Reborn (Shadow Falls: After Dark #1)(56)

He tasted a little like mint. He tasted like Steve.

And she loved that taste.

His tongue slowly glided over hers. His warm hands found her waist and pulled her against him. Of all the places in the world, right here, in his arms, was her favorite.

She let herself lean into him, just a little, and only for a moment.

Ever since she’d been turned, she’d sworn she didn’t need anyone. Not her parents, not Lee, not even her friends from her old life. But when Steve held her, she wasn’t so sure it was true anymore.

“I missed you,” he said, pulling back just a bit.

I missed you, too. The words perched on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t say them. Looking up, she saw that his pupils were large. His warm breath brushed across her cheek.

She swallowed and tried to figure out how to tell him she was leaving. Tried to figure out if she had the right to ask him about Jessie.

He moved in to kiss her again and she put her fingers on his lips. “Steve, I … I need … we need to talk.”

“I know.” He smiled. “My mom and dad are coming tomorrow and I wanted you to go out with us for dinner. They want to meet you.”

Meet his parents? They wanted to meet her? Bad feelings started going off like fireworks in her head. Feelings that took her back to her and Lee’s relationship and how his parents hadn’t liked her. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why would your parents want to meet me?”

“Because I’ve mentioned you and they’re curious. Because I think they know you’re important to me.”

Important to him? She shook her head. “That’s not a good idea.”

“Why?”

Because if I meet your parents, it’s official. I’ll officially be your girlfriend. And they may not like me. “Because I’m not going to be here.” It wasn’t a complete lie. She took some comfort in knowing that.

His brow pinched. “This isn’t a parent weekend.”

“I know, but I’m going to Kylie’s house. Miranda and I both. That’s what I came to tell you.”

He frowned. “My parents hardly ever get off on the weekend. Can’t you go to Kylie’s later?”

She shook her head. “No, because I’m … I’m not just going to visit, I’m going to check out the funeral home where my uncle’s funeral services were held. I realized that my cousin Chan’s funeral services were held at the same place. So maybe they can give me something about my uncle and my aunt.”

Looking unhappy, he shook his head. “How did you find this out?”

“The obituary. Remember I told you that Derek found it?”

“Yeah, but you didn’t tell me about the funeral home. Or your plans.” His frown tightened and pulled at the corner of his eyes. “Going into a funeral home that fakes people’s deaths could be dangerous. Have you cleared it with Burnett?”

“He’s agreed to me going to Kylie’s,” she answered. “And Kylie’s a protector.” Steve didn’t need to know the approval only came with Holiday’s persuasion. Or that they didn’t know anything about …

Steve paced across the room and then confronted her again. “Della, I don’t like this.”

“I’m going to be fine,” she said, knowing he really cared, but realizing having people care about her came with a price. Like her ex-boyfriend. Like her dad.

She met Steve’s gaze. He looked upset again, his jaw muscles tightening. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

She’d expected him to be upset, but not this much. “Since when do I have to get permission from you to—”

“I didn’t say get permission, I just meant—”

“I know exactly what you mean,” she said. “Look, I…” She tried to stop the swarm of emotions zipping through her brain. But after everything that was happening, the funeral, her father’s little drop-in visit, learning Chan might be involved with a gang, she was on edge. “I probably would have told you when we were talking, but you were summoned by … Jessie and—”

“What? Summoned by Jessie?” he asked, obviously picking up on her pent-up emotion about the big-boobed girl with the big smile.

“We were interrupted on the phone by her,” Della explained, trying not to let her emotions leak out. When you didn’t have your shirt on, by the way, and she made sure to comment about it, too! Right then, Della wondered if Jessie had known that Steve had been talking to Della. Had Jessie made the comment on purpose? Damn it, Della hadn’t even thought about that angle, and now it made it even worse.

Steve stood there with a funny expression on his face as if trying to follow the conversation. “There was a patient,” he said. “It’s not like it was something personal.”

“You’re right. You didn’t do anything wrong.” At least Della hoped not. “It doesn’t matter.” She looked out the window, really wanting to leave before she said something else. Something like: Forget me ever meeting your parents. It’s not happening. Anyway, I’ll bet they’d like the doctor’s daughter better. “Look, the reason I came here was to tell you I was leaving. Kylie’s mom should be here anytime. I should go.”