“What? I’m just making sure they can read my lips.”
Shaking her head, she flinched. “No, you’re making a fool of yourself and ensuring theycan’tunderstand you.”
“But you always pronounce everything so perfectly.”
“Yes, pronounce, not over-exaggerate. Please, talk naturally.”
Her fingers still lingered near his lips, and he liked them there. Reaching for her wrist, he kept her from removing them. The lips she’d scolded kissed her fingers, then nibbled on the tips. Turning her hand, he placed a gentle kiss in her palm. The pulse in her wrist fluttered rapidly.
Carli’s eyes widened, and red flushed her cheeks as she glanced around. Was she afraid someone would see?
After another kiss, this time to her wrist, he released her. “I’m sorry I embarrassed you. I’ll try and behave better. Thank you for letting me know, so I didn’t continue to look like an idiot.”
“You’re welcome.”
“This is why I need to keep taking ASL lessons. You can’t deny it.”
Her tiny smile widened. “Fine, we can start again next week. But there are some errands I’ll need to do at lunch a few days that I can’t do after work because places are closed.”
“I’ll take you to dinner, and we can sign there.”
“You don’t have to take me to dinner.”
“Would you rather I pay you? I never even thought of that. Annie paid for her lessons. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take advantage of you like that. Is there a typical rate for private ASL lessons?”
Carli grinned. “It might be too rich even for you, doc. I don’t normally give sign lessons.”
“Then, I guess I really owe you, since you’ve been so generous in giving me your time.”
Her mom appeared in the doorway and motioned for Carli to help.Help.He remembered that sign, too. Following them into the kitchen, he gave them a hand getting dinner on the table, then sat next to Carli as the rest of the family settled in their seats.
“Blake, this is Mercedes, my roommate,” she introduced a young woman who had slipped in after he’d been introduced to the others. “She’s been around for years and is pretty much part of the family.”
Mercedes smiled at him, her eyes impish. Did she know something he didn’t?
As dinner progressed, he grew more and more confused. Not only with the hands flying around—all of which Carli tried to interpret—but at the noise level. Even when they weren’t verbalizing, they made all sorts of sounds. For some reason, he thought having dinner with a Deaf family would be silent. Man, was he wrong.
Between Brian and Mercedes, who were both hearing in addition to speaking perfect ASL, and Carli, he managed to follow much of the conversations. Certainly not all, and occasionally he had a feeling some of the stuff was kept from him. Were they talking about him, or was he merely being paranoid?
Once they’d eaten and started to clean up, he got a minute with Carli as they washed the pots and pans.
“I have to admit I was relieved that Evan was your brother.”
“Because he was wasted? Usually Mercedes keeps him in line, but she wasn’t there.”
Maybe it wasn’t the time to let her know he was jealous. That’s what it seemed to be. He had no other name for how he’d felt when Evan was draped over her.
“Are they dating?”
Carli laughed. “God, no. They’d kill each other in no time. But he usually listens to her. Why I don’t know, but he does.”
Blake knew. The way Evan and Mercedes interacted and flirted with each other. To some it might appear innocent, but he’d seen the look in Evan’s eyes before. Had seen it on other guys. Evan had a thing for Mercedes. How serious it was, who knew? But it was definitely a thing.
Suddenly, he wondered how he looked at Carli. Could other people see? He might have a thing for her, too.
Chapter eight
Harrison clenched his jaw as they walked down the hall of the North Shore School for the Deaf. Why they were here, he didn’t know. Once his son got cochlear implants, he wouldn’t need a school like this. The children scampering through the hallways waved their hands at each other, laughing and making strange noises. However, he’d promised Annie he would get more involved in Parker’s education plan, and here he was.
