by Harlow James
“I get that, believe me. And McKenzie is the type of woman I can see myself having a life with like you and mom.”
“I’ve said this to you before, and I’ll say it again, son. Marriage isn’t easy. It takes dedication every day. You have to fight for it, want it so badly that you’ll never accept failure. That’s the key. And…” he says, pausing for effect. “You must always remember to laugh.”
I grin in his direction, appreciating my father for being the man that he is—honest, caring, and admirable. “I’ll remember that.”
“Good, now get that girl at our house on Thanksgiving so your mom can fall in love with her too.”
***
“Are you already falling asleep on me?” I whisper in McKenzie’s ear as I nuzzle her neck. We just had another round of mind-blowing sex and now she’s lying next to me under the blankets of her bed.
“Yes,” she mumbles against her pillow, the sleepiness of her voice turning me on again, even though it shouldn’t. I’m not sure how my dick can be ready to go again after that round.
“I actually wanted to talk to you about something.”
My intention was to talk to her first before we fell into bed tonight. But the minute she opened the door to her house when I rushed over after my shift at the store, her lips were on mine and I couldn’t deny her what we both ultimately wanted. It had been a long four days without seeing her.
She rolls towards me so I can see her face, the light coming through the cracks in the blinds making her eyes greener even though we’re in the dark.
“Is everything okay?” Worry laces her words, so I reach out to stroke her cheek in comfort.
“Yes. Nothing’s wrong. I was just… well, I just wondering what your plans for Thanksgiving were?”
Her body tenses under my touch, causing my mind to panic. Fuck. Should I not have said anything? Is she going to freak out on me like Sasha did?
“Thanksgiving?”
“Yeah. You know, the best holiday of the year,” I say on a wink, hoping to lighten the mood. The corner of her lips tip up, so I know I was successful, especially as she visibly relaxes.
“I usually do something with Brooke. My parents always go on a vacation somewhere tropical since I graduated from college. They used to welcome me home from school during the break, but assumed once I graduated and got married, I’d create my own traditions, so they started a new one themselves.”
“Wow. That’s… I don’t know if I could handle not having a family dinner on Thanksgiving. I look forward to it every year.”
She shrugs, flicking her eyes away from me. “It’s always just been the three of us, and it’s been over ten years now that they’ve been traveling, so I’m used to it.”
“Well,” I say, pulling her closer to me so our bodies are touching everywhere. “How would you feel about spending the day with my family?”
Her eyes widen and she gasps, the sound so faint, but I definitely pick up on it. My heart hammers in my chest while I wait for her to respond.
“You… you want me to meet your entire family?”
“Yes.”
“Wow.”
I adjust myself in the bed, sitting up against the headboard, pulling her into my lap so she’s straddling me. Her bare breasts graze against my chest, making my dick stir, which I’m sure she feels but is trying to ignore. That or I’ve shocked her so much that she’s oblivious to anything else right now.
“Look, Mac. You’ve already met my sister, which if I’m being honest, is usually the hardest one to win over. But we already know she loves you for your job alone.” She laughs and then narrows her eyes at me. “But I want you to meet my parents, my brother, my grandparents. The thought of you spending the holiday alone kills me.”
“I’d be with Brooke,” she counters, but not confidently.
“I know. But I want you with me. I’m crazy about you if you haven’t figured that out, McKenzie.” The words are on the tip of my tongue, the thoughts I’ve been dying to tell her, but my past experience is making me cautious.
She leans down and kisses me, stroking her tongue with mine, showing me with her body that she feels the same way. She has to, right? I don’t know how this woman could deny what’s between us.
“I would love to spend the holiday with your family, Dylan.”
And a rush of air leaves my body, anxiety going right along with it as I smile up at her. “Yeah?”
She nods, grinning from ear to ear. “Yes. Although, I will say this will be the first time I’m spending a holiday with a guy’s family.”
I sit back further against the headboard so I can fully see her eyes. “Seriously?”
“Yes,” she says softly, almost as if she’s embarrassed. “I haven’t had many serious relationships in my life, which is sort of shocking given how much older I am than you.”
“Hey,” I interrupt. “You know that doesn’t matter to me.”
She bobs her head. “I know. But even the few I had never involved us spending holidays with each other’s families. They either didn’t last that long, or it was so new that we did our own thing.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that, Mac. I’m glad I get to be your first then,” I tease while pinching her ass, causing her to shriek.
“Hey! You’re not being very convincing right now. How am I supposed to be around your family if you can’t keep your hands to yourself?”
“Oh, I promise I’ll be on my best behavior around them, especially since my grandparents with be there. But you know I can’t resist your ass, baby.”
Her lips find mine again, stirring up so many emotions in my body. “There’s a few parts of you I can’t resist either,” she moans as she rubs her slick pussy over my cock, eliciting a groan from me.
“Oh, I know. Now,” I say, flipping her over so I’m resting between her legs as if I was made to be there—and with each sexual encounter with her, it makes me believe that I am. “Let’s make sure I’m not tempted to defile you in front of my family by taking care of that need again.”
