Chapter 24
I’ve never met a man’s parents before. That’s not to say that I haven’t been in a relationship. I’ve had relationship-type situations. Things that have gone on for close to a handful of months.
But thinking back on those situations, none of them have been too serious. I never gave much of myself other than my body. I wouldn’t say any of those relationships were bad. But they weren’t memorable either. I recall faces, and, after a moment of pondering, names. But there is no loss of love. There is no regret for things that ended, even if he was the one to call it off.
So, this is the first time that I am meeting the people who gave birth to someone that I am sleeping with.
That is a weird way to put it, and I don’t think I’ll ever say that out loud.
“What are you thinking? Is it something weird? Is it something naughty? Tell me.” Sammy stares at my face as we walk up a beautifully paved path to what can only be described as a mansion. Sammy has mentioned that he has money, but this display of his family’s wealth makes it real in a way it wasn’t before.
“It’s weird. Not exactly naughty. I’m gonna keep it to myself.“
“Damn you, you temptress. You torturous being. But I won’t pester you because you’re already being amazing by agreeing to come here.” Sammy steps in close and wraps his arm around my waist tucking me into his side. The Squid loves holding me close, and despite the Phoenix heat, I find I don’t mind. “You’re not nervous, are you?“
Nervous. Is that what the nauseous clenching in the bottom of my gut is?
Oh goddess, I’m nervous. When did this happen? Why is this happening?
I am a pro at meeting people and putting on whatever face I want them to see. Funnily enough, that’s a skill I’ve mastered both as a librarian and a stripper.
But maybe I don’t want to have to put on a face for these two people.
Maybe I want to wear the face that comes most naturally and have them like it.
But why?
If I dig too deeply into that then it means I have to explore certain emotions I may be having about the man that is slipping his hand into the pocket of my sundress. There’s nothing in the pocket, I think he just wants to get close.
I’m thoroughly tentacled.
“I would say I’m cautious,” I say finally. “Anyone should be cautious when approaching those that made Sammy Reyes.“
“You make me sound like a dramatic event.” His lips brush my ear. “I like that.“
He presses his face against my neck. The Squid likes to tuck his face into the crevice. Maybe the bright sun is hurting his eyes, and I am his moving, talking, sexy, smell-good sunshade.
“You’re tickling me.” I don’t tell him to move away though. It’s more an observation than a complaint.
As if knowing that, Sammy doesn’t retreat. He only presses closer and sneaks his tongue out to lick the thrum of my pulse.
“Is this the best thing to be doing moments before I meet your parents?” My voice is breathy, and my skin feels tender and tingly with lust magic.
Sammy sighs deeply, then straightens. And I regret the gentle chastisement.
“I can promise to be on my best behavior. But I’m going to be honest, my parents probably won’t be on their best behavior.” He frowns thoughtfully. “Correction, they will be on their best behavior, but their best behavior is someone else’s worst behavior. But a good kind of worst.“
I pause on the front step and stare up at the confusing man. “What did any of that just mean?“
He offers me a charming grimace.
“It’s hard to explain. I think you’re just gonna have to meet them. And hopefully, you still want to associate with me afterwards.” Sammy opens the door without a key, but we had to pass through two gates to get this far so I guess leaving the door unlocked is not a big deal. Especially since a party is going on.
Beautiful, well-dressed people fill the Reyes’s home. I get ready for Sammy to start introducing me around, but he doesn’t even make eye contact as we weave through huge, dramatically decorated rooms. This is a place I could see Architectural Digest doing a tour of while some starlet describes each artistic piece.
It’s gorgeous.
It’s also…cold.
I much prefer my second-hand couch and handmade decorations and the funky cat towers Sammy keeps showing up with.
“You grew up here?” I ask Sammy, trying to sound curious instead of worried. What would a wild, young Squid do in a house like this? Everything looks so breakable and expensive.
Although, I guess the Reyes parents could replace anything their son damaged.
“We moved here when I was sixteen. From LA. We lived in New York when I was younger.” He throws a wistful smile my way. “I wonder if we ever crossed paths?”
I narrow my eyes. “You were even more incorrigible as a teenager, weren’t you?”
Sammy laughs and pauses to cup my face in his hands. “I was a pigheaded asshole. I thank the gods you didn’t meet me then.” He lightly brushes his lips over mine. “You would have hit me with a witchy curse just to shut me up.” Since his mouth is so close to mine, I can hear his whispered words. The joke needs to be spoken quietly. Sammy warned me this party has humans in attendance.
So much for an openly magical solstice.
“Samuel!” A sweet voice calls out, and we both turn to discover an ethereal beauty strolling toward us in a flowy dress that makes it look like she’s floating. The woman is white-skinned with golden hair and a towering, willowy build. Following behind her is a man with bronze skin and a devilish grin that reminds me of the man at my side.
