Free Wyne and Chocolate (Citizen Soldier Series Book 2) by Donna Michaels Page B

off the
trees lining the road. Unsure how to respond, she decided silence was her best
course. She didn’t live that far. Only about fifteen minutes from the resort.
Surely, she could keep her attraction in check and a secret. So far, they
hadn’t crossed any boundaries.
    “Had you
always lived in New York?” he asked as they drove down the quiet road.
    It was
pretty cold outside. Everyone was probably already at their destinations for
the night. A few more minutes and she’d be at hers.
    “Yes,”
she replied, stalling for time. “You’ve always been here?”
    He
nodded. “Yep. I grew up in a big house, where my dad still lives, until I went
to college.” He slid her a glance. “I get the impression that’s not the case
with you.”
    “True.”
She didn’t want to talk about herself, but hated to be rude. He’d had a loving,
stable environment, and she’d had a host of families. Sort of.
    “Gonna
make me work for it, aren’t you?”
    He
smiled that damn sexy smile that had her lips responding in kind, and spilling
the beans.
    “My
childhood was a bit chaotic. My dad died when I was four. Mom didn’t like to be
alone so we moved in with her dad until he died, then she remarried. Divorced.
Remarried. Divorced. By that time, I’d graduated and was living at college,
where I met my ex. So, you see? Chaotic.”
    “Summers
here with your uncle must’ve seemed—”
    “Like
heaven,” she interrupted. “It was the only stability I had during my teens. I
loved it here. And envied the heck out you and Brandi and your brothers.”
    “You
did? Why?” He frowned, driving through the deserted streets in town.
    All the
shops were closed, including hers. Theresa was manning the store tomorrow, so
Jill had worked alone today. After closing, she’d fetched Lea and Ben from the
bus station, expecting to be dropped off at her house. Not. Instead, she’d
spent a…pretty great evening with a bunch of nice people.
    And she
really wished Mason would drive faster so she could get home and not have to be
answering these tough questions.
    She
sighed, knowing she’d run out of time and needed to reply. “Because you had
your parents and each other and you didn’t get ripped away from your life every
few years.” An involuntary shudder rushed through her at the memory of just
finding her feet in her new life, then being uprooted to start again, all the
while trying to sooth her mother.
    “Jesus,
Jill.” His gloved hand covered hers and squeezed. “I’m sorry you had to deal
with all that, especially as a child, but, even though I wasn’t forced to move
around, my childhood was far from ideal,” he said, mouth as grim as his tone.
“My mom walked out on us when I was eleven.”
    “I’m
sorry. I didn’t know. I thought your mother died,” she stammered, feeling more
foolish by the second. The gossip she’d picked up all those years ago at the
pizza shop hadn’t been correct.
    Shocker.
That’s why it was called gossip.
    “She
did, sort of. That was Brandi’s mom.”
    She
frowned. “Wait, Brandi’s not your sister?”
    Yeah,
she was beginning to wonder if she had any of his childhood correct.

Chapter Eight
     
    “N ot by blood,” Mason replied. “My dad adopted her when he
married her mother. Catherine was kind and a great step-mother.”
    “She’s
the one who died of cancer,” Jill said, beginning to piece things together.
    He
nodded.
    “How old
were you?”
    “Fifteen.”
    “That
must’ve been hard. I was four when my dad died, but I don’t remember him much.
And Mom’s other husbands never adopted me. Just tolerated.” She laughed, but he
didn’t laugh back. In fact, he was frowning, and entwined their fingers
together.
    “I wish
I had known.”
    She
reeled back, freeing her hand. “Why? There wouldn’t have been anything you
could’ve done. But that’s sweet.” Her chest was hurting, having cracked open
enough for him to burrow inside, and for her to know she liked the