Loaded by Cher Carson Read Free Book Online Page B

to
understand some of the choices she’d made. There would always be secrets
between them because of who she was and where she came from, and that was no
way to start a relationship. He deserved so much more, and he would undoubtedly
find it with one of the simple hometown girls who were lining up, hoping he
would take notice. She should walk away now, before things between them got any
more complicated.
    She sighed. “I should
probably go.”
    “Do you want to go?”
    No. For once she wanted to
know what it felt like to have a real man make love to her instead of being
used as a pin cushion by a drunk who smelled like stale cigarettes and cheap
booze.
    “Answer me, Rachel. If you
want to go, I won’t try to stop you, but I’d really like it if you’d stay, at
least for a little while. I meant what I said; I really want to get to know you
better. We could just talk for a while.”
    She knew he was being
sincere. A man like Tucker would never take more than a woman was offering.
“Maybe I could stay for a bit.”
    His heart-stopping smile
caught her off guard. He looked like he’d just won the lottery instead of being
awarded just a few more minutes of her time. No one had made her feel as though
her time was precious. No one, except for her mother and her dance instructor,
had ever believed she was special.
    He brushed his lips against
hers. “Okay, grab a seat at the table while I make the coffee. We can take it
in to the family room, get comfortable, if you like?”
    “Sounds good.” She
appreciated the fact that he wasn’t pressuring her about sex. She needed to
take this slow, to figure out if she really was ready to take the next step
with him.
    She claimed a spot at the
mahogany table in the center of the room while he prepared the coffee. The
kitchen looked newly renovated, with granite countertops and stainless steel
appliances, but she noticed he kept many of the original features. The wide
plank flooring was obviously original, but it had been stained to a rich, dark
brown, as had the wide moldings accenting the windows, doors, and walls. It was
so homey, yet with all of the modern conveniences.
    “This is a lot of house for
one person.” She propped her chin in her hand and watched him. It was nice to
be able to observe him on his turf, where he was completely relaxed. Instead of
the stiff black uniform and polished boots he usually favored, the faded jeans
and t-shirt made him seem like a regular civilian, if not for the gun strapped
to his waist.
    “I know, but I bought it with
the future in mind.” He turned around to face her as he braced his hands on the
counter behind him. “My mama is after me about grandkids. You never know, she
might get ‘em one day.” He winked. “But I’m in no hurry to be a daddy.”
    Her heart fell when she realized
that was yet another obstacle between them. They were rising higher by the
minute. “You don’t like kids?”
    He shrugged. “Sure, other
people’s kids. I’m like the cool uncle.” He grinned. “I like it that way. I
have to admit, I’m pretty set in my ways.” He tipped his head to the side as
though he sensed the change in her mood. “How about you? Do you like kids?”
    How could she answer that
question without lying or tipping him off? “Sure, I love kids.”
    “Are you an auntie?”
    She shook her head as she
glanced down at the distressed wood table. “Um no, my only sister died about ten
years ago.”
    “Shit, I’m sorry. I had no
idea.”
    If he didn’t know about
Madeline, then chances were good the rest of her secrets were safe, too. “It
was a long time ago, but it still hurts.” She cleared her throat. “We were
close, until…”
    He claimed the chair across
from her before taking her hand. “Until?”
    “She got into drugs. That’s
how she died, an overdose.”
    “I’m sorry, honey. I’ve seen
firsthand what that shit can do to people. It takes good, decent people and
turns them into a shell of their former