She laughs, pulling me to her mouth, and then pressing her lips to mine so softly, I swear, I feel like I’m gonna cry.
This woman is incredible. So brave and strong, yet alone in so many aspects of her life. Her job is very solitary, she has one close friend to rely on, and family that isn’t the type of family I’m used to at all. She seems content with her life, but I also know there’s a brightness to her that has broken through since we’ve been dating, and I can’t get enough of it. I want to do everything in my power to make it stay and burn brighter. I want to immerse her in my world, my life, give her everything that she deserves.
I just hope that she lets me. That fear that the other shoe will drop hovers in the back of my mind, even though I know internally that she’s the one for me. I just hope I can trust my gut completely this time.
Chapter 16
McKenzie
“So what are you wearing?” Brooke asks me through the Bluetooth speaker in my car as I drive across town to Dylan’s parents’ house.
I glance down for a moment at my outfit because I’m so flipping nervous, I can’t remember what I put on this morning.
“Brown leggings, that rust-colored sweater dress you say always looks good on me, and brown boots.”
“No beanie, right?”
I roll my eyes, even though she can’t see me. “Yes, Mom. No beanie.”
“Hey. You know I love your signature hat. It’s like the beanie is a part of you, Mac. But it does not belong on your head when you are meeting your boyfriend’s family.”
“He’s not my boyfriend, Brooke,” I argue because we technically haven’t discussed that term. I mean, in every faucet of the word, I would classify Dylan as such. But until he makes that title crystal clear, I’m not assuming anything. Just like I’m not assuming that Dylan is falling in love with me like I am with him.
I don’t even know how it happened, or when.
No, that’s a lie. I thi
nk I always knew I would fall for him, which is why I was so hesitant to start things with him in the first place. But now that we’re together, in whatever capacity that is, I know I’m so far gone for that man, it’s ridiculous. I’ve never felt for a man the way I feel for him. And if the way he treats me, holds me, and kisses me is any indication, I’d say we’re both feeling pretty strongly right now.
He’s charming, funny, caring, generous, and so damn sexy in bed that I wasn’t sure real life sex existed the way it does in my books. I mean, he ate peanut butter off of my nipples, for crying out loud. And maybe a few more places since then.
I make a living from writing fantasies—stories and men that women fall in love with because we want to believe that there is the perfect guy out there and there is such a thing as sex that is so much more than a physical act between two people.
But to experience it myself, feel things I’ve only ever written about—well, it’s overwhelming to say the least.
And today I’m meeting his family, a stark reality that this is getting serious—and yet another reminder that eventually I need to tell Dylan about my story.
The more I write, the more the story is mimicking ours. And if this man ever gets the inkling to read one of my books, I don’t want him to choose this one and get the wrong idea, or be offended that I used our own love story as inspiration. I mean, as an author, don’t we always put some part of ourself in our stories, the characters, and the plot lines? Isn’t there always added details that stem from our real lives and experiences?
So, you can’t blame me for wanting to incorporate and describe all of the things that Dylan has made me feel and experience in our short time together. And regardless of how perfect I think he is, I know he’s also human too, and the last thing I want is for him to feel used.
“Okay, you can go on convincing yourself of that, but all I know is the only time I see you is Friday nights at Perry’s Pub for our weekly happy hour now. And I’m fairly confident that the only reason you hold that date is because Dylan works late on Fridays.”
I grin because my friend knows me all too well. “Well, until he says the word, I’m not giving in.”
“Fair enough. Also, good call on the leggings instead of jeans.”
“Jeans have no give,” I reply.
“That Joey from Friends was onto something with his take on Thanksgiving.”
Laughing, I take the next turn dictated by my navigation. “Okay, I’m supposed to be there in like three minutes.”
“Fine. I’ll let you go, but you’d better call me soon and let me know how it goes.”
“I will.”
“And Mac?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m happy for you. Dylan is a great guy. I’m glad you gave in to him. It’s crazy what can happen when you listen to your extremely intelligent best friend, huh?” I hear her laugh through the phone and it’s making me roll my eyes at her again, even though I do know that I have her to thank for the sudden turn my life has taken, particularly in my love life.
“Thanks, Brooke. I love you.”
“Love you too, girl. And now I can call you a cougar,” she slips in before the call ends.
I shake my head and the second we disconnect, my navigation pings that I have arrived at my destination. And what a destination it is.
The home that Dylan grew up in something out of a movie—the perfect balance of lived in and well put together. The driveway is lined with cars and a few more are nudged up against the sidewalk in front of the house.
I take stock of the nearest spot to park, and then check my appearance in my visor mirror one last time, making sure I plucked that chin hair I saw growing in yesterday. Oh, the joys of being in your thirties.
With one more swipe of gloss across my lips, I gather my coat and the deviled eggs I made along with a few bottles of wine so I didn’t come empty-handed, and exit my car, trudging across the street and up the sloped walkway to the front door.
Dylan has told me how proud his father is of their lawn, and the stark green grass on either side of the cement I’m walking on is definitely the most well-manicured lawn I’ve ever seen. Planters flank the house full of rose bushes, and there’s a porch swing in the corner of the yard that looks like the perfect place to enjoy summer nights.
