Judging Judas (Tarnished Saints Series Book 3) by Elizabeth Rose Page A

eyes that he’d seen when he walked her up the aisle earlier.
    “Well, Mrs. Taylor, can I escort you over to Margery’s Diner where we’ll have our first meal as husband and wife?”
    “Mrs. Taylor,” she repeated, her eyes lighting up in the process as she glanced down to her wedding ring. “I like the sound of that.”
    “Well, I think I’ll like the sound of it even better after we consummate it tonight,” he told her with a wink.
    That playfulness he’d seen in her the other day at her antique shop was back in her eyes and everyone seemed happ y as they walked down the aisle. That is, until they got to the back of the church and he saw J.D. just glaring at him, standing next to her new friends.
    Suddenly, Judas didn’t feel so co nfident. Knowing that now he would be living in the same house as J.D., things were going to get very complicated indeed.

    Chapter 11
     
    Laney felt the wedding night jitters as they pulled up to their new house after the reception.
    “Sorry you have to ride in th e squad on your wedding day,” Judas told her.
    “It’s fine,” she said, flashing him a nervous smile. “I just hope J.D. doesn’t get in to trouble driving my car tonight.”
    “Was that your idea that she stay overnight with her new friends? After all, I can tell you that the people she’s with aren’t exactly known for having the best reputations.”
    “No , it wasn’t my idea. She didn’t want to be here to hear the headboard thumping against the wall is what she told me. And believe me, if it wasn’t our wedding night, I never would have agreed to her sleeping over at Charolette Burnham’s house. I’ve heard some questionable things about that girl since I’ve been here.”
    “She is kind of the town floozy,” Judas told her.
    Suddenly Laney realized she was being too judgmental. After all, wasn’t J.D. considered the town floozy back in Big Rapids since she ended up pregnant at sixteen? Just like Laney had as well. “I’m sure it’s not as bad as we think,” she said, reaching up and clutching the crystal hanging from a chain around her neck. This usually gave her a sense of security, and she took a few deep breaths to calm herself.
    “Well look at it this way,” he said, turning off the engine and leaning over and giving her a peck on the mouth. “At least we know she’s not going to get pregnant.”
    “That’s supposed to make me feel better?” she asked with a grin.
    “That’s supposed to let you know she’ll be just fine. Now for a woman who says she doesn’t worry, it seems that’s all you’ve been doing all day long.”
    Judas got out of the car and walked around to her door, and Laney realized he was right. She had been worrying. But not really about her daughter. She’d been worrying about spending the night with him.
    What if the sex wasn’t as good as it was all those years ago? Maybe he wouldn’t be turned on by her kisses any more or he might think her boobs were saggy after having nursed a baby for nine months. And heaven forbid, she wasn’t going to be able to hide her silvery battle scars - her stretch marks. She wiped the sweat from her palms against the sides of her dress and took a deep breath and released it, reaching up and once again playing with her crystal, rolling it around in her fingers.
    “Well, come on, what are you waiting for?” he asked her, standing there with the door open, leaning one arm on it lazily, looking so very masculine in every way. He had his uniform on a hanger having stopped at the station to get it on the way over so he’d have it in the morning. In his other hand he held onto his duffle bag with his gun and everything else he’d need for work in the morning. “Oh, I know why you’re waiting. I almost forgot.”
    He hooked the hanger onto his duffle bag and put the strap over his shoulder. Then he reached down and scooped her off the seat and lifted her into his arms, causing her to squeal.
    “What are you doing ?” she