AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Are you crazy?” she hissed. “I can’t face your dad right now!”
He watched—well, more like ogled—as she scrambled back into her yoga pants and tank top. It was the yoga pants that had distracted him earlier. He’d been in the kitchen, and Rox had been in the living room. They’d been talking about god knew what when he’d rounded the corner... and found her in the downward dog pose. Wearing yoga pants that fit her like a second skin. No man on earth could fault him for getting distracted.
Joe grabbed his sweatpants and T-shirt off the floor. Pulling them on, he said, “Come down when you’re ready, baby.”
She glared at him.
Damn, she was gorgeous when she was mad. He snaked an arm around her waist and drew her to him. Crushing his lips against hers, he teased her mouth until she opened for him. Their tongues tangled in a kiss that was more heat than finesse. With a groan, he broke away.
“Damn, Rox.” He couldn’t get enough of this woman. He brought his lips to hers again, gentle this time, then kissed the tip of her nose. “You know you have to come say hi to my dad. It would be weird if you didn’t.”
She grimaced. “I know. But talk about awkward.”
They walked down the hallway, and he slapped her on the ass as she turned toward her room. Descending the stairs, he knew he sported a shit-eating grin.
He found his dad seated at the kitchen island. “Hey, Dad, what’s up?”
His father looked up, and his face turned beet red. “Sorry, Joseph. I didn’t mean to barge in.”
Joe shook his head, baffled by his dad’s embarrassment. “Itisyour house.”
“Yeah, well...” He shifted in his seat. “I should have called first.”
“You don’t need to call, Dad. Like I said, it’s your house.”
“I know, but still.” He cleared his throat. “I have to remind myself that you’re a grown man now, and if you’re... um, entertaining a lady, I don’t want to interrupt as I... uh, obviously have.”
“Really, don’t worry about it.” Joe’s face grew hot. Yeah. Talk about uncomfortable. Desperate to do something with his hands, he grabbed a bottle of cabernet and began the process of opening it. “You’ll stay for a drink?”
His father’s eyes shifted to the stairs. “Um, only if you’re sure.”
“I am.” Joe poured three generous glasses, then cleared his throat. “This is pretty awkward, huh?”
“You have no idea, son. No idea.” Chuckling, his dad shook his head and reached for a glass. “Is your... uh, friend... going to be okay with me joining you two for a drink?”
Joe bit back a grin. “She’ll be fine with it.”
“Okay. But if you want me to split, I will. It’s not a prob—”
“Hey, Doc!” Roxie called from the bottom of the stairs.
Joe watched his father’s eyes go wide. His glass of wine was held mid-air, halfway to his lips, forgotten.
“How are you?” Roxie asked, entering the kitchen. She leaned against the island an arm’s length away from him. He knew she was attempting to look nonchalant, but her shoulders were tense, her smile too bright. She reached for the remaining glass of wine and took a healthy swallow.
He held his breath as his father’s gaze ping-ponged between him and Roxie. When the man lifted his glass the rest of the way to his mouth and took a sip of wine, Joe exhaled.
“I’m doing good, Roxie,” his dad said with a smile. Humor flickered in his eyes. Something else, too. It looked like satisfaction, but that made no sense. “The question is, how areyoudoing?”
Joe grinned when a light blush stole across her cheeks.
She cleared her throat. “Um, I’m good.”
“I’m glad to hear it. I’ve been over in Seattle the past couple days and only just got back. When I got off the ferry, I heard about what happened at Comfort Food. That must have been awful. That’s why I came right by.”
Roxie’s eyes widened, and her blush spread down her neck.
Well, well, well. What he’d do to be a little fly on the wall of her brain...
