Read Online The Billionaire and the Cleaner by Sam Crescent - Free Book Online

chuckled.
“She’s more than pleasant. Since I can remember she’s loved her kitchen. No one
is going to take that pleasure away even with her in her sixties.”
    “I can tell you love them.”
    “Don’t you have parents you love?” he asked.
    She grew silent. He saw her fidgeting and rubbing her hands
along her thighs. Kent decided to let it go. Lana would tell him about her family when she was ready
to let that part of herself go.
    He pulled down the street where he grew up. His parents came
from money, and his grandparents had been happy when they discovered his mom
was pregnant.
    “Wow, this is where you grew up?” Lana asked.
    “Yeah. I went to school down
the road. It was a private school.”
    “This place is amazing.”
    I could give
you this if only you let me.
    Kent shook the
thought off. He didn’t do commitment.
    You could if
you let her in.
    “It’s pretty cool. My brothers own a house along here, and
so do my two sisters. They’re very happy.”
    “It must be nice,” Lana said with a sigh.
    He pulled up into the closed driveway. Kent typed in
the number for the gate to open.
    “You’ve got a security locked gate?”
    “Yeah. My mom demanded it
because my grandparents always dropped by when she didn’t want them to. It was
her way of keeping the in-laws away.”
    Lana chuckled. “I like the sound of your mom.”
    “She’s going to like you. Trust me, Lana, my mom is no
ogre.”
    “Okay.”
    She turned behind her to watch the gate close. “It must be
nice to lock the world away.”
    “Have you ever wanted to lock the world away?” he asked.
    “Sometimes.”
    She didn’t elaborate. Kent wanted more than anything to
get some truth out of her. Instead, he grew silent and waited for her to speak.
    He drove up to the main house. The day was overcast, and
dinner would be served inside the house. Sophie opened the door and ran down
the steps. She was the youngest of all the siblings. She was twenty-five and
had been a shock to the family when she arrived.
    “ Kent ,
it’s about time you got here.” He climbed out of the car and tensed waiting for
her to jump at him.
    Lana got out of the car staring at them. He felt her eyes on
him. Sophie wrapped her arms around his neck.
    “You’ve been gone too long, big brother,” Sophie said.
    “I know. Work has been hectic recently.”
    “You’re all work, and you’re going to put yourself into an
early grave. Mom and dad are worried. They think you’re going to be a sleep-around
bachelor for the rest of your life.”
    Kent cleared his
throat. “Can I introduce you to someone?” He pointed toward Lana. “This is Lana
Hawkins. She’s my friend.”
    “You don’t have female friends, not after … erm … you know
what I mean.”
    He glared at his sister. They were saved by the rest of his
family running down the stairs including some of his nieces and nephews. He was
suddenly bombarded with hugs, kisses, and slaps on the back.
    Lana stood off to the side watching the whole spectacle. He
saw something else in her gaze as she watched him, a yearning. She wanted what
he’d gotten.
    “Guys, stop with the hugs and everything. I get it. You love
me and miss me.” They took a step back. “I want to introduce you to a friend . This is Lana Hawkins.”
    His mom, Penny, turned to Lana. He’d seen the happiness on
her face. Kent felt he’d done the right thing bringing Lana with him.

Chapter Nine
     
    Kent ’s family was
huge, and Lana saw they all loved each other. The display of affection was
making her yearn for something similar. There would be no happy family
gatherings for her and no public displays of affection. If anything, her mother
would proposition Kent after already getting blind drunk. She’d not seen her mom in years, and the
thought of returning to the trailer where she used to live filled her with
fear.
    His mom turned to look at her. She had expected to see the
disappointment or some other emotion of disgust. What she got