“Don’t get started here. I have to go in and face your parents.” But a pink flush of arousal stained her cheeks.
“And you don’t want to be all wet and aroused when you do, huh?” he asked. Just the thought of her moist panties had him shifting uncomfortably where he stood.
“Grey!” she said, horrified, but the heady glaze in her eyes told another story. She was just as affected as him.
It had been a long day, from worrying about the press to concern about her refusal to be serious about them to having to face his family after so long. He couldn’t think of a better way to de-stress than to lose himself in Avery. He pressed his lips hard against hers, pouring everything he had and felt into the kiss. She welcomed him, opening herself easily, his tongue claiming hers over and over.
“We have to go in,” she finally murmured between breaths, but her hands weren’t pushing him away, they were curling into his shirt, her nails biting into his skin.
With difficulty, he pulled away and drew in deep, calming breaths. A glance told him Rick sat discreetly in the driver’s seat, ignoring his clients making out like teenagers behind the car.
“Grey!” His mother’s voice brought reality crashing back around him.
He held up one finger toward her. “Just a sec,” he called back.
He glanced at Avery, her eyes bright, cheeks flushed, and mouth puffy from his kiss. He swiped his finger over her damp lips. “You ready?”
“I think you should be asking yourself that question,” she muttered, glancing down at his cock, straining hard against his cargo shorts.
“Yeah. Talk to me about something. Anything.”
She rolled her eyes. “You started it. Now pull yourself together.” With a wink and a laugh, she drew her shoulders back and headed to greet his mother.
* * *
Grey’s mother met him on the front porch and hugged him tight, the familiar smell of her perfume wrapping around him. His mother had always been petite, five foot two, and when she hugged him, he towered over her. But that didn’t make the strength of her hugs any less potent, and a lump formed in his throat.
“My baby boy.”
Though he was slightly embarrassed at her word choice, he was also close to a complete breakdown at how easily she welcomed him home, no questions asked.
“Hi, Mom,” he said, finally extricating himself from her embrace and taking her in.
She’d aged well, her skin still nearly flawless and the lines in her face minimal. Her hair was still dark, no grey, and she was clearly relaxed and happy. Life obviously agreed with her.
She grasped his hands in her weathered, work-worn ones. “Let me look at you.”
Grey shot Avery an amused glance, and she grinned back at him.
“Hush,” his mother said. “I’ll get to her next. Humor me.” She looked him over thoroughly and said, “You need to eat.”
Avery burst out laughing, redrawing his mother’s attention to her.
“It’s so good to see you again!” His mom kissed Avery’s cheek. “Thank you for bringing my boy home.”
Avery’s eyes grew wide, and distress flashed over her face. “No, I didn’t. This was all him.”
Grey’s mother pinned Avery with a knowing stare, one Grey had been treated to many times growing up. “A mother knows. He came home for you.”
“Mrs. Mendez,” Avery began.
“Susie. You always called me by my first name, remember?”
“Susie.” Avery’s smile grew more genuine. “Don’t believe everything you read in the papers. I didn’t have anything to do with breaking up the band,” she rushed to assure his mother.
As if his mom cared one bit whether or not Tangled Royal existed as long as Grey was happy.
“Those rags,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.