“No.”
But I could tell he was restless. From nerves? Was he having second thoughts about introducing me to his family?
I’d assumed that because he was brilliant, sinfully good looking and rich, he’d never lack for female companionship. But I hadn’t banked on Brady Lund, CFO, to be a little shy.
God. That shyness wrecked me.
I’d gone beyond nervous to meet his family, to petrified.
Hi, I’m Lennox Greene. Yes, I work for Lund Industries. No, you don’t know my parents—heck, even I don’t know who my father is.
“Lennox. I can feel your whole body twitching.”
“Brady. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”
“What?”
“All of it!” I gestured to nothing and everything. “You and me. Me meeting your family. You taking me to a football game at the Metrodome and us sitting in the skybox. Maybe you should just run me home first. You can tell them I ate something that didn’t agree with me. I just . . . don’t think I can do this.”
“Why not?” he asked calmly.
“Because I won’t fit in. Because I’ll probably say something stupid or be a smart-ass and embarrass you. Because it’s too soon. We just started dating and no one in the company knows and this is how rumors get started.”
Brady pulled the car onto the shoulder and parked. He scrubbed his hands over his face and I realized he hadn’t shaved today. As sexy as that made him look, it wasn’t something that should’ve escaped his notice.
Of course I blamed myself. His assorted family members—including the CEO and the COO—would take one look at his disheveled appearance and then aim their judging gazes on me, and believe we’d spent all weekend defiling the family homestead.
And then I would feel the need to overshare and let them know that, no, we hadn’t spent every waking moment in bed—but then again . . . we had slept in the same bed both nights, we just hadn’t gotten naked and sweaty in that bed—well, except we had slept naked . . .
Strong fingers curled around my jaw, forcing my attention to him.
“I’ve said your name like four times while you were in whatever freak-out zone you jumped into. So let me set you straight. It’s not a rumor; we are together. If you’re worried about losing your job, don’t be. I can make it very clear that anyone who fucks with you fucks with me. My mother will likely be a serious pain in the ass, but understand it’s only because I’ve never brought a woman to family day.”
“Never?”
“Never. Ever.” Those intense blue eyes seemed to look into my soul. “You might think I’m playing at this. That this is just a phase for me, trying to reform myself more than just who I am at work. But I promise you, Lennox, it is not a phase.”
He’d just, in effect, told me that I was his girlfriend.
Holy balls.
I wasn’t sure how to feel about that, because I’d never been in this position before, meeting a guy’s family when his family mattered to him. But I had been used as fight fodder: Hey, Dad, look at the tattooed bar skank I brought home for Sunday dinner. Pass the potatoes and the judgment, please.
“You don’t believe me.”
“Yes, I believe you. I just have a hard time getting a grasp on the fact this is happening to me.”
“It kills me to hear you say that, baby.”
He stroked my cheek in such a sweetly loving gesture I felt the back of my eyes sting.
And somehow he knew I needed tenderness. So when Brady kissed me, I melted into him. I floated to that happy plane where the taste of him, the scent of him, the feel of our bodies touching was all I’d ever need.
He seemed reluctant to break our connection as he continued to gift me with soft smooches, little nibbles and the sweet sensation of his breath drifting across my sensitized lips. “Better?”
“Infinitely.” I rubbed my fingertips over the stubble on his cheeks. “This is a good look on you.”
“Drives me crazy. I want to scratch my face off.”
“Maybe later today you can find a nice soft place to help you ease the itch.”
“The insides of your thighs would make great scratching posts, now that you’ve mentioned it.”
Heat raced down the center of my body as that image popped into my head.
He chuckled. “I’d better get us back on the road.”
*
I took a little catnap while he drove and woke up refreshed. I grabbed my makeup bag and fixed my face, trying to find the balance between cares too much and doesn’t give a damn. The Vikings jersey that I was required by Lund Law to wear covered the tattoos on the back of my neck, and the long-sleeved shirt I wore hid the bandage on my right arm. So I slicked my hair into a ponytail and then tucked it under so it looked a little more finished. After I added pink lipstick, I glanced over to see Brady staring at me.