Hooked (Viking Bastards MC #1)(35)
He gives me a lazy grin. “Never spent Sunday morning doing this before.”
“There’s a first time for everything.”
The glint in his eyes tells me he knows exactly what I’m talking about, although I’m not sure there’s much connection between having sex on the hood of my car and eating blueberry muffins at eleven in the morning.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to disappear?” Charity waves her fork with a piece of melon in our direction. “Because just for the record, your bedroom talk isn’t going over my head.”
I don’t suppose it is, seeing as I’ve shared most things with her. Not that I want Zach to guess that, though. “I don’t know what you mean.” I sound buttoned-up even to my own ears.
Charity smirks and sucks the melon into her mouth without answering. Zach takes a bite of muffin and chews slowly, as though he’s a judge in a competition.
He licks his lips. “Your muffins are worth waiting for.”
It’s an innocent enough statement, but he manages to infuse each word with a sizzling sexual undertone. I go warm all over, and regret insisting that my sister join us for breakfast because all I want to do is climb onto his lap and share a muffin, using only our mouths.
The door intercom buzzes. “I’ll go.” My sister strolls back into the apartment, and I give in to temptation and go sit on his lap and wind my arm around his neck.
“Are the blueberries juicy enough for you?” Wow, now I’m doing it, and not too badly if his leer is anything to go by.
“Just the way I like them.” He pulls a berry from the muffin and teases it across my lips as he leans in close and breathes in my ear. “I’m gonna dip this berry into your sweet * and eat you up. Right here, right now.”
I’m wet just thinking about it and tangle my fingers in his hair. “We could always finish off our breakfast in my room.”
His hand’s on my knee, inching up my thigh beneath my dress, when Charity reappears at the door. Zach pauses, but I don’t think she even noticed what he’s doing.
“Grace.” There’s a strangled note in her voice. “Mom’s just turned up—”
She doesn’t get the chance to say any more, as not only does our mom step onto the balcony, but she’s followed by Russell.
What the heck? I’ve never stood up so fast in my life. My face is flaming and all I can think is I’m not wearing any panties.
“Grace, sweetie.” Mom leans forward for her usual kiss, as though there isn’t a big tattooed guy she’s never seen before taking up all the oxygen. “I didn’t know you had guests over.” She bestows a smile she reserves for intrusive strangers in Zach’s direction.
The atmosphere is so electric I swear shocks are zapping me every time I breathe in, and Mom’s waiting for formal introductions?
I clear my throat and resist the urge to grip my fingers together. Did they see him with his hand halfway up my dress? “Mom, this is Zach Reynolds. Zach, this is my mom, Harmony Mulholland.”
“Pleasure,” Zach says, and I’m kind of stunned when he stands and shakes Mom’s hand, but he still he manages to drop the temperature by about ten degrees with that one word. Not that Mom, who looks as effortlessly elegant as she always does, misses a beat.
“I’m delighted to meet you.” After giving him another smile she turns back to me. “Russell dropped in earlier, so I thought we’d pop round for a coffee. I’m sorry if it’s inconvenient.”
Russell looks thunderous, and is clearly insulted that I haven’t yet formally introduced him, and over Mom’s shoulder I see Charity gripping her throat with both hands and pretending to choke herself.
So helpful.
I can’t believe that today of all days Mom decides to drag Russell along for one of her impromptu visits. What was he doing at my parents’ house in any case?
“No, it’s fine. I made muffins,” I add unnecessarily, and wave my hand at the table in the vain hope that’ll take some of the heat off me.
“Wonderful.” Mom sits in my vacated seat and turns her attention to Zach. “This is Russell.” She indicates my ex, who gives a stiff nod and goes to lean against the balcony wall. “An old friend of the family.”
At least she didn’t call him my former fiancé. Not that Zach looks appeased.
Charity brings out extra cups and plates and pours coffee, while Mom chats about absolutely nothing, the way she does at her social functions. Since she’s never done that here before, it’s all for show in front of Zach.
I guess it’s better than an awkward silence, but it still grates on my nerves. I glance at Zach. His expression’s carved in granite, and it looks like one false move and he’ll be out of here. No one would guess just five minutes ago he was laughing and joking. It’s like he’s turned into a different person.
And I know why. It’s not because my mom is doing her lady-that-lunches thing. It’s because Russell’s here. I shoot him a dark glare, but his gaze is fixed on Zach, as though he can’t believe his eyes.
I want to put my arm around Zach’s shoulders so there’s no mistaking exactly what our relationship is, but I have the terrible fear that a gust of wind’s going to blow my dress up and show everyone I’m not wearing any lingerie. So I keep my hands on my thighs and hope Zach isn’t really as pissed off as he looks.