"Your mama gave me Covid," Daddy blurted out.
"No, I didn't," Mom fussed. "Chile, this man is losing his mind."
Liam crossed the room and joined me on the couch, leaning into the frame. My parents' expressions shifted to smiles.
"Mr. and Mrs. Daniels, I'm Liam. Your daughter has kept me on my toes since our first encounter in Goodwin Grove."
I held my breath, waiting for my parents' reactions.
"Lieutenant Crawford, I've heard good things about you and your work on that arson case." Daddy nodded approvingly.
"Thank you, sir. I have a great team, not to mention how Gisselle continued to work on her project, even with the craziness going on."
"That's our girl. Lieutenant, tell us about yourself. Gisselle has been tight-lipped about the man she's moved in with."
Heat rose to my neck. "Mom!"
Liam laughed. "It's not much to tell, ma'am. I was born and raised in Goodwin Grove, and I come from a family of educators."
Mom nodded. "Nice. We value education in the home."
"Yes, ma'am. My sister was the rebel, though she skipped college to become a flight attendant," I noted.
"There's nothing wrong with honest work. You own that house you're in?" Daddy asked.
"Daddy!" I protested.
"It's a fair question. Yes, sir. I purchased it as a fixer-upper."
We talked a while longer, and I promised we would visit Columbus soon. Thirty minutes had passed by the time we'd said our goodbyes.
I closed the laptop. "That went well."
Liam pulled me close. "Your parents are great. I see where you get your directness from. Your dad doesn't play games."
"Neither do you. You won them over like it was nothing."
"I wasn't trying to win anyone over. I was being myself," Liam clarified.
"Being yourself is pretty damn impressive. Thank you for that."
What started as a thank-you kiss quickly deepened with Liam's hand cupping my face as I melted against him. He rested his forehead against mine as we broke the kiss.
"Speaking of impressive, I've been taking those juicy pineapple gummies and…"
Liam pulled back. "The what now?"
I pulled my lip in to keep from laughing at his expression. "Pineapple gummies. You know? They're supposed to make things sweeter."
Heat pooled low in my belly as understanding dawned on his face.
"Are you telling me supplements will make you taste better than you already do, for me?"
I nodded, feeling shy and bold at the same time. "I heard about it online and wanted to try something new?—"
Before I finished my statement, Liam was on his feet, scooping me off the couch and moving toward the bedroom.
"What are you doing, Lieutenant?"
