When You Only Need To Ask (The House of Sin: The Beginning)

by Hadleigh Stephens

  “I’m a skeleton.” I flush with shame. “You don’t want to touch me.”

  “You intrigue me. You. You fascinate me, not your body. Something about you, Angel.” He groans out the last words. “And we’ve just met under less than ideal circumstances, but you have survived horrible things.” His hand strokes up and down my nape. “I wanna get to know you better.”

  The way he says that sends a rush of heat to my face and my throat goes dry. There’s passion in his words that caress my flesh. My skin grows warm and tingly as his fingers massage my scalp. I sigh as the heat continues building in my body in a slow wave that pools in my belly. Churning, igniting a deeper craving than I could have dreamed. It makes me forget the evil hands that had once traveled the same path over my body.

  His throat works on a hard swallow as his gaze holds mine. “You deserve to be wooed and there’s no way in hell you’re ready for that.”

  “Wooed? Now you sound just like my grandmother.” I draw in a massively deep breath.

  “She had the right of it.” His hand continues with its exploration of my hair, lowering to trail a finger along my jawline. “Believe me, Angel, when I woo you, you won’t be thinking of your grandmother.”

  “Good to know,” I mutter on a shudder.

  His hands bracket my face, his gaze hungry, searing me down to my soul. His lips lower to mine gliding softly sending shivers of sensations straight to my center. Just when it’s getting good, he pulls back and touches my kiss swollen mouth with one finger. He runs the pad along the seam to the corner and then back across.

  He presses his forehead against mine. “You need to rest, my little angel.” He takes another moment to brush a soft kiss across my mouth. The tenderness masquerading in the rough-honed exterior he presents to the world enthralls me. A hint of a smile lurks on my lips when I rest my head back in the crook of his arm.

  “Almost forgot.”

  I lift my head. “What?”

  “Your girls stopped by earlier when you were asleep. Told ‘em to come back tomorrow.”

  “Colt told me they were gonna wait until the morning anyway.”

  “Guess they couldn’t wait.”

  “Good.” I lay down in his arms, snuggling deep into his body. “I need to see them.”

  He holds me for a long time. Doesn’t say anything. Just rubs little circles against my spine, down my arms, then repeats the same steps again.

  “Why does he want to hurt me?” I yawn loudly, another one of those jaw popping yawns that sneaks up on me that I can’t stifle to save my life.

  “I can’t answer that, Angel.”

  My body reacts to the deep rumbling of his masculine voice as if he’s singing a gentle lullaby. My brows draw together, I blink, stirring, then snuggle deeper. The last thing I remember is taking deep, even breaths willing myself to relax and fall asleep.

  “Sleep tight, Angel.”

  And I must have, because I don’t remember anything else.

  Chapter Nine

  Ladies should be frank and cordial toward their lady friends, never gushing

  “You had better start talking and quick, chickadee.” My best friend and assistant, Penelope, wastes no time scooching me over with her hip as she sits down on the edge of the mattress making it dip down to the right. She places her hand on my shoulder shaking hard which resonates throughout my entire body.

  “OhmyGod.” I groan. “You realize I was just in a pretty serious car accident, right?”

  “Sorry.” She moves away and I huff out a deep breath when I hear the remorse in her voice.

  “It’s too early.” I groan, turning away from her voice, I pull the blanket over my head only to have my ears assaulted by yet another voice on the other side of the bed.

  “We’ve got to hurry before that gorgeous sheriff comes back.”

  “Are you freakin’ kidding me?” I drag out my wail, burrowing deeper.

  “Yep, girl, you’ve been holding out on us.” Jen, my other best friend, agrees wholeheartedly. “He’s cute as pie.”

  “How can I have held out on you, I just met the man?” I have no intention of crawling out from beneath the covers and I most definitely have no intention of opening my eyes but I ask, “What time is it?” My guess is they have no idea about the umm…excitement I was forced to endure the night before and I sure as heck ain’t gonna tell ‘em.

  “Time to get your sleepy head out of bed and talk is what time it is,” Penny teases loudly.

