Page 80 of Playing With Temptation

“Rainy, baby, you have to keep walking so I can shut the door,” Jase said, and I could hear the humor in his rumbly tone.

“This isn’t funny,” I snapped.

“Five seconds ago, it wasn’t,” he agreed, then promptly disagreed, “But now it is.”

“Yeah, Jason, what’s funny about it now?” I continued to snap.

At this point since I wasn’t moving, Colson skirted around my stiff body. And as I was learning, where Colson went, my son followed. Which meant my own flesh and blood had abandoned me in favor of his new friend.

Rat fink kid.

Since his son was no longer wedged between us, Jase pressed his chest against my back and dropped his mouth to my ear to ask, “You love me?”

“Why do I feel like this is a trick question or a trap?”

His soft laughter glided over my neck and since that felt nice, I forgot we had an audience which included his mother, who I was pretty sure hated me, and I melted into him. Though I didn’t get to enjoy the feel of his warmth for long before he turned me to face him.

“I already have you trapped. There’s no getting rid of me. I’m keeping you forever.”

“Then why did you ask?”

“Because I like hearing you say you love me.”

Was he freaking serious?

We were in the middle of a crisis, and he was asking me if I loved him because he liked to hear me say it.

“For future reference, when we’re in the throes of a catastrophe you don’t get to be sweet, it throws me off my game.”

Jase’s lips twitched.

“What catastrophe are we in the throes of?”

“Your mother hates me and this is important.”

“Why on earth would you think I hate you?” Janis asked.

I didn’t get to observe Jase’s reaction to his mother’s question before I dropped my forehead to his chest and muttered, “Damn.”

I might not have observed it but I sure as hell felt it when his body started shaking, then I felt and heard the rumble of his chuckle.

“This isn’t funny, Jason,” I reminded him.

His humor died immediately and he used both his hands to cup my face and tip my head back until all I could see were his beautiful eyes. “Here’s the deal. Your mom called my mom and told her we were back together. My mom’s been trying to reach me. Between work, the kids, us spending time together as a family, then us talking on the phone every night in marathon catch-up sessions, I haven’t had time to connect with her. Though I did call her on my way home and she didn’t answer.”

“Because I was already here and didn’t want to ruin the surprise,” Janis interrupted.

Jase ignored her and continued. “My mom loves me and her grandbabies, but she didn’t drive over an hour to see us. She got in her car to horn in on a family dinner that she knows will be the first of many, but she didn’t want to wait until we made the drive to see her, because she loves you and missed you.”

“My son is right. Though maybe he’ll let me speak for myself.”

Jase’s gaze transferred to his mother. Though the warmth he had for me had gone frosty. Extremely frosty—nearing arctic levels.

Eeekk.

“I’m fine,” I whispered. “Totally fine.”

His attention came back to me. “You’re not. You don’t like surprises⁠—”