Page 95 of Some Sort of Love (Happy Crazy Love 3)
“Yes. You need to spend time with her. A woman like that is one in a million, Levi.” She turned me around and pushed me out of the kitchen. “Go. Make me another grandbaby.”
“Jesus, Mom.” I shook my head, glad Jillian wasn’t around to hear her. I didn’t want her to feel any pressure from my family—she got enough of it from her own.
We said goodbye and drove back to my house, and Jillian chattered the entire way home about how wonderful my family was.
“They loved you,” I told her.
“You think so?” She twisted her hands together in her lap.
“I know so. My mother told me repe
atedly how lovely and smart you are. Much too good for me.” I took her hand and kissed the back of it.
“She did not say that.” Jillian laughed and kept her hand on my leg. “But I’m happy she invited me today. I loved seeing where you grew up and hearing about your teenage antics.”
I groaned. “You can forget those now.”
“And the pictures of you with Scotty as a baby are so precious.” She sighed. “I love that you’re a dad. It’s so damn sexy.”
“It is?”
“Yes. Why do you think I couldn’t control myself around you this morning?”
“Uh, I think that was me who lacked control this morning. But I plan on making it up to you tonight—repeatedly.”
“Nothing to make up for.” She squeezed my thigh. “I quite enjoyed myself.”
• • •
We drove to her parents’ house, where it was my turn to hear stories about smart, bossy big sister Jillian, and page through albums of her as an adorable baby, a gap-toothed kid, and a pretty teenager with killer legs and a huge smile. The Nixons were warm and welcoming, asking lots of questions about my son, my business, and my family, and I could see where Jillian got her blue eyes, her brains, her curiosity, and her sense of humor.
Natalie and Miles took some shit for keeping their wedding a secret, but the teasing was good-natured and they just shrugged and explained they’d made the decision to get married before the baby was born and Christmas Eve seemed as good a night as any, since all the family would be gathered in one place.
Around ten o’clock, we pulled up at my house, where Jillian’s car was parked on the street.
“Meet me at my place?” she asked, unbuckling her seatbelt.
“Would you like to come in? Stay at my house tonight?”
She looked over at me. “I’d love that.”
“Why do you look so surprised?”
“I don’t know.” She thought for a second. “I guess I think of this as your house with Scotty. It seems strange to stay the night.”
I took her hand again. “I love you, Jillian. And I want a life with you. I don’t mean that we have to rush anything, but I don’t like being apart from you so often. I don’t want you to be my Girl Friday anymore—I want something more.”
“Me too,” she whispered, her eyes shining in the dark.
I leaned toward her, kissed her lips. “So let’s go in and see how it feels.”
• • •
It felt fucking amazing, of course.
To be naked in my bed with her, where I’d thought of her, talked to her, dreamed about her so many nights. Where I’d chastised myself for being so stubborn and scared. Where I’d tortured myself, believing I could never have her.
To wrap myself around her and feel her wrapped around me, limbs twined around bodies like vines.
