Page 50 of Boarded Hearts

I can feel the panic rising in me. I can’t meet his family. It’s way too soon. We don’t even know what we are. This is a bad idea. But then I’m reminded that after today, I won’t see him for another two weeks, and a wave of disappointment washes over me. Just friends. It could work if we keep it simple. I’ve been around to Kate’s parents’ for dinner before. So, this is no different, right?

I drop my head and cover my face with my palms, thinking through my options.

“If you don’t want to, it's fine, I get it. I can see you when I get back.”

“Okay,” I respond.

“Okay?” Jon repeats.

“Yeah, okay. I’ll come with you but as friends. Only as friends.”

His full lips tip up as he pushes my hair back off my shoulders, exposing my neckline, a place I know he discovered last night is hypersensitive for me. Goosebumps erupt where his fingers graze my skin, and as he notices, his eyes drop to my mouth.“You might want to wear something that covers your neck.” He part winces, part smiles.

I trace the side of my neck and feel the sensitive skin as delicious memories remind me of how the marks got there.

Jon chuckles deeply and kisses them, a sarcastic lilt to his voice. “Oh, absolutely, only as friends. I’ll need to swing by my place on the way to get changed.”

I nod and begin climbing out of bed. “Sure. Coffee?”

“The woman of my dreams,” Jon replies, leaning back against the headboard, his arms folded behind his head. I can feel his penetrating gaze course through my body as I make my way to the closet, grab my robe, and then head for the kitchen.

JON

Me

Will lunch stretch to another person?

Mom

Oh my god!!

Cool your jets. She’s coming as a friend.

A friend? Really, Jon?

Yes, really. Can you contain yourself for a couple of hours or should I revert to the original plan?

No, I mean yes. Yes, I can definitely behave myself.

Good. She’s skittish and it's complicated, so just play it cool, okay?

As a cucumber.

Good.

What the fuck am I doing?

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

FELICITY

“Must be nice to have your family live so close.”

We’re in Jon’s Mercedes G-Wagon making our way across to his parents’ house in Bellevue for lunch, and honestly, I don’t know how I’m going to eat a thing. My stomach could go for Olympic gold in gymnastics. I’m so nervous. Even though Jon has promised several times this morning that we’re going “as friends,” I have no doubt his mom, dad, and probably brother watch ESPN, and there’s no hiding the intimate moment we shared at yesterday’s game.

It’s not that I don’t want to be associated with Jon romantically; any woman would give her left tit to be in my shoes. It’s more that I don’t know his—or my—full intentions at this point. When I left Elliott, I didn’t want to jump straight into another relationship. But here I am, feeling like that’s exactly what I’m doing. Yet I can’t seem to say no or stay away from him, and I get that the feeling is mutual. The way he touched me last night, kissed me, whispered dirty things in my ear. Jon Morgan is slowly weaving himself into every part of my life, and I feel like we’ve barely scratched the surface.

“Yeah, I got traded from Colorado six years ago to be closer to them. I hadn’t really been around since the day I left for college, and my parents needed the support, so I put in a request.”

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