Filed to story: Filthy Beautiful Lies Book PDF Free by Kendall Ryan
“I need your opinion on something,” I say, wiping my hands on a cloth napkin.
“Wow, Pace needs me for something…I feel honored,” she says, grinning at me. “What is it?”
“There’s a woman I’m interested in,” I start.
Footsteps behind me cause me to turn. It’s Colton, looking for his bride-to-be, no doubt.
“As long as it’s not Kylie, go to town,” he says.
I hiss out a breath. “I like her, dude. What’s your problem?” I’d intended to have a calm, rational conversation with Sophie. I already know my brother’s views on this, and it pisses me off.
“She’s a single mom,” Colton says, like I don’t know this fact.
“I’m well aware. Do you think I missed the mini-human who was attached to her hip all night?” I actually viewed him as a sort of bonus.
Sophie’s watching all of this, her eyes whipping back and forth between us as she struggles to catch up. “Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, Colton,” she says, placing her hand on his arm. “Pace is a nice guy. Kylie’s a sweet girl.”
Colton laughs out loud.
The fucker. “Pace is not a nice guy.”
Sophie’s eyes fly to mine again, and her lips purse out as if she’s weighing this information.
“The only reason I’m not going to kill you is because it would upset Sophie,” I bit out, glaring at him.
“He’s sweet, Colton,” she says, as if trying to convince us both. Her innocence is adorable.
“He’s nice to you, sweetness, because he knows I’d kill him otherwise,” Colton tells her, planting a kiss on her neck.
“Pace?” she asks.
“Don’t listen to him, cupcake. I can be nice. I’ll be the first to admit, a lot of the girls I’ve gone out with in the past have been…temporary playthings.”
Sophie’s eyebrows dart up.
I shrug. “I’m just speaking the truth. But I understand the difference between that and a quality girl like Kylie.”
“Colt, will you give us a minute, darling? I just want to talk to Pace,” Sophie says.
He presses his lips to hers, and grunts out a reply. Reluctantly dragging his mouth away from hers, he finally leaves us alone.
Sophie turns back to me, her expression serious. “So you like her?” she asks.
“I do.” There’s just something about her. Maybe I’m starting to outgrow the sloppy drunken hookups that my weekends usually consist of. Maybe I’m ready for something real.
“So what’s the problem? I know you won’t let Colton’s opinion stand in your way.”
“Nah. He’ll get over it. I wanted your advice because Kylie doesn’t seem interested in me. Which is something quite new for me.” I grin crookedly and shrug. I sound like a cocky asshole, but it’s the truth.
“My advice? Honestly? Go get her, tiger.” She gives me a playful smirk.
“With all due respect, what the hell do you mean, cupcake?”
“I’m going to let you in on a secret.” She pats the stool beside her, indicating I should sit. I do. “A girl likes it when her man goes all alpha male on her ass,” she continues.
“What are you saying?”
“Like when Colton refused to accept that I had left. He flew to Italy to win me back.”
I remember that trip well. I’d actually tried to talk him out of it. It’s great to woo the girl you love, but he was married at the time. I told him he should deal with his baggage first, but his plan had worked. “You’re saying I shouldn’t take no for an answer?”
“Exactly. Go win her over. Show her why you two would be great together.”
How the hell do I do that? I rub my temples. I picture her and her baby son. An idea takes hold, and refuses to let go.
“I got this, Soph.”
She grins at me adoringly. “I always knew you did.”
Chapter Five
Kylie
Today has been exhausting, and it’s only noon. With Max’s nanny out of town for the next two weeks for a long overdue honeymoon, I know I’m going to have my hands full. We’ve played trucks, kicked balls around the yard, finger-painted on sheets of construction paper, made up songs, danced, read books and now I’m ready for a nap. Of course Max is still raring to go.
With Max content for a moment to explore the little plastic farm I’ve set down in front of him, I plop down onto the couch and kick my feet up onto the oversized ottoman.
I can’t help my mind drifting back to yesterday and how it felt to see Pace with my son. If there was ever a form of foreplay for a single mom – watching an attractive, attentive man interact with your child was it. Max is my heart, and so observing how careful and sweet Pace was with him made me feel all kinds of things I’d rather not admit.