Page 36 of King of Pain

“My stepdad. I mean, him and my mom got divorced after a couple years but…” Her hands knot together. “He’s the only real dad I’ve ever had. All the others…”

“All the others?”

She dips her chin lower. “My mom dated a lot of guys. A lot of them really shitty. Twice, the guys she was with were so bad, I’d run away to Mark.”

I’m fully turning in my seat. I thought I had it bad. Yeah, my dad up and left us, but my mom was rock solid. “Shit. Kate.”

She shrugs. “We still talk all the time. Me and Mark. I guess I talk to him more than I do my actual mom now that I’m an adult.”

She brushes at her cheek. Is she crying? I use my good arm to tug her closer. “I get it.”

“Do you?”

“Mostly. My dad wasn’t around either. The men in my family aren’t the most dependable.”

“I see.” I hear the warble in her voice.

“But my mom, she raised me right. She didn’t date until after Arabella left.”

“Arabella?”

“My cousin. Single mom and she takes in two kids that aren’t even hers. They were Kincaids, my dad’s family, but she still loved them like her own.”

“I’d like to meet your mom.”

I smile at her. “Yeah. She’s a good woman.”

Kate slides away from me on the bench seat. “Want to go inside? We’ve got a lot of unpacking to do.”

“Sure. This place is amazing.”

“It’s tiny, but really just as cute on the inside as it is on the outside. I remember when Mark built it. He let me pick all the furniture and the curtains. My mom hated it here, but I’ve always loved it.”

I get why.

She opens her door and hops out of the truck. I get out too and come around to her side. “You know. This place matches your truck well. A little dingy but in the best kind of way with all kinds of charm.”

“My favorite,” I answer, pushing the seat forward to get the bags in the back. Bright side. No one is finding us here.

Mason can take all the time he wants to call me back. Well, as long as it’s in the next twenty-four hours.

The permits expire in like three more days and I need to make sure my family comes out on top of this one if we’re ever going to get rid of the Vendettis.

Still, at least for tonight, I’m treating this like an actual vacation. I’ve got a beautiful woman by my side, tucked in the pine trees of Colorado. What could be better?

But an hour later, it is.

Because Kate starts cooking, her ass looking amazing in her jeans as I sit at the retro table, the kitchen filling with the most amazing smells.

I’d gotten a six-pack of beer at the grocery store and I crack one open now, taking a swig.

Kate turns around, and seeing the open bottle, steps away from the stove, picking it up and taking a swig too.

We’re at the sharing-drinks phase, are we?

This is all new territory for me, but I hook her waist, pulling her close and plant a kiss on her belly. Her shirt has a bit of a crop so just enough of her skin is exposed that I plant my lips on it, tasting her.

She swats lightly at my shoulder and then returns to the stove. I prop a foot on the other chair, leaning back. I can’t remember the last time I was this relaxed.

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