eased and soft curves settled against him.
"Would you like me to help you clean up the kitchen?" he asked.
"No, I can do it."
A sharp pain made him pull his teeth off his bottom lip, which he'd unknowingly bit while trying to hold off the new urges taking over his body. The cool night air would do him some good.
"I'm going to go see what Joe needs, and then I'll carry those clothes in for you." The need was so strong he had to place one more kiss on her hair before he released her. 104
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
Jessie stepped back, lifting apologetic eyes. She ran both hands over her face, which caused the globs to smear further across her delicate skin. "Thank you," she murmured. Kid lifted a cloth off the counter and wiped the smudges from both of her cheeks. "You're welcome." He fought the need to kiss her again. A real, solid kiss like last night. He set the cloth down and turned for the door. His cheeks once again grew warm at the thought of facing Joe after the unusual position the man had caught him in. Damn . He hadn't been embarrassed for years. Now it had happened two days in a row.
"Kid?" Her voice stopped him as he grasped the door handle.
The way she said his name, soft and sweet sounding, made his knees weak. "Yes?" he croaked.
"Who's the new fellow Joe needs to talk to you about?" He took a deep breath. His cheeks puffed as he blew it out, not wanting to answer, but knowing he had to, he said, "Your brother."
A deep frown covered her face. "R-Russell's here?" He nodded. "I brought him home with me." One tiny hand stretched forward as she stepped toward him. Something close to fear filled her eyes. "Can, can I just say in advance, I'm sorry? For whatever he may do, I'm sorry. Please know I don't have control over what he does. II..." He took the out-stretched hand. Clammy and cold, the fingers shook beneath his.
105
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
"Jessie, I won't ever hold you accountable for someone else's actions." He ran his fingers over the thin digits.
"Anything Russell does, Russell will have to correct. Not you. I promise, you won't have to pay for his dealings ever again." He carried the fingers to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. "Trust me."
She gave a slight nod.
"Good, now do up the dishes. I'll be back with the trunks in a few minutes."
"Trunks?"
Happy to see the shine come back into her eyes, he nodded. "Yes, Stephanie sent two trunks full of clothes for you to go through."
"Two trunks full?" A wide smile covered her face. His heart skipped a beat. "Yes, sweetheart, two trunks full." He gave her hand a final squeeze before he released it and walked out the door.
As the door clicked shut, Jessie's shoulders slumped. A solid lump formed in the pit of her stomach. Russell was here. Today had been the best day of her life, mostly because not once had she worried about what Russell was up to, and how it would cause havoc.
Sammy brushed against her leg and lifted his head, big brown eyes asking what was wrong.
"It's not that I don't love my brother, I do. I just don't like how he refuses to work, to do anything constructive and long term. All he ever focuses on are ways to make money so he can live the good life. It's all he talks about." She ran a hand 106
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
over his wide head, happy she had someone to talk to. The dog had become her friend, the best one she'd ever had.
"Oh, Sammy, he's bound to mess things up again." Frustrated, Jessie slapped at her thighs. A puff of flour rose to float around her legs. "Goodness!" The washroom off the kitchen stood before her. A room she had yet to venture into. For some reason it seemed too intimate of an area.
"Would Kid mind if I used it?" she asked the dog. Sammy padded across the floor, stopped near the door and barked. Her feet moved toward the room, and her fingers plucked at the front of the dress.
"Would you like me to help you clean up the kitchen?" he asked.
"No, I can do it."
A sharp pain made him pull his teeth off his bottom lip, which he'd unknowingly bit while trying to hold off the new urges taking over his body. The cool night air would do him some good.
"I'm going to go see what Joe needs, and then I'll carry those clothes in for you." The need was so strong he had to place one more kiss on her hair before he released her. 104
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
Jessie stepped back, lifting apologetic eyes. She ran both hands over her face, which caused the globs to smear further across her delicate skin. "Thank you," she murmured. Kid lifted a cloth off the counter and wiped the smudges from both of her cheeks. "You're welcome." He fought the need to kiss her again. A real, solid kiss like last night. He set the cloth down and turned for the door. His cheeks once again grew warm at the thought of facing Joe after the unusual position the man had caught him in. Damn . He hadn't been embarrassed for years. Now it had happened two days in a row.
"Kid?" Her voice stopped him as he grasped the door handle.
The way she said his name, soft and sweet sounding, made his knees weak. "Yes?" he croaked.
"Who's the new fellow Joe needs to talk to you about?" He took a deep breath. His cheeks puffed as he blew it out, not wanting to answer, but knowing he had to, he said, "Your brother."
A deep frown covered her face. "R-Russell's here?" He nodded. "I brought him home with me." One tiny hand stretched forward as she stepped toward him. Something close to fear filled her eyes. "Can, can I just say in advance, I'm sorry? For whatever he may do, I'm sorry. Please know I don't have control over what he does. II..." He took the out-stretched hand. Clammy and cold, the fingers shook beneath his.
105
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
"Jessie, I won't ever hold you accountable for someone else's actions." He ran his fingers over the thin digits.
"Anything Russell does, Russell will have to correct. Not you. I promise, you won't have to pay for his dealings ever again." He carried the fingers to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. "Trust me."
She gave a slight nod.
"Good, now do up the dishes. I'll be back with the trunks in a few minutes."
"Trunks?"
Happy to see the shine come back into her eyes, he nodded. "Yes, Stephanie sent two trunks full of clothes for you to go through."
"Two trunks full?" A wide smile covered her face. His heart skipped a beat. "Yes, sweetheart, two trunks full." He gave her hand a final squeeze before he released it and walked out the door.
As the door clicked shut, Jessie's shoulders slumped. A solid lump formed in the pit of her stomach. Russell was here. Today had been the best day of her life, mostly because not once had she worried about what Russell was up to, and how it would cause havoc.
Sammy brushed against her leg and lifted his head, big brown eyes asking what was wrong.
"It's not that I don't love my brother, I do. I just don't like how he refuses to work, to do anything constructive and long term. All he ever focuses on are ways to make money so he can live the good life. It's all he talks about." She ran a hand 106
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
over his wide head, happy she had someone to talk to. The dog had become her friend, the best one she'd ever had.
"Oh, Sammy, he's bound to mess things up again." Frustrated, Jessie slapped at her thighs. A puff of flour rose to float around her legs. "Goodness!" The washroom off the kitchen stood before her. A room she had yet to venture into. For some reason it seemed too intimate of an area.
"Would Kid mind if I used it?" she asked the dog. Sammy padded across the floor, stopped near the door and barked. Her feet moved toward the room, and her fingers plucked at the front of the dress.
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