"Absolutely not," I said immediately. "I want them to meet you. I want them to see how happy you make me. I just... I want you to be prepared for some culture shock."
"I can handle culture shock," Julian said with confidence. "The question is whether they can handle me."
"They'll love you," I said, meaning it. "You're honorable, hardworking, you treat me well. That's all that really matters to them."
The rain was beginning to lighten, the heavy downpour becoming a steady drizzle. Soon we'd be able to ride again, and this intimate moment would end.
"Julian?" I said.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for stopping me before. For having enough control for both of us."
Julian's smile was soft and warm. "Someone has to be the responsible adult in this relationship."
"Usually that's my job," I said with a laugh.
"We can take turns," Julian suggested, and the idea of sharing responsibility, of being partners in that way, made my breath stutter in my chest. How long had I been wanting exactly that?
By the time we made it back to the studio, the rain had stopped completely and my clothes had mostly dried. Julian walked me to my car, his helmet tucked under his arm, looking reluctant to let me go.
"Pack light," he said. "Just essentials for a few days."
"I'll pack quickly and then start looking at flights," I said. "What time works best for you tomorrow?"
“Don't worry about flights. I'll takecare of the travel arrangements. I'll have my driver drop me off at your place this evening with my bags. We can leave together in the morning."
"Julian, you don't need to buy my ticket," I protested. "I can handle my own travel expenses."
"I know you can," Julian said gently. "But I want to. Let me do this."
I felt the familiar tension between independence and allowing myself to be cared for. It was still so new, this feeling of having someone who wanted to handle the details, who had the resources to make things easier.
"Okay," I said finally. "But I'm buying dinner while we're there. And I'm paying for any activities or entertainment."
Julian's smile was amused but affectionate. "Deal."
The drive home gave me time to think about packing, about what Julian would need to know about my family, about how surreal it was that in less than twenty-four hours I'd be introducing him to my parents.
At home, I rummaged through my closet, pulling out clothes that would be appropriate for a home-town visit while also looking nice enough to not pass for lounge-wear. I packed my most flattering jeans, a few nice sweaters, my best boots, and a few casual dresses that would work for everything from church to dinner out.
I was just starting to research flights on my laptop when my doorbell rang. Through the peephole, I could see Julian standing on my front step with a leather overnight bag, looking perfectly put-together despite our day of riding in questionable weather.
"That was fast," I said, opening the door. "I'm not even close to finished packing."
"No rush," Julian said, leaning down to kiss my cheek. "We have all evening."
"Actually, I was just looking at flights," I said, leading him to my laptop on the dining table. "There's a 10 a.m. departure that gets us there around noon, or we could do the 2 p.m. that arrives at—"
"Vivienne," Julian interrupted gently. "Stop that."
"Stop what?"
"The flight search. We won't need commercial flights."
I looked up from my laptop, confusion clear on my face. "Why not?"
Julian set down his bag and moved to stand beside my chair, his expression slightly uncertain. "Because we'll be taking my plane."
