Page 71 of All I Desire

“With all due respect, I think Natalia can handle herself. I think she got the badass gene in this family.”

Angus chuckles and shakes his head. “That she did. That she did.”

“If you’re asking what my intention with her is, I’ll be the first to say that I’d like to get more serious. But I’m waiting for her to give me the cues that it’s what she wants, if you know what I mean.”

Angus nods and looks into his drink. “I don’t think you’ll have a problem with Nat telling you exactly what she thinks and feels. That’s a trait she gets from her badass mom.”

As we’re grinning at each other, Nat comes in. “Hey. You guys talking about me?” She flops on a gray sofa, her long legs distracting me.

“Eh, I was telling him about my days in London,” Angus says, getting to his feet.

Nat grins at me. “Ah, when you were a crazy, punk rock guy.”

“Where’s your mother?” Angus asks.

“She’s out on the porch.”

“Good deal. You two kids join us, okay?” Angus nods at me and I return the gesture. He lumbers out.

I look at Nat. “Your dad’s a good guy. I like him.”

“I think he likes you, too. Did he give you a warning lecture about me?”

I sip my drink and my gaze roams over Nat’s legs in those black shorts. “Mmmhmm.”

She smiles while uncrossing then recrossing her legs. “Let me guess. Nat dated a douchebag in high school, we’re protective of her, don’t think about messing with her or you’ll have the Hastings men to deal with?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

She giggles and gets up, sliding onto my lap. “And what did you say?”

“I said I thought you could handle yourself just fine.”

Natalia kisses my forehead. “Good answer, sweetie.”

“Hey, I was thinking…” I wrap her in my arms and squeeze. “Now that I’ve met your parents, how about you meet my family? My mom and stepdad are coming to the island this weekend. And my half-brother, I think. They’re renting a house on the beach. I was thinking about asking my sister if we should do a big cookout or something. You could even ask your brothers or sister-in-laws or parents to join in. Up to you.” I wasn’t entirely sure my sister would join us, given how she still feels about our Mom. Perhaps a bit of wishful thinking on my part, I guess.

“You want your parents to meet my parents?” Her eyes are huge.

“Sure. Why not?”

“You want your family to meet my crazy family this soon?”

“Your family’s not crazy. They’re eccentric. Charmingly so.”

She snuggles into my chest and I tuck her legs in so I’m holding a folded-up version of her.

“Hmm,” she hums.

“Even if you don’t bring your family, I’d love for you to meet mine.”

“Do you think they’ll like me?” she asks in a soft voice.

I kiss her temple and glance around the Hastings’ study. I have a vision of us in thirty years, with a house filled with memories and photos. “I think they’ll love you, babe.”

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