As I close in on the door, I can hear the chatter and arguing on the other side, spiking my nerves for what I’m about to witness.
I’ve never been to a family gathering this large before. Like I told Dylan, it’s always just been me and my parents, or me and Brooke. I’m afraid my senses are going to be overloaded by the end of the day.
But the other part of me, the one who writes stories of big families, strong bonds, and unconditional love—that part of me truly hopes that this isn’t the last time I get to experience this. I’ve always wanted a big family since I didn’t have one of my own, so there’s no time like the present to see what that might look like.
Before I can knock, the door swings open and Dylan stands in front of me, wearing a light gray turtle neck sweater and dark blue jeans, his hair freshly cut and styled in a combed swipe to the side. His scruff that I’ve come to love between my legs is neatly trimmed and lines those perfect lips of his. But his eyes and his smile—they are portraying pure joy to me right now as he welcomes me inside and moves to take something from my hands.
“Hey, beautiful,” he says with a kiss on my cheek.
“Hi. Sorry I’m late.”
He turns to look at the clock. “By two minutes. I think we’ll let you slide. Are you ready for this?”
I take a deep breath, nodding while looking up at him. “I think so.”
“Don’t worry. They’re going to love you. Come on. Let’s put this stuff in the kitchen.” He lifts the bottles of wine and motions to the plate I’m holding.
We only make it two steps before a female voice booms from the other room.
“Is that her? Is she here?” An older woman with almost full gray hair comes running around the corner of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. The minute I see her eyes, I know this has to be his mother.
“Yes, Mom. McKenzie, this is my mother, Anne. Mom, this is McKenzie… my girlfriend.”
Well that answers the question of the labels. Brooke will be so pleased when I tell her.
“Oh, my word. Dylan, she is gorgeous!” she beams and then turns to me. “You are just stunning, dear. It’s so lovely to meet you.”
I chuckle through my nerves. “Thank you. And thank you for having me. Here,” I say, handing her the deviled eggs. “I know Dylan said I didn’t need to bring anything, but I couldn’t arrive empty handed.”
“That is too sweet. I’m sure these will get eaten. And the wine will definitely not go to waste.”
Dylan and I trail his mom into the kitchen where the smells of roasted garlic, turkey cooking in the oven, and something sweet I can’t quite put my finger on filter into my nose.
“Is she here?” Robyn bursts through the sliding glass door, searching for me with her eyes, but then reels herself in. “Hey, McKenzie. Good to see you.”
Dylan rolls his eyes but all I can do is chuckle. “Same to you, Robyn.”
“So, McKenzie, come sit,” Dylan’s mom encourages, motioning to the stools lined up at the island of the kitchen. “Dylan, pour her a glass of wine so she can calm down a bit, will you?”
“Oh, I’m fine.”
Dylan leans into my ear, whispering a secret. “Believe me, you’re going to want at least one glass. Don’t worry, I won’t let you make a fool of yourself.”
I peer up at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. It’s as if he read my mind. “Okay. Thank you.”
Dylan’s mom glances over her shoulder at me as she stirs something on the stove that smells heavenly, grinning from ear to ear. “So my son here and my overly ecstatic daughter tell me that you’re a published author?”
I swallow my sip of wine before answering. “Yes, Mrs. Porter.”
/>
“Please, call me Anne.”
“Yes, that’s right, Anne,” I say again.
“Robyn is always trying to get me to read those books, and I have taken a stab at a few, but I feel I might need to read one of yours.”
As much as the compliment thrills me, anxiousness seeps into my stomach at the thought of my boyfriend’s mom reading my books—full of sex. I mean, I know it’s a figment of my imagination, but it’s always weird when someone I know reads my stories. I guess I feel like they may start to look at me differently once they do.
“Well, I would be honored. I have to warn you though, some can get pretty dirty.”
“Is that so?” Dylan chimes in, leaning his forearms on the counter next to me. “Please elaborate, Mac.”
I widen my eyes at him in shock, and then chastise him through clenched teeth. “Not in front of your mom, Dylan.”
He laughs at the same time his mom does. “Oh, honey. You’ll soon find out we don’t have much of a filter in this house. And sex is not something to be ashamed about. We all have it. And hell, if you’re making money off of giving women an escape and a fantasy all rolled into one, then the more power to you,” she says with a wink, and I think I just fell in love with her.
“Just wait until you meet my mother,” she continues. “That woman will always give you the hard and fast truth.”
“Actually, Mom, I think I’m going to go introduce McKenzie to everyone else now.”
“Are you sure? Anne, I can always stay and help if you need me to…”
Robyn chimes in. “Trust me. You’re better off staying out of the way. Mom’s a bit of a control freak in the kitchen and doesn’t let anyone help.”
“That’s not true,” Anne challenges. “I let you peel potatoes.”
“Yeah, and then you told me I was doing it wrong. How on earth do you peel potatoes incorrectly?”
“You were just doing it all haphazardly. You’re supposed to go in a line all the way around, and then peel the ends.” Anne waves her hands around as she speaks
“See?” Robyn says while motioning towards her mother, making me laugh.
