Welcome to Bluestone 1 - Bluestone homecoming (26 page)

“Really?” She folded her arms under her
breasts and leaned against the rail. “Because I remember getting
naked with you in the back of that Buick.” It had been her first
time, and his. Yet instead of fumbling, he’d been so gentle and
sweet and—best not to think about that. She wanted to turn away
from that memory, but then…the whole weakness thing. She leveled a
gaze at him. “I’m sure you’ve been naked with plenty of girls
since.”

His mouth twisted as he glanced toward the
back door, like he was worried Linda would overhear. “Beth.”

Suddenly making him as uncomfortable as she
was no longer held its appeal. “Don’t worry about it, Maddox.
You’re back, I’m still here, no big. It’ll be good for the town
that you’re here.” God, she was such a liar. But was she really
strong enough to ask him to leave? She relaxed her stance a bit,
because he had been her first. “It’s not a problem. And thank you
for helping with Jonas. But you should probably go now.”

He rested his hand on the doorknob, but his
body was turned toward her as if he was reluctant to leave. “Okay.
I’ll see you tomorrow night then.”

Not if she could help it.

Beth looked good. He shouldn’t be thinking
that as he drove away from her tiny house on the edge of town. He’d
left her behind once, and he sure as hell wasn’t staying here long.
But the years had been good to her, her figure had filled out past
that skinny girl in the back of the Buick. She was strong, but God,
she was bitter. He’d been afraid that would happen after her mama
died and her daddy stopped coming home and she was left with a
ten-year-old, a six-year-old and a two-year-old to raise. He hadn’t
thought to ask what had happened to her brothers. She seemed to
have her hands full enough with Linda. Where were Adam and Joey
when she needed them?

Of course, if they’d managed to escape
Bluestone, she wouldn’t have called them back to help her out. She
would have been happy to see them on their way. But doing it all on
her own was taking its toll. He hated seeing her unhappy, and
knowing that somewhere down the road, he was responsible for
it.

If only he could make sure she was happy
again before he left this time.