Free Full Disclosure (Homefront: The Sheridans Book 2) by Kate Aster Page B

as single mom just now.
    “Don’t take me home,” I blurt, a hint of
desperation in my tone.
    I feel Ryan’s eyes on me as he pulls his
car to the side of the road. “Are you all right?”
    “I’m fine.” I shake my head. “No. I’m
not. I’m just—” I wrack my brain for an excuse to drag this night out
just a little longer. Just a little longer to pretend I’m like any other 24-year-old.
“It’s just that Connor’s not in bed yet. And my mom always rags on me after
she’s worn out from babysitting. If I have to listen to it, I’d rather it be
after Connor’s in bed so he doesn’t catch wind of it.”
    It’s not a lie in the least. But it’s a
convenient truth.
    “Well, do you want to try to get another
donation? We could try a restaurant downtown here. I think Francesca’s is still
open.”
    I shake my head. “I hit all the downtown
restaurants last week.” Damn my thoroughness.
    “Damn, you’re thorough,” he says as
though he could read my mind. He gazes at me thoughtfully. “Before Hannah came
to live with me full-time, I used to avoid going home all the time. I just
hated the house being so empty.”
    “So where did you go?”
    “I’d work.”
    I grin. “Is that how you increased profit
by 25% in the past year?”
    He looks at me, seeming surprised that I
know that much about the company. I smile meekly. While it might be tempting to
just stare at his picture in JLS’s annual report, I actually do read it, too.
    “Yeah, that’s about the crux of it.”
    “So, you want to go to work?” The idea is
crazy, but honestly, even firing up my computer at the office for a couple
hours sounds better than facing reality.
    “God, no. I have a better idea.” He flicks
on his turn signal and pulls off Anders Street.
    My brow furrows. “Where are we going?”
    He grins. “To JLS’s best-kept secret.”
    He drives only six or so short blocks off
Anders Street when we reach a long stretch of undeveloped land. It’s heavily
forested, and overgrown with weeds. I grew up just north of Newton’s Creek, so
I know the area pretty well. But I’ve never ventured back here. There just
wasn’t reason to.
    He parks the car and darts over to my
side to open my door before I can even put my hand on the handle.
    “Um, Ryan, there’s nothing here.”
    “There’s plenty here. You just don’t see
it yet. Can you keep a secret?”
    “Uh-huh,” I say warily.
    “Come here,” He takes my hand and gives
it a tug. The feel of his skin touching mine should send me to the ER seeing as
my heart rate is already topping 150. But as it is, his hand in mine seems to
calm me. That’s never happened before in my life.
    “Where are we going?”
    “You’ll find out.”
    I’m still holding his hand as he pulls me
onto a makeshift trail that leads toward a neglected part of Newton’s Creek.
    “Ryan, I’m in heels,” I protest when I
see the thick weeds we’re about to trek through.
    He stops and glances down at my legs, and
I could almost swear his gaze lingers a bit longer than it should. “Sorry. Hop
on my back then.”
    “Are you serious?”
    “Yeah. You’re a feather.”
    I cock my head and place my fist right at
the curve of my waist. “I’m hardly a feather.”
    He puts his back to me and bends down. “Come
on. I’ve been dying to share this with someone and you need a distraction.”
    I should feel even a hint of trepidation,
going off into the woods with him, especially given my record in making
cataclysmically bad choices when it comes to male company. But there isn’t an ounce
of hesitation in me at the moment.
    And I’d rather go anywhere than home
right now.
    “Where do I put my hands?”
    “On my shoulders. Haven’t you ever ridden
piggy back before?”
    “Yeah, when I was five.” I tentatively
wrap my arms around his shoulders and the feel of his chest against my forearms
is pure heaven. Thank God I wore heels and have this excuse to wrap my body
around him. I hop onto his back