Page 20 of I Want Crazy (Loco, Texas 3)

“She didn’t.”

“Oh yeah, she did, and I’m pretty sure if she could, she would have my ovaries examined tomorrow. She seems to think there’s something going on between us.”

“Well, I sure as hell didn’t give her that idea.”

His disgusted tone rubbed her wrong, and she tried to bite back the hurt. “I never said you did.”

* * *

Red realized too late he’d made a complete ass out of himself. It had been his idea to drag her to his parents’ house, knowing full well his mother was going to get “ideas.”

Maybe you wanted to see how they’d react to her because you’ve got some ideas of your own.

He shoveled a bite into his mouth, chewing it slowly as he tried to come up with something to say. “I’m sorry I dragged you here and that I snapped at you. My family is pretty loud and opinionated, and it can be irritating.”

She didn’t say anything at first, just chewed her food thoughtfully.

Nervously, he continued, “I know what you’re thinking, that I’m loud and opinionated, but I—”

“You’re right. I was thinking that,” she interjected.

He stopped his apology and took in the little curl of her mouth that said she was being ornery. Just a few days with the woman, and he already knew what her smiles meant.

“Well, I’m sorry.”

She took a sip of her water and surprised him by saying, “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t make fun of you about your relationship with your family. I can understand wanting to stay close to them…well, okay, I can’t, because I never had what you do, but I think if I’d had a big, loud, boisterous family, it would be hard to give that up.”

It was a little bit of herself he didn’t think she even realized she’d shared, and he pushed for more. “So, what was your family like?”

She paused, and he thought she would avoid the question again, but instead she said, “It was just me and my dad for a long time. My mom left when I was a kid, and so it was just us against the world, you know?”

“Yeah? So where is he?”

“In California with his other family.” When he sucked in his breath, she laughed. “Not like that. I just mean that he remarried when I was eighteen and with his new wife came two daughters a little younger than me.”

“Oh, okay. You didn’t get along with them?”

He watched her cheeks turn pink and wondered what he’d said to strike a nerve. “Can we not talk about this?”

“Sure, but…”

“Seriously, I don’t really like talking about my father or my life in California, okay? So can we just not?”

He shut up and ate his food, wondering what was so horrible that she couldn’t even talk about it.

Chapter Six

Jessie said good-bye to Red’s family and started to walk down the stairs to her car, when she heard the door open behind her. She turned around, and instead of Red, she discovered his sister MJ behind her.

“Look, I don’t know you, and I know my brother can be an ass sometimes, but he’s got a good heart. Please don’t hurt him.”

Jessie blinked. She’d never been warned off as a heartbreaker before, and it was a little flattering. “We’re not like that… I mean…actually, I have no idea what we are, but I’m not going to hurt your brother.”

“Good, because I like you, and I would hate to have to kick your ass.”

Jessie choked on a laugh. “Me too.”

Red stepped out behind his sister and scowled. “What are you telling her?”

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