by R. C. Martin
He’s working in just a pair of gym shorts, and my hands are itching to touch him—but I can’t make my feet move. My eyes are too busy devouring every inch of him.
“Teddy,” he mutters, his attention still locked on the screen in front of him. “Are you going to come in?”
His voice pulls me from my trance and I make my way across the room and behind his desk.
“You look busy. Are you?”
“Yes.” He shifts his focus up at me and then reaches out to wrap his arm around my waist, guiding me down onto his lap. He kisses me, biting my lip before he pulls away, returning his gaze to the computer.
As he gets back to work, his hand slides down my hip and onto my bare thigh, where he absentmindedly traces his thumb back and forth over my garter tattoo. His touch sends tingles down my spine. It’s not just the feel of his skin grazing mine that excites me—it’s where he touches me; as if he’s memorized my body and he knows where my ink is without even having to look. There are no words to express what I feel, and no action I can offer in response, but I can’t do nothing. So, I reach up and hold the opposite side of his face before kissing his cheek. I love the feel of his facial hair against my lips, so I kiss him one more time before I let him go.
“What are you working on?” I ask softly, feeling like an intruder in his workspace—afraid if I speak too loudly, I’ll get kicked out.
“Remodel in downtown Loveland. It’s a pub. It’s been around for a while. They’re looking to modernize it, but also keep that classic feel.”
I look at the screen and I see that he’s creating a digital representation of his design. If I had to use one word to describe it, it would be handsome.
“I love it,” I whisper.
“Yeah?” he asks, his thumb still rubbing my thigh as his other hand controls the computer mouse. “What do you love about it?”
I think for a moment, nervous to go into detail, knowing I’m speaking with the brilliant mastermind of the room I’m looking at without any knowledge of the appropriate lingo; but when I start talking, pointing out the things I like the most, I know he’s listening by the way he responds to me—explaining his ideas, and filling in the gaps of what has yet to be put into the design. Soon, I don’t feel like an intruder, more like his side-kick with all his insider secrets.
“I’m just going to be a few more minutes,” he says, speaking directly in my ear before nibbling on my lobe. The feel of his tongue on my skin makes me wet, and I wiggle a little in his lap. “Shower and then coffee? Or coffee and then shower?”
I open my mouth to answer just as he begins to pepper kisses along my neck.
“Um,” I sigh, tilting my head to grant him full access to what he wants.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
The vibration of his voice against my skin increases my desire and decreases my lung capacity.
“Shower,” I manage to squeak out.
He chuckles and then grazes his teeth over my jaw.
“Five minutes.”
“Promise?”
“Yes.” Reaching under the hem of his shirt, he pinches my ass, making me squeal and jump to my feet. He grins at me and holds up his hand, showing all five fingers. “I’ll meet you in there.”
Teddy and I take our time in the shower before sitting down to a late breakfast. We spend a few hours in my office during the afternoon—me at my desk, working on the design I showed her earlier; her on the couch, editing some of the pictures she took last weekend. When I’m in need of a break, I join her, and she shows me the collection of photos from our hike. Outside of the couple shots she has around her apartment, mostly of friends and family, I’ve not seen her work. I knew photography was something she was passionate about, but her raw talent astounds me. After I see all that she’s done, I insist we pay to get a couple blown up and framed. True to form, my shy girl balks at the idea, but I won’t take no for an answer. These images deserve to be more than memories left to sit on her hard drive.
We spend a while deciding which ones she likes the best, and then I pull out my credit card, leaving no opportunity for her to change her mind. It isn’t until we’re getting dressed for our evening with my mother and stepfather that her focus shifts and her nerves begin to show. I don’t understand why she’s so anxious, a fact that I bring up on our car ride down to Denver while she’s busy squeezing my hand every other second.
“It’s been a while since I’ve done this,” she admits, her eyes staring out the passenger side window as the sun makes its descent for the day.
“Theodora, I’ve never done this,” I counter.
She coughs out a humorless laugh before she says, “That actually makes me feel worse, not better. I mean, think about it—you’re almost thirty-two years old and you’ve never felt inclined to introduce a woman to your mother. While I’m flattered beyond belief, I can’t help but wonder what your mom is thinking. Her expectations must be through the roof. Her son is—well—have you looked in the mirror today? She’s got to be—”
“You’re babbling,” I interrupt. “You’re also assuming a whole lot about a woman you’ve never met.” She looks at me bashfully, a hint of a blush coloring her freckled cheeks. “Yes, it’s true that since I’ve become an adult, there’s not been anyone significant to introduce her to. For obvious reasons, Aubrey was never more than a subject of conversation. But what does it matter who she has or has not met? The mere fact that I’m bringing you to dinner is a statement of your significance to me—and correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m the one with whom you share a bed, not my mother.”
“You’re right. But…”
“But?”
“She’s your mom. Her opinion matters. If it didn’t, we wouldn’t be going.”
I scrunch my brow, my focus still directed on the road ahead of me. “Are you worried that if she doesn’t approve of you in some way that I will change my mind about the nature of our relationship?”
When she doesn’t respond, I turn my gaze on her just long enough to find her staring at me with uncertainty in her eyes.
