Walking around the long peninsula that divides the kitchen from the living room, I come up behind her, realizing only then that her eyes have been closed. The second my hand comes to rest on her waist, she screams at the top of her lungs and spins around to face me with a hand to her chest.
“Easy,” I say quietly as I watch her chest heave.
“You scared the crap out of me,” she accuses.
“Sorry,” I reply, watching her pull in a breath before letting it out slowly.
“It’s okay. I just didn’t hear you come in or even notice you. You’re pretty damn light on your feet for such a big guy. That must be useful with your job,” she mutters, and I laugh.
“It helps,” I agree, dropping the bottle of champagne to the counter behind her before I pull her against me. “Congrats on the loan.”
She smiles, but I only see it for a second before I drag her up my body and place my mouth on hers. Kissing her like a man starved, I lick and nibble at her mouth until I feel her nails dig into my skin through my shirt, and then I force myself to slow the kiss. Pulling back and looking down at her, it takes a second like it always does, but her eyes open to meet mine.
“You stopped,” she complains, and I grin.
“You’re cooking and I need a shower.”
“Oh.”
“What are you making?” I ask, looking over her shoulder into the pan behind her.
“Zucchini and pasta fried in olive oil and garlic.”
“Sounds good,” I lie, and she grins at me knowingly.
“The penne still need to cook, so if you want to shower, you have time.”
“All right. When I get out, we’ll open the champagne.”
“I…” She bites her lip then shakes her head. “I don’t drink.” Frowning, I realize she doesn’t, or at least I’ve never seen her drink. I’ve always assumed it was because she was driving. “I’ll watch you drink it.” She smiles, tipping her head to the side while pressing her hand against my chest. “You should go shower. I need to put the pasta in,” she urges with a smile, but her expression is off, making me wonder what the hell that’s about.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, why do you ask?”
“Nothing.” I shake off the feeling that she’s lying. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Don’t rush.” She gets up on her tiptoes, touching her lips to my jaw. “The food will keep.”
With a jerk of my chin, I touch my fingers to her waist and leave her in the kitchen while I head down the hall. Pausing halfway to the bedroom, I turn to glance over my shoulder and see her pick up the bottle of champagne to look at it for a moment before she drops it to the counter. With a shake of her head, her shoulders droop forward.
What the fuck?
Spinning, I start back toward her to ask what the hell that reaction is about, but before I make it there, the doorbell goes off.
“I got it, babe,” I say, walking past her when she turns around.
“Okay,” she agrees, picking up a box of pasta from the counter and dumping the contents into a pot.
Heading down the hall, I move to the door and open it. I don’t know who I’m expecting to see on the other side, but I’m sure as fuck not expecting my parents to be standing in my doorway, my dad carrying a bag and my mom holding flowers. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Apparently, we drove all the way out here to celebrate,” Dad mutters.
“Stop being a jerk.” Mom hits his chest.
“Baby, our son has his girl at his house. She just got good news. Do you really think he wants us here?”
“Yes,” she snaps then her eyes come to me. “You want me here, right?”
Fuck me.
“Mom, you know you’re always welcome.”
“See? I’m always welcome,” she says, turning her head to glare up at my dad.
“Our boy isn’t going to tell you that you ain’t allowed at his house, Sophie.”
“Kim’s family’s not here, and I want her to know she has people close that are proud and excited for her. Can’t you just entertain me for a few minutes?” Mom snaps as she moves past me into the house. Looking at my dad for help, he shakes his head.
“I’ll try to get her out of here as soon as I can,” he says, patting my shoulder as he follows my mom down the hall toward the kitchen.
Sighing, I close the door and follow behind them.
“Sage didn’t tell me you guys were coming. I would have made more food if I had known.” I hear Kim say as I walk into the kitchen to find her and my mom hugging.
“We didn’t tell him. We just wanted to come by to say congrats. Lilly called to tell me this afternoon that you and Ellie got the loan,” Mom chirps, giving Kim the flowers she brought in. “I also brought cake. Nothing says celebrating like chocolate cake.”