Free Kristen Blooming by Jenny Penn Page A

when he took that first step, it started to spin again.
    At least he didn’t throw up, and he kind of wanted to by the time he made it all the way to the back door. The sunlight was too bright for him to make it out past the awning that covered the small patio off the kitchen. He didn’t have to go much farther, though, to draw attention to himself. In fact he didn’t have to take another step before his friends were starting to buzz around him.
    “What the hell happened to you?” Dylan scowled as he took in Brandon’s condition. “You’re bleeding.”
    He hadn’t known that, but it explained a lot. So did his answer. “I made a move.”
    Dylan instantly snorted over a laugh and turned to the side as Jimmy shoved his way forward. He was scowling, and that couldn’t be a good sign.
    “Jesus, look at you. You guys aren’t going to let me take a single day off, are you?” Jimmy bitched as he latched onto Brandon’s arm and all but shoved him toward a lounger. “Now sit down before you fall down and let me see if you need stitches.”
     
    * * * *
     
    “I should have known never to go to Duncan’s stupid party,” Cybil muttered as Kristen sat silently in the seat beside her.
    She was still trying to come to grips with what had happened to her, but there was simply no explanation for it. She’d lost complete control. She’d allowed the deputy liberties no man should have unless they were involved in a serious relationship. What was even worse, she wanted more.
    “Of course, I’m the idiot who insisted we go,” Cybil raged on, seeming completely unaware of Kristen’s impending breakdown.
    She was wanton, and definitely not gay.
    “I don’t know which one of that makes us the bigger idiot.”
    Kristen did. She was the big idiot…maybe she was in love. That would certainly explain a lot, but wouldn’t she know if she loved the deputy? How could she love him when she didn’t even know anything about him?
    “And then he had to go throw you into the pool. And all for what?”
    What? That was the question. What was wrong with her? Kristen wished she knew.
    “To make me jealous.” Cybil snorted and braked hard for a stop sign. “I really don’t know why I love him.”
    Kristen blinked, coming out of her thoughts to turn and blink in stunned amazement at Cybil, who was looking back at her with just as shocked an expression.
    “You’re in love with Duncan?”
    “No.”
    “But you just said ⎯ ”
    “That he’s an immature asshole. Yes.” Cybil turned back to the road to stare out at it forlornly. “And I have bad taste in men.”
    Kristen didn’t know why, but she giggled at that. The light, airy sound deepened into true laughs as Cybil joined her. In that moment of misery disguised as hysteria, their friendship was bonded. It ended as it began with an abrupt blare of a horn as the driver behind Cybil honked at her.
    “Oh, honey, we are a pair.” Cybil sighed and eased up on the brake to finally roll through the intersection. “Though, you haven’t told me what idiot you fell in love with, but I bet I can take a guess. Deputy Hammel?”
    Kristen blushed and glanced down at her lap as she confessed to the truth. “He kissed me.”
    “Hmm.”
    “And I liked it.” Kristen peeked up to see if that had shocked her new friend, but Cybil’s smile was nothing but warm and full of understanding, emboldening her to expand her confession. “A lot.”
    “You’ve never been kissed before, have you?”
    “Not like that.” Kristen sighed and shook her head. “It isn’t right, but…I wanted him.”
    “There is nothing wrong with that,” Cybil quickly assured her. “You’re a pretty woman with healthy needs.”
    “But I always thought that those…healthy needs would be…”
    “Saved for marriage?” Cybil supplied, a hint of amusement sounding in her tone.
    “For love.” That’s what Kristen really wanted.
    “Well then, you need to give it time and room to grow,” Cybil suggested as