and I meant to tell you. I don’t care. So you don’t even have to worry about it.” Shit, she was about to say it. And mean it, even. “Just be yourself.”
His gorgeous mouth curved at the corners, and he reached up to caress her cheek. “Babe, I don’t know any other way to be.”
With that, he got out and trotted around to her door. As he opened it, she heard her mother happily exclaim about what a gentleman he was. Macy hid a smirk as she took his offered hand and stood from her seat, tugging down at the hem of her skirt. Gentleman, right. She would make sure to keep a little distance between them at the dinner table, so his wandering hands wouldn’t get any bright ideas.
His gaze devoured her just as it had when he first picked her up earlier this evening. Just as it had when he’d backed her straight into her bedroom and toppled her on the bed. And during the rough and wild sex that followed. She’d had to redo her hair and most of her makeup afterward.
Okay. Maybe she’d keep a lot of distance between them.
God, she was blushing bright red right in front of her mother, who’d just descended the front steps. Her dad was at her mom’s heels now. He wolf-whistled as he spied Seth’s car.
“That’s a sweet ride you have there, son.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Leave it to her dad to address the car before any introductions had been made. “Um, Mom, Dad…Dad”—she insisted when he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the GTO—“this is Seth Warren. Seth, Jennifer and Daryl Rodgers.”
Her mom greeted him warmly and even gave him a quick cheek-to-cheek, but her dad was still in muscle-car heaven. “I had a Goat just like this when I was sixteen,” he said proudly. Macy rolled her eyes, but at least he managed to stick his hand out, even if he didn’t actually look at his guest. Seth shook.
“Pleasure to meet you,” Seth said.
He might as well not have spoken. “Remember, Jen? I took you on our first date in that car. It could be the same damn one.”
“Oh, wow, you’re right!”
“Maybe it is the same one,” Seth said. “Weirder sh—stuff has happened.”
“Wouldn’t that be something?” He laughed. “You did all the restoration yourself?”
“That I did.” He launched into specs that were like Greek to her, because though her dad had insisted she be able drive older cars, she damn sure didn’t know what was going on under the hood of one.
I bet I’ll learn, though, hanging out with him. She smiled, watching her dad listen to Seth in rapt attention. He prowled around the GTO like he was considering jumping behind the wheel and speeding off down the driveway.
“Amazing,” he proclaimed at last.
Yep. Everything was going to be fine.
“But I do have one more question,” Dad said. He waited until the suspense built for a minute. “What the hell happened to your hair, son?”
Oh. No. He. Did. Not.
Seth passed a hand over his head and grinned, unfazed. “I did this deliberately, sir.” He gestured at her dad’s shiny dome. “What’s your excuse?”
Freaking. Hell.
Macy’s heart dropped. She closed her eyes, waiting for the fallout. One second ticked by. Two. A lifetime. Surely Dad could be civil this one—
Her dad’s laughter rang out suddenly, shocking her eyes open as he hugged her to his side and gave her a peck on the temple.
“Finally got yourself a straight shooter, Macy. I like him already.”
She blew out her held breath, so full of relief that it shuddered as it left her. He was so going to get it later for giving her that mini heart attack, but for now, she grinned across at the guy who’d given her so much more. Herself.
“I kinda like him too.”
About the Author
Cherrie Lynn has been a CPS caseworker and a juvenile probation officer, but now that she has come to her senses, she writes contemporary and paranormal romance on the steamy side. It’s much more fun. She’s also an unabashed rock music enthusiast, and loves letting her passion for romance and metal collide on the page.
When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, listening to music or playing with her favorite gadget of the moment. She’s also fond of hitting the road with her husband to catch their favorite bands live.
Cherrie lives in East Texas with said husband and their two kids, all of whom are the source of much merriment, mischief and mayhem. You can