Rough Ryder by Elizabeth Veatch, Crystal Smith Page B

doing?”  This wasn’t what she had expected.
                       “Helping you.”  She felt his warm breath against her ear, as he nestled his head next to hers.
                        “I don’t need your help.  You’ve done enough.”  She bit out.  He had done enough.  Look at her.  There for two days and she had spent all but an hour of it in her room.
                        “I didn’t do anything.”  His lips brushed against the naked skin of her neck.
                        “Yeah.  You’re, Mr. Innocent.”  She tried to pull away from him.  Her crying was getting worse.  She was beginning to hiccup and right now, she didn’t want to be like this in front of him.  In front of anyone.
                        “You’re not going anywhere until you let out whatever is on your mind and tell me what in the hell you think I did.”
                        “You’d be fucked up to if you watched your husband and little girl die right in front of you!  Now. Let. Me. Go.”  She fought against his strength that was easily overpowering hers.  Finally she gave in and let it go.  It was the first time she had cried in front of anyone.
                        He held her there.  It was his fault.  He let her piece by piece chip away the heartache that was inside her.  He smoothed her hair away from her face, kissing her cheek as if telling her he was there for her. 
                        When the last hiccup had past, he finally spoke again to her.  “Do you feel better now?”
                        “No.  Nothing can take it away.”  She closed her eyes, just wishing to wake up from the hurt.
                        “Getting out of this bed is the first step.” 
                        “How would you know?”  Nobody knew what would help.  The anger that she kept inside her was constantly clawing at her skin, trying to break free. 
                       “Because staying shut up in here isn’t going to help anything.  Come on, let me show you around again.”  Quickly he stood, glaring down at her.  Waiting for her to move.  He wasn’t going to give her an option.
                        “I don’t want to be around people.” 
                        “You don’t have to be.”
                       “But, I would have to be around you.”
                       “Yes.  That’s nonnegotiable.  You have ten minutes.”  He turned leaned over, giving Trinket a glimpse of his ass.  An ass that she wouldn’t mind seeing more of.  It didn’t last as he grabbed his boots, heading out the door.
                       Trinket lay there for a few more minutes before finally nudging herself up and out of bed.  She rummaged through her clothing and almost put them on, but the fact was she hadn’t showered in two days, stopped her.  That was something that had to be rectified right now.
                        Trinket hurried to finish her shower.  She knew that it would take her longer than ten minutes to get ready.  She didn’t care.  If he wanted her out of this room, he would have to wait.  What she didn’t expect to find was when she came out of her bathroom back into her room, he would be sitting on the bed waiting for her.
                        She stood there with her mouth gaping open.  She watched as his eyes roamed up and down her body that was dressed in nothing but a towel wrapped around her. 
                        When his eyes returned to hers, she could see what her appearance had done to him.  The fire that was lit there, spoke louder than any words he could have said. 
                       “I said ten