“Don’t stop.”
At Shane’s voice, she dropped the comforter and returned her attention to his face. He lifted his eyebrows. “You may get more than you bargained for if you continue snooping under there.”
She debated on what she wanted to do. Fine, she wanted to see all of him.
He laughed and held his arms out. “How did you get away from me anyway?”
“I think you rolled over.” She cuddled into his embrace.
“Are you okay?” He combed his fingers through her hair and grunted.
“What’s wrong?”
“I just turned into one of those guys.”
“What guys?” It surprised her how natural it was to lie with him without a stitch on.
“The guy that wants to make sure you’re all right, that you’re good with everything that happened.” He threw his arm over his eyes.
She sat up.
Shane peered over his arm. “Are you all right?”
“Yes.”
“You okay with everything that happened?”
“Are you?”
“Yes, and dare I say I’m honored too.” He shook his head. “I think you’re milking it now.”
“I was trying.” Yes, she wanted him to say all those things.
He pulled her down. “My parents are going to love you.”
The second she lay down she shot up again. “Parents?”
“Oh yeah, you will be indoctrinated to the rest of the Elliott clan for my dad’s birthday.” Now he sat up. “Can I tell them you were a virgin? I think they’ll love that, it’s like a parent’s dream.”
“Shane.” She turned over and hid her face in the pillow. Truth be told, she hadn’t wanted him to know.
“How did that happen anyway?” He tugged her back around to face him.
What could she tell him? The truth was that along with all of her other nevers, she never had the opportunity. Since they weren’t living in the middle ages, she was a freak.
“You were a tease.” He moved on top of her.
The person who spoke first lost, and she kept her mouth shut.
“You cold?” He rubbed her arm. “You’re shaking.”
“A little.” But her trembling wasn’t because she was cold.
“We must take care of that.” He gave her a hard kiss. “I’m so glad you were a virgin, you know.”
“Really?”
“Yes, now I know what everyone was missing, and those guys lost out.” A deeper kiss followed his statement. “I’m so glad I’m the only one.”
The technicality that there were no other guys at all faded away with his kiss and the hard thickness against her thigh. She needed to remember that although there was no one else, Shane wanted her.
“Now back to my earlier question, since I’m one of those guys.” His fingers traveled to her breasts.
“What was that?” She arched toward him.
“Can I do anything for you?” He dipped his head down and took one of her nipples in his mouth.
She grabbed for his hair and remembered something. “Yes, you can.”
He lifted his face. “Ask and ye shall receive.”
“I want to see.” She closed her eyes.
“Oh.” He made a growling sound. “Well you can’t see like that.”
Shane threw the covers off the bed and he moved to one side. “I am here for your perusal.”
As she was about to take a look, a door slamming and a huge crash outside her window caused her to grab for him. “What was that?”
“Stay here.” He threw the comforter to her and wrapped the sheet around his waist as he went to the window, moving the curtain aside. “Good riddance,” he grunted.
“What?” She leaned over.
“Dillon is actually leaving.” He dropped the curtain and the sheet and returned to the bed.
“I’m sorry.”
“This has nothing to do with you. He came back thinking no one would remember what he really is deep down inside.”
“Don’t you think people can change?” She moved closer, the constriction in her stomach subsiding a bit when he pulled her against him.
“I doubt it.” He kissed the top of her head.
“What if they work really hard on it?” She swallowed the lump in her throat.
“If they have to work so hard, maybe they shouldn’t try to change in the first place.” He ran a finger down her shoulder. “Hey! We are in afterglow mode.” Out of nowhere he pushed her to her back. “Let’s go to the bathroom.”
“What?”
“All of our hot moments start there.” He grinned. “I even kissed you there after you yacked your brains out, so that has to count for something.”
When she remembered her first kiss she tried to block the throwing up part out.
“We are going to the bathroom to recapture the moment and then we are going to make love.” He pulled her out of bed. “I waited for this, you were a tease. Trust me.”
“What about Dillon?” She tripped on the blankets and Shane caught her.
“Who cares, it’s just you and me.” As he kissed her, he swept her up into his arms.
“Just you and me?” She let him take her away, pushing Dillon to the back of her mind. Shane didn’t know what she was. He never would.
Chapter Twenty-Three
If he could avoid the interrogation about his financial situation, his brother, and his Uncle Rufus, and still manage to have ten seconds alone with Lindsay, Shane would count the weekend with his family as a success. He looked up at his parent’s ranch style home in Simi Valley and nodded.
His mother loved it when she could corral her four kids to sit nicely around the table, a living display for the rest of his family.
His family.
He lifted his sunglasses, letting the sun blind him for a second. Maybe he should have better warned Lindsay.
“Ronald, they’re here.” The front door flung open and his mother answered, wearing a tailored yellow sundress and pearls.
Shane glanced over at Lindsay in her blue dress and pearls and tilted his head.
His father came charging to the door in a pair of tattered blue jeans, motorcycle boots, a black t-shirt with a picture of a skull on it, and a red bandana on his head.
Shane peeked down at his own jeans and t-shirt.
