First Kiss Excerpt: TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES
(Sorry I didn't make it back to post another excerpt yesterday -- was busy helping to graduate eighteen seniors, now new alumni!)
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(This excerpt is unedited)
He began unloading his own purchases, aware of her glances in his direction. She slammed the cargo area door closed. After a moment’s pause, she approached him, her shoes clicking on the pavement like angry castanets. Jason settled the bag holding his milk and ice cream in the corner of the truck bed and watched her approach.
The bright security light glinted off the elegant silver studs in her ears. Anger glittered in her eyes, and he stiffened. She marched up to him, her hands resting at her hips. “It’s probably not my place to say this, but I’m going to anyway. This job in Haynes County and your loyalty to your cousin are going to ruin your life. You need to get out, Jason, before you get sucked in.”
“Didn’t we have this same conversation last night?” He nestled a bag of canned goods in front of his milk. “I need this job. I need the money.”
Her gaze flickered toward the bags of groceries, and he could sense the thoughts tumbling through her mind. She thought he was already selling out, taking payoffs.
Sadness settled over her features, tugging the corners of her mouth down, wrinkling her brow. “There are other jobs out there. You don’t have to do this.”
If she only knew. He rubbed a hand over the tightness at his nape. “Yeah, I do.”
“Why?” She threw her hands skyward. “Just tell me why. Make me understand. And don’t give me that crap about family loyalty. The only person Jim Ed has any true loyalty for is himself.”
He shrugged. “He’s faithful about visiting Billy up at Reidsville.”
“Do you really think he’s going to look out for you?” She shook her head, dragging one hand through her hair, the short wisps standing out, begging his fingers to smooth them. “How do you know he’s not setting you up to take the fall for some of his shenanigans?”
A bark of laughter escaped him. “Shenanigans? Did anyone ever tell you, Miss Palmer, that you have an old-fashioned vocabulary?”
She muttered a word sure to have offended the old-fashioned English teacher they’d shared in high school.
He lifted his eyebrows and muffled his laugh this time. With a quick shove, he sent the cart into the buggy corral and turned to face her again. “Why do you care? Does it matter whether you’re slapping cuffs on me or Jim Ed?”
The question brought her up short. He could tell by her rapid blinking. Finally, she nodded. “Yes, it does. I don’t want to see him bring you down, too. You deserve more than that.”
The quiet words ricocheted through his brain. She thought he deserved better. No one – no one – had ever said that. While he tried to digest the idea that the girl who’d always been out of his reach thought him worthy of more than he had, she stepped forward, a hand gentle on his arm. “You have to get out now. Before it goes any further.”
I can’t. The words refused to leave his lips, his brain short-circuiting since all he could focus on was the warmth of her hand against his bare skin. He stared at her, her eyes dark and luminous. The muggy air pressed in on them, enveloping them in the silence of the deserted parking lot. Heat radiated from her skin on his, desire invading his blood stream, traveling through his body.
Don’t do this, man. Step away. Get in the truck and leave her alone before one of you gets hurt. Or dead.
I can’t.
“Jason?” Her lips parted on his name, and the desire hit his gut hard, even weakening his knees for a moment. God, he wanted to taste his name lingering on her full bottom lip.
With a hand on the truck to steady himself, he bent his head and covered those parted lips with his own. Her soft mouth moved against his, and her hand tightened on his arm. Making a small noise in the back of her throat, she swayed closer, and he drank in her unique taste – mint mingled with something sweet and wild.
His tongue danced across her lips, seeking permission to invade. Her palm moved up his arm, then her arms were around his neck, mouth open under his, her body aligned with his. The tip of her tongue tangled with his, tasting, teasing.
With a groan, he backed her against the truck door, not sure his legs would support him. Wanting pulsed in his abdomen, below his belt, through his entire body. He wanted her naked, stretched out beneath him on the purity of her white sheets, making those same breathy little sounds as he made love to her. The image exploded in his brain, and a moment passed before he realized her hands had slid to his chest and she was attempting to lever him away.
He pulled his mouth from hers, his breathing coming in unsteady gasps. Her fingers curved into the oft-washed cotton of his T-shirt. He nuzzled his nose against the curve of her ear. “Go home. Forget this happened.”
She slipped closer, heavy breaths pushing her breasts against his chest. Her cheek brushed his, and her knuckles moved, an inadvertent caress. Her clean scent filled his head. “Say you’ll quit. Get out before it’s too late.”
“I can’t.” Forcing his hands from her body, he reached for the door handle and wrenched the door open, rusty hinges squawking. Feeling her gaze like a continued touch, he climbed into the cab and started the engine. He pulled onto the street, aware of her watching him leave.
