Page 42 of Trailer Trash

He grinned back. “I have to admit, I didn’t see it comin’.”

“I can’t believe you’re smilin’ about it now. You weren’t so happy at the time.”

He laughed. “I wasn’t. But a couple of weeks removed, I can see the humor in it. I remember the look on your face right before you shoved me. You were furious.”

“I’d just found out you were double-crossing me for Skeeter.”

“I never even thought about the cell phone in my pocket. But when you realized . . . I knew there would be hell to pay.”

I lifted my eyebrows. “And you think that’sfunny?”

His grin faded, but there was merriment in his eyes. “There is nothing funny about you when you’re riled up and ready to take on the world.”

I cocked my head. “And when have you seen me like that?”

“Countless times with Rose. With Merv . . .” His smile fell. “Merv blames Rose for the changes in Skeeter, and he’s becoming more and more out of control. When he saw you walk into the pool hall alone, I think he figured he’d teach you a lesson about meddling in Skeeter’s business.” He set down his fork, then grabbed my hand. “I had no idea I’d find him manhandlin’you. If you hadn’t broken his nose and his hand defending yourself, I would have beaten him to a bloody pulp myself.”

I turned his hand over to display the bruises and scrapes on his knuckles. “And how did you get these?”

His grin returned. “Okay, so I may have made sure he got the message that if he ever touches you again, he’s a dead man.” His look turned sober. “But I’m telling you, Neely Kate—if you hadn’t beat him up first, I probably would have beaten him to near death.” He paused and released my hand. “There’s a darkness inside me. You may have done some bad things, but you ran from them. I’ve been marinating in mine for years.”

I shook my head. “Not anymore. Skeeter cut you loose. You can do anything now. What doyouwant?”

Lust filled his eyes, and I was sure he was going to kiss me, but he stood. “I better take my shower.”

I crawled off the bed, blocking his path to the restroom. “Jed, wait.”

He glanced down at me but didn’t say a word.

“You said you thought you were irredeemable. Do you really believe that?”

“Neely Kate . . .”

He didn’t need to tell me. I knew. I reached up on my tiptoes and gave him a soft kiss, worried about rejection but willing to take the risk. “You’re not irredeemable, Jed. You’re a good man, and you keep showin’ me that man over and over again. You . . . you told me that you see something different in me than I see in myself. Do you know what I see when I look at you? I see someone strong and brave. A man who’s willing to risk his job and his life to help the people he’s loyal to. I see a man with a heart so full of goodness he doesn’t see strippers and prostitutes as whores—he sees them as women doin’ the best they can to get by. Letmebeyourmirror, Jed. See the man that I see.”

His mouth covered mine with a raw hunger that caught me by surprise, but I quickly met him in kind. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he lifted me up and then pressed my back to the wall as his mouth ravaged mine. I wrapped my arms around his hips, and my dress gathered up to my waist. The cool, air-conditioned air hit my scantily clad butt, but his large hands quickly warmed me as he held me to him.

His pelvis pushed into mine, his erection pressing in at exactly the right spot to make me moan. But my response must have set off some alarm. He lifted his head and horror filled his eyes. “I swore I wouldn’t do this.”

“You kissed me before,” I reminded him.

“Not like this. Before it was to show you how beautiful you are inside and out. This . . .”

He tried to put me down, but I locked my feet together behind his back. “Jed, I changed my mind. Iwantyou to touch me.”

He shook his head and gave me a tug to dislodge me. “Not like this.”

I let him slide me down, but I hung on to his neck, refusing to let go. “Not like what?”

“Not with anger and recklessness.”

I gasped in surprise. “Are you angry with me?”

“Not you, Neely Kate. God, not you, but I’m angry with the world, and I refuse to punish you for it.” Then he pulled my hands loose and escaped to the bathroom.

I watched the door shut, wondering what had happened. If Jed’s kiss had been fueled by anger, what had fueled mine?

Chapter 13

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