Page 62 of Paths

Reaching over, he takes my hand in his. “I told you I read your background, and it was a very complete file. I also know you’ve never touched it. I also know that besides the time you were at Cornell, you’ve always lived in your parents’ house even though you worked. I don’t know exactly why, but now I’m assuming it has something to do with your brother.”

I feel my face relax a bit. “Mostly.”

“If you’re mom’s such a pain in the ass, why else would you stay?”

I tell him the truth. “Joe is in school, but the last few years with Weston were so bad, I felt safer there. When Weston started pressuring me into marriage and then getting back together after I broke it off, living there was the barrier I needed. If I had been out on my own, I’d have been too accessible. Like I said, you’ll see. It’s easy to make yourself scarce there. I’ve done it all my life.”

“Ah.” He nods and then smirks. “See, I don’t know everything about you.”

I roll my eyes and move to open my door. “Doesn’t seem that way.”

My phone dings and when I unlock it, I have a text from Evan that makes me smile and I announce, “Clara had a girl. Jack must be so happy. Her name is Kate Elizabeth.”

He gives me a grin when I meet him at the back of his SUV. I reach in for my bags, but he beats me to them, grabbing the big one. Grady’s looking as hot as usual this morning in a pair of jeans and a casual button down with a jacket.

I picked my outfit carefully, as my mother always made us dress to travel. She always said, “One dresses to their status if they want to be treated as such.” So just to piss her off when we get there, I’m wearing a pair of skinny jeans so faded, ripped, and worn, they could be decades old, when in fact, I’ve only worn them twice. They show as much skin on the front as they do denim. I’m also wearing my pink Converse, because my mother hates canvas shoes, and have topped it off with a camo print jacket. I look like a teenager hanging at the mall.

“You know,” I start and grab my carry-on since he’s not letting me carry my own suitcase. “I might just have to bribe Crew for a full report on you. The scales are uneven. I don’t know nearly enough about you when you know everything about me.”

He looks at me curiously while efficiently carrying our suitcases. Even though we’re going for one night, I had to explain to Grady you never knew what to expect from my mother, and dinner is rarely a casual event. We packed for every eventuality.

“Enlisted in the Army right out of high school, never played an instrument, and basically checked out of life while I was a contractor. That’s it.”

I fall in beside him and look up at his profile. In the midmorning sun his golden highlights shine bright and I do everything I can to take him in—a man who’s gone out of his way to protect me, to make a holiday special for me in his own way, to get to know me, and finally, to want me for me.

He wants me.

Who knew when I ran away from my previous life I would be on a path leading straight to Grady Cain. Many months later, when I should be scared out of my mind to go anywhere within the same state as Weston, I’m not scared at all.

Grady gave that to me.

“I guess it doesn’t matter,” I say with a smile before I call to him. “Grady?”

When we reach the office building attached to the hangar, he juggles a suitcase while opening the door for me, but I don’t go through. He looks down at me and raises a brow in silent question.

I take a step and put my hand on his chest. “Thank you, again.”

The next thing I know, Grady drops the suitcase and I’m caught in the steel of his arms, being branded by his kiss.

Branded.

And I took it all, never wanting anything else as much as him.

*****

Grady –

“Can you pull over really quick?”

“Why? We’re almost there.”

“Just do it. Here—pull in here.”

I don’t pull over. I keep driving.

“What are you doing? Grady, pull over!”

I sigh, and pull the rental over to the side of the road. It’s much colder than it was in Virginia and there’s a foot of snow everywhere.

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