***
***
(This excerpt is unedited)
He began unloading his own purchases, aware of her glances in his direction. She slammed the cargo area door closed. After a moment’s pause, she approached him, her shoes clicking on the pavement like angry castanets. Jason settled the bag holding his milk and ice cream in the corner of the truck bed and watched her approach.
The bright security light glinted off the elegant silver studs in her ears. Anger glittered in her eyes, and he stiffened. She marched up to him, her hands resting at her hips. “It’s probably not my place to say this, but I’m going to anyway. This job in Haynes County and your loyalty to your cousin are going to ruin your life. You need to get out, Jason, before you get sucked in.”
“Didn’t we have this same conversation last night?” He nestled a bag of canned goods in front of his milk. “I need this job. I need the money.”
Her gaze flickered toward the bags of groceries, and he could sense the thoughts tumbling through her mind. She thought he was already selling out, taking payoffs.
Sadness settled over her features, tugging the corners of her mouth down, wrinkling her brow. “There are other jobs out there. You don’t have to do this.”
If she only knew. He rubbed a hand over the tightness at his nape. “Yeah, I do.”
“Why?” She threw her hands skyward. “Just tell me why. Make me understand. And don’t give me that crap about family loyalty. The only person Jim Ed has any true loyalty for is himself.”
He shrugged. “He’s faithful about visiting Billy up at Reidsville.”
“Do you really think he’s going to look out for you?” She shook her head, dragging one hand through her hair, the short wisps standing out, begging his fingers to smooth them. “How do you know he’s not setting you up to take the fall for some of his shenanigans?”
A bark of laughter escaped him. “Shenanigans? Did anyone ever tell you, Miss Palmer, that you have an old-fashioned vocabulary?”
She muttered a word sure to have offended the old-fashioned English teacher they’d shared in high school.
He lifted his eyebrows and muffled his laugh this time. With a quick shove, he sent the cart into the buggy corral and turned to face her again. “Why do you care? Does it matter whether you’re slapping cuffs on me or Jim Ed?”
The question brought her up short. He could tell by her rapid blinking. Finally, she nodded. “Yes, it does. I don’t want to see him bring you down, too. You deserve more than that.”
The quiet words ricocheted through his brain. She thought he deserved better. No one – no one – had ever said that. While he tried to digest the idea that the girl who’d always been out of his reach thought him worthy of more than he had, she stepped forward, a hand gentle on his arm. “You have to get out now. Before it goes any further.”
I can’t. The words refused to leave his lips, his brain short-circuiting since all he could focus on was the warmth of her hand against his bare skin. He stared at her, her eyes dark and luminous. The muggy air pressed in on them, enveloping them in the silence of the deserted parking lot. Heat radiated from her skin on his, desire invading his blood stream, traveling through his body.
Don’t do this, man. Step away. Get in the truck and leave her alone before one of you gets hurt. Or dead.
I can’t.
“Jason?” Her lips parted on his name, and the desire hit his gut hard, even weakening his knees for a moment. God, he wanted to taste his name lingering on her full bottom lip.
With a hand on the truck to steady himself, he bent his head and covered those parted lips with his own. Her soft mouth moved against his, and her hand tightened on his arm. Making a small noise in the back of her throat, she swayed closer, and he drank in her unique taste – mint mingled with something sweet and wild.
His tongue danced across her lips, seeking permission to invade. Her palm moved up his arm, then her arms were around his neck, mouth open under his, her body aligned with his. The tip of her tongue tangled with his, tasting, teasing.
With a groan, he backed her against the truck door, not sure his legs would support him. Wanting pulsed in his abdomen, below his belt, through his entire body. He wanted her naked, stretched out beneath him on the purity of her white sheets, making those same breathy little sounds as he made love to her. The image exploded in his brain, and a moment passed before he realized her hands had slid to his chest and she was attempting to lever him away.
He pulled his mouth from hers, his breathing coming in unsteady gasps. Her fingers curved into the oft-washed cotton of his T-shirt. He nuzzled his nose against the curve of her ear. “Go home. Forget this happened.”
She slipped closer, heavy breaths pushing her breasts against his chest. Her cheek brushed his, and her knuckles moved, an inadvertent caress. Her clean scent filled his head. “Say you’ll quit. Get out before it’s too late.”
“I can’t.” Forcing his hands from her body, he reached for the door handle and wrenched the door open, rusty hinges squawking. Feeling her gaze like a continued touch, he climbed into the cab and started the engine. He pulled onto the street, aware of her watching him leave.
***
Labels: Linda's Posts
posted by Linda Winfree at 12:14 PM
1Comments:
Pant--pant--pant.
I Loooooooooooooove first kisses. Can never get enough!
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