“I’ll be back in time. I’d never miss the championship game if the Tide makes it there—can’t get between Bama folk and their football, now can I?”
He nipped my backside. “Oh, we’ll get there, baby. No doubt about that, and you will be sitting in the stands, supporting me, screaming my name—before, during, and after the game.”
I leaned down and kissed his soft lips with a giggle. When I retreated, the same sullen expression fell across his features.
I stroked his unshaven cheek. “What’s wrong?”
Taking a long, deep breath, he said, “One guess.”
“Parents?”
“Bingo.”
“What now?” I asked, dreading the response.
“They want to meet you. They’ve invited us to dinner tomorrow night. They’re notchin’ up their tactics.”
I recoiled in shock. “Really? I never thought they’d want to meet me… ever.”
“Me either.”
I sucked in a hiss at the sting. Romeo grasped my arm. “Hey. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelin’s, but they’re not happy about us, Mol. They’ve made no secret about that.”
I cuddled back into his chest. “I know. It just sucks.”
“I’m tellin’ them no.”
I jolted upright. “No. Screw it, let’s go. Show them how good we are together. By seeing us, it might help them understand.”
Romeo pulled an incredulous look. “They won’t understand and I won’t have them attack you. I’ve coped with it for years; I’m not watchin’ you take the same treatment. You’ve seen my daddy in action. He doesn’t tolerate disobedience. My momma’s vindictive and cruel. Why do you wanna officially meet people like that?”
“I want to bridge the gap for your sake.” His expression softened and he kissed the back of my hand.
I smoothed his long hair from his face. “Are you ever going to tell me the real history with you and your parents? Warts and all?”
Romeo’s snapped his head back as though I’d scolded him. “We ain’t goin’ there. I’m just a huge disappointment to them. The finer details don’t matter.”
“You know everything about me—my father, my life. Let me in,” I protested.
He stroked my arm resting against his. “I know you have. But… just leave it. Please.” I stopped persisting when his eyes clouded, shutting me out.
Romeo took a deep breath and confided, “They’ve gotten worse lately. Something’s goin’ on, but I have no idea what. They’ve always pushed me with Shelly in any way they could, but it’s like they’re desperate for me to marry her more than ever. My daddy was never this insistent until recently. Somethin’s definitely up; I just can’t work out what it could be. The phone calls have become almost twenty-four-seven.” His forehead wrinkled while deep in thought.
“I want to go.”
Romeo groaned dramatically. “It’s goin’ to be hell, don’t you get that? I can’t knowingly put you in that position. I know I don’t talk much about my past, but they’re not good people, Mol. I know that much. I’m a product of them, after all.”
“Don’t ever talk about yourself like that! You’re not cruel or abusive; you’re kind and so unbelievably caring, especially to me. Ring them and tell them we accept their invitation.”
He stood with me cradled in his arms and carried me to my bed, dumping me in the centre, and shed his sleeveless grey T-shirt. “Fine, we’ll go, but you need to get naked now and persuade me on why I should willingly let you into the lions’ den.”
“I get naked for you all the time. You’re just looking for an excuse.”
His jeans dropped and I swallowed loudly at his bare, delicious body. “You’re not naked, Shakespeare. Do it or be sorry,” he threatened.
I did as instructed. I brought my dress over my head and I immediately felt his mouth latch onto my breast.
“We’ll go, but cancel the rest of your day. I’m gonna need a lot of convincin’ that this isn’t a huge f**kin’ disaster waitin’ to happen… a lot.”
* * *
A few hours later, after Romeo had gone to football practice, I knocked on Ally’s door.
“Yeah?”
“Ally, it’s me. Can I come in?”
The door opened to Ally’s beautiful face, and on her bed were Cass and Lexi. I waved as I walked in. “Hey, what’s all this? Why wasn’t I invited?” I asked playfully, but at the same time meant it. Our foursome was pretty inseparable and I loved that I had such good friends now. Real, authentic friends, but I was a bit peeved that I’d been excluded from their little gathering.