Me: Give me directions and I’ll meet you there.
Theo: Won’t that defeat the purpose of us looking like a couple?
He’s so right, damn it. And won’t we look like a couple now? We’ve seen each other naked. He’s been inside me. He made me come with his fingers.
My body goes hot at the memories. Stupid body. I need to take some advice from our girl, our queen Taylor Swift, and fast.
I need to calm down.
Me: Okay. You’re right. But let me meet you somewhere.
I glance around my shitty apartment, frowning. Stella’s apartment that no one lives in is better than this hellhole, but it’s all I can afford, considering my credit card debt, car payment and the outrageous rent. It’s old, the building is decrepit and my neighbors aren’t of the highest quality. Old Mrs. Fillmore who lives next door to me is a complete sweetheart, though, and I like to keep watch over her, just like she keeps an eye out on me. She’s the only saving grace at this place.
Theo: Why don’t you want me to come to your apartment?
Damn it, he’s too smart. No other guy would ever care. Most of them would be grateful I don’t want them to see my home. They’re all afraid staying over is a sign of commitment. Or they worry about walking through my front door and seeing one too many cats, or that everything’s decorated pink and frilly.
Men. They’re ridiculous.
Me: I live really out of the way.
This is sort of the truth.
Theo: I don’t mind making the drive. I’ve told you that before.
He’s so thoughtful. So nice. Of course he doesn’t mind. This is the man, after all, who fucked me so well, I worried I might pass out at one point. Seriously, my vision went hazy and I sort of forgot myself. Having sex with Theo was like an out of body experience.
Who knew?
Me: I’ll just meet you in the Safeway parking lot.
We’ve done this before. He knows exactly what parking lot I’m talking about.
Theo: You’re really frustrating sometimes.
Me: Really, Theo? You weren’t complaining last night.
Oh shit. I just went there.
Theo: Neither were you.
Ha. He went there too. I don’t fight the smile that spreads across my face. You’re damn right I wasn’t complaining. Two orgasms in a matter of minutes will do that to a girl.
Me: ??
He hates it when I respond like that, and I respond like that a lot.
Theo: Fine. 1:30 at the Safeway parking lot.
Me: See you then!!!
I send a couple of kissy face emojis as per usual. He sends me a red angry face emoji in response, and I can’t help but laugh.
At least he’s acting normal. Like what happened last was no big deal.
Of course, we haven’t laid eyes on each other yet.
“I should warn you. My family can be…kind of overwhelming,” Theo says as I climb into his slick BMW and shut the door. His car payment is probably as much as my rent. Worse, he probably owns the car free and clear, which makes me feel like an incompetent loser. I’m saving a little bit of money and trying to get my shit together. He’s been helping me with that, Mr. Financial Planner Extraordinaire, but Theo’s responsibleness makes me feel totally behind sometimes. Most of the time. As if I’m lacking, which I sort of am.
But hey. I’m still young. He’s like in his thirties. He went to college and obtained a fancy degree, where I’ve been working my entire adult life, trying to get ahead. Of course he’s got his shit together. I’ll catch up.
Eventually.
“What do you mean, they’re overwhelming?” I ask.
“They’re a little crazy.” He winces. “I’m the calm one.”
“Huh. Well, I’m not scared. I know all about crazy families,” I tell him, which is the truth. I could tell stories for hours about the things certain family members have done. None of them good. Most of them illegal.
He sends me a piercing gaze, one hand draped over the steering wheel, the other wrapped around the car’s gearshift. He’s wearing a black polo shirt and jeans, and there is nothing sexual about his outfit whatsoever, yet I can’t help but think how sexy he looks.
Maybe it’s the way the shirt fabric stretches taut across his firm chest. Or how tight the denim clings to his thick thighs.
I have a thing for thick thighs. Say that three times fast.
“Really?” He sounds curious. Probably because I never mention my family to him ever, and he’s tried to ask. I just always divert the conversation. “You’ll have to share those stories with me sometime.”
