Page 74 of Captivated By You

She shrugged. “Maybe it’s time to fire the manager?”

Impressed by her tough approach, I nodded. “That may be what I end up doing if he isn’t capable of meeting the standards of a Kingcaid hotel. But he’s been with us for two years, and it's only recently that his performance hasn’t been up to scratch. I’d like to give him one last chance to pull himself together.”

She patted my chest. “Right answer.”

“Ohhh.” I laughed. “Playing devil’s advocate, huh? I like it.”

“Where is the hotel?”

“Chicago.”

Her eyes danced. “Would I have time to see my family?”

“I should think so. On one condition.”

She narrowed her eyes. “What?”

“That you introduce me to them.”

Her lips twitched. “You sure you’re ready for that? My brothers will grill you. Mom will probably ask you when you’re going to make an honest woman of me. And Dad will try to get discounted hotel room rates.”

I reached for her again. She didn’t resist me. I nuzzled her neck, savoring her unique scent. “I look forward to it.”

She leaned back, looking me dead in the eyes. “That doesn’t scare you?”

I ran my nose along the length of hers, then pecked her lips. “The only thing that scares me, Kiana, is not being with you.”

Her eyes softened. “Well, fuck me, Ash.”

I grinned. “Gladly.”

* * *

“My parents are ridiculously excited to meet you. I’ve done my best to talk you down, lay your many faults front and center, but nothing worked.”

I laughed, capturing her hand and bringing it to my lips as the car pulled away from the curb later that evening. “You are so good for me. I adore how you treat me as a normal person.”

“Hate to break it to you, but you are a normal person. You sleep, eat, and use the toilet like the rest of us. Except your pan is made of gold, and ours is good old ceramic.”

I laughed again. “You’ve used my bathroom. And one or two at my parents’ house. Not a gold toilet in sight, correct?”

“Hmm. Fair point. I bet that jerk of a brother of yours has one made of gold.”

Her brief truce with Johannes fostered at the party had spectacularly crashed and burned when he’d announced over breakfast—in front of my mom and dad—that he’d “interrupted” us fucking in the library the previous night. Kiana had turned beet red and hurried to the bathroom, mortified. I’d jumped to my feet so fast that my chair spilled, but as I launched for him, Dad had put himself in the way. And the entire time, Johannes had sat there wearing a supercilious grin, having achieved exactly what he’d set out to do.

A serious talk with my brother was on the horizon. Since he almost died six years ago, he’d received a pass from pretty much everyone in our family, and no one seemed willing to call him on his behavior. Not even Dad. Well, no more. It was time he grew the fuck up, accepted that life had dealt him a shitty hand, and then learned how to fucking live with it.

“What’s the obsession with gold toilets all of a sudden?”

“It’s one conversation. Hardly an obsession.”

God, I freaking adored her. “You’re amazing.”

“Tell my parents that, and you’re golden.” She leaned her head on my shoulder and grinned up at me. “Like you wish your toilets were.”

I kissed the top of her head. “Crazy woman.”

She sat up straight. “Does the manager know we’re coming tomorrow?”

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