Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
“Glad you like it, baby. I’ll be sure to make it more than just on Sundays.”
After we finished eating—and I barely resisted the urge to lick my plate—Ames got ready while I did the dishes. Which had been a battle getting him to agree to, and I’d only won because I told him I needed some way to contribute since he’d bought the groceries and cooked. Then he led me to the garage, to where the valet had brought around his silver Mercedes-AMG S-class.
“Oh my gosh,” I gasped, looking up at Ames with wide eyes as I remembered something Charmaine had said the night she’d talked me into going out on my blind date.
He yanked me close and scanned the garage, his eyes fierce as he searched for whatever had freaked me out. “What’s wrong?”
“I wouldn’t say wrong, exactly.” I smoothed my hands up his chest. “I just realized I’m about to do my first walk of shame and in front of my parents, no less.”
Ames brushed his lips against mine and murmured, “I know this is all new to you, baby, but there’s not a damn thing for you to be ashamed about when it comes to us. I get that it will be awkward facing your parents when they’ll have a good idea of what we did last night since you didn’t come home, but what happened between us was…shit, it was fucking beautiful. I know that sounds cheesy, but it’s accurate.”
“Beautiful,” I echoed softly, butterflies swirling in my belly. “I like the sound of that.”
“Good because you’d better get used to it.”
Pulling open the passenger door, he helped me into the seat before rounding the car to climb into the driver’s seat. After we left the parking garage, he held my hand for the drive to my parents’ house. When we pulled up in front of the brownstone I’d grown up in, my mom stood on the front porch.
“Crap.” I turned to him with wide eyes. “What are the chances you’ll let me climb out of this car and walk up to the door by myself?”
He glanced at my mom and shook his head. “Zero, baby.”
“That’s what I figured,” I muttered.
He climbed out of the car, and I wagged my finger at my mom, hoping she’d take the gesture as a warning to be on her best behavior. Unfortunately, it didn’t help much. When we reached the bottom of the steps, she planted her hands on her hips and asked, “I’m assuming you two had an excellent night since you waited until now to bring my daughter home?”
Ames was the sexiest man I’d ever met, but he was so darn cute when he ducked his head, his cheeks tinged red. “Uh, yes, ma'am.”
“Don’t mind me. I’m just teasing.” My mom reached up to pat him on the shoulder. “And please call me Julie. Ma'am makes me feel old.”
He nodded. “Will do, Julie.”
A mischievous gleam filled her eyes. “Although, I’m willing to bet that I won’t feel old when I finally get the chance to be called grandma.”
Now I was the one blushing as I groaned, “Mom, really?”
“Sorry.” She shrugged, not looking the least bit apologetic as she grinned. “You can’t blame a mom for trying.”
I quirked a brow. “Sure I can…when you bring up babies to a man you’ve just met after my third date with him.”
“He might as well get used to it now since I’m always going to be like this.”
Now my mom was talking about Ames and me being together forever…and he didn’t look as though it bothered him one bit.
8
AMES
“I want to surprise Dakota,” I told Julie over the phone two days later. Dakota was out with Charmaine…something about mani-pedis. It was the perfect time for me to plan a little getaway. Somewhere with a beach so I could see my woman in a bikini every day. I went to my home office and called Dakota’s mom for help while I booked everything.
“I don’t know how long we’ll have before she starts the new job, and I want to spend some time alone with her. Where there won’t be any paparazzi or interruptions from anything else.”
Julie sniffled, and I had a momentary freak-out that she might not want Dakota to be with me.
“That’s so sweet! I’ll ensure she’s packed and ready to go when you arrive. What does she need?”
“Not much.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I did a mental face-plant onto my desk. “Because we are going somewhere tropical, not because…just, you know, summer stuff…”
I trailed off when Julie started laughing hysterically.
To my shock—and complete relief that I was alone—my face heated. “I didn’t mean…”
“Sure you did, Ames,” she giggled. “I’m not naive, honey. You think I don’t know what you two will do on a romantic getaway?”