Before We Kiss (Fool's Gold #14)(43)

“They can’t be that bad,” she began.

“My mother wants me to change condom brands.”

Dellina frowned. “How does she know which brand you use?”

“The first thing she does when she arrives at my place is go through everything. My cupboards, my drawers. She asked about a vibrator she sent me. It’s pink.” He shuddered.

She pressed her lips together to keep from giggling. Partially because it was funny and honestly, in part, out of horror. “Your mother sent you a vibrator?”

“Yes. It’s designed to stimulate a woman’s G-spot.”

“I’m not sure I know what that is.”

Sam snatched his hand back and glared at her. “Do not under any circumstances say that in front of my mother. Do I make myself clear? If you tell her you don’t know where it is, she will have you naked in ten seconds and then show you.”

Dellina felt her eyes widen. “She’ll...”

“Touch it. Yes. Or have you touch it. She’ll discuss stimulating it and how it can increase pleasure during orgasm.”

While Dellina didn’t want Sam’s mother anywhere near her girl parts, more pleasure during orgasm didn’t sound that bad.

“Do you still have the vibrator?” she asked as casually as she could.

“What? I don’t know. Maybe. It’s not the point.”

“I suppose not,” she said wistfully, wondering how gross it would be to do a G-spot internet search. Preferably on sites without pictures because there were just some things she didn’t want to see.

“You’re not listening,” he told her. “These are my parents. They’re like locusts. They have to be controlled or they’ll sweep in and destroy everything.”

“Seriously?”

He sucked in a breath. “Fine. They’ll destroy my life and leave everything else untouched.” He stood and paced the length of her living room, then headed down the hall.

She followed him and they ended up in her office. He walked to the window, then faced her.

“I can’t do this,” he told her. “I have to leave the country. I’m driving to Mexico. I can’t spend a week with them. What was I thinking?”

“You’re blowing this out of proportion,” she said gently.

“Am I?” His voice was surprisingly shrill. “Let’s see about that. We have the dinner at Henri’s tonight. If you think they’re completely normal, then I’ll never complain about them again. If I’m right, I get to stay here while they’re in town.”

“All I have is that futon in the other room,” she said without thinking.

“I don’t care if it’s the floor.” He grabbed her by her upper arms. “They’re not human.”

She held in a smile. “I’m pretty sure they are. They’re just a little strange. All parents are.” She was sure if hers were alive she would be complaining about them. For a second she let herself think how nice that would be.

“Oh,” she said as an obvious solution occurred to her. “Why don’t you put your parents up at the hotel? Is it full? Do you want me to make some calls?”

He dropped his arms to his side. “No hotel,” he said flatly. “It’s too risky. I like this town and I want to stay here.”

“Okay, and that has something to do with your parents how?”

“They don’t have boundaries. Not as you know them. They’ll walk down the hall to get ice. But they’ll be naked. Or they’ll have sex in the lobby.”

She felt her lips twitch. “Sam, you have to take a step back. Seriously, they can’t be that bad.”

“You’re wrong. They’re worse than you think. You’ll meet them tonight and then we’ll talk.”

“I can’t wait,” she said with a grin.

“You say that now.”

CHAPTER TEN

DELLINA ARRIVED EARLY to Henri’s. She spoke with the catering coordinator, then checked out the private room they would be using. Although it was large for a party of four, she wanted to see how the flow worked. After going through where they would hold the wine tasting, she returned to the private dining room to find that Sam and his parents had arrived.

Dellina stopped in the doorway, studying them before they had a chance to notice her. Sam’s dad was tall and rangy. He looked fit and athletic, with an easy smile and a bit of gray at his temples. Lark wore a low-cut dark blue dress the color of her eyes. Her wavy blond hair had been pulled back in two decorative combs. Her makeup was light, her expression pleasant and when she laughed, the happy sound seemed to fill the room.

Sam turned and spotted Dellina.

“You made it,” he said. He spoke easily enough but there was a hint of tension in the muscles in his jaw and the tightness by his eyes.

“I was looking at the rest of the venue for Friday night.” She walked toward the three of them. “I’m Dellina.”

She held out her hand. Reggie introduced himself and his wife, then shook her hand. Lark smiled at her, announced, “You’re very pretty, child,” then pulled her close for a warm hug that had Dellina suddenly missing her own mother.

Lark released her. “Sam has told us so much about this weekend party. It sounds as if you’ve been running around, getting everything ready.”