AllTangledUp Read Online Free Page B

don’t want one. My sister has a couple, and my uncle has a
big one on his arm. Everyone seems to have them now. I think I’m one of the few
hold-outs left in the world.”
    “My dad didn’t have one, but Uncle Gary does. Dean has one
too, on his leg.”
    She hesitated again. “I’ve never really heard you talk about
any family but your cousin and his parents. Do you see your mom often?”
    “Not since she bailed. She got in touch after she started
seeing me on TV, but it wasn’t any kind of genuine interest in reuniting, just
a money thing. Mom’s always been high maintenance, liked the finer things in
life and having people admire her.” Like Lola, in her fancy clothes and using
her pretty face and sexy body to get what she wanted. His mother had the same
beauty and tactics. “She traded up after she left my dad.”
    Her face flooded with sympathy he didn’t want. A lot of
people had it worse than he did, and his life was just fine, thanks. But her
gaze had gone soft with compassion. “That’s really sad.”
    “It is what it is.” He pushed to his feet, grabbing their
empty plates. “Enjoy the rest of your wine while I clean up.”
    Conversation over. Probably not the best way to get laid
again, running away from the woman he wanted to shag, but he wasn’t a fan of
digging into the past. It was, by definition, over. He didn’t dwell on it. It
wasn’t that he had a problem talking to Lola about himself . If she
wanted to know something, it was fine. But they didn’t need to bring up his
parents. His parents weren’t him and he wasn’t them. He tried not to think
about his mom very often, and that had proven impossible with Lola around for
comparison.
    He took the dishes to the kitchen, washed them, stored the
leftovers and wiped down the counters so the crumbs wouldn’t attract any of the
insects and other pests that lived in the woods. He’d learned that lesson the
hard way the first time he’d come here without his dad.
    Lola’s glass clinked against the counter as she set it down.
“Listen, Jesse… I didn’t mean to press on a sore point. I was just curious and
I wanted…” She sighed. “It doesn’t matter what I wanted. I’m sorry.”
    She’d put her clothes back on. Her shirt was haphazardly
buttoned, but she was dressed. Damn it.
    “I prefer to focus on the here and now.” He blew out a
breath, turning to settle back against the sink. “I can change the now. Can’t
do anything about the past.”
    Her brows furrowed and she shook her head. “The past defines
us and makes us who we are.”
    “I try not to let it define me. I like to think I can always
change, and I’m not stuck with whatever the past dished out to me.” He ran a
finger along the neckline of her shirt, down to where it met the curve of her
cleavage. Her breath caught, her nipples jutting against the fabric. He
grinned. “Besides, the here and now seems pretty good to me.”
    She licked her lower lip, leaning into his touch. “I can’t
argue with you there.”
    “Well, then.” He bent forward and kissed her collarbone,
savoring her female scent and the heat that began to pour through his body.
“Since we agree on that, what would you like to do with our now?”
    A chuckle bubbled out of her. “It’s not very sexy, but…I’d
really like to use a bathroom. And then have you give me a tour of the
bedroom.”
    He snorted, nipping her earlobe with his teeth before he
stepped back. “That can be arranged. Bathroom is the first door off the
hallway, bedroom’s at the end of the hall. I’ll get your bag and meet you on
the mattress.”
    That made her laugh that smoky laugh of hers. She rose on
tiptoe and popped a kiss on his mouth. “Thanks, sugar.”
    Sugar. That was the second time she’d called him that. He
wasn’t accustomed to pet names from women, and he’d never have figured Lola as
the kind to use them. It was odd, but not bad.
    He wandered into the living room and scooped up her duffel
and his