“Working with your hands will always be a turn-on,” she mused. “Plus…” She pushed her hand out the top of the blankets and wiggled her fingers. “Why do you think they’re as short as I can get them and painted? I’m a mechanic, remember?”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said, nodding. “Let’s circle back to the turn-ons.”
Even in the dark, I knew she rolled her eyes at me as she scoffed.
“Please,” she said flatly. “You know what you look like.”
“Yeah, I do.” I sighed as I rolled onto my back. “It’s a cross I’ll bear.”
She laughed lightly. “I’m sure.”
I turned my head to face her. “You can’t really give me shit for it when you look likethat.”
“I think that’s a compliment?”
“Have you seen your ass?”
“Not lately.”
“It’s a compliment,” I confirmed.
“Thanks.” Her foot found my thigh under the blankets and shoved it playfully while I grinned.
She’d been pretty reticent since I met her, on edge and watchful, but slowly I’d watched as her shoulders seemed to relax and the way she moved in our space became more familiar. I was really fucking glad because I’d been going out of my way to convince her that they were safe with me. I didn’t expect that she’d ever be fully at ease, but it was going to be a long fucking road if we couldn’t even make our way to being friends.
“So what should I expect tomorrow?” she asked after a few moments, her voice quiet. “The kids are stoked to meet new people, but I’m not sure who knows what.”
“It’ll be good,” I replied, reaching down for her foot so I could give it a squeeze. I left my hand wrapped around it. “Only the brothers know what our situation is, but always assume that there’s someone looking who doesn’t. Just like we do with the kids. It’s not like we have to be all over each other, but familiar would be good.”
“I think I can manage familiar,” she murmured, a smile in her voice.
“We’ve been lucky because people haven’t been rubbernecking since you got here. If there’s one thing you should know about the club, it’s that everyone knows everything about everyone else. They’re curious about you, and you’ll probably notice it, but they’ll be cool.”
“No pressure.”
“Club barbeques are a good time. Trust me.”
“I do,” she replied simply.
I was surprisingly touched by the words. I liked Teddy. She was a good mom. She was funny and sharp. She tried to include Dylan in shit, even though he bowed out of every invitation she made. Add in the fact that she was gorgeous, with a killer smile, an incredible body, and hair that I wanted to wrap my fists in—if things had been different, I would’ve already tried getting in there.
“When we get there tomorrow, stick with me. I’ll introduce you to my parents first, and then we’ll probably hang with my brother and cousins.”
“Oh, fuck,” she breathed. “Why didn’t I remember that your mom’s going to be there?”
“She’ll be cool.”
“We haven’t even gone to see her yet.”
“It’s fine.”
“She probably thinks I’m a total bitch.”
“Teddy, it’s fine.”
“Fuck me.”
“Theodora,” I said, leaning forward a little. “I promise you, it’s fine. I saw her at the garage and told her that you were gettin’ the kids settled and used to the new place. Told her we’d see her this weekend. It’s all good.”