A bemused smile lifts the corners of my mouth as I shake my head. “Tell me, Teddy—do I strike you as being the sort of man who lets his mother’s opinions shape his decisions?”
“No,” she whispers.
“Stop worrying, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere. And if you need me to remind you, I’m more than happy to pull over and fuck you right now.”
She squeezes my hand as she frees a nervous giggle. “You wouldn’t.”
I grin, pleased to at least hear her laughing, and squeeze her hand in return. “Be careful, Teddy. That sounds awfully close to a dare. Question me again, and you’re likely to be meeting my mother a lot more wrinkly than you are now.”
“Judah!” she laughs.
I bring her hand to my lips, kissing the back of her palm before settling our conjoined hands back in my lap. “Don’t forget, you won’t be the only new face at the table.”
“Yeah,” she says with a sigh. “Harper’s actually really good at meeting the parents.”
“You make it sound like she’s got some sort of track record of serious relationships.”
“There were a couple in college,” she says nonchalantly. “For a while, we all thought she’d marry one of them—but in the end, the idea freaked her out too much. Anyway, Harp has this charm about her; it’s why she’s so good at what she does. She makes her third-graders fall in love with her, and she woos their parents into wishing she’d stay with their kids for the duration of their elementary school education.”
“I’ve been around your sister,” I begin suspiciously. “She’s got a mouth not appropriate for all ages.”
“Yeah,” Teddy chuckles. “There’s an on/off switch for that. I’m sure she’ll be on her best behavior tonight.”
“We’ll soon find out.”
I take the next exit off of the interstate, and it’s not ten minutes until I’m handing my keys to a valet attendant before escorting Tedd
y inside the restaurant on my arm. Ghelarducci’s Kitchen serves my favorite Italian cuisine, the recipes with origins in Tuscany, a fact I share with my shy girl as we approach the hostess stand.
“Have you ever been? To Tuscany, I mean?” she asks.
“Unfortunately, no. Not yet. I’ve been to England and France, but Italy is still on my to-do list.”
“Oh, I’m jealous,” she sighs. “I’ve never been anywhere.”
“You’re just out of college, that doesn’t surprise me. But with your appreciation for art, I’m sure you’ll travel.”
“I hope so.”
I give the hostess my name, and we’re informed that two from our party have already arrived. Something tells me my mother’s excitement over the evening encouraged an early arrival time, so I kiss Teddy’s temple, whispering for her to breathe as we follow behind the brunette who leads us to our table.
As soon as we’re spotted, my mother stands and makes her way around her chair. She’s always been a slight woman, much like Aunt Eddalyn, only her blonde hair is darker, and grown out to her shoulders. Her blouse is too big for her frame, her pants are too long, and the only jewelry she’s got on is her wedding ring—but she was never one to care about such things. It’s the smile on her face that makes her beautiful, and when she opens her arms, I don’t hesitate to bend down to offer her an embrace.
“JD, it’s so good to see you. You look so handsome. Gosh, every time I see you, I wonder where my boy has gone.”
“He ran off and turned himself into a fine man, is all,” says Joe.
When my mom let’s me go, I reach out to shake his hand, and he pulls me in for a hug. My stepfather is a few inches shorter than me, and he’s grown a bit stocky over the years, but he’s still what most would consider handsome. He’s as close to a father as I’ve ever had, and he treats my mother well, which helped forge a solid relationship of respect between the two of us.
“It’s good to see you, Joe.”
“You as well, JD—you as well.”
I turn back to reach for Teddy. As soon as I stick my hand out, she slides hers into mine. She smiles at me, and the familiar ache in my chest resonates as I read the love in her eyes. It makes me want to kiss her, but I restrain myself and introduce her to my parents.
“Teddy, this is my mother, Annelise, and my stepfather, Joseph.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Delaney, it’s really nice to meet you,” she says, holding out her free hand to greet them both with a handshake.
“Please, do call me Ann,” my mother insists.
“And I go by Joe.”
“Well, shall we sit? Your brother should be here soon. And your sister, I hear.”
“Yeah,” Teddy replies shyly.
“That’s a story I’d like to hear,” says Joe. “Sit. We’ll order drinks while we wait.”
For days, I’ve been so concerned with how Judah’s mom would receive me—so concerned that I didn’t stop and think what it would really be like to see Judah interact with his parents. He’s different with them; and I don’t mean that in the sense that he himself behaves differently, because he doesn’t. It’s more in the way he allows himself to be received. The mere fact that he answers to JD astounds me—I also find it incredibly endearing, and I love it.
Harper and Ben show up not ten minutes after we all sit and order drinks. I relax a little having my sister at the table with me, tossing me winks every so often. Just as I told Judah she would be, she’s incredibly charming. She makes all of us laugh as she shares stories from her classroom when Ann inquires about what she likes most about teaching. I can tell that she’s got both Ann and Joe eating out of the palm of her hand, and Ben looks upon her with so much pride and love. If I were a fly on a wall instead of a guest at the table, I’d be jealous—but I am a guest at the table, and I’ve got Judah.
