Page 33 of Starts With a Bang

He kissed my inner thigh, and the rasp of scruffy whiskers against sensitive skin made me shiver. “I think you’re perfect.”

I reached down and ran my thumb over his bottom lip, which was slick with saliva and my essence. “Your lips are red and puffy. Looks like you’ve been sucking cock.”

“Good,” Dom said as he stood. He leaned over to kiss me without a care for the mess he’d left on my face. “You look likeyou’ve been blowing me, and you’re going to smell like my cum unless you wash up again.”

No fucking way. I’d wipe my face, but I wanted to go into the lion’s den smelling like I’d just had sex with Dom. I rubbed his release into my chest, signaling my intentions. Dom’s eyes darkened again.

“I might not survive the next two weeks.”

“You’ll go out happy,” I promised.

“Got that right.” Dom kissed me once more before he straightened and pulled his pants up with trembling hands. “Damn, I really want to just hide away with you for the rest of the night. What are the odds I could call my mom and place a pizza order for delivery to our door?”

As tempting as that sounded, I didn’t want Emerson and Christian to think we were hiding from them. Freaking faithless putzes. “Not likely. And I want to meet your Nana.”

“You’re going to love her, and she’s going to be crazy about you.”

“Then I better get ready before she comes looking for us.” Brushing past Dom, I headed to the luggage. I wheeled the bigger suitcase and heaved it onto the bed. “I know Kerry suggested I rile up your uptight family members, but how far do you want me to push it?”

Dom shook his head and laughed. “I want you to wear whatever makes you happy.”

I looked through my shirts and picked a charcoal-gray sweater. It was lightweight enough that I wouldn’t get overheated, and the fabric fit me snugly enough to show off my physique without looking like I was trying too hard. After a quick trip to the bathroom to wash my face, I returned to the bedroom to find Dom fully dressed. I stepped into the jeans I’d had on earlier and pulled them up my legs. Dom made a strangled noise, and I looked up at him.

“What?”

“You’re going commando?”

I grinned wickedly. “Who’s going to know besides you?”

“How will I concentrate when I know you’re bare under there?”

I waggled my brows. “Think of it as an incentive to get through this evening and get back here.”

Dom nodded. “I can put up with anything if I get to take you to bed tonight.”

Winking, I pulled my sweater on and posed. “Will this do?”

“You’d make a burlap sack look stylish.”

That made me laugh. I crossed the room and stood in front of him. “Your lips are still puffy.”

“So are yours.” He inhaled. “And you smell like sex.”

Maybe on some level, I should’ve considered that his parents would also be in the kitchen. Nah. I would worry about that later. I had a claim to stake first. “Ready to do this?”

Dom’s green eyes sparkled with humor. “You look like you’re going into battle.”

I winked. “And I won’t hesitate to cut a bitch.”

Pizza toppings covered nearly every surface in the vast kitchen when we rejoined the gathering. Pretty much everyone was in the same spot, except for the addition of a petite blue-haired woman holding court at the island. I’m not talking the silvery-blue tone that a lot of senior women accomplish with a rinse. Helen’s hair was as blue as my eyes. I searched for signs that she wore a wig but couldn’t find one.

“Um, that’s a new look,” Dom whispered.

I’d seen enough pictures of Helen on Janet’s feed to know her hair was usually snowy white. I volunteered at several senior facilities and could tell when the elderly were nearing the end of their life. Nothing about Helen hinted this would be her last holiday. Her skin looked vibrant, and she’d put effort into every aspect of her appearance. Her pale pink sweater and ivory slacks gave Helen an upscale casual vibe. She’d coiffed her hair and applied makeup to perfection.

What was going on? Was her supposed illness a ploy to reunite the family? If so, who was pulling the strings? And how many romance tropes could we cram into one vacation?

Helen glanced up, and her eyes lit with pure delight when they locked on Dom.

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