“After we see everyone, I promise I’ll grovel as much as you want.” He nipped my bottom lip, heat pooling in my belly at the action.
“On your knees and everything,” I breathed.
“Whatever you want, Emmie baby.”
I could hearkid’s laughter and loud voices on the other side of Mateo’s door as I stood with him, clenching his hand in mine.
“Ready?” Mateo asked. Not trusting my voice, I nodded my answer.
As the door swung open, the voices grew louder. I tightened my grip on Mateo’s hand, uncaring that he was probably losing sensation in his fingertips. I really didn’t know why I was so nervous when I literally spent three hours with everyone just a bit ago.
“Hey, guys,” Mateo greeted as we turned the small corner that bracketed his entryway. The apartment opened up into a huge living room and floor-to-ceiling windows before continuing to his kitchen where Josie and Evelyn were, the others scattered around the living area.
“Mateo!” multiple voices greeted back. I half hid behind Mateo’s body, peering around as everyone turned toward us at the doorway. A poke on my leg stole my attention, a pair of bright green eyes staring up at me.
“Who are you?” The little girl's blonde hair was pulledinto space buns with silver sparkly bows. Her voice wasnotquiet at all, and everyone turned their attention on me.
I stepped out from behind Mateo, lifting my hand in greeting. “Hi.”
Silence followed as every person stared at Mateo and me, eyes lowering to our hands before returning to our faces. There were only a few eyebrows raised but so far no cry of outrage.
“Everyone—this is Emmie, my girlfriend.” I was unprepared at the declaration, but I couldn’t stop the warmth that spread through my chest at hearing him say it out loud. He turned to me. “You’ve already met, but this is my family.”
More silence came. I shifted on my feet, trying to come up with something to say. There was no way of telling what they were all thinking by their natural expressions. Were they mad?
I opened my mouth to talk, but someone else beat me to it.
“I knew it!” Tasha exclaimed, whirling around to point a finger at her husband.
“Pay up.” Mila leaned back in the barstool, extending her hand to Bryton, Landon, and Wyatt.
Mateo groaned. “You guys were betting on this?”
“Obviously,” Landon said, completely unbothered. “You’re not subtle.”
“How did you even have time to?” He looked at every single person, his mom and Steven included.
“On the car ride here,” Mila said, like it was completely normal to bet that the two of us were together.
A few snickers filled the room, and my face warmed as Mateo dragged a hand down his face.
“We had our suspicions the entire game, but the guys over here didn’t believe us.” Tasha shot them a look.
“How were we supposed to know that the girl sitting next to us was dating Mateo?” Trevor argued.
Tasha shook her head. “Did you guysnotsee the googly eyes they gave each other the entire game?”
“Obviously not,” Bryton muttered
Beside me, Mateo murmured, “That’s my family for you.”
“Kind of ironic since you made bets on everyone else and now it's our turn.” Wyatt turned to Mateo with a smirk.
“You’ve been waiting for this moment, haven’t you?”
“You bet your ass we have.” Wyatt looked at me, his smirk turning into a smile. “It’s nice to officially meet you, Emmie.”
“You too.” I smiled in return. And just like that, the attention was off us. I glanced at Mateo with wide eyes.
