Page 17 of Won't Let You Go (Sin Valley)

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Relax, I’m half joking.Come in and hang out with my parents for a while.Let them get to know you.Then, maybe we’ll see.”

“I can do that.”

My mum opens the door just as we come up the steps.“I saw you pull in.Looks like a good time was had by all.”

“We’ll get Chloe to bed and then tell you all about it.”

Mick toes off his shoes and follows me upstairs.As he’s laying Chloe on the bed, she says in her sleepy little voice, “Can you sing me a song, please Mick?”

“I sure can.I’ll wait in the hall until you’re all jammied up and in bed.Okay?”

“Okay.”

As soon as I’ve got my sleepy girl in her pyjamas and she’s used the bathroom and brushed her teeth, I invite Mick back in.I lean against the doorway and watch as he lays on the bed next to her, cuddles her in close, and singsWhite Christmasto her.

When he’s done, he kisses the top of her head.“Thank you for the best day I’ve had in a really long time.Sweet dreams, Chloe.”

My ovaries might have just exploded.

Mick eases off the bed, careful not to wake my sleeping beauty.When he reaches me, he pulls me in close and whispers in my ear, “I meant what I said to Chloe.This was the best day I’ve had in a really long time.Thank you.”

“Me too.Ready to face an evening with my dad?”

“Absolutely.”

When we get downstairs, my parents are in the kitchen organizing snacks and drinks.

“What can I get you to drink, Mick?”my dad asks.

“I’m driving, so?—”

“If you’d like to join us for some Christmas cheer, you’re more than welcome to spend the night.”

What the heck happened to my dad today?

Mick looks at me, fear of saying the wrong thing written all over his face.I smile and nod.

“In that case, I’d love to.Thanks, Mr.Zepeda.”

“It’s John.Megan and I are having rum and eggnog, but if you’d rather something else…?”

“Rum and eggnog would be lovely, thank you.”

“Dad, how about you and Mick take the snacks into the living room.Mum and I will bring the drinks.”

As soon as they’re out of earshot, I turn to Mum.“What’s with the change of heart?”

“Singing with Chloe was the start of it.But I think how happy you looked when you walked in the door tonight might have completed it.As for Mick spending the night,” my mum says with a twinkle in her eye, “we have no expectations that he’ll be sleeping in the spare room.”

Later, once Mick and I are in bed, he lays on top of me, wedging his knees between my legs, spreading them wide.

“Your parents may know I’m sleeping with you, but you’d better be very quiet if you don’t want them to know that we’re not sleeping.”

“Oh, they know, but I’ll be quiet.Plausible deniability is key.”

He leans down and kisses the tip of one nipple, then the other.

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