“Hi Mom.” He lets me go to wrap the woman in a tight hug. “Papa.” Sammy holds his father just as tightly. Both parents hug him back, but I can’t help thinking the affection lacks the genuine intensity of their son’s. Still, they offer him eager smiles that transfer to me. “Ava, these are my parents, Louisa and Jose Reyes.” Before we got here, Sammy told me his dad is the Water Elemental, and his mom is a human in-the-know. “And this is Ava Bellarose. My…” He trails off, and I realize we never discussed this.
A label. What we are. What we’re doing.
And I see the smallest dimming in Sammy’s expression that I’m almost certain is because he wants to say a word I haven’t given him permission to use.
And damn the goddess, my heart hurts at the sight.
“Friend,” he finishes after an awkward beat.
I huff a sigh and hold out my hand for a shake. “I’m Sammy’s girlfriend.” And because I decided to be the most honest version of myself, I let all the truth out. “We met at a strip club. I work as a stripper some evenings and as a college librarian during the day. It’s really nice to meet you both. Thank you for the invite.”
There’s a beat of silence as my words sink in.
Sammy’s mom recovers first.
“This. Is. Perfect!” Mrs. Reyes squeals and clutches my hand, but not to shake it. She whirls on her heel and proceeds to drag me through her designer house. “I just had it installed.” Just had what installed? “The timing!”
“Mom!” Sammy chases after us. “Where are you taking Ava?”
“To my studio!” the blonde calls back.
By ’studio’ Louisa means personal dance studio. The space has wooden floors and mirrors along one wall. In the corner sits a wide range of workout equipment, but plenty of space is left open. And in that space is a shiny new pole.
“Please, show me some of your moves!” She claps her hands and hops in place and generally reminds me of a butterfly.
Sammy bursts in a few steps behind us, his eyes going wide when he sees the pole. He groans. “Mom, no. Ava isn’t here to teach you how to strip.”
His mother ignores him and waves me forward.
Since I do want to make a good impression, I step up to inspect the pole. “I don’t mind.” It spins, so I decide to do a simple rotation with an air walk.
Louisa laughs in delight. “Another! This is fantastic.” Jose walks in then, moving at an easier pace than his wife and son.
Under my sundress, I have a swimsuit on, but it’s not as secure as the outfits I wear on stage, so I keep to non-inverted moves. Don’t want to give the Reyes’s too much of a show.
The shoulder mount hang.
The stag spin and the reverse stag spin.
A few different sitting positions.
The Titanic is a graceful position, and unlike the name, I hope it’s helping me keep this first impression from sinking. I name each move as I go when I remember what they’re called. Working in a strip club, we usually just do what feels sexy and learn on the job. Pole classes are where you get the terminology, and I’ve only gone to a handful over the years just to see what they were about.
“You are a vision.” Louisa sweeps up to me and presses a kiss against my cheek. “A stripping librarian. Just what we need in our family. Samuel!” She shines a bright smile at her son. “You should take her next week. To your alma mater.” Her attention flits back to me. “We’re just making a little donation. And to the library, no less! This must be the work of the gods.” Louisa holds her hands up in the air, as if the Elemental gods are peeking into this party. I guess on the solstice, anything is possible.
“The gods bless our family,” Jose agrees, a besot expression on his face as he watches his wife. The hint of his devotion is adorable. I wonder if he shows his son the same level of affection.
“But look at me, ignoring my guests.” Louisa drops her pious pose and pats my cheek before she dances to her husband’s side. “You two have fun. All the blessings of the solstice!”
“Nice to meet you.” Jose tilts his head, smiling all the while. And I decide he doesn’t look like his son. At least not as much as I first thought.
Sammy’s smile is a million times more approachable.
Then, as quick as they arrived, they’re gone.
The room seems to echo with silence after their departure. Sammy and I stare at each other, his eyes tracing over my face.
He clears his throat. “Sorry. That they left so quickly. They’re…I want to say they’re not always like that. But they get distracted easily.”
Louisa Reyes seemed charming and joyful. Jose appeared to have a quiet charisma.
Neither seemed to truly acknowledge their son. They didn’t even ask a simple ‘How are you?’
They’re always like that?
No wonder the man seems starved for attention. With parents that step in and out of his life so easily. They don’t appear to see him even when he stands directly in front of them.
“I’m glad I got to meet them,” I say. It’s the truth. I feel like I understand him better now.
Sammy glances away and nods.
I use the moment to slip in close and wrap my arms tight around his waist. This time I’m the one with tentacles.
Sammy sucks in a breath and stares down at me, and I watch his pupils widen.
I fake a glare. “I’m just your friend?”
“What?” he yelps. “No. No way. Who said that? Not me.” He dips to press a smattering of kisses across my cheeks. “You are my girlfriend. Definitely. I’m your boyfriend. I’m going to get a necklace with your name spelled out in diamonds and wear it around, so everyone knows.”
“Oh, gods,” I groan, but I can’t complain anymore because his kissing has moved to my mouth, and I’m drowning in an onslaught of peanut butter-flavored magic.
After a good five minutes of making out—and Sammy telling me how he’s going to be the best boyfriend—he begs me to teach him a move on the pole. The Squid commits, putting his full body into the fireman hold that has him spinning in an almost cross-legged position. After I save him from faceplanting, he scoops me into another kiss. Eventually, we decide to rejoin the party.
