Read Online Kiss This by Hadley Quinn - Free Book Online Page B

a time. She didn’t realize that Teague was right behind her
when she opened the front door until he yanked her back as a plate
came crashing across the entryway.
    Camryn peeked around the door in time to see
her mom about to chuck another one.
    “Mom!” she shouted.
    Serena was startled and dropped the plate,
breaking it in half. She looked down at it and sniffled. “Well, at
least I didn’t have to waste my energy on that one.” She
stared at Camryn, lurking behind the door. “You’re letting the cold
air in.”
    “You’re letting the voices take over.”
    Serena cracked a tiny smile and wiped the
tears from her face. “You’re not funny.”
    Teague muffled a laugh from behind Camryn
and she turned to tell him goodbye. “I got this,” she
whispered.
    “You sure? She seems a little…”
    “Unstable? You think you have the only crazy
family?”
    “Camryn? Who are you talking to?” Serena
questioned. She left the dining room and came towards the front
entry. “I didn’t realize we had company,” she said when she noticed
Teague. She gave Camryn a level gaze, silently scolding her for the
intrusion.
    “Well you’re the one up at one in the
morning, smashing china all over the floor. We heard things
breaking.”
    Teague was holding Camryn’s hand like he was
afraid to let her enter a house with an emotional wreck of a
mother. Camryn didn’t miss that her mom noticed the same thing, and
eventually Serena seemed to relax a little.
    “Come in,” she said, pulling the door open
further. She practically dragged Camryn inside, and pushed Teague
along with her. Shutting the door she said, “I’ll just get a broom
and clean this up. You two can head to the rec room or…or wherever.
Take your shoes off, please.”
    “Mom, just go to bed. I’ll clean this
up.”
    Serena was going to object, but Camryn
slipped off her shoes and led her towards her bedroom anyway. She
held up a finger to Teague, letting him know she’d just be a
minute.
    “Why the hell were you breaking dishes, Mom?
Wasn’t that the really nice set from the china hutch?”
    “It’s not a nice set anymore,” she murmured
with a satisfied smile. “See if that bitch wants ‘em now.”
    “What bitch?”
    “ Caroline ,” Serena spit out. “Lyle’s
ex wife. They’re hers ,” she scowled. “Along with a bunch of
other things she wants to get her greedy hands on.”
    “Why are they here? If they’re hers, why
didn’t she take them in the divorce?”
    “Lyle wouldn’t give her more than he had to.
She raked him for all she could in the settlement, and now that
he’s gone, she’s coming back for more. Oh, if I could just…”
    She began muttering incoherent words as
Camryn helped her into bed. She went to the bathroom, got her mom a
drink of water, and set it by the nightstand before turning out the
lights.
    “Camryn?” her mom called.
    “Yeah?”
    “He’s a little better than just ‘good
looking,’” she said. “That’s Teague, right?”
    Camryn smiled and nodded her head, even
though her mom couldn’t see her in the dark. “Yeah, that’s Teague.
Goodnight, Mom.”
    She shut the door behind her and made her
way down the hall. She heard the tinkling sounds of broken
porcelain when she entered the front living area. Teague was
sweeping up the dishes that had skidded clear across the entryway
and into the front room. She watched him for a moment, enjoying the
opportunity to stare without him noticing.
    Her gazing and reverie only lasted a few
seconds because Teague turned and saw her standing there. He lifted
an eyebrow to ask what she was doing, but when she entered the room
he said, “I found a broom, but not a dustpan.”
    She reached for the handle to take over and
he pulled it away from her.
    “I can manage,” he smiled. “Just find me a
dustpan. And maybe a box or paper bag to put this shit in.”
    She pretended to salute him. “Yes, sir.”
    He swatted her butt with the broom as she
left.