Page 13 of Wild Card
“He didn’t hit me; it wasn’t like that.”
“Then explain to me how the hell it was.” He turns angry. “What the fuck was that jumped-up prick thinking?” He starts heading toward the door.
“Where are you going?” I leap off the stool and follow him.
“To teach that preppy son of a bitch a fuckin’ lesson.” I rush to stand in front of it before he gets there.
“Ash, this really isn’t your problem, just leave it.”
“Yeah, well, I’m making it my problem.” He tries to reach around me, and I grab his hand.
“Please, don’t. You’ll just make it worse.”
“Hell, yeah, I’mma make it fuckin’ worse.” He goes to open it again, and not knowing how else to stop him, I reach up on my toes and press my mouth against his. My lip hurts, but I take the pain, lifting my hands up to frame his face and holding him against me tighter. At first, Ash does nothing, just stands static while I’m stuck to his face like a leech. Then, suddenly out of nowhere, his tongue invades mine, and the force of his body pushes me back against the door. Something in the pit of my stomach erupts, making me want to climb up his body and cling to him, but I manage to contain myself, and eventually, when I’ve run out of oxygen, I gently push him away.
“I’m sorry.” I close my eyes to avoid the smug look on his face. I bet this guy gets women throwing themselves at him all the time.
“Whatcha sorry for, darlin’?” he asks, holding up my chin and sliding his thumb over my bottom lip. “If you wanted me to kiss ya all better, all you had to do was ask.”
“I…I shouldn’t have done that.” I slip under his arm and bury my face in my hands. “I think we should go to bed. Forget this happened and just start afresh tomorrow.”
“What the hell is that?” he asks, taking the hand I’m wearing the ring on and looking at it in disgust.
“That's a long story that I don’t want to get into right now. Like I said, it ain’t your business.”
“You're engaged to this guy?” He disregards what I just said. “You havegotto be kidding me.”
“You make a lot of judgments for someone who doesn’t know me,” I snap back at him.
“Oh, I’d say you just made things pretty fuckin’ familiar between us.” He laughs sarcastically, reaching around my hip, grabbing my ass, and dragging me onto his body. He reaches his head down like he’s going to kiss me again, and I pull back.
“Thank you for helping me, and I’m sorry about the kiss. I’m going to bed.” I turn my back and rush toward the door that leads upstairs before I lose myself again, and let him.
SEVEN
Ash
“How did the lake party go last night?” Earl asks, placing a plate of eggs and turkey rashers in front of me.
“We got a lead. Club’s wonder boy’s workin’ on it,” I assure him, picking up a fork so I can get stuck in. I glance at the plate he’s put down next to the space I’m assuming is for Ruby, wondering if, after last night, she’s gonna join us. I’ve had a hard on since she kissed me, and barely got any sleep last night. It took all my strength and fuckin’ willpower not to go to her room and finish what she started.
“You know what time Ruby got in?” Earl starts eating himself.
“No idea,” I lie because I don’t wanna get into it right now. What I need to do is find that asshole boyfriend of hers and make him bite a fuckin’ curb.
We’re both nearly done with our breakfast when the door eventually opens and Ruby steps in. She’s wearing sweat pants that are far too big for her, making me wonder if they’re Brett's. A cropped tee, and she has her hair tied up all messy andunruly, just how I like it. What she ain’t wearing is that huge, overexcessive ring on her finger, and that pleases me too.
“Jeez, what happened to your face?” Earl asks as she takes the seat between us and avoids eye contact with me.
“Oh, this?” She touches the scab that's formed on her lip and laughs. “You know how I can get when I’ve had a few too many. I’m clumsy when I’m sober. I tripped in those damn heels Esmé lent me.” She tries to sound convincing, but I can tell by the way Earl looks down the table at me that she don’t fool him. Now the barroom’s in better light, I can see the bruise that's come up on her cheek, and it makes me even more determined to find the fucker that did it.
“Aside from that, did ya have fun?” He tips back his mug to finish the last of his coffee.
“As much fun as you can have at a country club.” She does her best to sound cheery, but that sparkle that was in her eyes yesterday ain’t there anymore. I want it back, and I wanna be the one who puts it there. I shake that feeling outta my head when I realize how pathetic it sounds.
“I gotta head over to Bozeman.” Earl stands up, picking up his plate.
“Can one of ya handle things around here while I’m gone?”
