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“Hey.” I gave her my most winning smile as I moved toward her.
Had Lux told her mom about me? About my motorcycle? Or was she glaring because she didn’t like the look of my truck or me?
Whatever the reason, she didn't look happy.
“I’m Jensen Norton.” I held out my hand, which she limply shook. “I’m here to take Lux out. It’s nice to meet you.”
She gave me a hard stare, and for the first time in a while, I was glad my button-down shirt hid my tattoos.
"I'm Mallory's mother."
I cringed and had a brief panic attack. Had Lux given me the wrong address? Immediately, I remembered she said her first name was Mallory and my shoulders relaxed. "You two look a lot alike," I said, working to ooze charm.
It didn't seem to work. She didn’t invite me in or ask about me. "Is Lux-er, Mallory home?" I asked, trying not to feel awkward.
From behind the woman, I heard footsteps inside the house. Lux appeared in the doorway. She wore a black wraparound dress. Her hair was down and covered her shoulders with a thin, black ribbon in it.
My breath caught in my throat. Yesterday she looked slender and delicate, but this dress hugged her curves. She was breathtaking.
"See you later, Mom," Lux said, and she moved passed the woman and toward me.
Her mom huffed and crossed her arms. "Lux," she began, her voice tight.
“Wow. You look …” I was lost for an appropriate adjective to use but settled on one. “Amazing.”
Lux’s cheeks were stained pink. “Thank you.” She glanced awkwardly back at her mom. “Jensen, Mom, Mom, Jensen.” She tucked some hair behind her ear and gazed at me through darkened lashes. The woman was smoking hot.
"Good to meet you," I said again.
Her glare turned dark. “Where are you going?” she asked.
“Mom …” Lux sighed. “It’s a date, not a marriage proposal.”
Her flush made me chuckle, but I decided to appease the mom. "I'm taking her to The Marble Table downtown."
The mom rolled her eyes. “Fine," she said.
Fuck, her mom was kind of the killer of joy. How had she made a daughter so light and summery, so easily happy, or so it seemed to me. I’d only known her a day, but I already felt the warmth of her being seeping into my bones and warming me from the inside out.
“We won’t be out late,” I assured her.
"Actually, we might," Lux chimed in. "Don't wait up."
Oh, damn. There was her sass.
“Are you ready?” I asked Lux, my blood fizzing in my veins at the thought of having her to myself all evening.
Lux noticed the flowers I still held in my hand. I'd forgotten about them. "Are these for me? They're beautiful," she said, stepping in and smelling them.
"Sorry, yes. They are for you." I handed them over, trying to keep my cool but probably failing.
“Some of these I've never seen before," Lux said, taking in the flowers.
I wanted to tell her what they meant but didn't feel comfortable doing that with her mom staring us down. "Each one reminds me of you," I said.
Her gaze met mine, and I was knocked back. There wasn't any guile. When I looked into her eyes, it was like I was seeing her soul.
"I love them," she said.