His mother zoomed right for Lindsay and embraced her. Before any warnings escaped Shane’s mouth, his father encompassed her in a huge bear hug.
“Mom, are you going to let us in?” He reached in and pulled Lindsay free. She stared up at him with wide eyes and a wider smile.
“This must be Lindsay.” His mother clapped.
“If she’s not then I’m in really big trouble.” He attempted to go for the distraction and handed his mother a bag of presents for his pop.
His father gave him a high five and glanced down at Lindsay. “Good work.” He held his hand up to Lindsay.
Shane laughed when Lindsay gave his dad a high five and his mother finally let them into the house.
Conflicting sensations bombarded him as he walked through the house he grew up in with the only woman who ever meant anything to him. Pride overtook him when Lindsay took his hand and he introduced her to his aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. He loved how his entire family nodded their approval at him. He knew he hit the jackpot with Lindsay, but the confirmation rocked.
Along with the pride, a strange stomach-dropping anxiety slid through him as he walked through his parents’ living room with the black leather couches and dark wood accessories. He grew up in a family of action, with everything well-worn and loved, while Lindsay loved pristine conditions. His mother always wanted a showcase home, but she gave it up for his father.
“It’s like you can sink right in.” Lindsay ran her hand along one of the couches.
He looked down at the blue carpet.
“With four kids, it was just easier.” His mom patted the sofa. “Now I can’t get rid of them.”
&nb
sp; “I wouldn’t. I love it.”
The woman who bought everything new loved the couch? That couch? The sick couch, the well couch, the couch he caught Carson making out on and took a picture with his dad’s Polaroid? “You love the couch?”
Lindsay looked at him through her eyelashes, nodded and turned to his mother. “Can I help you with anything?”
“Come.” His mother hooked her arm in Lindsay’s and dragged her away.
Who knew what they could do to her in the bowels of birthday central?
“Hey.” He followed, ignoring his aunt, miniature cousin, and Carson. His nerves amplified as he pushed passed Ivan, and he almost tripped over his grandma, shoving his way into the kitchen. He found her at the counter next to Emily, slicing carrots. “Lindsay!”
Every female in the kitchen turned to him.
“What’s wrong with you?” His mother shooed him out with a dishtowel.
He backed up but pointed at his girlfriend. “I wanted to know where she went.”
“Where would she go? Now, go away.”
“But ...”
“But nothing.” She stood in front of her son, blocking his view.
“Mom,” he whined.
“Don’t you take that tone with me?” She raised a finger. “You told me how important Lindsay is to you and now it’s my time to get to know her better.”
He watched Lindsay smile before she turned her back to him.
“Come here.” Mom guided him out and away into the hall. “How’s everything?”
“Great.” He gave her a toothy grin. “Maybe I should go say hi to grandma.” An interrogation was upon him, he could tell by the glint in his mother’s eye.
She gripped his sleeve to keep him in place. “How’s the shop?”
“Great.” Another grin.
“Lindsay said she’s got the records organized.” She elbowed her son. “She seems very smart.”
He could get out of the interrogation faster if he used as few words as possible. “She does and she is.”
“She said you have a system.”
Since he used five words before, he needed to conserve, so he nodded. Anything at the shop was Lindsay’s system. He only did tattoos, like it was meant to be. Meant to be.
“I asked her about the bills,” his mother whispered.
He grabbed the bridge of his nose.
“She said she has it covered.”
“Yes.” One word, excellent.
“Also, about the …” She mouthed the letters I.R.S.
He understood, he didn’t need to hear those letters aloud either.
“Lindsay says they’re only going back a year.”
Before he excused himself to go hurl, he needed to make a mental note to ask Lindsay how she managed to tell his mom so much in less than two minutes. It must be a girl thing.
“She says you’re helping her too, and telling her everything she needs to know.” She put her hand on Shane’s cheek, leaned up and kissed him.
Without a doubt he was going to end up with his head in the toilet. Maybe if he ended up in the hospital, Lindsay would forget the part about him not telling her bout the letter, and his parents wouldn’t notice how badly he screwed up.
“You’re still my little guy.”
“Mom.” He scratched his hand down the side of his Mohawk. He wondered if his grandma had any of that scotch stashed away in her flask.
“We’re so proud of you and want you to have this.” She shoved a check into his hand.
“Please don’t.”
“You need it now that you’re getting everything together.” She patted him.
“I don’t want it.” He tried to give it back.
“Shane Thomas.” She snapped. “Take it, pay something off.”
“Maybe you should keep it and buy a couch from this millennium.”
She gave him the eye. “Take the money and when you and Lindsay get married, I’m going to give her the couch she loves so much.”
Married? The concept of being married to Lindsay didn’t bother him nearly as much as that couch or the check.
“I know you’re not arguing with me on your father’s birthday.” She pointed toward the dining room. “Go put yours and Lindsay’s things in your room. I’m so happy you’re staying over.” His mother gave him one last kiss and returned to the kitchen.
