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Instead of letting me pass, he pushes me further into the room, kicking the door closed behind him.
“Your parents are here.”
“God, I know,” he groans.
“I’ll have to sleep in our bedroom,” he says. That’s the first time he’s said our referring to us.
“I know. I took care of the guest room already. Changed the sheets and cleaned up your laundry. Why do you have so much laundry? Anyway, it’s ready for them.”
“Thank you. I hate doing laundry. I do it eventually, but it’s not a priority for me,” he says, coming closer to me. For some reason, I think he’s going to kiss me, but instead, he pulls me into a hug. My traitorous body reacts to him, and I will it to stop. “I think their visit will go much smoother if you and I stick together.”
“We’re married adults, Alton. I can pretend anything you need me to pretend.”
“Thank you,” he says, kissing my forehead. Not exactly the kind of kiss I dream my husband will lay on me, but it’s something.
He laces his fingers with mine, and static electricity shoots up my arm, and we go out into the kitchen.
“Hey, Lavinia,” Kelly says. She’s already setting the table for me. “The pork chops are ready. I went ahead and pulled them out of the oven since you were… busy.” She giggles. The older woman standing beside her turns and looks at me. Her eyes get comically wide, and her jaw drops.
“Thanks, Kel,” I say, smiling at her.
“Mom, this is my wife, Lavinia. Lavinia, this is my mother, Elida,” Alton says, ignoring her. “You met my dad already.”
“I did. It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Reed,” I say, extending my hand to her. She just looks at it, disgust on her face. I drop my hand and move away from her. If she’s going to be rude, so can I.
This is going to be a long visit.
The conversation at dinner consists of everyone but my mother-in-law. She barely eats anything and suddenly gets up from the table, leaving her practically full plate behind.
“Good night, all,” she says. “Logan, can you bring the suitcases? I’d like to take a shower. I feel like I’m wearing all the grit from the plane.”
“Sure thing, baby cakes,” he says, getting up from the table. “Thank you for dinner, Lavinia. I look forward to getting to know you better.”
“I do too. Breakfast is at eight,” I say.
“I’ll be here with bells on,” he says, making me laugh. He leaves, taking the two giant suitcases with him. The door clicks closed softly down the hall.
Kelly blows out a sigh of relief.
“Thank God! How long are they staying?” she asks.
“They didn’t say,” Alton replies after swallowing his bite of food. I stare at his Adam’s Apple as he does and have to squeeze my thighs together. Why is his Adam’s Apple so sexy?
“Ugh. You’ve got to be kidding me. This is going to be terrible.”
“We’ll get through it, just like we do every time. Mom will get bored, and then they’ll be off again.”
“You’re right.”
I get up and start to clear up the dishes.
“I’ll help you, Lavinia,” Alton says, surprising me.
“You really don’t have to. I’ve got it.”
“I want to.”
“I’m going to my room. You two kids behave,” Kelly says, leaving the room.
In the kitchen, the radio I had on before is still playing softly. Since we’ve come here, I have really fallen in love with music. I stand at the sink, rinsing the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Alton goes back out into the dining room for more dishes. I sway to the music and sing along softly. All Night Long by Lionel Richie has become a favorite of mine.
“Do you know how to dance?” Alton asks, startling me.
“Geez,” I say, clutching my chest. “No, I don’t,” I admit.
“The town is holding a dance at the town hall soon. Do you want me to show you how to?”
“You’d do that?”
“Sure. Everyone should know how to dance.”
“I’ve seen dancing before. We had barn dances back in Ohio, but… no one ever asked me to dance with them.”
“May I have this dance?” he asks, slightly bowing toward me and extending his hand. I turn the sink off, dry my hands on the towel, and take his hand.
“You may,” I reply. Yet again, static electricity races throughout my body as he pulls me close to him. There isn’t any space between us at all. He starts to move us around the room to the music, which has changed to a song I’ve never heard before. He’s stopped moving us around the room, and now we’re just swaying, our bodies pressed close together. He’s moved my arms so that they are hanging around his neck. His hands are on my waist. I can feel him everywhere. I can feel his heart beating fast.
