Read Online Got Thrills? A Boxed Set (A McCray Collection) by Carolyn McCray - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carolyn McCray
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“But aren’t you just the least bit interested in who was in full costume in the Y’s steam room?”
“Nope. Not at all. But hey, if you want to head out, go for it.”
Unfortunately, Darby decided that this was the perfect moment to begin howling. Not just uttering loudly—actually howling like a wolf.
Ruth indicated the holding cell. “So, you could go back to the YMCA with me and poke around, or listen to that all night, alone .”
“Damn you, woman,” Paxton grumbled as he unlocked his drawer and got his gun. “And your lesser-of-two-evils logic.”
Ruth grinned as she headed toward the door. Watching how her pants hugged the curve of her rear, Paxton was suddenly glad he decided to go along.
CHAPTER 4
All Hallow’s Eve
Cecilia folded yet another school shirt. She really should do laundry more often, but then that would involve going into Jeremy’s room and—ugh—her mom’s room. Which would be fine if their dirty clothes were actually in their clothes hampers. Of course, that would be just too easy. Instead, Cecilia always ended up crawling under beds and chairs.
How hard was it to throw the dirty clothes in the direction of the hampers?
She stopped her internal haranguing as she found one of her old sundresses. Did she really once wear pink and yellow? The dress was only from last year, yet it seemed to belong to a different person. That person smiled easily and went to pool parties and picnics.
Cecilia put it up against her body. It would probably still fit. In a rare moment of whimsy, Cecilia slipped the dress on and turned to the mirror. She could remember wearing it, but now it didn’t feel the same. Those dark circles under her eyes haunted her. Even wearing the dress, she could never capture the happiness from before.
Still, a part of her yearned for escape. Even just a night out, dancing and laughing. Cecilia looked around her room. It still held happy memories. The pictures decorating the edges of her heart-shaped mirror. The poster of a fuzzy kitten sleeping. Her cheerleading trophies.
She imagined going to a school function and having Michael ask her to dance. She, of course, would demur. Because Cory, the hunky wide receiver, had already asked for her hand. Or would it be Tyler, the math geek with the quirky sense of humor?
Could she really go out and—
The smoke alarm burst through her musings. Cecilia bolted out of her room and down the stairs. Smoke wafted up from the kitchen. Her mother was fanning something flaming on the stove.
“No, Mom! That will only make it worse!” Cecilia yelled, but her mother kept at it. “Get out of the way!” she yelled again, as she grabbed the pot lid and slammed it over the burning chicken.
As the smoke cleared, her mother stammered, “I was just trying to make dinner and I don’t… I don’t know what happened.”
Of course, an empty bottle of red wine on the counter explained it to Cecilia. Her mother had the best of intentions, but she just couldn’t seem to execute them.
Jeremy burst into the room, winded. Seeing that Cecilia had the fire under control, he pulled a chair over, climbed up, and turned off the smoke alarm. Unfortunately for both of them, this was not their first brush with this situation. Sometimes it was in her mom’s bedroom after a dangling cigarette smoldered on a pillow. Heck, it even happened in the bathroom with candles once.
“You talk about me!” Jeremy yelled. “Crap! At least I don’t try and set the house on fire!”
“And exactly where have you been all day?” Cecilia countered. While he wasn’t wrong, his delinquency still grated on her nerves.
“That’s none of your business!” her brother shouted.
“Fine! Then get back to your room.”
Her brother turned on his heel. “Gladly!”
The sound of angry footsteps racing up the stairs filled the room. As his door slammed shut, her mother sat down hard at the kitchen table.
“I’m so sorry.” Was her mom slurring her
“But aren’t you just the least bit interested in who was in full costume in the Y’s steam room?”
“Nope. Not at all. But hey, if you want to head out, go for it.”
Unfortunately, Darby decided that this was the perfect moment to begin howling. Not just uttering loudly—actually howling like a wolf.
Ruth indicated the holding cell. “So, you could go back to the YMCA with me and poke around, or listen to that all night, alone .”
“Damn you, woman,” Paxton grumbled as he unlocked his drawer and got his gun. “And your lesser-of-two-evils logic.”
Ruth grinned as she headed toward the door. Watching how her pants hugged the curve of her rear, Paxton was suddenly glad he decided to go along.
CHAPTER 4
All Hallow’s Eve
Cecilia folded yet another school shirt. She really should do laundry more often, but then that would involve going into Jeremy’s room and—ugh—her mom’s room. Which would be fine if their dirty clothes were actually in their clothes hampers. Of course, that would be just too easy. Instead, Cecilia always ended up crawling under beds and chairs.
How hard was it to throw the dirty clothes in the direction of the hampers?
She stopped her internal haranguing as she found one of her old sundresses. Did she really once wear pink and yellow? The dress was only from last year, yet it seemed to belong to a different person. That person smiled easily and went to pool parties and picnics.
Cecilia put it up against her body. It would probably still fit. In a rare moment of whimsy, Cecilia slipped the dress on and turned to the mirror. She could remember wearing it, but now it didn’t feel the same. Those dark circles under her eyes haunted her. Even wearing the dress, she could never capture the happiness from before.
Still, a part of her yearned for escape. Even just a night out, dancing and laughing. Cecilia looked around her room. It still held happy memories. The pictures decorating the edges of her heart-shaped mirror. The poster of a fuzzy kitten sleeping. Her cheerleading trophies.
She imagined going to a school function and having Michael ask her to dance. She, of course, would demur. Because Cory, the hunky wide receiver, had already asked for her hand. Or would it be Tyler, the math geek with the quirky sense of humor?
Could she really go out and—
The smoke alarm burst through her musings. Cecilia bolted out of her room and down the stairs. Smoke wafted up from the kitchen. Her mother was fanning something flaming on the stove.
“No, Mom! That will only make it worse!” Cecilia yelled, but her mother kept at it. “Get out of the way!” she yelled again, as she grabbed the pot lid and slammed it over the burning chicken.
As the smoke cleared, her mother stammered, “I was just trying to make dinner and I don’t… I don’t know what happened.”
Of course, an empty bottle of red wine on the counter explained it to Cecilia. Her mother had the best of intentions, but she just couldn’t seem to execute them.
Jeremy burst into the room, winded. Seeing that Cecilia had the fire under control, he pulled a chair over, climbed up, and turned off the smoke alarm. Unfortunately for both of them, this was not their first brush with this situation. Sometimes it was in her mom’s bedroom after a dangling cigarette smoldered on a pillow. Heck, it even happened in the bathroom with candles once.
“You talk about me!” Jeremy yelled. “Crap! At least I don’t try and set the house on fire!”
“And exactly where have you been all day?” Cecilia countered. While he wasn’t wrong, his delinquency still grated on her nerves.
“That’s none of your business!” her brother shouted.
“Fine! Then get back to your room.”
Her brother turned on his heel. “Gladly!”
The sound of angry footsteps racing up the stairs filled the room. As his door slammed shut, her mother sat down hard at the kitchen table.
“I’m so sorry.” Was her mom slurring her
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