At first she hadn't thought she could stand it. Aunt Dee had tried to make her understand and help her but Uncle Alf had made it clear that she couldn't come back home to live. He'd sided with Lester and said she was a married woman and she'd have to act like a married woman. So she made the best of it. A few years later, there was Bette Jean's baby sister, and there'd never been any money. The folks killed in that car accident leaving her a baby sister. It still embarrassed her that her sister was younger than three of her children. Aunt Dee and Uncle Alf had been so good to take the baby since Bette Jean had her own little ones to care for. Lester had been a miracle. Even offered to adopt the baby, but Uncle Alf and Aunt Dee had solved the family problem. Wanda was still with the folks, the aging aunt and uncle who'd been so generous.

"Hi honey… what's for dinner?"

Bette Jean whirled guiltily and tried to smile. The smile froze on her face at the sight of Lester, clean and shining, his grin crooked and familiar, dark hair combed, naked except for a bath towel twisted around his lean waist. He was standing in the kitchen, like that, grinning. "There won't be anything if you don't get some clothes on Lester Lyons! Honestly! Suppose the neighbors just happened to glance over this way! They could see you right through the kitchen window!" Bette Jean burst out nervously.

"Well, that's sure as hell easy to fix if that's what's worrying you." He went over to the window and jerked the shade down, drawing the crisp curtains over that. "Now." He turned, grabbing Bette Jean's hand and pulled her to him.

"Oh, Lester. Honestly!"

"Yeah… honestly, I need a kiss and a little more when I get home tired."

Bette Jean fought the sudden clenching of her stomach as he bent and caught her lips. She tried to wrench away the moment his lips touched hers but he strained her to his hairy chest, grinding his lips into hers. She could feel his hard white teeth beneath the flesh bruising her mouth, his big hands seeking her buttocks, pushing her belly right into the bulge of his thing under the towel.