Shades of Twilight by Linda Howard

need. She felt him jerk, as ifstartled, felt his hands move to her waist and tighten as if he would lift her away from him. “No,” she sobbed, suddenly terrified that he would push her away. “Webb, please. Hold me.” And she tightened her hold on him and kissed him even harder, shyly daring to lick his lips the way she’d seen it done in a movie.
    He quivered, a long shudder running through his muscled body, and his hands clenched on her. “Ro—” he began, and her tongue slipped in between his opened lips.
    He groaned, his entire body tensing. Then suddenly his mouth opened and moved, and control of the kiss was no longer hers. His arms closed around her, hard, and his tongue moved deep into her mouth. Roanna’s neck bent back under the pressure, and her senses dimmed under the onslaught. She had thought about kissing, even practiced it on her pillow at night, but she hadn’t realized a kiss could make her feel so hot and weak, or that his taste would be so delicious, or that the feel of him against her would unleash such terrible longing. She twisted on his lap, seeking to get closer, and fiercely he turned her so that her breasts were against his chest.
    â€œYou two-timing bastard!”
    The shriek battered Roanna’s ears. She leaped from Webb’s lap, her face white as she pivoted to face her cousin. Jessie’s features were twisted with rage as she stood just inside the door, glaring at them, her hands clenched into white-knuckled fists.
    Webb got to his feet. Dull red stained his cheeks, but his gaze was steady as he too faced his wife. “Calm down,” he said in an even tone. “I can explain.”
    â€œI just bet you can,” she sneered. “This should be good. Damn you, no wonder you haven’t been interested in touching me! All this time you’ve been fucking this stupid little whore!”
    A red mist edged Roanna’s vision. After what Jessie had been doing this afternoon, how dare she talk to Webb like this over a kiss! Without realizing she even moved, suddenly she found herself in front of Jessie, and she shovedher against the wall so hard that her head slammed against it.
    â€œRoanna, stop it!” Webb said sharply, catching her and roughly setting her aside.
    Jessie straightened and shoved her hair out of her eyes. Quick as a cat, she lunged past Webb and slapped Roanna across the face with all the strength in her arm. Webb grabbed her and swung her to one side, holding her with a firm grip on the collar of her blouse while he caught Roanna by the nape of her neck.
    â€œThat’s enough, God damn it,” he said with clenched teeth. Webb didn’t normally swear in front of women, and the fact that he did now was a measure of his anger. “Jessie, there’s no sense in letting the whole house in on this. We’ll talk about it upstairs.”
    â€œWe’ll talk about it upstairs,” she mimicked. “We’ll talk about it right here, damn you! You want to keep it quiet? Tough shit! By tomorrow night, everyone in Tuscumbia is going to know you’ve got a taste for young ass, because I’m going to yell it on every corner!”
    â€œShut up,” Roanna growled, ignoring her burning cheek and glaring her hate at Jessie. She tried to wriggle free of Webb’s punishing hold on her neck, but he merely tightened his grip.
    Jessie spat at her. “You’ve always been after him, you slut,” she hissed. “You set it up for me to find you two together like this, didn’t you? You knew I was coming down to the kitchen. You weren’t content to fuck him behind my back, you wanted to lord it over me for once.”
    The scope of the lie stunned Roanna. She darted a glance at Webb and saw the sudden suspicious, condemning glare in his eyes. “Both of you shut up,” he growled, his voice so low and icy that chills ran down her back. “Jessie. Upstairs. Now.” He