“I aim to please, ma’am,” he said with a slow drawl.

“You should really do that in bed,” she suggested and he chuckled.

“Duly noted.” He laughed as his heart warmed. He loved their banter, their easygoing way. He honestly couldn’t get enough of her. And he had the rest of his life for this? He was pretty sure he’d just scored the goal of a lifetime marrying her.

“So anyway, stop interrupting me,” she scolded and he shook his head, a retort on the tip of his tongue but choosing wisely to swallow it. “When we were having that horrible conversation that we have yet to bring up with my family, what did Grady mean when he said you were a whorebag? Do you get around or something?”

He squeezed the steering wheel till his knuckles turned white. He wasn’t proud of what he had done since he walked away from her. Grady hadn’t been lying when he’d said that Karson had been around; he had. It wasn’t something he liked to talk about, but he was a young player in the fast lane. Girls flocked to him like a bear to honey. He had money, he was a good-looking guy, he was strong, and he was horny. Not a good combination when his heart belonged to another and he was trying to forget. He wished he could look at Lacey and say that he had been a perfect church boy, waiting only for her, but the good Lord above would shoot him down.

“Yeah, I got around,” he answered slowly. “I’m not proud of it, not in the least.”

“Like, how many?”

“I lost count, Lacey,” he answered, wishing Grady to hell. “I know that is the last thing you want to hear, but just know that is my past and it won’t ever happen again. I won’t cheat on you; I’m not that kind of man. All those women knew the score. I only wanted sex. I never had a relationship with anyone—you were the only one who ever mattered. You are the only one I’ve ever loved.”

He chanced a glance over at her, and she was looking at him, watching his every move. “I trust you. I just didn’t know and wanted to know what he was talking about.”

“Yeah, I was trying to forget you. Which is basically impossible—you left your mark on me, my sweetheart.”

She grinned as she reached out, taking his hand. “Right back atcha, hot stuff.” He chuckled as she continued, “I know all about that. That’s the only reason I was with Ethan, trying to forget you. It didn’t work, by the way, and I’d probably still be with him if he hadn’t cheated on me.”

Karson almost stopped the car. Say what?

“What? That dickwad cheated on you?”

She nodded. “Yup, found him with my cashier. It was bad.”

He already hated Ethan Stanford with a passion in his heart, but now that asshole had a death wish. While yes, he was glad they weren’t together, he didn’t like the idea of someone hurting Lacey.

“I thought you two just called the wedding off,” he said, turning onto the road that would lead to his parents.

“Oh no, he made me sign a non-disclosure clause so when people came at me, asking what happened, I had to say we parted ways. I wasn’t upset or anything. I really didn’t even care. He was nothing to me. I just tried to use him as a stand-in and it didn’t work. But anyway, apparently he had a sex addiction or some shit.”

Karson wasn’t sure why he liked her words, but he did. He didn’t want her to hurt in the least, but it warmed him from the inside out that she’d never gotten over him either.

“Or he is just a douche,” he supplied and Lacey nodded.

“Yeah, that’s what I said. Oh well, he’s long gone, and I’m with the one I love,” she said, kissing the back of his hand.

“Very true,” he said, squeezing her hand. She may be okay with it all, but he had every intention on slamming that asshole in the boards the first chance he got.

Douche.

“Here we are,” he said, pulling into the driveway of his family home.

“Oh, it’s beautiful,” she gasped as she looked out the window.

“Yeah, I bought it a couple years ago for them as a fortieth wedding anniversary gift,” he said as he put the car in park. Glancing up at the white brick, ranch-style home, he smiled. He had been excited to buy his family the home that they would grow old in as soon as Kacey moved her ass out. They had given him everything, and he was more than happy to return the favor.

“Oh my God! How sweet!”

“Yeah, I like them a little,” he said with a grin before grabbing their bags. Shutting the door, he went around to retrieve his wife, but she was already getting out of the car. “You’re supposed to wait,” he scolded.

She smiled sheepishly before kissing his nose. “My bad.”

He chuckled as he brought her in close not only to keep her warm but because he just loved feeling her. Walking down the snow-covered driveway, they made it halfway to the house before the door opened and Kacey came out. A grin covered his face, happy to see her. He hadn’t seen her in over six months; he missed the little shit. Well, she wasn’t that little. She was almost as tall as he was.

“Ah, my sister. You remember Kacey, right?” he said, letting go of Lacey to hug his sister, but when his eyes met hers, he knew he was in deep shit. Before he could even react, her foot collided with his balls and all he saw were stars as he crumpled to the ground.

“I’m not fucking gay!”

Lacey had no clue what to do.

Her huge husband lay in the snow, holding his balls and groaning loudly while his equally huge sister stalked over him. And what a sight she was. Kacey King was the spitting image of her big brother: broad shoulders, dark hair that was cut very short, the same caramel eyes, and she was toned. She was built like a hockey player, and Lacey was actually a little scared of her. She had only met her once before, and when she had, Kacey had been much smaller. But now, Lacey was convinced she could take out a grown man.