Page 98 of The Daddy’s Girl

“How was London?” he asks my dad.

My mom rolls her eyes. “It was fine. Ronan was worried for nothing.”

“Or maybe,” my dad says as he kisses my mom on the cheek, “I was looking for an excuse to be with my beautiful wife.”

My mom smirks as a blush rises to her cheeks. Instantly my gaze flits to Matis, and he clenches his jaw as he looks back down at me.

We’re both full of so many thoughts and feelings, mostly shock for what we were almost caught doing. I know his thoughts as well as he knows mine.

“Ew, stop it,” I snap at my parents as I look away.

They laugh and Matis claps a hand on my dad’s shoulder. “Let’s have a drink while you tell me about London.”

Each of us can act naturally around my parents, which is a reassurance. My dad and Matis leave the room, and my mom starts putting her things away while telling me all about their dinner in the city.

And no one suspects a thing.

I end up taking a long nap after Matis leaves, and when I wake up, it’s almost nine thirty. I missed dinner, and my parents are already in their rooms.

Picking up my phone, I see a text from Matis waiting for me on the screen.

When he left earlier, I was already in my room, so he never had a chance to really say goodbye. It would have been too suspicious for him to come all the way up here for that. So he slipped out the front door and texted me from his cab.

Lying in bed, I reread the conversation from earlier.

Matis: You are trouble.

Amelia: I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m an angel.

Matis: I’m going to hell for this.

Amelia: Not for lying to my parents. For what you did to me in the kitchen this morning…maybe.

Matis: And I’d do it again.

Amelia: Worth it.

Matis: Sleep, Amelia.

Amelia: Okay fine.

Matis: Sweet dreams, mon trésor.

That’s the unread message still on my screen. I must have fallen asleep before reading that last line. As I sit up, my stomach growls with hunger. So I jump in the shower and then make my way down to the kitchen to find something to eat.

Biting my lip over a ham and cheese sandwich, I text him again.

Amelia: I’m bored.

Matis: Of course you are.

Amelia: I’m thinking about going to the club.

Matis: Alone?

Amelia: Well, I was hoping to go with you.

Matis: I don’t know if that’s a good idea.