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“What about your father? Where was he?”
“He was in Afghanistan for four years. After he came back, he and my mother divorced, and she told him that he could have full custody and she would visit me when she could. He tried. He really did, but the scars of his being in Afghanistan were visible. He had PTSD and some other issues. He sat me down one day and told me that he had to go away for a while to get his life together and that my grandparents would be taking care of me. At that point, I hadn’t heard from my mom in months. He promised to call me when he could.”
“Did he?” I asked.
“Yeah. He did call, and we’d talk about life. He always sent me postcards wherever he was at.”
“And your mother?”
“She popped in and out of my life periodically. It was whenever it suited her. My grandparents were the ones who raised me and made sure I stayed on the right path. Honestly, I think my gift of a photographic memory and numbers scared her, and it was too much to handle. At least, that’s what my grandmother told me.”
“When was the last time you saw your mother?”
“Two months ago, at my grandmother’s funeral. When I first arrived in Los Angeles, she called and told me that she and her current husband or boyfriend were coming to Sacramento and wanted to get together for lunch or dinner.”
“You didn’t tell her you were moving?” I furrowed my brows.
“No. There are things she doesn’t need to know. She lost that right a long time ago. Anyway, I was going to at some point. I didn’t think she’d call the day I moved here. I told her I couldn’t meet them because I moved to Los Angeles.”
“Are you telling her about the bakery?” I asked.
“Nope. It’s none of her business, and I don’t need her coming here.” She held up her empty glass.
Reaching over, I grabbed the wine bottle and refilled both our glasses.
“So that, Mr. Kind, is my fucked up childhood story.”
“It wasn’t all fucked up, was it?” I asked.
“No. I loved my grandparents, and they took good care of me. It was really hard when my grandfather passed away and harder when my grandmother passed. But it’s time to move on, and that’s exactly what I’ve done. This is what my grandmother would have wanted me to do. I only stayed in Sacramento because she was there.”
“Why did you want to get away from Sacramento so badly? Don’t you have friends there?”
“I do have friends there, but I wanted and needed a fresh start. I couldn’t get that in Sacramento. So, there you have it, Mr. Kind. I just handed you my life story as if it were no big deal. Which, by the way, it is because I’ve never told any man what I just told you.”
“Not even, Quinton?” My brow arched.
“Not even, Quinton. He wasn’t worthy of my life story.” A smirk crossed her lips.
“And I was?”
She looked down as she chewed the bottom of her lip. “You’re an easy guy to talk to. You’re friend-worthy. Quinton really wasn’t.”
“I’m honored to be friend-worthy.” I took the glass from her hand and set it down. “Even though I thought you were going to beat me with that lug wrench when we first met.” I smirked as I stroked her cheek.
“A woman has to protect herself.”
“Definitely.” I smiled as I leaned in and brushed my lips against hers.
CHAPTER 18
Zoey
My legs wrapped around his waist, and my arms were secured around his neck while he thrust in and out of me. It started in the hot tub with his strong hands massaging every part of my body and his fingers exploring my insides while I stroked his hard cock. After lifting me from the tub, his mouth explored me on the deck, and I was lost in another world, not giving a damn if anyone saw, which they didn’t because no one was around but us. He carried me down to the bedroom for the final act. Three orgasms later, he finally gave in and exploded inside me. To feel him without a condom because they were in his pants, which were on the deck, was more pleasurable than I imagined it would be.
“We should head back. If you want to go, my family is doing the whole bonfire thing tonight.”
“Yeah.” I smiled. “Last night was a lot of fun. I like your family. But tomorrow, I have to spend the day alone and figure my shit out. Deal?”
