Page 138 of Choosing Forever
Mom shakes herself and clears her throat. “Okay, come inside now. We have so much to catch up on. Do you still like chicken parm, love?”
“I haven’t had it in forever, but yes, I do.”
“I told you, Mom.”
Delaney shoots me a curious look. “And how did you know?”
“Good guess,” I tease, dropping a hand to swat at her ass when my parents turn away.
She squeals, jumping away from me. I blink innocently and steal a kiss, risking getting bitten in the face. Her blush makes it easy to see through her scowl.
“Have you both checked on the drive-in? I was at the last town council meeting, and it’s supposedly at the halfway mark,” Mom says, expertly ignoring us.
She’s had more than enough practice with that over the years. Poppy and Garrison have ruined her, I fear.
“No, we haven’t,” I answer.
“Well, you should. Make sure they aren’t ruining your place like they did the flowers at the entrance to town.”
“You’re comparing the drive-in to some flowers?” Dad asks.
“They’re not just some flowers, Daryl. They’re an outsider’sfirst impression of the town. What impression do two planters of droopy, brown flowers leave, hmm?”
“You could offer to help with the flowers,” I suggest as we step into the dining room.
The food is already spread along the table on serving platters, and shit, she’s even pulled out the good plates and stored the old, chipped ones she refuses to donate.
“I’m waiting for them to ask for my help, honey.”
Dad laughs under his breath and takes his usual seat at the table. Mom sits beside him, and I pull Delaney’s out across from her. The hiss dad spits falls over the table before Mom pats his shoulder.
“Pull out my chair next time.”
Delaney’s cheeks pinch with a subdued smile. She sits, and I join her, sitting a bit too close, probably. The warm press of our thighs is a good reminder that yeah, she’s actually here beside me right now.
“Anyway, like I was saying, it might be worth a trip out. I wouldn’t be able to stand it if they ruined that place,” Mom says.
I grab the bottle of white wine that I know Delaney likes from our dinner date at my house and offer it to her. When she nods, I take her glass and fill it while saying, “I’ll ask Bryce tonight and let you know, Mom.”
“I’d appreciate that. I’ll worry myself sick unless I know.”
Handing the full glass back to Elle, I set the bottle down, grab the juice pitcher, and fill my glass. Luckily, it’s not the same one Mom drank out of. At least, I hope she only did that once.
Delaney crosses her legs beneath the table, and I stifle a groan, imagining what she’s wearing beneath the skirt now pulled taut at her knees. It’s a curse being so consumed with these thoughts recently. I’m suddenly a horny teenager again around her, and I still don’t know how to shake myself out of it.
She’s too goddamn beautiful. Her and those soft legs and perfectly sloped knees that her skirt has been flirting with all night are going to drive me to insanity. I’ve never given a shitabout knees before, yet here I am, fantasizing about their slope and how full they’ll fill my palms.
Then, there’s her hair. I’ve become so accustomed to her wearing it back or up, but not tonight. Nope, she has it free and wavy and teasing my hands every time I touch her back. I’ve caught myself starting to wrap it around my knuckles so many times in the past hour alone that I’m not allowing myself to touch her there anymore.
Fuck, I smacked her ass a foot away from my mother.
“Darren?”
The pinch in my thigh has me jerking in my seat. I look to Delaney and see her staring at me, both of her eyebrows raised.
“Pass your mom the juice,” she murmurs, face bright red.
I stare for a moment longer, confused as to why she looks embarrassed. It’s not until she pinches my thigh again and draws my gaze to my lap that I rush into motion.