  “I was asleep, not deaf.” I cover my ears. I lower the blanket just enough to peek out with one eye. “No seriously, what time is it?”

  “Time to talk,” Jen being her usual agreeable self doesn’t argue with Penny’s evaluation of the situation.

  “Lord have mercy Jesus,” I mutter and give in to their unwavering demands. I slide the blanket all the way from my face, cracking the other eye open, and look directly in to Penny’s bright eyed blue gaze. “Y’all aren’t gonna quit, are ya?”

  “Nope.” Penny folds her arms over her chest, a stance I recognize well, meaning she’s planning on settling in for a long chat.

  “Not on your life.” Jen’s eyes sparkle with mischief. “I’m dying to know how you’re doing and why that gorgeous man was in your room last night.” At the end, her voice is a mere whisper and she leans forward like it’s something we shouldn’t be talking about.

  “Gotta pee.” I grimace because it’s true. I run my tongue over my gritty teeth, sliding the tip over the cut on my lip, and force back a hiss of pain. “And brush my teeth.” Oh God is this what my mouth felt like and tasted like when I kissed Cowboy last night? I bite back another groan.

  “We brought you some stuff and a change of clothes.”

  “Thanks, you’re life savers.” I manage around a yawn pushing myself clumsily up on the bed and easing my legs over the side. “Ow.” I wince, grabbing for my ribs.

  Jen moves to my side helping me to stand. “You okay, sweetie?”

  “Just freakin’ sore.” I rub my hand lightly over my ribcage. “Bruises out the yahoo. My entire body aches.”

  “Girl, you scared the shit out of us.”

  “I hear that’s been going around a lot.”

  Penny sidles up close which doesn’t make any sense because she whispers loud enough for the next room to hear every word she says, “I heard that the new sheriff hauled Nate off to the jailhouse.”

  “How’d you hear that so fast?”

  “He’s so cute,” Jen adds on a deep exhale. Both pay no attention to my question. “But you definitely have a lot of explaining to do. We let you have your privacy with that asshole, but not anymore. Not after this.” She wiggles her finger around in a circle in the direction of my face and I know exactly what she’s pointing at.

  My big black eye for one. I’m pretty sure it’s a beaut.

  “I’m kicking myself for believing everything you told me anyway. I mean you haven’t had a bacon cheeseburger in almost two months.” Her tone relatively sober as she brings this to my attention. “I’m so mad at myself. Damn crappy friend I’ve turned out to be.” Her eyes are damp when she looks at me, her lower lip trembling. “I was actually envious at how thin you were becoming. I’m such a bitch.”

  “It was nobody’s fault but my own.” I lay my hand over Jen’s where it rests on the mattress next to my body and squeeze. I move my eyes worriedly back and forth between my friends. When I feel myself start to fidget, I blurt out, “Nate attacked me last night.”

  “Before your accident?” Jen asks with a glint of anger in her voice.

  “No.”

  “While you were in the hospital?” Penny asks incredulous.

  I nod.

  “Oh, hon.” Penny threads her arm through mine lowering her head to my shoulder.

  “I knew he was too good to be true,” Jen expounds looking at me. “Good riddance.”

  “Ditto,” Penny adds.

  “I figured that out, hon.”

  “Well
I’m glad, now we can move on.” Jen wraps her arms around us both and gives a big squeeze.

  “I can’t breathe, Jen,” I gasp on a giggle.

  “Don’t you ever scare the hell out of me again,” Jen whispers. “Don’t forget I’m here if you want to talk.”

  “Okay, okay, okay.”

  Jen pulls back which allows Penny to let go and I smile at them both. “I’ll do my best to not scare the shit out of you again.”

  “Damn skippy.” Penny’s head nods, her tone more subdued.

  Jen sits back on the edge of mattress swinging her legs back and forth wildly. “Now hurry up so we can talk about that gorgeous specimen of manhood that was in your room while you slept last night.”

  My eyes snap up to Jens. “He was here all night?”

  “We got here about ten-thirty and he was sitting in that chair by the window with a book.”