The acid eating away at his guts would soon destroy him and seep over to Lindsay. He leaned back and peeked at all the girls cooking away. They giggled as they put the final touches on the meal. He backed away. He needed her and had to tell her. The pressure with the business was overwhelming. He needed to prove he hadn’t wrecked everything. He had to reformulate his plan for the few days with the family, since staying out of the interrogation had failed miserably. Strike one.
“There he is.”
A shudder ran through him at Uncle Rufus’s voice. Strike two. “Hey, I have to run to my car.” He tried to avoid eye contact.
“Let me go with you, I want to show you something.” Rufus rolled up his sleeve. “It’s just a dry patch.”
His stomach churned and the only person he could call for help was making carrot curls. “I’m not a dermatologist.” Every time. Uncle Rufus needed to go to a doctor, or crawl in a hole, or at the very least, leave him alone.
“I trust you more. You know skin.” He thrust his arm at Shane.
When he laid eyes on the red, scaly, scabby skin that was all. “Lindsay.”
Rather than his woman, his sister Emily appeared.
“Mom wants you to stop yelling and sit down. Everything’s ready.” She pointed toward the dining room. “You too.” She smiled at Rufus and hid behind Shane.
“I’ll catch you after.” The living scab walked away.
“Thanks.” He swallowed the acid back to his stomach.
“He’s so gross.” She made a face. “Lindsay’s helping mom. She’ll be right out.” She pushed him. “Whoever thought you would be the possessive one?”
“I am, so there.” He slinked toward the table, deciding to stay in his funk until Lindsay returned.
“At least I get the real estate questions. Have fun playing doctor.” Dillon sauntered by with a huge grin.
He ducked into the bathroom. Strike three.
*~*~*
“Lindsay.”
At hearing her name, she tiptoed down the hallway. A pair of familiar arms grabbed her and dragged her backward into a bathroom. Before she said a word, Shane pushed her up against the sink, pressing his lips to hers.
She pulled back and put her hand over his mouth. “Are you all right?”
“What makes you think something is wrong?”
“Well …” She put the back of her hand to his cheek. “You feel clammy. We’re supposed to be sitting at the table, but we’re in the bathroom.”
“I wanted to make sure you knew where the bathroom was.”
“No you didn’t.”
“I had to look at Uncle Rufus’ skin condition.”
“Aw, I’m sorry.” She patted his hair. “We should go sit down. I don’t want to ruin your mother’s party. She’s been looking forward to it.” Kathleen Elliott had also told her how critical it was to the family that she helped with the shop. His parents invested a lot to make their son a success. Now the responsibility of its success seemed in her hands.
“I need you, Linds.” He pressed against her and buried his face in her neck. “Just me and you.”
She fought against becoming lost in him. Something seemed off, but they were in the middle of this family affair. “Let’s go eat then maybe after, we can take a walk. I really want your mom to be happy.”
“All right.” He kissed her once more, took her hand and led her out.
Under every eye in the house, she took her seat. Her boyfriend neglected to tell her about his huge family, and they were all quite the characters. She loved how different and unique they all were, just like the man next to her.
While Shane seemed spo
oked in the bathroom, once he sat down, his father began chatting with him and he relaxed, running his thumb along the back of her hand while he talked. She tried to listen, but Dillon entered the room.
She hadn’t seen him since that night. Shane wouldn’t talk about him and neither would Carson or Emily. Armed only with bits of information, all she could piece together was that he’d left the shop hanging to go to New York. Surely that wasn’t the whole story. While the three younger siblings took it as a betrayal, she sympathized with the ostracized brother. He strolled into the room, all smiles and with his gaze set on her and Shane. An uncomfortable chill ran through her and she shivered when he sat next to her.
Not wanting to do anything to put any sort of pall on the party, she smiled nicely while keeping a death grip on Shane’s hand. The strategy would work right up until Shane needed to pick up an eating utensil and she wished she’d sat on his other side.
Shane was entrenched in a conversation about building a tattoo machine while Kathleen and two of Shane’s aunts filled the table with food. Dillon took that moment to speak to her.
“It’s good to see you.” He leaned over.
“Thank you.” She focused on her plate and one of Shane’s uncles joined in on the tattoo machine conversation. He laughed. Apparently it wasn’t the skin challenged uncle.
“I guess it’s not that great to see me,” Dillon said.
“Your words.” The best strategy was to offer little to feed his fire.
Another Aunt trotted over to Dillon and squeezed his face. “It’s so good to see you. I didn’t think we’d be getting you back from New York.”
“It was time to come back.” Dillon smiled.
“I thought the next time we saw you it would be for your wedding or your baby.” She sighed.
Dillon grunted. “Wasn’t meant to be.”
Lindsay wrinkled her nose. No matter what happened, this was not a conversation for a party.
The woman moved closer and attempted to whisper. “When I first saw Shane’s girlfriend in the kitchen, I thought she was with you.”
Somehow Lindsay managed not to dig her nails into Shane’s hand, instead opting to pick up a spoon and study the pattern. Plain, but that could be interesting, right?
“You would think that wouldn’t you.” Dillon’s voice lowered. “They’re a little mismatched.”
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