Read Online Blissed (Misfit Brides #1) by Jamie Farrell - Free Book Online Page A

bucket was gone, her mouth was dry and she was staring at the closed bedroom door, wondering how the man who symbolized the worst wrong of her life was suddenly so manly.
    She retreated to the living room and paced, rubbing her palms and listening to the occasional snort of laughter or verse of “Itsy Bitsy Spider.”
    CJ appeared a few minutes later. “All set.” He plopped down on the couch and bent to untie his shoe.
    Untie his shoe?
    “You know what?” he said, seemingly oblivious to her sputters at his intention to make himself comfortable.
    “I just realized,” he continued, pulling a long, black-nylon-socked foot from his shoe and flexing his toes, “I didn’t catch your name.”
    Wait.
    He didn’t catch her name?
    He was playing, that much was certain, but an even more mortifying thought occurred.
    He didn’t remember her from the Husband Games five years ago.
    Just when she thought she didn’t have any ego left to bruise.
    He had ruined her life, and he didn’t remember.
    Worse, he had ruined her life, and now he was making himself at home in her home, right beneath where her son slept. “What are you doing?” she blurted.
    He dangled a set of keys. Car key, house key, shop key, all on the Bliss Bridal key ring Dad had used since the 1990s. “In case you hadn’t noticed, your dad’s not in any shape to drive me back to my car tonight.” He plopped the keys on the end table, then went to work on his second shoe.
    “You can’t stay here.”
    He couldn’t. The things the Queen General would do to Natalie if the Exalted Widower did the walk of shame from this house in the morning. 
    How could Dad not realize the implications of bringing CJ here?
    Oh, right. Because CJ had gotten him drunk.
    CJ gave her a look that clearly said she was the fool who didn’t realize he was the king of this castle, then patted the leather couch that was at least a foot too short for him. “Slept on a lot worse. You got a blanket?”
    She gaped at him. There was a quaking in the pit of her stomach that she couldn’t clench. “You can’t stay here.” She lunged for the keys. “I’ll drive you back to your hotel.”
    Not the best option to leave Dad drunk and home alone with Noah, but she had to get CJ out of here before someone saw him. She’d be back in ten minutes. Noah and Dad would be fine.
    CJ scoffed at her. “Lady, I have eleven sisters. No way in hell I’m letting you drive.”
    Did he just—he did. The bastard .
    She curved her lips into a tight smile. “I’m more grateful than you could know that you brought my father home safe, but I’d hate for an honored guest of Bliss to get pulled over smelling like you do.”
    “If my choices are the couch or you behind the wheel, I’ll take the couch.” He lifted a speculative eyebrow. “Unless there’s a bed you wanted to show me?”
    A pleasurable pang knocked on her dormant bits, which only made her want to show him a few other things. Like the door. Maybe with a side serving of humility.
    She had to get him out of here.
    A cab was out of the question. The Queen General would hear about that. Lindsey was half an hour away. Dad was drunk.
    “Why are you doing this?” she half-whispered.
    He stretched back on the couch, hands linked behind his head. His light-green eyes held hers for what felt like longer than her marriage had lasted. His words rumbled out low and rough, as if the question had made him as vulnerable as it made her. “I’m tired. Why are you doing this?”
    For more reasons than she’d tell him face-to-face.
    Thank God they weren’t in a confessional tonight, or she might’ve spilled her guts again. “I know more about Bliss propriety than anyone should have to know,” she said, giving herself a mental pat on the back for not adding because of you . “And I know you need to leave this house before I ruin your reputation.”
    He snorted. “What is this, the Dark Ages?”
    “This is Bliss. And it’s close enough to where