I knew that no matter what else had happened, Paton knew without a doubt that she was loved.
And I was going to do better. I had to. I’d protect her whether I had a man or not. I was saving up money quickly now, especially since Mason refused to let me chip in for gas or groceries.
But this… whatever this was happening between Mason and I… this was something else.
I wanted Mason as a man. My body ached for him whenever he was nearby. But it was more than that. It wasn’t just for myself that I wanted him. I knew he was already becoming like a father to my girl. It didn’t mean I would give myself to someone I didn’t want, but it took away a lot of my reservations about getting into a relationship. He was a good man and he was good for us. And I had to sit on my hands to keep from touching him in the car, or just sitting on the couch watching television.
So I didn’t just want him.
I craved him.
I slipped under the covers and Pate immediately snuggled closer. I stroked her hair idly while my mind wandered. I’d made a decision, standing there in the kitchen in my nightgown.
I was going to get my man. Even if it didn’t last. Even if it was a disaster. I wanted him, even if it was only a fleeting taste of happiness.
It would be enough.
And maybe, just maybe, we could have something real.
Tomorrow night was Kelly’s party. I peeked into one of the bags he had loaded into our room and smiled. There was a denim mini skirt in there that was too big for Pate. I felt a warm rush of heat. He’d bought this sexy thing for me.
I pulled out a top designed to look like a bustier and bit my lip. I’d never worn anything so revealing in my life. But it wasn’t cheap looking. It looked designer, I thought as I ran my fingers over the lace.
Oh yeah, Mason was in for a big surprise.
He wanted me too. Why else would he do something like that? But some stupid notion about him not being a good man was holding him back.
Whatever the issue was, I was going to get to the bottom of it. Even if I had to use my legs to do it.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kelly
I sighed dreamily, looking in my rearview mirror. He was still there. A big man on an even bigger bike.
Cain was following me again.
Usually it was one of his men, but every now and then, he ‘escorted’ me places without asking permission.
I knew it wasn’t to menace me. I knew he was only staying away because I hadn’t told my brother to go to hell when he’d stopped us from dancing at his wedding.
In fact, Connor had put a tail on me for weeks after the wedding to keep Cain away from me. I told him it was irresponsible to misuse federal funds that way and he agreed.
So he put the tail on Cain.
I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose. I was tempted to pull over and ask him what he wanted. Though the truth was, no matter how innocent I might be, I had a pretty good idea of what that was.
According to Cass, the President of the Untouchables MC was a reasonable man. Not kind, but not evil. Not a drunk or a junkie or a manwhore. Just… serious. Intense. Unrelenting. He planned everything and followed those plans without variation.
And he didn’t have club skanks constantly crawling all over him either.
In fact, he was apparently as monkish as Mason.
And that was saying something.
I’d made the mistake of going out on a date a few months ago, just to see what would happen. One date. It was nice, if nothing earth shattering. My date called me the next day and said he couldn’t see me again. He’d sounded scared. I heard beeping in the background which made me belatedly realize the guy had been in the ER.
So, apparently Cain wouldn’t ask me out himself, but he wouldn’t let me date anyone else either.
Real nice, buddy.
Still, I couldn’t help but find all that manly possessiveness intriguing. Everything about him made me tingle. His gorgeous body. The leather. The darkness of his arresting eyes. And the craggy, old hollywood planes of his face.
I pulled into Mason’s and he kept riding. I stared after him, wondering if I was ever going to get to go on a date in this lifetime.
Probably not. Not unless Connor eased up. Or until Cain got sick of waiting.
Or I moved away.
Far away.
I sighed and walked to the kitchen door, knocking briefly and letting myself in.
Two adorable faces looked up at me from the kitchen table where they were staring at a pile of paperwork.