“Sure,” I say lightly, though I’m really saying never going to happen.
It’s none of his business.
We make casual conversation the entire drive, and I’m lulled into what I can only assume is a false sense of security. We never once bring up last night. Or what happened between us. How I could still smell him on my skin when I first woke up this morning, or how sore I am between my thighs. I really took a pounding.
And I’m not complaining.
The drive to Theo’s parents’ house is long, and they live on one of those winding country roads that takes us deep into Carmel Valley. They seem to go on forever, and I’m sure it would be a more pleasant drive if I wasn’t so nervous about meeting his parents. But I am. Nervous. My palms are sweating, which is ridiculous. This means nothing.
But I want them to like me.
When we finally pull up to the closed iron gate, I sit up and take notice. It’s green and lush everywhere the eye can see. And there are so many grand oak trees, I can’t help but wonder how long they’ve been on this earth. Probably hundreds of years.
“This is amazing,” I breathe once we pull through the gate and we’re heading down the endless driveway.
“My parents own sixty-five acres,” Theo says, sending me a quick glance. “I grew up out here.”
“It’s so beautiful.” We drive past a pond surrounded by trees that has the cutest little wooden dock. There are ducks floating along the surface of the water, and it all looks so peaceful and serene, I can actually feel my entire body relaxing.
I hadn’t realized I was so tense in the first place.
“My parents don’t ever want to leave. They love it out here,” Theo explains.
“I would too if I were them,” I say, my gaze locking on the two beautiful horses grazing in a field. “You have horses?”
“My sister used to ride when she was a little girl, but after a while, she got tired of it. Mom never tired of it, though. I think she got those horses more for herself.” The fondness in his voice is obvious. Theo loves his mother, which is endearing. He always speaks highly of her, and truly, that is the sweetest thing alive. I’ve not had many long-term relationships, but every single guy I’ve dated had mom issues. Which makes sense, because I have mom issues too.
Theo loves his family. He’s close with all of them. They take care of each other, and that is such a foreign concept to me, I’m not sure how I’m going to feel when I meet them. Are they all going to be sugary sweet? Extremely polite? I want them to like me, but I don’t want them to try too hard. Cloying, over-the-top behavior is the worst.
“Stop worrying,” Theo murmurs, reaching out to settle one of those large, surprisingly talented hands on my knee and giving it a gentle squeeze. I’m wearing a dress today, and his hand on my bare leg sears me straight through. “They’re going to love you.”
He releases his hold on me and I immediately miss it. I send him a quick glance, but he’s concentrating on the road ahead, allowing me to look my fill. He didn’t shave today, so the stubble lining his firm jaw gives him a rakish air. I devoured historical romances in my very early twenties, when I was looking for pure fantasy material. The emotionless, uptight duke with the proper manners and cold heart who’s secretly a freak in the sheets? I loved that.
Also figured it was absolute bullshit.
But that description aptly applies to T
heo. Looking at him, he’s rather unassuming. Regular guy who works hard. Appears to come from a wealthy family. Very responsible. Attractive, but not outrageously so.
Though he’s been stirring something inside me a little more than usual, I must admit. And the sex thing…that was really surprising. We were positively combustible.
“Are you worried?” he asks after I haven’t said anything for too long.
“Kind of. I don’t meet parents very often,” I admit.
“I know. You’ve mentioned that before.” He glances over at me, only to find I’m already watching him. His expression softens, and I wonder if I look as nervous as I feel. “My parents are very approachable people.”
“Like you?” He’s the most approachable person I know, besides my group of best friends.
“Like me.” He nods. “I also look a lot like my dad.”
“Then he must be extremely attractive,” I tease, though I’m being serious. “A complete DILF.”
“A DILF?” I’m about to explain when realization dawns. “Ah, shit. I don’t want you thinking about my dad like that.”
I laugh. I can’t help it. “Don’t worry, I’m not into older men.”
“Thank God,” he mutters.
“Though you are a little older than me,” I point out.
He sends me another look, one I can’t decipher. “Not by much.”
