Chapter 13 #2
She smiled down at me again, a smile I’d never seen from her before.
Her entire face grew soft. The gold flecks in her dancing hazel eyes shone brightly.
This was the closest I’d seen her to happy, and it took my goddamn breath away.
If this was what she gave me when she was getting close, I wasn’t sure I’d survive the beauty I had waiting for me once I finally got her all the way there.
I’d known down to my bones that the promise of Charlotte Belmont was going to blow my mind, but seeing that smile, in that moment, I realized I hadn’t come close to discovering how un-fucking-believable she really was.
“You’re welcome, cowboy.” Fuck me, but I’d loved that nickname every time it came from her mouth when she was being a smartass or throwing attitude, but having her give it to me when she was being soft and sweet made it that much better.
Wrapping my arms around her, I traced the curve of her spine with my fingers as I asked, “You have a good morning so far?”
Something flashed in her gaze that I couldn’t quite read. It looked almost like uncertainty, and when she spoke next, I understood the reason behind that look.
“It’s been . . . interesting. I met your parents this morning,” she added when I arched a questioning brow.
I had trouble concentrating on anything when she was tracing random patterns on my chest with her fingers. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. They were at Muffin Top with your sister when I was getting your breakfast.” She pressed her palm to my chest and looked straight into my eyes. “Your family’s really nice.”
“Thanks.”
Her brows went up as she stressed, “Like, really nice. And they sure seemed to know a whole lot about me.”
“Well, that makes sense, seein’ as I’m really tight with my family. We talk about the important shit goin’ on in our lives.”
That seemed to take her back, and her eyes went big as she sat up a bit straighter. “And you told them about me?”
It took a second for me to understand the expression that had slipped over her features, but once realization dawned, I felt my face go tender. “Yeah, baby. You’ve been important to me for a long time now. I’ve just been waitin’ for you to get on board.”
She melted against me, and I felt it in my gut, in my chest, and in my bones; I was holding something precious in my arms, and there was nothing I wouldn’t do to protect it.
“They invited me to dinner with all of you tomorrow night.” Her lips scrunched to the side as she amended, “Actually, they insisted on it, kind of forcefully.”
My chest shook with a chuckle. “Sounds about right. My folks are good people, but they can steamroll you with their good intentions if you aren’t careful.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” she said in quiet thoughtfulness.
A bolt of longing shot through my chest just then, and I realized I really fucking wanted her at my side for that dinner, but I’d made a promise to take this at her pace, and I had every intention of keeping it.
“If that’s not somethin’ you think you’re ready for, I’ll have a word with them,” I offered, “explain that you and I are new.”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and bit down as she looked to the side pensively. I gave her the time she needed, remaining silent as her mind worked.
“I think . . .” she started quietly, “I might like to go.”
My arms clenched around her as something warm sprang open in my chest and stretched out into my limbs. “You sure?”
“Yeah,” she whispered, that sunny, beautiful smile returning to her face. “I liked them a lot. They were really open and friendly. I felt—it might sound weird, but I kind of felt like I’d known them for a really long time.”
Fuck, I liked hearing that a lot. “Doesn’t sound weird at all.”
She exhaled heavily, like she’d been holding her breath, waiting for my reaction. “All right, then. It’s decided. So where are we going, anyway?”
“The Groves.”
Her eyes bugged out comically wide at the mention of the high-end, five-star restaurant two towns over in Hidalgo. The Groves was known far and wide as having the best steaks in all of Virginia, and the price tag was proof enough of that.
“I have to go,” she spit out quickly.
My arms banded tighter around her when she tried shooting off my lap. I felt my brows dip into a severe V between my eyes. “What? Why?”
“Because I don’t have a single thing to wear to a place like The Groves! I have to go shopping, or I’m going to embarrass you and myself in front of your parents!”
I couldn’t help but smile at her freak-out. My woman was too cute when she got all riled up. “Thumbelina, you could never embarrass me. Just wear what’s most comfortable for you.”
Her mouth gaped open. “Are you kidding? You don’t wear jeans to The Groves! You wear a little black dress. Or a little whatever-color-you-find-that-looks-great-on-you dress. Crap. I need to see if Hayden can go with me. I need to make sure whatever I pick is perfect.”
I gave her a little shake. “Baby, if you’re wearin’ it, it’s gonna be perfect.”
That penetrated her little meltdown, and she stopped struggling to get out of my grasp. “All right, cowboy. I really love that you think that, and the feeling’s totally mutual, considering you can wear the hell out of faded denim. But I’m buying a new dress, and you aren’t talking me out of it.”
“Then I’ll stop tryin’.”
She looked down at where my arms were still holding her in place before returning her gaze to me and smiling. “You’ll have to let me up.”
“And I will. Just as soon as you kiss me goodbye.”
She didn’t make me wait this time or play any games. She leaned right in and hit me with another bone-melting, erection-inducing kiss.
“For Christ’s sake! Does anyone here know how to act like a professional?”
Charlotte jumped at the sound of Lincoln’s voice, and we both looked to the open door to see the owner of Alpha Omega standing there with a scowl carved into his face.
“I just caught Sage and Xander goin’ at each other in the breakroom, and now this. My company isn’t a pay-by-the-hour motel.” He pointed his finger at both of us. “Glad this is finally happenin’, but keep it in your goddamn pants until you get somewhere that isn’t here.”
With that, he turned on his boot and stalked off, muttering under his breath about working with a bunch of horny teenagers.
“Oh my God,” Charlotte breathed, her cheeks glowing pink with embarrassment. “I can’t believe that just happened.”
“Not a big deal, baby. Trust me, this is nothin’. That was the third time he’s caught Xander and Sage this week.”
She looked back at me with wide eyes and hissed, “But he’s your boss! What if he fires you?”
“He’s not gonna fire me,” I assured her. “He’s all talk. Hell, the dude tells Rox to hold all his calls and locks the door to his office every time his wife comes in. Like we don’t know what him and Eden are doin’ in there for a half-hour.”
She let out a little giggle, the rigidness in her muscles melting away. “Okay, but I should still go. I have a dinner dress to find, then I have to get ready for work tonight.” She paused, a question moving behind her eyes before she gave voice to it. “Are you, uh . . . coming to the club tonight?”
Christ, I liked that. “You want me to?” She beamed down at me and nodded her head. It would be the first time I went to watch her perform as her man and the first time she actually asked me to come. There wasn’t a damn thing on this planet that could keep me away. “Then I’ll be there.”
“All right, cowboy.” She leaned in for one last kiss. “Then I’ll see you later.”
“That you will, Thumbelina.”
And I couldn’t fucking wait.