  Penny raises her brow. “He’d definitely been camping out. Two cups of coffee on the little table and a bag of take-out in the trash can.”

  “Oh.” Why did that revelation make me feel so good?

  Penny places her hand at the small of my back and gently nudges me towards the bathroom. “Clean up and then we’ll get to that explaining to do.”

  “We put your bag in the bathroom,” Jen adds.

  “Oh brother.” I cringe while I gingerly shuffle across the room, favoring my leg. I shut myself in the bathroom with a definitive click of the lock and finally let out a low groan.

  Jen calls through the locked door, “If you’re not out in ten minutes, Kimmie, I’m calling a nurse to get you out.”

  “Whatever,” I retort on a giggle and cringe at the pain that takes over my midriff. “Leave me in peace to straighten up whatever’s goin’ on with all of this craziness.” I make a face, then pull down my cheeks, stretching the skin around my eyes and wince. “It might take longer than ten minutes,” I grumble.

  I stand in front of the mirror with my hands braced on the counter staring critically at myself. I need at this moment to truly open my eyes and see me. See what I’d allowed to happen to myself over the past few months. Wow.

  I feel as if I’ve been punched in the face.

  I look like I’ve been punched in the face.

  Oh, that’s right. I have been punched in the face.

  Silly me.

  I’m a wreck. Straggly hair, dark purple slashes under my eyes not including the ginormous black eye and the cut on my lip. Wow.

  I still look exhausted even though I’ve slept for hours. My eyes are puffy and red and even after sleeping the day away, there are obvious dark slashes under them. I run a hand across my face, then lower my eyes. I’m ashamed of my disheveled appearance. I take a moment to splash water on my pale face, blot it with a towel, and lower it to look at myself in the mirror one more time.

  “There must be something wrong with that sheriff,” I mumble. He must be blind as a bat. I guess I should count that as a blessing because he’s a darn good kisser. “What a bunch of pookie.” I continue mumbling like a mad woman as I rip open the zipper on my overnight bag and dig around in the contents until my hand comes across the brush. I pull it out and attempt to tug it through my hair but it hurts too much to lift my arms, so I toss it back in the bag and dress instead.

  I wrinkle my nose as I tug on the black leggings, T-shirt, and one of Colt’s well-worn oversized flannel shirts that I’d pilfered and never returned. I love this shirt. It’s huge and hangs to about an inch or so above my knees making it perfect for days like this when I feel like I’ve been punched in the face. I stand in front of the mirror with my brows high on my forehead and lift my hands in surrender. “About as good as it’s gonna get, Kimberly,” I murmur right before stepping out of the bathroom.

  “Thanks for the clothes guys. I’m just glad you picked something comfo…” I come to an abrupt stop when I see a pair of large boots in my path. My eyes slowly travel up well-worn denim to a line of pearl snaps that run up the front of a western-shirt past smiling lips that I know way too well, finally looking into his smiling chocolate eyes.

  “Cowboy.” My surprise that he’s standing in the room is more than evident in my tone.

  “Angel,” he says back in his sexy rumble with a crooked smile and deep dimples. With that smile all the worries about how I look fly out the window.

  “I wasn’t expecting to see you this early.”

  He glances down at his watch and back up. “It’s noon.”

  I twist my lips and wrinkle my nose. “Oh.”

  “I still have to ask a few questions I need to ask.”

  My heart thumps erratically behind my ribs and I barely have a chance to catch my breath. “’Kay, Cowboy.” My lips curl up in a tenuous smile.

  A slow easy smile spreads over his face making my toes curl and my concern over what questions he might ask dissipates. After wiping my sweating palms on my thighs, I quickly add, “Let me introduce you to my two best friends.”

  “We’ve had the pleasure of meeting this morning.”

  “Yeah, we’ve met.” Penny giggles, her eyes cutting to me. “Remember?”

  “Holy cow,” Jen whispers under her breath taking a big step closer. She lets out a deep, deep sigh. “Wow,” she drawls out and I bite down hard on the inside of my lip to stop the grin from spreading across my face at the awe she’s expressing at his presence. “How have we not met before today?” I watch with a smile as she runs her hand down his arm.

