Page 10 of Risky Business

HAWK

Things move fast once we return home. Within a week, I’ve got my little kitten moved into my penthouse, and Falcon is in the process of signing Pussycat Rebellion to an exclusive contract. My girl loves to argue, and I’m getting addicted to her sassy ways. Tonight, we’re having dinner with her parents so I can meet her mother.

Driving down the highway, I’m lost in my thoughts. “Don’t be nervous.” Tia wraps her soft hand around mine and squeezes.

“I love you,” I remind her. “I’m only nervous because I don’t want anything to upset you.” There’s no way I’d ever allow her parents to stand between us, but I also don’t want to make my kitten choose between me and her family.

“My mom is going to love you.” Tia smiles. “You don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Hello, love.” Cash Jamison opens the door and pulls Tia close for a hug while looking over her head to lift his chin toward me.

“Hey, Daddy.” She smiles up at him. “Where’s Mom?”

“She’ll be right down.” Cash holds his hand out to me. “Glad you could come to dinner.”

“Thanks for having me,” I tell him, then look up when I hear footsteps on the staircase. I watch my girl’s mother walk toward us and realize where my girl got her beauty.

“Hello, Mr. Knightley.” Tia’s mother holds out her hand. “I’m Riley Jamison.”

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Jamison. Please, call me Hawk.” Her gray eyes light up as she smiles back.

“You can call me Riley.” She turns to hug her daughter. “I’m so glad you could come for dinner. I’ve missed having you around so much.” Since my girl moved in with me, she’s been working from home while trying to settle in. Her job is mostly emails and calls, so it works out perfectly.

“I’ll check and see if dinner is ready.” Riley turns to her daughter. “Why don’t you come and help me get everything on?”

My little kitten bites her lip and glances worriedly between her dad and me. “I’ll be right back.” She smiles at me.

“Don’t worry.” I wink at her. “I’ll be here.”

Once the women walk away, Cash turns to me. “Come watch the game while they fuss around in the kitchen.” His relaxed attitude causes some of the tension I’ve been carrying around to ease.

After handing me a beer, he drops down on one end of the large black sectional and takes a sip from his bottle. “I want to get one thing straight before we watch the game. My daughter will always come first. I’m giving you a chance because she seems to have feelings for you.” His fixed stare tells me he’s dead serious. “But if you ever hurt her, all bets are off and I’ll fucking kick your ass.”

“I love your daughter.” I look him dead in the eye. “And I plan to marry her just as soon as she can plan the ceremony.”

“It had better be before you knock her up,” he grumbles. “Do you like baseball?” He switches subjects just as fast as he flips through the channels. Cash stops when he finds a baseball game.

“I guess,” I tell him. Between college, the Marines, and helping to raise my two siblings, I didn’t have much time for sports.

“Oh, man.” He shakes his head. “We’ll have to work on converting you before the grandkids come.” Cash seems excited about the prospect of grandkids, and I’m more than happy to work on giving him a few. I just need to convince my girl we’re ready.

The evening flies by without any issues, and it’s time to go home before I know it. “I’d like to have you guys over for dinner when the boys can come, too.” Riley smiles and hugs her daughter. “I have to arrange it weeks ahead of time to fit it into their busy schedules.” She shakes her head.

“Sounds good,” Tia agrees. “Just let me know when you’re thinking about doing it and I’ll put it on our schedule.”

Out of the corner of my eyes, I watch Riley mouth “our schedule” to her husband.

“Yes, Mom.” Tia laughs. “Our schedule. We live together now, and I keep track of both of our schedules.”

“Oh, man.” Cash shakes his head. “You are so screwed.” He laughs. “If my daughter is anything like her mother, she’ll run your household like a drill sergeant. Take my advice and just let her have her way. It will make your life go a whole lot smoother.”

“Hey, mister.” Riley smacks him on his arm. “Don’t tell me you have complaints about the way I take care of you.”

“Not at all, little goddess.” Cash wraps his arms around his wife before leaning down to kiss her. “I’m just giving him advice on how to handle a sassy Jamison woman.”

“He’s a big boy,” Riley huffs. “I’m sure he’ll figure it out on his own.” It suddenly occurs to me that my girl comes by her tendency to argue with me naturally.

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