Page 74 of Bad Decisions & Back Roads

“You want me to take this slow again or go hard?”I asked.

“I don’t want controlled Timothy.I want you.Right now.”

I kissed her hard, encouraged her to wrap her legs around my waist, and entered her just as hard as my next kiss.She slid away from me.I caught her butt and pulled her back toward me with a short laugh.“You’re running away from me again.”

She laughed softly and braced her hands against the seat.I adjusted the angle and plunged hard.

“Holy shit…” She gasped.She grabbed onto my arms to try to hold herself in place.

I laughed but I kept the angle deep.No condom, feeling the heat of her… it was all getting to me fast.I could tell by the hitch in her breathing she was there too.“Come for me, beautiful.”

She didn’t, but I could tell she was close.I whispered, “I’ve got you.”

A scream detonated from her.She pulled me in and clamped down so tight, I felt everything go tense in a line down my back.With a blinding explosion and possibly a yell of my own, everything went white and dark for me at once.I almost fell on top of her, but I caught myself and stilled, panting.

She released a shaky breath and blinked at me.She realized her hand was in my hair, clenching, and she let go.“My world is still spinning.”

I kissed along her jaw and neck, all the way to her collarbone, unable to come up with anything articulate.

I pushed away to help her sit up.“We need food.Youneed food.”

“Solid plan.But maybe…” She bit her lip and stared around the truck.“After we eat we could come up with something else in here?I have ideas.”

A laugh exploded out of me.“You’re trouble.”

“Perhaps, but…” She kissed me and then blinked up slowly.“You like it.”

I side-eyed her as I adjusted my pants.“Maybe a little bit.”

* * *

Back on the tailgate,we ate our sandwiches in a silence that felt warm and fragile.

I said, “I heard your father found you at the hospital while Misty was having her treatment.”

Her head turned slowly.“How did you hear that?”

I exhaled a humorless breath.“Small town.”

“The hospital is two towns over.”

“News still travels.”My gaze dropped to her wrists, my stomach tightening as I searched for bruises, fingerprints or anything fresh that would confirm what I already feared.“Are you okay?”

For a second, she didn’t answer.She stared down at the sandwich in her hands like she’d forgotten it was there.Then quietly, “He took away my sister’s health insurance.”

Rage flared hot and immediate in my chest, even though I already knew.

She whispered, “He keeps pushing me to help him dig up dirt on you.Wants me to do something to hurt you.I keep telling him no, and every time I do, he gets meaner.”Her voice thinned.She swallowed hard, staring over the lake like she couldn’t bear to look at me for this next part.“Then he threatened Sofia.”

My whole body went still.I may have heard it before, but for her to confirm it hit so hard I tasted metal.“What?”

“I don’t know that I’ve ever been that angry.I said some things to get him to back off, but…” She shook her head, eyes bright with tears she clearly refused to let fall.“Him being furious at you or your family for whatever is one thing.He knows ya’ll are dangerous and will kick his ass.”Her voice hardened, turning razor-sharp.“But him threatening your little girl?”She blinked up to meet my gaze.“That’s a line no decent human being crosses.”

“He’s never been decent.He’s also never respected lines.”

“I told him I’d shoot him in the head if he came near her, if you didn’t get him first.”

I smiled at her, fully supportive of her declaration.