“I know I should leave and let you get some sleep, but I find I’m just not ready to say good night.”
She smiled at him, feeling a little like a schoolgirl with her first crush, but she couldn’t help the silly grin that crossed her face as he sat and pulled her down next to him. He wanted to be with her. That needy part of her lapped up the attention even as she tried to warn herself to be cautious, go slowly.
“That’s you with your cousins, right?” he asked as he reached down and grabbed the photo of her with her with the guys that sat on the coffee table. When he sat back, he placed his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him. She let out a silent sigh. She should ask him to go. It was late, and she was tired. But it just felt so good to snuggle in next to him. His scent enveloped her, spicy and strong. Her heart raced as desire filled her. What would she do if he turned around and leaned in? Would she kiss him?
Hell, yeah, she would.
“Yep, you know Travis, right?”
“Sure do.”
She pointed each cousin out. “That’s Jace, Tyler, Clay, and Rusty.”
“Did they live close by when you were growing up?”
She nodded. “We all lived in the same town. My father and their father were brothers, although they didn’t get along all that well. Their father died when Travis was about eighteen.”
“Your dad’s still alive?”
“Yeah, he just got remarried.”
“What about your mom?”
“I think it’s been about twenty-six years since she left us.”
“She died?”
“Oh, no, she’s in Florida. Married a dentist. He already had a couple of kids who are younger than me. She took them on as her own. Apparently, she’s quite a good mom to them.”
“She wasn’t a good mom to you?”
She shrugged, feeling uncomfortable. “She might have been at one point, before . . .”
“Before?”
She didn’t say anything. She couldn’t.
“Before your brother died?”
Lacey leaned away from him with a frown. “You know about Brax?”
“I did a background check on you. I do one on all our prospective employees. I found an old newspaper article about your brother’s death.”
She glanced down at her clenched hands in her lap.
“It must have been hard to lose your brother.”
“He was a lot older than me. I was just seven when he died. I was a surprise child to my parents, although I’m not sure I was a pleasant surprise.”
“I’m sure you were.”
She snorted. “Don’t be so sure. Brax was their golden boy, the one who could do no wrong. A saint.” And in their eyes, she would never be as wonderful as Brax. Never measure up, no matter how much she tried, no matter her achievements.
“Forgive me for saying this, but didn’t the coroner rule he’d been drinking and he was the one who was at fault?”
“My parents believe that the family of the other victim paid the coroner off. They even filed a complaint. Nothing came of it, of course.”
“I suppose they were looking for someone to blame since both parties died.”