“You’re thirty five?”
He rolls his eyes. “Thirty-three.”
“I’m only twenty-seven.”
“Six years isn’t much,” he says.
“But you’re an older man. Something I can always hold over your head.” I’m teasing, and he smiles.
“Being older means I have more experience.”
“I’ll say,” I mutter, and he chuckles. The sound sends a warm sensation stirring in my stomach.
We pull into the circular drive, and Theo cuts the engine. I stare up at the house, grateful it isn’t as intimidating as I thought it might be. Though it’s still gorgeous. It’s a ranch house, with slate rock steps that lead to the window paned double doors.
One of those doors opens and a trim older woman steps outside, her arm raising in a wave as she eagerly starts down the steps toward the car.
I turn to face Theo once again, panic zipping through my veins. “Oh God, she’s coming right for us.”
He laughs. “She’s my mom. She’s happy to see me.”
My mind is racing with all sorts of things to say, but it’s like the words are lodged in my throat. Theo’s gaze lifts, zeroing in on a spot just past my shoulder. He’s watching his mom approach the car, I know it.
And then he does the craziest thing.
He leans down and kisses me.
His gentle mouth on mine immediately settles my racing thoughts, my pumping blood. I return the kiss, my lips parting easily for the quick swipe of his tongue and he takes advantage, sliding his fingers into my hair.
He pulls away at the same time the passenger door swings open and his mother practically drags me out of the car. “Oh my God, you’re gorgeous!”
She hauls me into her arms and gives me a bone-crushing hug. I stand there helplessly, blinking at her when she grips my shoulders and holds me at arm’s length so she can really examine me.
“Mom,” Theo groans, climbing out of the car and slamming the door. “Stop. You’re scaring her.”
It’s true. She’s a little terrifying. And for such a small woman, she’s incredibly strong.
“Theodore, you never told me your Kelsey was so beautiful.” The words are said warmly. Reverently. Mom always told me my beauty’s a curse. She accused me of drawing the wrong kind of attention from men, even though it isn’t my fault. I can’t help the way I look.
Funny thing is, I look exactly like her.
“Hey guess what, Mom? My Kelsey is beautiful.” He stops directly beside me and reaches out, prying his mother’s fingers from my shoulder that’s closest to him. “Let her go. Introduce yourself. You’re freaking her out.”
“Oh! Sorry. My name is Patricia,” his mother says, sticking her hand out for me to shake. “But you can call me Patti.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I tell her, realizing quick the hand out was a ruse.
She grabs hold of mine and pulls me in for yet another hug. “It’s wonderful to meet you.”
“Mom.” His tone is a warning and she lets me go, smiling at me in apology. “Where’s Dad?”
“Out back, messing with the barbecue.” Patti’s smile is still for me. It’s like she can’t stop looking at me. “My husband is obsessed with his new barbecue. The kids got it for him for his birthday from Costco, and he tries to cook everything on it.”
“Even pizza,” Theo adds.
His mother laughs, and it’s a pretty sound. Pleasant. Friendly. I like her. She makes me feel comfortable, and I appreciate that. “The pizza wasn’t bad.”
“If you say so.” Theo grabs hold of my hand like it’s the most natural thing in the world, and smiles at me. “Let’s go inside. I want to show Kelsey around the house.”
“Wonderful.” His mother watches us, and I can tell she’s pleased. I have no idea what that’s really like, pleasing a mother. The mother of a man I’m supposedly seeing. Most of them were never pleased to see me.
Did I mention I went through a bad girl phase? Of course I did. After my mom died when I was nineteen, I was on my own with no guidance. No help. No supervision. I was working three part-time jobs and trying to make ends meet, always craving attention, whether it was good or bad. I slept with one of my supervisors on the side to try to get a promotion. Gave him blowjobs while on the clock and everything.
Never did get that promotion, but he sure benefited from the arrangement.
