Read Online Worth the Trouble (St. James #2) by Jamie Beck - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jamie Beck
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Fun!” A fiery shade of scarlet stained Hank’s neck. His sea-glass-colored eyes turned as charcoal as thunderclouds as he spoke. “So being the subject of a bet between two assholes over who would get you in bed first is fun?”
“You’re crazy.” Outrage chased away the remnants of her headache. “We weren’t betting anything.”
“ You weren’t in on the bet.” His hands left his hips and flew through the air in emphasis. “Those jerks made the bet in the men’s room then, minutes later, had you doing shots. Rather than cause a scene in the middle of the reception, I waited for the chance to get you away from them.”
He folded his expressive, powerful arms in front of his chest. Cat was still processing his remarks when he quipped, “You’re welcome, by the way.”
Earlier that morning, Cat had thought she couldn’t feel more disgraced. Apparently, she’d been wrong.
Her eyes began to sting, but she’d be damned if she’d let anyone see her cry. She stared at the ceiling and blinked back tears.
Hank’s eyes narrowed. “What now?”
She cast her eyes to the floor, debating her response. Marshaling whatever reserves of pride that remained, she coolly met his gaze.
“I’ve been highly paid to be used as a sex object to sell things. Guess I can’t complain when men objectify me now, can I?” Cat enveloped her waist with her arms, in a protective cocoon. “I’ve made my bed, so to speak.”
“Is that what you think?” Hank grabbed her bicep and stuck his face so close to hers their noses nearly touched. The tension in his hand traveled to her core as he rasped, “Do you really think you deserve abuse because companies use your image to sell stuff?”
Obviously she must, otherwise she would never have put up with Justin for so long.
“My choices have consequences, and this is one of them.” And probably not the last or worst of them, either . “Ever since my first magazine cover, I’ve been swarmed by men, but they’ve all been users, phonies, or jerks.”
He abruptly released her and stepped backward.
“I know that’s not true.” Hank’s compassion faded, and his face turned to granite. “Maybe it’s just that you’re only attracted to the assholes.”
“What?” Cat replayed their last few remarks in her head and realized why he’d suddenly become offended. “Oh, wait. I didn’t mean you, Hank.”
“You know what, it doesn’t matter. Go pack, Cat. Jackson will be waiting.” Hank turned to leave. “I’m going to finish my breakfast.”
“With Amy?”
Hank halted and faced her. “If she’s still there, then yes.”
“Is she the reason you didn’t stay with me last night?” Cat held her breath, having surprised herself with the reckless question.
His gaze drifted down the hallway while he formed a response.
“No,” he said. Unexpected optimism sprouted in Cat, until he looked at her through narrowed eyes and spoke again. “You’re the reason why I didn’t stay.”
“What’s that mean?” She frowned, nearly reaching for his arm.
“Figure it out,” Hank muttered before ambling away without glancing back.
Mom,
I rejected Hank last year; he rejected me last night. We’re even now, right? Don’t think I can’t see you shaking your head at me for keeping score. I hope last night is the last of my embarrassing behavior where that man is concerned. What is it about him that makes me so irrational?
Whatever happens next, I must hold my head high, like Dad always expects. He’s so unlike you in that way. You never thought twice about showing every emotion. How freeing that must be.
C HAPTER F IVE
H ank rubbed both hands over his face as he strode outside. Every single time he interacted with Cat, she pushed all his buttons—good and bad—leaving him revved up and confused.
Jackson was normal. David thought clearly. What the hell happened to make Cat such a hot mess? And dammit, how could he both love and hate his own mixed-up response to
“You’re crazy.” Outrage chased away the remnants of her headache. “We weren’t betting anything.”
“ You weren’t in on the bet.” His hands left his hips and flew through the air in emphasis. “Those jerks made the bet in the men’s room then, minutes later, had you doing shots. Rather than cause a scene in the middle of the reception, I waited for the chance to get you away from them.”
He folded his expressive, powerful arms in front of his chest. Cat was still processing his remarks when he quipped, “You’re welcome, by the way.”
Earlier that morning, Cat had thought she couldn’t feel more disgraced. Apparently, she’d been wrong.
Her eyes began to sting, but she’d be damned if she’d let anyone see her cry. She stared at the ceiling and blinked back tears.
Hank’s eyes narrowed. “What now?”
She cast her eyes to the floor, debating her response. Marshaling whatever reserves of pride that remained, she coolly met his gaze.
“I’ve been highly paid to be used as a sex object to sell things. Guess I can’t complain when men objectify me now, can I?” Cat enveloped her waist with her arms, in a protective cocoon. “I’ve made my bed, so to speak.”
“Is that what you think?” Hank grabbed her bicep and stuck his face so close to hers their noses nearly touched. The tension in his hand traveled to her core as he rasped, “Do you really think you deserve abuse because companies use your image to sell stuff?”
Obviously she must, otherwise she would never have put up with Justin for so long.
“My choices have consequences, and this is one of them.” And probably not the last or worst of them, either . “Ever since my first magazine cover, I’ve been swarmed by men, but they’ve all been users, phonies, or jerks.”
He abruptly released her and stepped backward.
“I know that’s not true.” Hank’s compassion faded, and his face turned to granite. “Maybe it’s just that you’re only attracted to the assholes.”
“What?” Cat replayed their last few remarks in her head and realized why he’d suddenly become offended. “Oh, wait. I didn’t mean you, Hank.”
“You know what, it doesn’t matter. Go pack, Cat. Jackson will be waiting.” Hank turned to leave. “I’m going to finish my breakfast.”
“With Amy?”
Hank halted and faced her. “If she’s still there, then yes.”
“Is she the reason you didn’t stay with me last night?” Cat held her breath, having surprised herself with the reckless question.
His gaze drifted down the hallway while he formed a response.
“No,” he said. Unexpected optimism sprouted in Cat, until he looked at her through narrowed eyes and spoke again. “You’re the reason why I didn’t stay.”
“What’s that mean?” She frowned, nearly reaching for his arm.
“Figure it out,” Hank muttered before ambling away without glancing back.
Mom,
I rejected Hank last year; he rejected me last night. We’re even now, right? Don’t think I can’t see you shaking your head at me for keeping score. I hope last night is the last of my embarrassing behavior where that man is concerned. What is it about him that makes me so irrational?
Whatever happens next, I must hold my head high, like Dad always expects. He’s so unlike you in that way. You never thought twice about showing every emotion. How freeing that must be.
C HAPTER F IVE
H ank rubbed both hands over his face as he strode outside. Every single time he interacted with Cat, she pushed all his buttons—good and bad—leaving him revved up and confused.
Jackson was normal. David thought clearly. What the hell happened to make Cat such a hot mess? And dammit, how could he both love and hate his own mixed-up response to
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