A party I’m pretty sure is full of people Sammy doesn’t know.
That is until we navigate to the massive pool, and I spot a familiar face. Quinn Byrne reclines on a swinging mattress that’s partially shaded from the sun. She wears a crimson swimsuit that sets off the color of her hair and has me wondering if Yasmin ever offered her a job. The freckled Pyro would make a killing on stage.
As I head her way, Sammy breaks off to grab us drinks.
“Thank the goddess. Someone who isn’t a super-rich Squid or a super-rich human.” Quinn grins at me and pats the wide seat next to her. “Everyone here is talking about buying their fifth home. Or the summer Olympics and some big water polo match and a shit ton of other water-based topics. I really hope I don’t discuss fire as much as they do water.”
“Not that I’ve noticed.” I settle beside her with a sigh. Another sore feet day, this time because I was carrying stacks of books to the shelves. Our last surviving shelving cart lost a wheel, and we’re still waiting on maintenance to come fix it. “And I rather you don’t start now that it’s getting hotter than a hell dimension outside.” My sundress clings to the beads of sweat forming on my skin, and I eye the glittering water eagerly.
Quinn quirks a smile. “Is it? Can’t really tell. I’m always at a simmer.” She laughs when I scowl at her. “You need help with that?” She waves at the sunscreen I pull out of my bag.
“If you could get my back, that would be great.”
I stand and slip off my cover-up. “Is August here?”
“He’s coming later. Once his manager starts her shift at the shop. I’m planning to be at least three drinks in by then.”
“Is this a gathering I’m going to need to be tipsy to get through?”
More chuckles as Quinn’s strong hands smooth the cool lotion onto my shoulders.
“I’d say yes, but only if you don’t get too chatty.” She lowers her voice. “You know most of the people here are humans, right?”
“I don’t make a habit of chatting about magic, even when I’m tipsy,” I murmur over my shoulder. “And I wasn’t planning on shooting sparks from my fingers.” Though I easily could. Not because pyrotechnics are my specialty, but because the energy from the solstice shimmers in the air. The magical holiday fuels every witch, making this a common day to cast spells. I set up an altar in my condo before work this morning, and Sammy swore Kraken hadn’t demolished it when he checked on my kitten before picking me up at the library.
“That would level up your stage performance,” the Pyro jokes.
I smirk. “Would be more impressive if I shot them from my tits.”
Quinn lets out a sharp bark of laughter that draws the attention of some people who look like they’re about to board a million-dollar yacht.
“Hey!” My Squid appears in front of me, holding two fruity cocktails and wearing a deep frown. “That’s my job. Why is Quinn doing my job?”
It takes me a moment to realize he’s referring to applying sunscreen to my back. I roll my eyes and Quinn snorts.
“Sorry, Sammy.” Quinn doesn’t sound sorry at all. “You were too slow. And Ava said she wanted a skilled set of hands. Someone who knew what they were doing.”
The Squid gasps in outrage as Quinn resettles on her rocking mattress with an evil grin.
I smile, pleasantly surprised that I enjoy their teasing rather than feel intimidated by it, knowing their past sexual history. Clearly, neither one holds a flame for the other. Which is great because it means I can become best friends with the fiery woman.
“Don’t get your tentacles in a twist,” I chide Sammy as I rub sunscreen on the parts of my body I can reach. “I’ll need to reapply in an hour. You can help me then.”
In response, Sammy sets one of the drinks down on a low table, pulls his phone out of his pocket, swipes a few times, then turns the screen to show me he’s literally set a timer for sixty minutes.
“I’m holding you to that.” Brief petulant mood evaporated, he hands me the cocktail and throws a question Quinn’s way. “Where’s Auggie?”
“He’s scooping till two. Then he’ll be here.”
“Is he going to bring any ice cream when he comes?” I ask, thinking how good a cone would taste right now.
“Ooo. Good idea. I’ll text him.” Quinn slips a phone out of her bag, and while she’s busy typing, Sammy guides me to a nearby lounge chair.
“Do you want shade?” He tilts his head toward a folded umbrella.
“Yes, please.” The Phoenix sun is brutal, and I can feel the intense rays already trying to turn my skin pink through my SPF 70. Sammy makes sure my chair is comfortable, and the sun can’t touch me unless I want it to. He arranges a table within reaching distance where I can set my drink down. He also places my newly filled water mug on the table, a silent nudge to stay hydrated.
Then, when I expect him to pull up his own chair, Sammy instead sits on the end of mine and lifts my feet only to set them in his lap, where he proceeds to massage them.
I barely stifle a horny-sounding moan.
“I’m glad you came,” Sammy says, staring at me across the length of my body. Our eyes hold, and the words between us feel weighted.
“I’m glad I came, too.” Even though this day is something of a shift. We’re not casual anymore.
But I think I’m okay with that.
People don’t think of Sammy as a serious guy.
But I think I might be serious about him.