His hand has maintained a constant presence on my thigh since we sat down. He’s seated on my right side and, much like this morning, he uses his fingers to caress my tattoo. He pushed the skirt of my dress up enough to reveal the bottom of my dream catcher, giving him access to my bare skin. He’s had my whole body buzzing from his possessive touch all evening. Now, a quickie in his Porsche doesn’t sound so appalling.
I, of course, am not overlooked, despite Harper’s dazzling personality. I offer bits and pieces of information to the Delaneys, as well. I tell them about the art history degree I graduated with earlier this year, and I gush about Mountain Time Art Gallery—which of course leads to the story of how Jude and I met. We tell the story together, skipping over the hairiest of details, and exchanging conspiratorial glances every time we do. All the while, I notice how Joe seems to look between the two of us with the same expression he offered Ben and Harper. Ann, on the other hand, seems to study me with a little more caution. It’s subtle, but as a woman who has been living in fear of this evening for a week now—it doesn’t go unnoticed.
I try not to read into it, understanding that it’s only natural. Judah is her first born. While I can tell that she loves Ben fiercely, I imagine her love for Judah must feel different. After all, she carried him in her womb for nine months and raised him as a single mother for the first few years of his life. What they share is unique and beautiful, and I can’t fault her for her motherly precautions.
Just before we order dessert, I excuse myself to use the restroom. Harper is quick to get up from the table too, and she grabs my hand as we walk away from the group.
“Oh. My. Fucking. God,” she states, each word clearly meant to be its own sentence.
“What?” I ask, a little alarmed that those are the first words to come out of her mouth now that we’re alone.
“I don’t know what you’ve done to that man since the last time I saw him, but—oh, shit!” She bursts into a fit of giggles and I look at her as if she’s gone insane. “I’m sorry,” she laughs, wrapping her arms around me. “I forgot you let him put his dick inside of you,” she murmurs directly into my ear. “You must be really good in bed. I’m proud.”
“Harper!” I shriek, pushing her off of me. “What the hell?”
“I’m sorry,” she replies with an eye roll. “That was crass, I know. But I’m mostly joking. Well, actually, no. I’m not. I imagine you probably have some innate skills—you are a Fitzpatrick girl, like myself.”
I cringe, trying desperately not to think about my sister with Ben.
“Why are we talking about this?” I demand to know.
She stops me in the dimly lit hallway that houses the bathrooms, gripping both of my shoulders. “Because—Judah is like a lion at that table, and you are his feline. It’s so fucking hot. It’s also a little intimidating. I’ve never seen a man be so possessive, and yet so gentle at the same time. I see the way he looks at you. The way he touches you. If he’s not in love with you, he’s falling. Fast.”
I soften a little at her words, but then shake my head at her before I tell her, “He hasn’t told me that he loves me.”
“It’s not always an easy thing for men to do,” she says with a shrug. “And you two haven’t been together for that long. What’s it been? Two months since you made it official? You’ve got to give his head a chance to catch up with his heart, babe. But he’s totally head-over-heels into you. It’s as plain as day. I’m sure his mom is blinded by it,” she says, linking her arm with mine as we continue to make our way into the bathroom.
“She doesn’t look too sure of me,” I admit.
“Teddy Bear, she’s sitting across from her son’s potential forever girl. Of course she doesn’t look too sure of you. Remember how mom reacted to Judah? It’s maternal instinct. You’ll see one day.”
A pang of sadness hits me square in the chest as I stop in front of an empty stall.
“No, Harper. I won’t.”
“Oh, fuck,” she hisses. “I wasn’t—I didn’t—shit, I’m sorry, sis.” She reaches over and rubs her hand across my lower back. I draw in a deep breath as she continues. “You never know, t
hough. You have options. You could—”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I interrupt her, my voice soft as I turn my gaze on her. “It’s okay. I’m okay,” I assure her, not entirely certain that I’m telling the whole truth. “Let’s just pee so we can get back out there.”
“Yeah.”
After we’ve both finished and we’re standing together at the sink, washing our hands, Harper leans over and kisses my cheek. I smile at her reflection in the mirror in front of us, and she smiles back at me. We dry our hands, and then she wraps her fingers around mine, giving them a squeeze before we make our exit.
“Come on, Theodora. It’s time we got you back to your lion.”
Silence settles over the table after Harper and Teddy leave for the restroom. I look to Ben and we share a smirk, both of us waiting to see which of our parents will speak first. My bet is mother. She must be anxious to attack us with questions she’s too impatient to wait to ask at a more opportune time. That being said, the woman never had a hard time getting her point across in five minutes or less. And sure enough—
“The family resemblance between them is striking. They’re both beautiful girls,” she begins. “I heard somewhere that red heads are fewer and fewer these days, and here my boys are, each with one on their arm.”
I take a sip at my scotch, knowing better than to speak. Her time is ticking, and she’s not finished.
“Though, I must say, I find it interesting that you are with the older sister, Ben, and JD—you’re with the younger. Seems a bit backwards.”
“They’re different women, mom. What does their age have to do with anything?” asks Ben.
“Nothing, I suppose,” she says with a false smile. “Except—Judah, Teddy is a bit young. I’m…surprised at your age gap.”