Before We Kiss (Fool's Gold #14)(26)

His gaze dropped to the book in her hand. It was like being plunged into a frozen lake. At first there was nothing, then icy cold claimed his body and he couldn’t do more than stare at the familiar cover and let the horror overtake him.

“Lark Heuston said yes,” Dellina told him proudly. “She was already coming here for a signing and she’s agreed to stay through the weekend. She said the timing was perfect because she has family in the area. She’s going to do the lecture and maybe a demonstration. Sam? Are you okay?”

He tried to speak and couldn’t. A demonstration. He swore silently, knowing exactly what that meant. Or worse, guessing. Because whatever he imagined, reality would be so much worse.

He cleared his throat. “You do realize that when Lark Heuston says demonstration she means exactly that. Having sex onstage. Or possibly showing a video of it.” Because the book in question was about using tantric sex to strengthen a marriage and the author was nothing if not thorough. “She’s done a series of instructional videos.”

He could barely say it and he sure didn’t want to think about it.

“She wouldn’t really get naked and do it in front of people,” Dellina told him.

“I sure hope not, but she has in the past.”

“You know her?”

He nodded.

Why? Why now? Why here? Why couldn’t she leave him alone? He tried to tell himself that knowing she was coming would mean he could prepare. Based on what Dellina had just told him, the original plan had been for her presence to be a surprise.

“She’s bringing her husband,” Dellina was saying. “They’re well into their sixties, I think. I can’t imagine them having sex in front of us.”

“I can,” he said grimly.

“How do you know her?”

“She’s my mother.”

CHAPTER SIX

SAM DIDN’T REMEMBER walking back to Score, but suddenly he was there, pushing through the front door. He must have left Dellina’s and gone through town. It was all a blur of her pointing out that he and Lark had different last names. He’d explained how his mother had used her maiden name with her work and that yes, he’d seen several of her lectures and workshops. They were etched into his brain, just one more in a series of hideous memories from his childhood.

He loved his entire family, including his mother, but growing up with them had taught him that not every intimate detail needed to be shared. He hadn’t wanted to know that his parents had enjoyed a new sexual technique the night before or that his sisters had their periods. He hadn’t wanted to talk about his own sexual development or, back when he’d been a teenager, have his mother ask him, over breakfast, if he’d masturbated yet that day. He’d just wanted to be normal and have parents who understood that some topics shouldn’t be discussed.

Now, shocked and more than a little disoriented, he stood in the foyer of the Score building and waited for the world to right itself. Then he would figure out a plan. Because there was no way he could get through a visit from his mother without a plan.

Kenny strolled into view, took one look at him and hurried to his side.

“What happened? Were you in a car accident? Man, you look terrible.”

Sam swallowed and forced himself to speak. “My parents are coming to town.”

Kenny started laughing that huge laugh of his, which echoed up both stories of the foyer. Seconds later Jack had joined them.

“What?” Jack demanded. “What’d I miss?”

“Lark and Reggie are coming to town,” Kenny told him, then slapped Sam on the back. “What brings them here?”

Jack shoved Sam into one of the visitor chairs. “Give the man some room,” he told his friend. “Sam’s relationship with his parents is complicated. Respect that.”

The sharp, steady sound of high heels on tile warned him that Taryn had joined the party.

“What’s going on?” she asked. “Why are you three congregating out here?”

“Lark and Reggie are coming to town,” Kenny told her.

Taryn sat next to Sam and took his hand in hers. “Talk to me,” she told him. “What’s going on? Obviously you just found out. Breathe and we’ll get through this.”

Sam did as she instructed. He stared into her violet-blue eyes and felt more in control. “She has a new book out.”

Taryn nodded. “I know. She sent me a copy. It’s interesting.”

He winced. That was one way to describe what she did. “She set up a signing here in town and she’s staying for the Score weekend. Dellina arranged for her to do the lecture.”

Taryn’s mouth twitched. Sam wasn’t sure if she was holding in a smile or trying not to recoil.

“That will be fun,” was all she said.

Kenny chuckled. “Think she and Reggie will have sex onstage?”

“No,” Jack said firmly. “She wouldn’t do that to us.”

Sam hoped he was right but thought maybe his friend was being optimistic.

“She might show a video,” Kenny said. “She gave me the whole set one Christmas. I tried to watch them, but it was too scary. I mean, I like sex as much as the next guy, but watching people I know do it was just too...”

“Tell me about it.” Jack looked at Sam. “You okay?”