“Yeah.” I turn away from the mirror to face her. “I know. But just knowing that I’m the first woman he’s invited to dinner with his mother . . . You get it. I just want to look nice. For her.”
Mandy smiles at me. “I’ve never seen you like this over a man before, Meadow. It makes me happy because you deserve to feel this. You deserve someone who will give to you as much as you do to others. You’re a good person.”
She stands up and fixes the back of my black blouse. “I know you’ve lost a lot. But please try not to let that discourage you from getting close with Styx. I know it has in the past. But honestly . . . none of those men seemed to be worth it. Especially not Jase.”
A tear falls from my eye and I laugh, wiping it away. No one has really mentioned that they think I give a lot. Not since my aunt has passed at least. She used to remind me that all the time when it came to guys.
“Especially not that ass. He was never more than just something to pass the time and I was the same to him.”
“Are you sure about that?” she asks as I’m throwing my hair up.
“Why do you ask that? Of course that’s all he was for me.”
“I meant for him. He’s been acting strange ever since you and Styx started dating. He’s been very moody and almost lost in his own little world most of the time. It’s weird. He hasn’t even been sleeping around with the other nurses. Weird. I hate this Jase even more.”
I sit down on the edge of my bed and slip my black heeled boots on, tucking the legs of my skinny jeans inside. “Doesn’t matter. Jase is in the past. So let’s not talk about him anymore. Especially when I’m about to see Styx. He’ll be here any minute.”
She reaches for her purse and walks past the mirror, giving herself a quick glance. “Tell me all about dinner later, okay. I want to know how it goes. Jameson is waiting for me so I should go.”
Smiling, I give her a quick hug and then walk her to the door. “Have fun on your date, babe. And don’t think that I won’t be asking for details later. Details for details. Sounds like a fair exchange.”
“You got it.” She winks and jogs down the porch steps as Styx pulls up on his motorcycle. “Holy hell . . . he’s hot on a motorcycle.” Giving me the thumbs up, she turns away and walks past Styx, waving before she jumps into her car.
“Hell yeah he is,” I whisper to myself, while looking him over on his bike.
I swear a man has never made a leather jacket look so damn good. It’s my favorite thing of his that he wears.
After I quickly lock my door, I turn around and watch as he pulls his helmet off and walks toward me.
Even his walk is extremely sexy and full of confidence and the thought that this guy was inside of me without a condom last night has me fanning myself off with my purse.
I think I’m going to overheat. Especially if he keeps looking at me with those sexy blue eyes the way that he is.
As if he’s about to tie me up and devour me.
“Come here,” he says, while pulling me against him. “Holy fuck, I’ve missed you all day.”
His hands grip the back of my hair and before I know it, his lips crash against mine, taking my damn breath away.
The way his tongue moves against mine, his soft lips all over my lips as if he owns them. This kiss is different than the rest. Deeper and more meaningful somehow.
Or maybe it’s just my imagination.
He pulls away from our kiss, placing his forehead against mine. “You ready to meet my mother?”
I can tell from the look in his eyes that he’s worried about bringing me to his mother’s house. I’m not sure what to think about that. Maybe I was right to worry about what to wear.
“Are you sure you want me to go? I don’t have to . . .”
He kisses me again, but harder this time, backing me up against the door and pinning me in with his body. “Fuck yes I do. Don’t ever question that again. It’s not you.”
I look up to meet his gaze. “Tell me why you’re nervous.”
His eyes close and he lets out a deep breath, speaking with our foreheads still pressed together. “My asshole father will be there and there’s a lot of things that you don’t know about him. He’s hurt both me and my mother a lot.”
I reach up and cup his face, my heart breaking as I look into his eyes. “I’m sorry that he’s ever hurt you or your mother. I hate hearing that with everything in me. I know you said he was an asshole . . .”
“He’s a piece of shit. The biggest asshole that I know and honestly he doesn’t even deserve to be in the same room with you, but I’m doing this for my mother.”