Mid Life Love (Mid Life Love #1)(80)

I smiled. “It is. She’s the captain of her school’s Scrabble team. Fifty thousand dollars in tuition every year, and she wants to play Scrabble. Isn’t that ridiculous?”

She laughed. “Do you two play when she visits you?”

“There wouldn’t be a point. She’d beat me in seconds. The only game I can beat her in is Monopoly, but only because that’s my favorite game.”

“Ashley and Caroline beat me at that all the time. Even when I cheat.”

“On family game night?”

“Yeah...” She put the picture back on the shelf and slowly walked over to me, giving me a look that would make me do anything for her. Then she leaned in for a kiss.

I wanted to kiss her back, needed to kiss her back, but I didn’t.

I turned away and sighed. “It’s seven thirty. I should take you home now.”

I pulled my Murcielago outside of her house and turned off the engine. “Greg parked your car three houses down. Is that alright?”

“Yes...”

“Okay. Well, I’ll see you after work tomorrow.”

“No, you won’t,” she said. “I’ll be busy all week.”

“You know that already?”

“I do...” She looked up at me, giving me that sultry look again.

God, she needs to go...Now...

“Well, I’ll see you when you’re not busy.” I unbuckled my seatbelt and opened my door, but she grabbed my shoulder.

“Wait...Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“You haven’t kissed me all day...Are you going to kiss me goodnight?”

“No.”

“What?” She looked stunned. “Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to.”

“Is this because I haven’t told my daughters about us?”

I laughed. “No, even though I’m pretty sure they know you’ve been dating someone. You could at least admit it. They’re sixteen, not six.”

“Is it because I was quiet at dinner?”

“I enjoy our silent dinners.” I reached over and caressed her face. “You know that.”

“Well, you’re going to be the only one that regrets this lack of goodnight kiss, Jonathan. While you’re lying in bed thinking about how you should’ve kissed me, I’ll be too busy to think about you.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes. My team is staying late all week, so I won’t be able to slip away into your secret rooms. I probably won’t see you until next weekend—maybe even the week after that. I need to catch up with my other friends now that I think about it.”

“Do you see me crying?”

“You are mad at me about something! What is it?”

“I’m not mad at you.” I’m mad that I’m falling for you...

“Well...” She unbuckled her seatbelt and looked around.

She leaned forward to kiss me, but I held her still and whispered against her lips. “I didn’t kiss you today because I made a promise to myself yesterday.”

“What promise?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“Tell me...”

I didn’t say anything. I just watched as she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

“Jonathan, you’re being childish again. If there’s nothing wrong, and if—”

I pressed my finger against her mouth. “I promised that the next time I kissed you, I’d be kissing both sets of your lips.”

She gasped and blushed bright red.

“Goodnight, Claire. I’ll see you next weekend.”

Chapter 18

Claire

“You looked sexy at this morning’s meeting. I love when you wear black.” Jonathan texted me.

“Thank you :-).”

“Can I see you tonight?”

I hesitated to respond. “Depends on if I finish all my reading or not.”

“Bring it with you. I have work to do as well.”

“You seducing me isn’t real work.”

His text came back within seconds: “You’re right. That doesn’t take much effort at all. It’ll be strictly professional tonight. I was serious about that promise.”

“I don’t believe you...”

“You should. Greg will pick you up at eight.”

I set my phone down and smiled. I was getting ready to finally mention Jonathan to Ashley and Caroline. I’d been holding it off for long enough, and since our “exclusive dating” arrangement was starting to resemble some sort of relationship, I wanted them to be okay with it.

I set snacks and drinks on the dining room table like I always did on family meeting nights, and waited for them to get home from cheerleading practice.

“Mom! Mom!” They both came running into the kitchen, talking at once. “Did I tell you about this?” “Did you know the training was this Saturday?” “Can I borrow twenty dollars?” “Can I have twenty dollars?” “If you give her twenty can I have forty?” “What about—”

I usually waited until they realized that I couldn’t understand them when they did this, but my blank stare didn’t seem to be working today.