“Well, if you’re happy,” Mom relents. Her long blonde hair, with a few hints of gray thrown in, cascades over her shoulder. My mother is the definition of elegance and sweetness. I know she’s going to fit in perfectly here.
Colby comes out onto the porch with a shy grin. He raises his arm and waves at us like a total dope. And my heart dips and dives all over again just because of that.
Mom laughs. “You’re such a sucker for him.”
“I am,” I admit without glancing away from Colby.
“Howdy,” Colby calls out from the porch. “What are y’all up to?”
“I’m checking the perimeter for ways that perpetrators can gain access.”
Colby looks stumped. “Okay.”
“She watches a lot ofDatelineand listens to a lot of murder podcasts.”
Mom sniffs delicately. “One can never be too prepared.”
Colby actually looks a little worried. “I have an alarm system. Whiskey barks when the wind blows. Did you notice anything? I can have the alarm company out here tomorrow.”
I laugh and run up the steps to him. He tosses a distracted arm around my shoulder and stares my mom down, waiting for her answer. Mom relaxes a little at his words. Absently, and without knowing, she even pats Whiskey on the head. Which makes Whiskey’s entire bottom half shake like she might take off from the ground.
“It is fine, Colby. I think Eli is safe here with you.”
Colby smiles and glances down at me. “Good,” Colby says before pressing a kiss to my nose.
“Breakfast for dinner?”
Mom nods her approval. She walks right up the stairs, past us, and into the house with Whiskey on her heels.
“That dog is in love with her,” I say fondly.
“Hmmm, yeah.”
Colby tips back a little on his feet. He checks to make sure Mom is out of view, and pushes me against the railing of the porch. The next minute his lips are on mine, devouring me,tasting me like he didn’t just kiss me this morning. Mom came in last night and she’s been staying with me in the mother-in-law suite above the garage. So, we’ve been missing each other an extra amount lately. Especially after a few weeks of bliss between the time at the beach house and the farm.
His thumbs tilt my jaw so he can deepen the kiss at the angle he wants. I let him without putting up an ounce of fight. Sagging against the railing, he pushes his body against mine, all heat and possession.
“I love you,” I mumble against his mouth.
“Mmmm, I love you too. Gonna sneak into my room tonight?”
“No sneaking!” Mom yells from inside the house.
Colby basically jumps out of his skin and immediately puts enough room for Jesus between us. The southern gentleman in him runs deep. Even the idea of doing anything slightly naughty with my mom present could send him into a conniption. Something about that makes me love him even more though.
“Mom!” I whine, feeling like a teenager all over again.
“Not while I’m here!”
Colby huffs out a breath. “She’ll be gone after the party tomorrow, right?”
I nod and blink slowly at him. “Uh-huh.”
He nods a few times, rubbing his hand over his jaw. “Good.”
I laugh at him, then kiss him softly, before turning to head inside. I pause with one hand on the doorframe to look back over my shoulder at him. “I feel like giving chase a little bit.”
Colby’s pained groans follow me into the house.