  “Uh…Jen, can you stop rubbing on the sheriff.”

  His mouth curves up even more before he throws his head back laughing loud and deep. “I love your friends, Angel. They’re frisky like you.” His chocolate brown eyes hold mine for maybe a second longer than necessary. “Nice.” He flashes me a sideways glance.

  I look up at him in surprise, open my mouth to say something but I can’t. I just watch as his eyes travel down my body, all the way to the tips of my toes making them curl some more, and back up to my eyes.

  “Oh girl, your hair is a wreck.” Jen whirls around and trots into the bathroom returning to my side with the brush and an elastic band. I stand still and quiet while she pulls it through the long strands of my hair and try not to wince as the bristles snag at the many snarls. She gathers the long strands creating a long ponytail, making one last pass through my long, shaggy bangs to give them some semblance of order.

  “You’re scaring me in that outfit, Angel.” Cooper’s brow arches and his gaze makes another pass over my body from top to bottom.

  “Huh?” My eyes flit to Penny and then to Jen and notice the delighted grins plastered on their faces.

  “You look like a teenager.” His lips press together like he’s trying not to smile. His eyes scan the room. He even ducks down to look under the bed before glancing around the corner.

  I frown, cocking my hip and plant a hand firmly at my waist. “What the heck are you doing?”

  His eyes return to me at the same time he slides his hands deep into his pockets and rocks back and forth on the balls of his feet. “I’m waiting for the guy from Dateline to step out of the closet.”

  My friends burst out laughing but when I shoot a stern look over my shoulder, they immediately clamp their lips together and the laughter fades.

  I grab at the end of my ponytail, twisting it around my finger with my head tilted to the side. “It must be the ponytail.”

  He takes two large steps forward, the toes of his boots knock against my toes as he halts directly in front of me. He lifts his arms placing his hands on my shoulders, essentially trapping me. “No, not just the ponytail, Angel.”

  My gaze strays to his mouth and those intriguing dimples that dent his cheeks. My fingers itch to touch them again, so I ball them into tight fists appreciating the feel of my nails pressing into my skin and picturing the little half-moon indentions they are making to keep my mind off of touching him.

  “It’s not?”

  “You’re all scrubbed fresh and—clean.”
He grins, cocking an eyebrow at me. “It’s kinda sexy and—scary as hell—and sexy.”

  “You said that already.”

  “Believe me, I remember.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see his hand move and he touches my face like I long to do to him. His fingers trail over my jaw, his thumb barely skimming over my lips. He only stops when the pad of his thumb brushes over the scabbed over split at the corner. His eyes darken just a fraction like seeing the wound brought back the anger all over again.

  “I don’t get the scary?” I stare up at him all wide-eyed.

  His chin dips, his right brow lifts. “I’m the sheriff. Not good to be seen with a woman who looks like a sweet little girl. Could get me into some deep shi…trouble.”

  My mouth falls open. “Hush.” I actually giggle, kicking at his shin, albeit light and albeit shoeless and he still takes a step back with a half-hearted grunt like I’d actually caused him injury. Definitely wasn’t hard enough to do any damage. Behind us I hear Jen and Penny’s guffaws grow louder with each passing second reminding me that they’re witnessing everything. “Now you’re just being plain silly.”

  He flashes that sexy grin. Dimple flashing, eyes crinkling up at the corners sexy grin. One of the sexiest grins I’ve seen. He looks beyond my shoulder and throws a wink in Penny and Jen’s direction. Not caring that they can see every little thing he’s doing, both hands curl around the back of my neck and he leans down to rest his forehead against mine, yet he keeps his body a good foot away. “How ya doin’, Angel?”

  “Fine.”

  “Are you always fine?” His head dips down. His face serious, intense.

  He spears me in place and I shift a little nervously on my feet. “Yep.” His head moves back and forth causing his forehead to rock against mine.

  Penny surprises me, nearly making me jump when she taps my shoulder. “We’ll talk to ya later. Okay?” Penny’s tone is one of immense amusement.