Dangerous Temptations

“Oh, I was going to ask her if she wanted some freshly squeezed orange juice.”

It was hard not to laugh. Paula was seriously going to come back for a third time. I leaned in closer to hear Mike’s response. “She takes coffee with caramel creamer. I have some in the fridge.”

“Oh, Michael Murphy, I knew I taught you how to treat a lady right. You know how Sydney takes her coffee. That’s so sweet.”

I leaned against the door and smiled. Mike had known my coffee preference since the first day I met him when I was running and fell with my tired feet. Since we met, there had been some sort of strange pull toward each other.

I pushed off the door and cleaned up the room before changing into the sundress I’d packed for today. Throwing my hair in a messy bun, I took a deep breath before heading down the stairs.

With only three steps to go, I abruptly stopped when I heard his mom.

“Oh, Mike, she’s so pretty. You guys will make beautiful babies. I need more grandbabies.”

I nearly tripped down the rest of the stairs but caught myself and froze.

Babies? Babies? Babies?

We’d been dating for about a minute and she was talking babies. I had to slow my breathing down.

Sit. Sit before you faint.

If I fainted with his mother here, she’d think I was pregnant. Mike seemed as stunned. Finally, he spoke. “Mom, let’s not put the cart before the horse. We need to get to an actual proposal.”

Thank goodness we were on the same page. The song we’d sang as kids went in an order for a reason.

First love.

Then marriage.

Then baby carriages.

Paula needed a reminder of that rhyme. A huge reminder. Maybe a neon sign might work.

The sound of pots and pans clanking together filled the room for a second. “Oh, you can’t turn your blender on now and drown me out. So, yes, I want more grandbabies. Don’t mess things up with her. She’s a vet, Mike. That makes her beautiful, smart, and a nurturer.”

“Let’s stop all the baby talk. Otherwise you’re going to scare her off.”

“What baby talk? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The woman was a riot. Mike chuckled. “That’s perfect. But seriously, Mom, Sydney is different. I don’t want to ruin things.”

“Just give her your heart, Michael.”

“I think I already have.”

I felt the same way. Mike Murphy was it for me.

Mike