Page 69 of Taming Raptor

“Sage,” I began as I reached for her hand. She jerked her hand away.

“Don’t you Sage me! I’m not the kind of girl you take to meet your parents!”

I froze. “What did you say?”

“You heard me,” she mumbled as she searched through her small purse. I placed my hand over the one she had frantically searching inside.

“Sage,” I began again, but more gently that time.

She hung her head, but I gently took her chin in my hand and turned her to face me. The sheen that glistened over her eyes gutted me. “Don’t you dare,” I ground out.

Shock had her jerking in my hold. Eyes wide, she recognized the tone I used with her before I left Iowa. She swallowed hard and blinked. “You are perfect. They will love you because you’re mine. But even without me, you are worth more than you give yourself credit for. Why do you think I’ve been doing everything in my power to show you that you mean the world to me? To show you that I may not be worthy of you, but with you, I’m a better man. Because I’m the one who isn’t good enough for you—but together, we’re perfect.”

“Adrien,” she whispered.

“Are you my good girl?” I interrupted.

Her lips parted and I watched as her nipples peaked under the silky knit fabric.

The corner of my mouth quirked wickedly in a satisfied grin. “That’s what I thought.”

I leaned over to brush the lightest of kisses to her lips. After I reluctantly pulled back, I brushed my thumb over her full lower lip. “I want them to meet you and you to meet them. Because I don’t plan to let you go. If you want to wait to tell them about the baby, I’m okay with keeping it to ourselves for a little bit.”

Her throat bobbed with her hard swallow. “Okay.”

There was a little trepidation within because I hadn’t told my parents about her. Yet a little part of me was elated. Because nothing had ever felt so right in all my life.

I got out of the truck and rounded to her side that was out of sight of my waiting family. When I helped her down, I caged her against the vehicle. She clutched the sides of my shirt and looked up into my eyes. Her chest rose and fell as she scraped her teeth over her bottom lip.

“Fuck, baby, I missed you,” I whispered, knowing my parents were waiting and Drago was sitting on the porch railing.

Her lips parted and I ducked my head to steal a kiss. Heart hammering, I had to force myself to keep it light. With the taste of her lip gloss in my mouth, I pressed my forehead to hers. It wouldn’t do to introduce her to my parents with my dick hard. “Ready?” I asked.

She nodded and I stepped back, but held her hand. Together, we left the privacy of the truck and approached the house.

“Adrien,” my mother greeted, but I didn’t miss the hopeful look in her eyes as she studied Sage. My father quietly observed.

“Mom, Dad, this is Sage. Sage, my mom, Priscilla, and my dad, Allen,” I introduced.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Sage. Why don’t you two come in? I made Adrien’s favorite today,” my mom offered. My dad was quiet.

As we followed them inside, I chuckled. “Do you have ESP, Mom?”

She looked over her shoulder with a soft smile. “No, but a mother can be hopeful.”

Sage’s hold on my hand squeezed tighter. In a show of reassurance, I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. When I tried to help, she pointed at the table. “Sit!”

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied with a shake of my head and a smile.

We all took a seat at the table as Mom bustled around getting plates and slicing the apple-cinnamon bread. She filled a pitcher with ice water and set it on the table. “If you want something other than water, you just let me know.”

“Water is fine. Thank you,” Sage softly murmured when my mother placed the plate in front of her.

“So how did you two meet?” my father asked and Sage froze, hand halfway to her glass.

“We’ve actually known each other for about, what, over ten years?” I asked as I turned to her for confirmation. She gave me a nervous smile.

“Yes, I think it’s been at least that,” she agreed.

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