Layover (Open Skies #1) - Becca Jameson Page 0,53

She lifted her gaze to his. “I have to go to my parents’ house for dinner Saturday night. I’ll tell them then.”

He sat up taller. “You will?”

“Yes. You’re right. It’s time for me to face them.” She chewed on her bottom lip.

“And what if they react badly?” he asked. He couldn’t grasp anyone’s parents shunning them for who they chose as a partner, but this was apparently a possibility.

She sighed. “I don’t know.”

“Well, you need to decide what’s more important to you. If you want to go back to dating only men your mother chooses for you, go ahead. I’ll step out of the picture and let you go on with your life. If you can’t face them with the truth, it tells me everything I need to know—that I’m not that important to you.”

She flinched and lifted her gaze to his again. “Jason, that’s not true. You’re very important to me. But you can’t understand how disastrous this could be. Rocking the boat with my mom is risky. I’ve always known that. When I do what she wants, or at least feign to do so, there is peace in the family. I wouldn’t put it past her to kick me out of the house and change the locks if I defy her.”

He nodded. “I understand. You’ve made that clear. But I’m done lying. So what if she kicks you out of the house? You don’t live there. You’re a grown woman with your own place. If you’re going to be with me, we’re going to stop sneaking around. You choose.”

She drew in a breath. “Okay. I said I would. I will. Saturday night.”

“You want me to go with you?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I’ll do it. It’s better if I do it alone.”

He watched her face, knowing she was totally uncomfortable with his ultimatum. He needed to think of himself, however. He knew she was into him. She spent every night when she wasn’t working with him, either out or at his place. Every day that he spent with her was better than the last.

He wanted her. He wanted more.

Could she put him first? If not, they had nothing. He wouldn’t continue sneaking around with the woman he was falling in love with. Not again. Never again. He’d let this go on too far already.

Chapter 23

Libby was nervous when she arrived at her parents’ house Saturday night. She’d gone back and forth in her mind, wondering if she should have let Jason come with her. She knew she’d hurt him by denying him the option.

The truth was, she expected this to go very badly. She didn’t want him to see how ridiculously insensitive her mother could be. It was embarrassing. She feared if she brought Jason to her parents’ home, they might ignore him entirely as if he didn’t exist. And that was the best-case scenario. She didn’t want to have to worry about Jason’s feelings while she was pleading her case.

The last few weeks had been stressful with her mother. Libby hadn’t been to the house a single time, but her mother had called every few days. It didn’t do any good to ignore her. She would just call back until Libby answered.

Every conversation went the same. Maria continued to harp about Eddie out of one side of her mouth while also hounding Libby to entertain her neighbor’s grandson, and Libby continued to put her off with excuses about needing to work and being too busy.

It was time. If Libby didn’t confront her mother now, she would lose the best thing to ever happen to her.

Jason had been patient with her long enough. She knew that. He’d made it clear early on in their relationship that he didn’t like the secrets, but he’d given her space. Three weeks of amazing dates and even better sex.

She had never dated a man as perfect as him. She’d never dreamed such a man even existed for her. Jason was not only amazing company outside the bedroom, but he blew the doors off when it came to sex.

Libby closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart. Thoughts of being blindfolded and bound to Jason’s bed filled her mind. He’d stretched her out on her stomach last weekend, wrists and ankles pulled tight to the four corners of his bed. After demonstrating how damn good a flogger felt, he’d fucked her in that position so hard she’d come without direct contact to her clit.

Taking a deep breath for