Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 74875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
“Tate isn’t good for you, or for your father. He’s a bad kid, and always has been. His mother is a whore, and I’m sure that his sister is, too.” She paused for a breath. “That father of his was the only smart one in the bunch, leaving before he got sucked into their demented vortex.” She smiled like she was imparting some great news to me. “I saw him a few weeks ago. He has a new wife and kids. They’re much more well rounded than Tate Casey is.”
I stiffened with each added jibe.
By the time she’d stopped to see what I thought was my understanding, I’d been ready to throat punch her.
“You wouldn’t be a good match,” she continued when she saw what was likely the anger on my face.
The basket I’d grabbed on the way into the store, one of the small ones that you held in the crook of your arm, felt like a lead weight around my arm.
“And he got another girl pregnant years ago, and just decided to kill that girl so he didn’t have to deal with the kid.”
I reached forward and dropped the lube into my basket.
Each time she said something, I dropped another thing in it.
“The kid’s dying, and he just now saw her yesterday.”
I picked up the ribbed condoms and put them in the basket, too.
“I saw Ariya and her together a few hours ago. Doing everything by themselves,” she continued. “Tate’s a piece of trash.”
By the time she stopped talking because she heard the door at the front open, announcing another customer, I’d filled my basket almost completely full.
I had condoms—four different types. Ribbed, for her pleasure. Ultra thin. Lubed. And glow in the dark.
I also had at least eight different types of lube, massage gel, and what looked to be an anal douche…which I was fairly sure I’d never be using.
But the look on her face when I added each one to the basket was too perfect, and now she would have to check me out.
Grinning, I made a detour to the cold food section, got two bottles of whipped cream, and then got my bread.
Once I arrived at the checkout, Maria was there ringing up another one of my father’s congregation, Don Williams.
I took the basket and upended it on the conveyor belt, then stared at Don for a few long seconds before saying, “I’m in a serious relationship with Tate Casey, and we have lots of awesome sex. I don’t care that he has a daughter. No, I don’t care that his mother sleeps with married men. No, I don’t care that his father left him, because I will be there for him if he ever needs or wants that support. Also, I’m fairly sure that I won’t be needing these condoms because we like to get messy.”
Don’s eyes widened into what resembled saucers.
“Good to know that, darlin’.”
I bit my lip and looked at the other customer that I’d sensed coming up behind me during my tirade.
And winced.
Had I known that it was him behind me, I definitely wouldn’t have said anything. He didn’t need to know what the town thought of his family, as well as our relationship.
He had bread in his own hand.
How the hell had I not seen him when I’d gone to that aisle? We’d have to literally pass right by each other to get to that particular part of the store.
I blushed.
“I…”
He laughed and pulled me into his chest.
“Don’t worry about it baby,” he said. “But,” his eyes went down to my pile of goodies that Maria was still glaring at. “You can ditch the condoms. You’re right. We won’t be needing them.”
Then he reached forward and took all of the condoms out, setting them on top of the candy that was above the belt.
I had the sudden urge to throw myself at him.
Normally, I might not have done it.
But that was the old Hennessy, the one who cared what her dad thought.
The new Hennessy, the one that was a free spirit now thanks to the man standing next to her, she liked showing her man how much he meant to her.
Which was why I threaded my arms around his neck, pulled him down to my mouth, and fused my lips to his.
The kiss quickly ended up getting out of hand.
One second I was kissing him with just a little bit of tongue, and the next he practically had me leaning over the checkout counter.
“I have the right to refuse service!” Maria cried. “Get out of my store!”
“That’s like a hundred dollars worth of stuff,” came a soft reply. “I’ll get you over here.”
I looked over at Lark and grinned. “Thanks.”
I scooped everything up, holding some of it in my tank top, which caused my belly to become exposed and Maria’s eyes to get even bigger, and dropped it all on Lark’s counter.