Page 63 of I Want Crazy (Loco, Texas 3)

She tugged on his hand, afraid of what he was going to say next. She wasn’t sure if her fears were completely gone about their future together, and she didn’t want him confessing his love or something else just as crazy. Not tonight. Life-and-death situations made feelings seem more intense, and then they faded out when the danger passed.

“I don’t want to talk. Not tonight.”

She tugged his hand until he lay down next to her. Cuddling against his side, she rested her good cheek on his chest. “I just want you to hold me and tell me it’s going to be okay.”

His lips brushed the top of her head as his arms went around her. “It’s going to be okay.”

Chapter Eighteen

A week had gone by since the night of the fire, and Jessie hadn’t left Red’s trailer. She couldn’t bear to go to the bar and inspect the damage and was afraid to face the people in town. She just wanted to stay in the safety of Red’s arms.

She was cutting fruit up for a salad when Red let out a whoop from in front of his computer.

“What’s up?” she called.

“My editor just sent me my edits, and they aren’t as bad as I imagined.”

His arms went around her from behind, his hands resting on her stomach, and she closed her eyes. Since the fire, she’d woken up in a pool of sweat, and the only thing that had been able to calm her was having him beside her. She loved and hated it. She’d never had to rely on anyone else to make her feel secure before. The good thing about the fire was that whatever space Red had been giving her was over. He was constantly kissing and touching her, pulling her back to the bedroom, just like before the video, and Jessie was just starting to feel secure with him again. In them as a couple. And, surprisingly, herself.

“Breakfast smells good,” he whispered against the skin of her neck, nipping lightly. “But you taste better.”

“Um, no. We’re out of orange juice and I want you to go to the store while I finish the quiche.”

“Oh, so you’re making a quiche, hmm?” He pushed down the neck of the sweater she wore, and she turned on him, waving the spatula.

“Will you get out of here and get me the juice? You are such a horn dog.”

Laughing, he backed away from her with his hands up. “I’m going!”

“No pulp!” she yelled after him, but he’d already closed the door. She couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. He was really such a sweet goofball.

She added the ingredients to the piecrust and put it in the oven to bake. As she passed Orange stretched across the back of the couch, she ran her hand over his soft fur. He tolerated her attentions for several minutes before he tried to take a bite out of her hand.

“Ouch! I don’t care what your dad says, you are an asshole,” she said, sticking the side of her hand in her mouth. He’d nicked her before she’d gotten away, and she went to the bathroom to clean the wound.

When she came back into the living room, she sat down at Red’s laptop to watch the newest 2 Broke Girls and saw he had left it open on his book.

Curious, she started reading and smiled as she got an introduction to the hero.

He’s really good.

When the hero and heroine met, though, she narrowed her eyes.

Caleb glared at the obnoxious woman. Her honey-blonde hair and green eyes were a gorgeous combination, but her personality was like curdled milk. It left a bad taste in his mouth.

The longer she read, the angrier she became. The similarities between their first meeting, the way their friendship had progressed. Even their first kiss—it was all too close. He’d used them as the basis of his book, after he’d said he didn’t base his books on real live people.

He used you, just like Will did.

When the oven beeped, she pulled out the quiche. Glaring down at the pie, she ignored the sheen of tears that blurred her vision.

You really just don’t have good luck with men, do you?

With a scream of rage, she threw the hot quiche against the door.

* * *

Red pulled into the drive and got out of the Charger with a gallon of orange juice and a bouquet of roses. The pickings had been slim, but he was hoping she would still love the orange blossoms.

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