Page 31 of Beck and Call

He kissed my forehead. "I'll try. For you I'll try and be patient. Now, answer me honestly. Are you hungry?"

"Starving," I admitted.

"Good, because we've got a dinner appointment to go to."

"I thought Colter was taking that for you?"

"The business dinner, yes. My father isn't likely to be persuaded to take him to dinner instead of me though. He texted a bit ago."

"How could you possibly know?" I asked him.

He held up his wrist, showing me his smart watch. "I forgot to take it off. It doesn't matter, if I hadn't confirmed, he would have just dropped by. I haven't been caught in bed with a girl since I was in high school."

His smile fell momentarily.

"Where did you just go?"

"What do you mean? Nowhere. I'm right here with you."

"So dinner?" I was pushing again. I'd have to work on that.

He kissed me. "Let's take a shower."

"Maybe we should take separate showers, or we'll never make it out of your apartment," I suggested.

Beckett appeared to think about it, but then shook his head. He stood and extended his hand. "That sounds like a waste of natural resources. We should think of the planet and conserve water."

I put my hand in his. "Hard to argue with that logic."

"Speaking of hard–"

I swatted him in the chest and he laughed. It was good to see the darkness that had come over him leave. I vowed then and there to bring as much light into his life as I could. It seemed we'd both had too much of the dark already.

Chapter Eleven

Beckett, in typical control freak fashion, had more clothes waiting for me in his large walk in closet. I could move in without actually having to move a single thing. Everything I could possibly need was already available.

I came down the stairs from his bedroom in a knee-length, silver cocktail dress with a lace overlay. "Do I look okay?"

"You look beautiful."

"But is it good enough to meet your father?"

He took me into his arms and kissed the top of my head. "You look stunning. He's going to love you."

I bit my lip and steeled myself to ask him what I was really concerned about. "Why now? We've only been doing whatever this is for less than a week. This morning we couldn't even figure out what to call this thing between us, and tonight I'm meeting your father?"

"My father demanded dinner, and for me to bring you."

"But why? How does he even know I exist?"

"My guess is Colter opened his big mouth. When he gets with my father they gossip like old ladies at a beauty parlor. It’s possible he already suspected though. He was the one who arranged for us to share a room in Berlin."

"Well, this should be interesting," I murmured.

Beckett extended his elbow, and I took it. I expected him to lead us down to the front of the building, but instead we veered off to the garage.

"You're going to drive?" I asked, astounded.

---