And that bothered her. After the many orgasms he’d given her, his intelligence, humor, and incredible body only added to a problem she hated addressing.
She didn’t want him to leave and go home. Not in a few more minutes, an hour, today, or tomorrow.Oh no! I’m growing clingy.
Mack removed the spoon and watched her with those sky-blue eyes that had snared her and refused to let go. “To meet the parents? Sure. Why not?” He smiled and went back to eating the gelato.
“My turn.” She opened her mouth.
He chuckled as he gave her more of the creamy treat. “I so want to put something else between those gorgeous lips.”
“You already did. Several times.”
“Yeah.” He sighed. “I think you’ve ruined me for blow jobs. Thanks a lot.”
She chuckled. “Ha. Well, you’ve ruined me for—”everyone with a Y chromosome“—gelato. Oh, and sex. That too.”
He grinned around the spoon.
“So it’s not a problem to meet my parents? You know who my dad is. My mom’s a doctor. They’re both busybodies who want their oldest daughter to fall in love and get married.”
Mack paused. “Oldest daughter?”
Huh. She hadn’t meant to let that slip. What an odd turn of phrase. “I don’t know why I said that. My sister died a long time ago.”
“Oh wow. I’m so sorry.” Mack appeared concerned, tender and caring.
“It’s sad, yeah, but Sofie died when I was six. She was five. Like, twenty-two years ago.” Twenty-two years ago next week. “The anniversary of her death is coming up. Must have been a Freudian slip.”
“I don’t care what it was. I’m still sorry you lost her.”
Cass didn’t feel the angst she supposed she should have. “I think sometimes that’s why my parents get on my case about finding someone and moving on with my life. They miss Sofie, and they want for me what she never got to have.” It made sense. She felt sorry for her parents and for herself because her memories of the little girl were so faded.
“How did she die, if you don’t mind me asking?” Mack threaded his fingers through hers, and it felt nice.
“A freak accident at school. She was on the playground, got hit with a ball, and fell to the ground. And never got up. Apparently, she had an aneurysm that killed her instantly. I don’t remember much, to be honest. She was there and then not there. And it was sad, and then we recovered and moved on. But I was young. I know it really hurt my parents, but we’re big on honesty and being healthy—mentally, emotionally, and physically.
“My dad made sure we all got the therapy we needed. My mom was a big helicopter parent for a few years after Sofie passed. That I remember.” She sighed. “But she got better too.”
“That’s so sad.”
She squeezed his hand. “I know. My sister never showed any signs. No bad headaches, nausea, or dizziness. Just a bad hit in the head that triggered her death. It took a while for my folks to realize it was something no one could have prevented. Mom, because she’s a doctor and control freak who heals people for a living. And Dad because he has a rationale for everyone and everything. Me? I don’t feel I was affected by it except that I lost my sister. But I was little, so I don’t feel it the way they do.” And probably still did, she realized. Losing a child never went away, but they loved her and missed her. And that was healthy.
“Maybe that’s why you like being a police officer so much. Because there are rules that make sense. A right way and a wrong way to act. You get to protect people the way you obviously couldn’t, as a six-year-old who was never a brain surgeon, protect your sister.”
She stared at him. “Wow. That was very insightful.” She took the gelato he fed her.
“I’m an insightful kind of guy.” He smiled and kissed her. “Are you sure you’re not sad?”
“I guess I should be, but it happened so long ago. I remember her through pictures, but not much else.”
“Makes sense. And, no, you’re not weird for not tearing up after twenty-plus years.” He kissed her again. “Mmm. You taste like caramel.” He stroked her cheek. “I really like you, Cass. A lot.”
Her heart raced. “I like you too. A lot.” She swallowed. “My parents are going to think you’re amazing. Don’t let it get to your head.”
He smiled with full, firm lips that had caused her so much pleasure. “I’ll try not to. But since I already know I’m amazing, that shouldn’t be a problem.” He drew circles over her knee. “I guess if I’m meeting your parents, it’s just fair to say if mine decide they want a family get-together, you have to come. You’ll owe me.”
“Fair is fair.” She tried to ignore the jitters filling her, the zap of feeling that spread from her knee to the rest of her body. How the hell could the man get her off so many times and still make her desire him?
“You know before, how you asked about my favorite number?”
