‘Because I just want to get used to it myself before everyone else makes a big deal about it.’
Nick pondered her comment. ‘I know we said we’d take it slow, but do we really need to be sneaking around?’
‘I’m not sneaking,’ she said, almost indignantly. ‘I just don’t want everyone knowing our business. Is that so bad?’
‘You’re exhausted.’
‘I’m fine.’
‘This morning you left here with your shirt on back to front,’ he reminded her.
‘It was dark when I was getting dressed.’
‘If I come to your place, you won’t have to get up early and sneak out. You can sleep in … maybe even get lucky before you have to go to work,’ he said, wiggling his eyebrows.
She chuckled lightly. ‘You’re insatiable.’
‘Only where you’re concerned,’ he said, lowering his head.
‘I’m just not ready,’ she said with a small groan.
Nick stopped nibbling on her neck and lifted his head. ‘Are you that embarrassed by me?’
‘What? No …’
‘You are,’ he said flatly and leaned back on his pillow. He knew it was taking her a bit to get her head around the age difference, but he’d hoped she was getting over it. The fact she was uncomfortable about their relationship after all the amazing nights they’d spent together hurt.
‘I’m not embarrassed,’ she said more firmly, propping herself up on her elbows to look across his chest. ‘Nick?’
He lifted his gaze to hers silently and weakened slightly at her distressed look.
‘I’m not. It’s just … I don’t know. It’s strange thinking about having a man in the house again.’
‘I’m not saying I’ll move in—I don’t want to cramp your style that much,’ he said, trying for a lighter tone. ‘Is it how the girls will react that’s got you worried?’ he asked when she didn’t smile.
‘Sort of. I mean … they think their father with a younger woman is weird … I don’t want them to think that about me.’
‘I wasn’t around when your ex moved in with Silicone Barbie,’ he said and her lips did lift ever so slightly, ‘but I’m pretty sure the girls’ reaction is more about the fact he left youfor her, not so much the age difference.’
She didn’t look entirely convinced but at least she didn’t argue.
‘What if we break them in slowly? I could come over for dinner, take you out, take you all out, even? Just spend some time with them beforehand?’
His fingers itched to rub away the creases in the centre of her forehead—to take away everything that made her worry.
‘Maybe you’re right. Maybe we do need to tell them—or like you said, do it slowly.’
His spirits rose a few notches. This had been bothering him more than he cared to admit. He understood why she’d been hesitant about telling anyone—she was a private kind of person and he respected that. Hell, so was he, to an extent, but this relationship seemed so much more important than his care factor about who knew about them and who didn’t. He didn’t give a toss if people knew—he wanted to be part of Jenny’s life and spend whatever time they had together.
‘I’ll leave it up to you to decide. If you want me there for moral support, I’m happy to come along.’
‘I think I’ll be okay.’ She grinned. ‘You’re right,’ she said with more conviction in her tone. ‘It’s probably time they knew.’
His hand rested on her hip and then slid lower, effectively distracting her from overthinking her decision. He spent the rest of their time keeping her too preoccupied to talk herself out of it.
