Page 74 of Off Season

She looks down at them. “A bow on women’s panties is a memorial to all the faces that have been buried there.”

I can’t help but laugh. She’s so damn funny.

I start to unzip my jeans. “I’ll match your wardrobe choice then, but I don’t have a bow. I’ll look into it though. I’m sure boxer briefs with bows on the front are all the rage.”

I strip down to my undershirt and boxers before crawling in and lying down next to her. Rubbing her leg, I ask, “What’s ailing you, Kam bam? Tell Dr. Gonzales. He’s the master fixer.”

Staring into the fire, and without an ounce of emotion, she says, “My mother is dying. They gave her a year to live. Before you ask, she doesn’t want to see us. She’s dying and hasn’t spoken to her daughters in ten years. You would think she’d gain a little perspective, but not Beverly Hart. She specifically requested that wenotcome see her.”

I maneuver her so her head is resting on my chest. “I’m sorry, babe. That sucks.”

“I don’t care for me. She’s been dead to me for eighteen years. I feel bad for my sister. I think she’s always hoped for a reconciliation and now she’ll never get it.”

I run my fingers up and down her arm, hoping to sootheher. “A year is a long time. Maybe she’ll change her mind about seeing you guys.”

“Maybe. For my sister’s sake, I hope so. I don’t think I could go back there, but Bailey should go.”

I think Kam might need it too but isn’t ready to admit it.

She traces her finger along my chest and looks up at me. “I’m sorry that I broke into your place like a psycho stalker.”

“Have I told you about the romance book I’m reading right now?”

She shakes her head. “No.”

“She stalks him and,” I bite my lip, “it’s so fucking hot.”

She giggles. “No way that’s true.”

“Okay, he stalks her, but it sounded more thematic the other way around. The stalker trope is huge. People love it. I think I’m turned on that you’re stalking me.”

“You get turned on when the wind blows.”

“If it blows your scent my way, I most certainly do.”

She sighs. “Honestly, I didn’t set out to come here. I couldn’t sit there and watch my sister shed tears over that woman. I was walking around aimlessly and just kind of ended up at your front door.”

“It’s fine. I’m glad you came. I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”

“Were you on a hot date?”

“You wish. I was with the boys. We were celebrating Daylen’s big contract with a little poker.”

“I want to come to your poker game one day and kick everyone’s ass. Ineverlose. Counting cards is second nature to me.”

“Hmm. I need to test this theory.” And I want to help distract her.

I carefully place her on the pillows and sit up. “I’ll be right back.”

I gather a bunch of candy and a deck of playing cardsbefore returning to the fort. “Let’s see what you’ve got, Hart.”

She smiles as she makes a grab for the candy. We sit up and cross our legs, facing each other, as I shuffle the deck and she unwraps the dark chocolate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups I now keep on hand.

I quickly throw out about forty cards, one at a time. She can see them as I throw them out, but only for a second as the next card covers the last very quickly. I’m now holding twelve cards in my hand. Looking up at her, I ask, “What am I holding?”

She takes a bite of her Peanut Butter Cup. With a mouthful, she happily answers, “An ace, two queens, two tens, a nine, and six lower-numbered cards.”

I turn them over and examine the twelve cards. She was dead accurate. I breathe, “What the fuck?”

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