell you what. All I know is that it was enough for him to grab the waistband of my pants and slide them down my hips. My legs anxiously kick around until the sweats make it past my ankles.

The stunned look is priceless when he realizes not only was I not sporting a bra under my shirt earlier, but I'm also not wearing underwear. He recovers quickly though, even more feral than before. His fingertips flex into my legs before dragging me further down the couch.

His teeth sink into my inner thigh, forcing me to arch into him with a mix of surprise and pleasure. He only rises to his feet so he can lean over me, his lips crashing down onto mine. Our teeth scrape, lips meld together, tongues collide.

While he's glued to my face, trailing intense kisses down my neck, my fingers are working at the button on his jeans, popping it free. I barely manage to drag the zipper down before he kicks them off, allowing me to do the same with his boxer-briefs.

And holy guacamole, there's an impressive soldier standing at attention. I always had to do a lot more before Hunter was even remotely ready to – no. Back to this moment, Quinn. Don't think.

A firm grip encases my jaw as Cash hovers over me, staring down into my eyes as his burn with need.

"Whatever you're thinking right now, don't."

I nod, accepting his growly command without issue, and he sets me free.

He drops back down to his knees and goes in for the kill so suddenly that I yelp and slump into the couch. My hands grip the cushions, my pointer finger wrapping a loose thread of couch fabric tightly around it until I feel like the circulation might cut off.

My legs get slung over his shoulders, making the angle, the too-tight grip on my thighs, and the heat of his mouth feel like a dream straight from sexy hell.

Nobody has done this to me since high school and I'm embarrassingly close to calling a timeout because my body is crashing. I try to force my legs shut to slow him down, but I don't stand a chance at combatting his strong hands.

Everything starts pulsating and my hands fly up to my mouth to hide the painfully awkward sounds that are trying to come out as he groans into me. As soon as the tremors calm down, he places my feet back on the floor.

"Condom." He mumbles while kissing up my stomach, to my chest. He hasn't come up for air once, like he can't get enough of me. He must have good lung capacity.

"Uh...uh...coffee table. But I'm – I'm on the shot and – well, you don't – I mean, it's your choice. I'm not – I'm disease free and all that jazz but who knows if you are but if you're clean too then I don't really..." I don't even know what I'm trying to say anymore.

His mouth meets mine once more and I can taste myself on him, which is kind of embarrassing. But it's really hard to be ashamed when his dominant movements are sending jolts of pleasure through every nerve ending.

"You sure?" He speaks against my mouth before gently biting at my lip, making it difficult to respond.

I manage a nod and a pathetically weak sounding "mhm".

"Oh shit, Cash." I cry out when he nudges in without warning. "Tanya was right."

She should have kidnapped him and made a mold out of his penis. This is...magnificent.

Cash hesitates and pulls back to look at me with questioning eyes.

"You're thinking about Tanya right now?" He sounds serious, but there's a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

"No! Well, yes. But not...she wants your penis for her collection and now I understand why."

It's so hard to focus on words when you feel like you're being pushed beyond your limits.

"I'm sorry, what?" Now he looks genuinely concerned.

"Her collection. She has – you know what, can you please resume the sexing? I'm uh...I can't think right now."

He stares at me for a few seconds before obliging. If it weren't for the day I turned into a bendy straw thanks to Wendy, I wouldn't think my legs were capable of this level of flexibility.

My knees are pushed all the way back and I can feel each thrust within every inch of my body, making it nearly impossible to comprehend anything except Cash's heavy breathing, the moans caught in his chest, or his hand gripping my hip while the other is splayed across my stomach to keep me from shifting too much.

The passage of time doesn't exist in this world we've created together.

I can feel the moment when my walls start closing around him, and I guess he can too.

"Quinn, you're the sexiest fucking woman I've ever seen." He breathes out into the air.

Annnnd boom goes the dynamite. Who knew being called sexy was my breaking point? I surprise myself by moaning out his name, my hands flying up to Cash's back to dig in, so I don't float away.

The words Quinn and sexy in the same sentence? Never thought I'd hear that. Am I conceited for coming over a compliment? I know men say this all the time but let me be clear here: This has never happened before.

Cash hisses at my attempt to control myself by digging my claws in, but then I feel him twitch inside of me. The throbbing sensations traveling through his very dedicated soldier almost send me over the edge again.

The best part of all this? It actually went smoothly. Too smoothly.

He collapses over me, burying his face into my neck as he lethargically pulls out. Just as he does, a little puff of air makes a pffft sound.

Oh my god. I did not just queef. The first time with Cash, and my vagina pulls this shit?!

My heart is racing for a whole different reason now, the gears in my brain spinning at unsafe speeds. He doesn't move an inch, just continues breathing against my skin. But I know he had to have heard it! Maybe he's coming up with ways to run away right now. That's what I'd do.

"Guess the ol' vag likes to talk as much shit as I do." I finally muse, hoping for something other than silence.

His shoulders once again start shaking, and his breathy laughter is hot against my flesh. It doesn't stop. I'm pretty sure he's crying because I feel wetness on my shoulder where his eye probably is.

"I swear, you are the best person to ever walk this Earth." He strangles out through unfiltered laughter.

I vagina-farted and he's saying I'm the best?

This guy gets me. My heart squeezes in the best and worst ways, and I find myself banding my arms around his neck, my legs around his waist, squeezing as tight as I can so he doesn't disappear. He shifts his arm under my shoulders and hugs me back just as tightly.

Maybe some things don't have to be temporary.