Page 296 of Tempted By her Daddies

“You don’t do families?” Roman asked with a slight frown. “Do you mean . . . have you never met a boyfriend’s family before?”

“Exactly! That! Right there.”

So what the heck did she do? How did she act?

“I should have done some research first,” she muttered, not expecting them to hear her.

Alexei snorted. “How would you research that?”

“I don’t know. Movies? Books? Looking it up?”

“I’m sure I can find some tips on what to do the first time you meet your boyfriend’s family.” Roman drew out his phone.

“You don’t need that.” Salem stepped forward and took her hand in his. “And you don’t need to worry. My family is going to love you.”

“Of course they will,” she said. “I’m amazing.”

Alexei made a strange coughing sound and she glanced over at him in alarm. “Are you ill? You can’t go visiting Salem’s parents if you’re ill. What if you give them something? Sickness can be deadly for the elderly.”

Salem cleared his throat. “Uh, first of all, it would probably be wise not to call them elderly.”

“Oh, is that not the correct word to use?” she asked. “Age-challenged? Is that better?”

“Maybe don’t mention their age at all,” Roman said. “And they’re not so old that illness is a great concern.” He glared at Alexei for some reason.

“Why are you glaring at Alexei? It’s not his fault that he’s ill. Although you would have thought that he’d have noticed before we left the house.”

“I’m not ill,” Alexei told her.

“Then why did you cough?”

“Uh, frog in my throat.”

“Are you sure? Because you look a bit off.”

“Off?” he repeated.

“Yeah, kind of pinched in the face or something. Have you been going to the toilet? I hear that constipation can be painful.”

“I am not constipated!” Alexei boomed.

Across the street she saw someone open their window.

“Um, I believe you should be quieter,” she said. “Salem’s parents don’t want to be gossiped about.”

Salem sighed and waved at two people staring out the window of the house closest to them. They both ducked, and then the man stood and waved.

“I’m going to hear about this,” Salem muttered.

What did that mean?

“Darling girl, you don’t need to worry.” Roman took her face between his hands. “Salem’s parents and his brothers and their girlfriends will all love you.”

“But what if they don’t,” she whispered. “What if they don’t like me? I mean, it would be weird, but what if they’re all weird?”

“They are weird,” Salem told her. “But they are still going to love you. I promise. I wouldn’t have brought you here if I thought that anyone was going to be mean to you. I told you that I wouldn’t allow it. Understand?”

“But they are your family? Isn’t your loyalty to them first?”

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