Read Online Loch and Key by Shelli Stevens - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shelli Stevens
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back inside, almost wishing he’d punched the guy after all.
“If you don’t believe me, it’s fine. I’m quite used to it by now.”
What the hell kind of statement was that? “Why would I not believe you?”
“Why would you? Either way, you don’t really know me.”
Crap, and that was completely his fault. “Maybe not, but you’re not a complete stranger to me, and it’s obvious that guy’s a first class D-bag.”
“He is,” she agreed.
“And I know enough about you to realize you wouldn’t lie about something this serious.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry that happened to you, Kenzie. Both what happened five minutes ago, and back then.”
She glanced up, seeming to search his face to see if he were being honest. She must’ve decided he was, because she relaxed a bit and nodded.
“Thank you. As I said, it was quite a while ago.”
“Still, I hope he nearly rotted while serving time.” He unlocked his truck and helped her in. “Though clearly if he’s out now he didn’t serve nearly enough.”
She climbed past him into the cab of the pickup. “He didn’t serve any.”
His vision went red. “How in the hell does that happen? Did he get some bullshit community service sentence or something?”
“He was found not guilty. Technically, that upstanding citizen you had the pleasure of running into just now has a pristine record.”
Brett’s teeth snapped together as he shut Kenzie’s door and moved around the truck to the passenger side.
Pristine record? Bullshit. If the man had gotten away with nearly raping a woman once, there was a good chance he’d succeeded after Kenzie.
Charles Richland. He’d have to remember that name and face.
Once he was settled behind the wheel, he hesitated before starting the ignition. Another thought began to creep in.
Kenzie had been almost skittish on their one date all those months ago. Seeming to fear being alone with him, and especially when he’d walked her out to the car. She’d almost gone into a panic.
Now he suspected the reason was because of the attack by that Richland guy.
“Are you waiting for something?”
He started the truck and shrugged. “Just lost in thought. Where are we going?”
She gave him directions so that he had a general idea of where to go. Driving down the highway, he murmured, “You seem to have bad luck with men.”
Kenzie gave a choked gasp of disbelief. “Really? You’re going to say that to me?”
“Maybe I shouldn’t,” he agreed. “It just started to sink in.”
“Aye, you should include yourself among that bloody list of men then.”
He didn’t even deflect that blow, because he deserved it. “I do, and I’m sorry.”
He felt her gaze on him. Hard. Questioning.
“I know it’s been over a half a year since that night, but are you going to tell me why, Brett? I thought we had a pretty good connection. I had fun. Silly me, but I thought you enjoyed yourself too—”
“I did enjoy myself.”
“You did,” she repeated hesitantly. “Then why did you drop me on my arse? When you were so persistent in getting me to go out with you in the first place? Was it because I didn’t sleep with you that night?”
How did he answer that? He’d been raised in a family where he was taught the truth was the easiest answer. Not always the most pleasant, but often the easiest. When you were honest, you didn’t have to keep track of the lies you told.
“Partly, yes.” He glanced over in time to see hurt flash across her face.
“I’ll give you credit for having the balls to admit it,” she muttered, looking away.
“It’s not in my nature to lie. I did want to sleep with you, Kenzie. When I came there that night, the only thoughts in my head were of finding you and ultimately getting you into my bed.”
She made a soft grunt of disgust and kept her gaze out the window.
“But then there was dinner and we connected on this deeper level. Then there was the tiny kiss that turned out to be so
“If you don’t believe me, it’s fine. I’m quite used to it by now.”
What the hell kind of statement was that? “Why would I not believe you?”
“Why would you? Either way, you don’t really know me.”
Crap, and that was completely his fault. “Maybe not, but you’re not a complete stranger to me, and it’s obvious that guy’s a first class D-bag.”
“He is,” she agreed.
“And I know enough about you to realize you wouldn’t lie about something this serious.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry that happened to you, Kenzie. Both what happened five minutes ago, and back then.”
She glanced up, seeming to search his face to see if he were being honest. She must’ve decided he was, because she relaxed a bit and nodded.
“Thank you. As I said, it was quite a while ago.”
“Still, I hope he nearly rotted while serving time.” He unlocked his truck and helped her in. “Though clearly if he’s out now he didn’t serve nearly enough.”
She climbed past him into the cab of the pickup. “He didn’t serve any.”
His vision went red. “How in the hell does that happen? Did he get some bullshit community service sentence or something?”
“He was found not guilty. Technically, that upstanding citizen you had the pleasure of running into just now has a pristine record.”
Brett’s teeth snapped together as he shut Kenzie’s door and moved around the truck to the passenger side.
Pristine record? Bullshit. If the man had gotten away with nearly raping a woman once, there was a good chance he’d succeeded after Kenzie.
Charles Richland. He’d have to remember that name and face.
Once he was settled behind the wheel, he hesitated before starting the ignition. Another thought began to creep in.
Kenzie had been almost skittish on their one date all those months ago. Seeming to fear being alone with him, and especially when he’d walked her out to the car. She’d almost gone into a panic.
Now he suspected the reason was because of the attack by that Richland guy.
“Are you waiting for something?”
He started the truck and shrugged. “Just lost in thought. Where are we going?”
She gave him directions so that he had a general idea of where to go. Driving down the highway, he murmured, “You seem to have bad luck with men.”
Kenzie gave a choked gasp of disbelief. “Really? You’re going to say that to me?”
“Maybe I shouldn’t,” he agreed. “It just started to sink in.”
“Aye, you should include yourself among that bloody list of men then.”
He didn’t even deflect that blow, because he deserved it. “I do, and I’m sorry.”
He felt her gaze on him. Hard. Questioning.
“I know it’s been over a half a year since that night, but are you going to tell me why, Brett? I thought we had a pretty good connection. I had fun. Silly me, but I thought you enjoyed yourself too—”
“I did enjoy myself.”
“You did,” she repeated hesitantly. “Then why did you drop me on my arse? When you were so persistent in getting me to go out with you in the first place? Was it because I didn’t sleep with you that night?”
How did he answer that? He’d been raised in a family where he was taught the truth was the easiest answer. Not always the most pleasant, but often the easiest. When you were honest, you didn’t have to keep track of the lies you told.
“Partly, yes.” He glanced over in time to see hurt flash across her face.
“I’ll give you credit for having the balls to admit it,” she muttered, looking away.
“It’s not in my nature to lie. I did want to sleep with you, Kenzie. When I came there that night, the only thoughts in my head were of finding you and ultimately getting you into my bed.”
She made a soft grunt of disgust and kept her gaze out the window.
“But then there was dinner and we connected on this deeper level. Then there was the tiny kiss that turned out to be so
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