Page 18 of The Trouble with Sexy (Rock Canyon, Idaho 0.50)

“So what were you whispering about?” Gregg asked. She turned toward him, noting the wicked gleam in his eye.

“Nothing, just mother-daughter stuff.” She backed away from him as he reached out to her ribs. “What are you doing?”

He wiggled his fingers. “It isn’t nice to tell lies. And I’m prepared to use torture if necessary.”

She squealed and tried to run, but he caught her around the waist. She was laughing and gasping as he wreaked havoc on her ribs. “Handsome! She asked if you were handsome!”

He stopped tickling her and kissed her swiftly. “There. Now was that so hard?”

She pretended to slap at him, and he grabbed her wrist gently, bringing her palm to his mouth for a light kiss. The air around them heated up, and she reached out to bring him close so her lips could exact their own form of torture. Muffins and coffee forgotten, it would be a while before he would again care that daylight was being wasted.

THEY PULLED UP to the large ranch house and Ryan hopped out with a nervous smile on her face. They’d had such an awesome day, and now that they were standing in front of her parents’ place, it seemed she was more nervous than Gregg. Most guys freaked about meeting parents, but he simply came around the Tahoe and took her hand in his. They walked up the steps to the porch and across the wooden planks to the whitewashed front door. Gregg was about to knock when Ryan reached out and turned the knob.

“We don’t have to knock,” she said, pushing the door open and hollered, “Mom? Dad?”

“In the dining room!” a merry voice called.

Ryan led him through the entryway to a large room with a long oak table and high ceiling. Her mom appeared and held out her hand to Gregg. “I’m Brianne. One thing Ryan forgot to mention was what a good-looking man you were.”

Ryan rolled her eyes. “No, actually I didn’t, Mom . . .”

Her mother turned to look at her and gasped, “Ryan! You cut your hair!”

Ryan shifted uncomfortably. “I just got a few layers.”

Her mom looked her over, and Ryan relaxed when she smiled. “It’s very becoming,” her mother said. “Is that a new top?”

Ryan had pulled on a purple long-sleeve blouse that bared her left shoulder. It covered everything important, but still she could hear the touch of disapproval in her mother’s tone. “Yes, my friend Gracie and I went shopping for some new clothes.”

Her mother clucked her tongue. “Well the color is very nice on you.”

Ryan was disappointed by her mother’s lack of enthusiasm, but her attention shifted when her dad came around the corner. “Was that my baby I heard?”

Gregg laughed as Ryan’s face flamed. “Geez . . .”

Ryan’s dad pulled her into a tight bear hug. She hugged him back, inhaling the cedar smell that always seemed to cling to him. She loved her parents deeply and enjoyed the close relationship they shared.

Her father set her back from him and gave her a critical eye. He whistled low and said, “Well well, now I could have sworn you were my little girl, but I see I was mistaken. What have you done to yourself, dear heart?”

She thought that if there was ever a time that lightning should strike and incinerate her, it was now. She glanced at Gregg, who seemed oblivious to her humiliation, and said, “I just got a haircut and put on a little makeup. Do I really look that bad?” Home ten minutes and both of her parents had already made her feel like an eight-year-old who had raided her mother’s makeup drawer.

Her father gave her another hug and patted her back. “I think you look lovely. It was just a bit of a shock, that’s all.” He turned to eyeball Gregg. “And who might you be?”

“I’m Gregg, sir.” He held his hand out to her dad, and she sighed in relief when her father reached out to take it.

“Gregg, you can call me Zach.” He released Gregg’s hand quickly and asked, “So you’re Ryan’s boss?”

Gregg nodded. “Yes sir. She’s a great asset to my studio.”

Ryan beamed with pleasure and her dad grunted. “I suppose business is good, since you can afford to keep her?’

Ryan ground her teeth. “Dad . . .”

Gregg gave her a smile and said, “We do really well, sir. We have plenty of repeat clients and I run specials every month to bring in new ones.”

Her dad stroked his square jaw. “Well why don’t we head into the living room and talk, Gregg?”

“Absolutely, sir.”

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