Listen, I’m no angel. Truthfully, I’m ashamed of my past. Of the things I’ve done. But I can’t make what I’ve done disappear. Once I got the job at Wilder, I changed my behavior. No more screwing the boss. Oh, I occasionally messed around with someone I worked with, but it was never serious.
That’s me. The never-serious girl. Until I started to realize I deserve better than that. I can be a serious type of girl. I think. I want to try. But I need to find a man who loves me for me, not because of my face or my body. That’s all surface stuff.
But I only seem to meet men who can’t see beyond the surface. They’re dazzled by my face. They don’t care to actually get to know me. They just want to be seen with me. Show me off to their friends, like Paul did with Theo when we all went on that double date together. When Theo was set up with Eleanor.
I really miss her. Can’t blame her for moving in with her hot, NFL-playing boyfriend, though. I’d do the same thing. Mitch worships the ground she walks on.
What’s that like? I have no clue.
It’s weird, how Theo never mentioned my looks to his mother. I mean, I know we’re just friends. And he didn’t think of me like that. But still. Men always mention my looks first. My face. It’s what I’ve always led with.
Until now.
We enter the house, Theo’s hand still firmly locked with mine, and I come to a stop in the entry, taking it all in. The floor is terra cotta tile, a plush multicolored rug covering the majority of it. Multiple family photos line the wall directly in front of us, all of them featuring happy faces smiling wide for the camera. I move closer so I can examine the photos, my gaze locked on a very young, very adorable Theo standing next to an older version of himself—I assume it’s his father—both of them grinning.
“My dad,” Theo explains when I turn to him. “I was fourteen in that pic. Right around eighth grade graduation, I think.”
He’s tall and painfully thin, but I can see the warm, familiar sparkle in Theo’s eyes. I glance at the photo, then at the live Theo in front of me, smiling. “You were cute.”
“I was shy and a complete introvert,” he says, shaking his head with a chuckle. “Too scared to talk to girls.”
The summer before high school I w
as reckless. Desperately wishing I was older. Wearing too much makeup. I’m sure I would’ve terrified Theo if we’d known each other, if we were closer in age. “You were adorable.”
“If you’re into nerds.” He brings our linked hands closer to his mouth and drops a kiss on my knuckles, his gaze never leaving mine. I’m oddly touched. Strangely breathless.
But then I glance to my left to find his mother watching us with adoring eyes, and I know he did it for her.
My heart sinks.
He leads me through the sprawling house, his mother trailing after us and making the occasional comment. The tour is quick, the house beautiful yet well lived in, and eventually we make our way through the large kitchen and out the back door to the yard, where the rest of the family is congregating.
His father is at the giant barbecue with his back to us, one of Theo’s brothers standing beside him as they both stare at the sizzling meat on the grill. Another guy is sitting at a picnic table across from a woman who appears to be in her early twenties, and I can only assume they’re Theo’s brother and sister. The man clutches a sweating beer bottle as he argues with the woman, who has an indignant expression on her pretty face.
Just another family Saturday, I suppose.
“Hey, you made it.” Theo’s father shuts the lid on the barbecue and makes his way toward us, a warm smile on his face, his gaze on me. “You must be Kelsey.”
I let go of Theo’s hand and step forward. “Nice to meet you.”
His dad pulls me into a quick hug, not nearly as long or as bone crushing as Patti’s. “Sorry, we’re huggers,” he says once he releases me. “Theo’s told us a lot about you.”
“Dad.” Theo sounds vaguely accusatory.
“Oh Jim, don’t embarrass him,” Patti says as she plants herself firmly by her husband’s side. “It’s just been…rough these last few months. For Theo. We’re just so happy he brought you here to meet us,” she tells me, her voice lowering, like we’re keeping a big secret. Right in front of him.
“Right,” I say with a nod. She’s referring to the breakup with Jessica.
“And then there’s the wedding.” Patti shakes her head, oblivious to the death stares both her husband and oldest son are currently sending her. “Can you believe Craig asked him to be a groomsman? The nerve of that boy. He was always such a bold one. Even when he was young.”
Wedding Date (Dating Series Book 6) Page 8
