Page 9 of Kane

Her father waved her clipped words away. “Do I need to get your approval for the decisions I make? This is an excellent opportunity to solidify the support of his political action committee.”

The thought of spending another minute with Nathan made her skin crawl, but he would be the perfect gentleman in front of her father. He always was.

Her dad kept speaking, oblivious to her masked frustration. “Besides, we’ll be done by nine. Plenty of time to visit your other so-called family afterward.” Looking down pointedly at the papers on his desk, he dismissed her. “I’m very busy, Amanda. Perhaps anything else you wish to discuss can wait until a more opportune time.”

Fine. One more dinner. She would nod and smile, give her father this last chance to secure his political support, but no more. Then he’d make good on his promises, and the deal would be done.

Then, she could put this madness behind her and get back to the shreds of her life she hadn’t managed to ruin quite yet.

***

13 years ago

September

AC/DC piped in through the speakers mounted in the backyard for her parents’ Labor Day barbeque. Though technically speaking, Charlie Cooper wasn’t her father, he never treated her as anything less than his daughter. As soon as she and Kane cleared the patio door, he swept her up in a hug.

“I’m so glad to see you, Baby Girl. You know it’s not a party until the family’s all here.” He smelled like Old Spice and barbeque sauce, home and safety.

Her mom bussed Kane’s cheek and accepted the KFC bags in his hands.

“I hope you don’t mind my contribution is store bought.”

Mom peered into the bag and grinned. “Why would I mind? Corn is corn.”

Kane let out the breath he’d seemed to be holding, then slid his hand around Amanda’s. The heat of it warmed her even more than the late summer sun.

Is this how Charlie makes Mom feel?

She couldn’t imagine her father ever inspiring warmth.

The knowing look on her mom’s face made her cheeks burn brighter.

Mom cleared her throat. “Your brother is already in the pool with his friends, if you two want to go join him.”

Sure enough, Mike waved like an idiot from atop a giant floating yellow duck. “Come on in, y’all. With you two, we’ll have enough people to play water volleyball.”

Kane’s forehead wrinkled. “I don’t really play sports,” he said into her hair.

She wrapped her arms around his trim waist. “It’s not a real sport, I promise. It’s only an excuse to splash around in the water and get the girls to jump up and down in their bikinis. No one cares how well you play.”

“If you say so.” Or at least that’s what she thought he said. Her attention was frozen on all the skin he flashed as he pulled off his shirt. Flawless and tan, it stretched across his wide shoulders to a tapered waist. A trail of hair led from his belly button to the treasure hidden beneath the button fly of his jeans. Her breath caught.

Hell, yes.

She couldn’t resist the urge to touch him. “Maybe after this, we can sneak back to my dad’s house. He’s out of town.” Her fingers slid down his arm before entwining with his.

He winced. “Your dad hates me.”

“My dad hates everyone he doesn’t personally select to be part of my life.” She rolled her eyes. “I don’t care what he thinks, and neither should you. This is my real family, and they think you’re awesome.”

Kane opened his mouth, but whatever he was going to say got lost in the whoosh of air her brother knocked out of him when he tackled Kane into the water. The sneaky bastard had managed to maneuver himself out of the pool and onto the deck without her noticing.

Now Mike and Kane were splashing it out while the girls around them protected their faces from the flying water.

Warmth bloomed in her chest seeing how easily he fit into her world here. She glanced over her shoulder, quickly spotting her mom’s red hair resting against Charlie’s broad chest.

That’s what love looked like.

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