It was a little too hard than he’d aimed for. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get you back.” She snatched the towel from him and finished drying the last of the dishes.
Claire smiled and wiped her eyes.
“Mom, you okay?” Dusty went over to her.
“Of course, it’s just… I enjoy seeing you two… you know… in love together. It makes this house feel like a home again after your dad passed.”
“Oh, Mom.” Dusty hugged her.
They’d been through so much and just kept going on without missing a beat. It warmed Blaise’s heart to see them like this.
“Enough of that. It’s time for me to go to bed.” Claire patted her daughter on the shoulder and then pulled away.
“You don’t have to,” said Blaise. “Not on account of us.” He was sure Dusty wouldn’t mind him saying this. If he got to simply spend a little time with her cuddled together on the couch, then that was going to be a good way to end a long day.
“Yeah, Mom, don’t go to bed on account of us.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not. I’ve got a new book I want to read.”
Blaise had a sneaking feeling that wasn’t the case at all. He was still very suspicious that she was up to something.
“How about you two put the Christmas tree up? It doesn’t feel like Christmas without it in the living room.”
“We can do that.” Blaise smiled as he looked at Dusty, hoping she would agree. Despite Claire’s motivations to give them space, he rather liked the idea of putting up the Christmas tree with Dusty.
“All right then, we’ll put up the tree,” said Dusty.
“Yes.” Blaise did a little sport-like victory dance.
“You like putting up the Christmas tree or something?” Dusty asked him.
“Yeah, don’t you?”
“Not really.”
“Oh, but you haven’t put up a Christmas tree with me before.”
“Should I be worried?”
Blaise shook his head and scooped her into an embrace. “But you should be afraid.”
He saw her eyes relax, then sparkle with joy. He kissed her gently on the lips.
“I’m going to bed. Night, you love birds.”
Love birds?Blaise was glad they looked like a couple together.
Dusty pulled away. Her cheeks flamed red. “Night, Mom.”
Blaise kept his arms around her not wanting to let go. He wasn’t sure why she was embarrassed to show affection to him in front of her mom. It was only a kiss. If she’d walked in on them earlier when they were in the shed, that would’ve been different, of course. But here, right now, in the kitchen, this was natural, something that didn’t need to be done behind closed doors.
“You embarrassed to kiss me in front of your mom?” he asked softly when her mom had left the room.
“It’s not how my family behaves.”
Blaise could feel her squirming in his embrace. “What about now?” He rubbed his nose against her as if testing the waters before kissing her.
