Chapter 19
It had been almost two months.
Two months of ignoring the demands of her mother and father to ‘open her eyes’ and ‘stop acting so childish’ when Jasmine stood her ground on not only skipping the date they had set up but also solidifying her relationship with Leo.
It had taken that long before her parents had somewhat relented and requested that she bring ‘that boy’ to dinner at the house.
Jasmine straightened her skirt over her lap as she smiled at the fact that she didn’t even bother to wear pantyhose. A detail that would no doubt drive her mother crazy when they arrived for dinner. She had done quite a bit to prepare for tonight’s dinner. Janet, Leo’s mom, had been beyond supportive in their relationship. She was not only happy that Jasmine and Leo were together but also ecstatic to be connected again to Jasmine. Instead of simply talking to Leo weekly, she also called and spoke to Jazz frequently. Chatting about daily things as well as giving advice when asked for it, and the advice she gave was more than welcome.
Looking over at the man in question, Jasmine let out a sigh at the sight of the muscles in his arms moving as he steered his big truck into the driveway of her parents’ home. Those damn arms got her tingling every single time. Arm porn, that’s what it was plain and simple.
Arm porn.
“Are you ready for this shit show? That’s most likely what this will be.” Leo’s voice snapped Jasmine out of the familiar place her mind tended to wander when she sat and stared at Leo.
Whom was she kidding? She knew exactly where her mind had gone and it had been filled with all sorts of X-rated shenanigans. It was something that she seriously couldn’t help whenever she gazed at the gorgeousness that was Leo.
Lifting one shoulder and trying to act calmer than she actually felt, Jasmine said, “Yep.” The ending of the word ending with a pop as she over enunciated it.
Leo parked and managed to give her the “are you kidding me” look at the same time.
“No, really. It’s not like they are going to say anything that I haven’t heard already,” she argued.
“Jazz, I know you say you’re ready, but up until now all of the interaction you have had with your parents has been over the phone…. Are you prepared to do this face to face?”
Jasmine knew what he was asking and she thought for a moment before nodding yes. “There is nothing that they could say that would change my mind about us.”
“Good.” Leo leaned over and gave her a kiss that soon turned into a tangle of tongues that had her semi climbing the center console.
Damn, why couldn’t these new fancy trucks have stuck to bench seats instead of placing a barrier between the front passengers?
Forgetting where they were at, Jasmine lost herself in Leo’s wet kiss. When she finally broke away, partially because she couldn’t breathe with her ribs pressed up against the cup holders, she shot a glance down at his lap. “Maybe we should wait a couple of minutes before getting out.”
Leo let his head thunk back onto the seat. “Yeahhh…that is probably a good idea.”
He squirmed on the leather before reaching down to adjust the hard bar of his cock that was making his jeans stand out.
Jasmine couldn’t help but widen her eyes when he squeezed the erection. “That looks painful,” she pointed out with a wicked grin.
Leo raised his eyebrow and shook his finger at her. “If you lick your lips again we may end up driving down the road so we can take care of this painful problem, you little troublemaker.”
Jasmine could only guess the look of comical horror that came over her face at that threat. Whatever her expression was, it must have been a doozy because Leo started laughing, the deep sound filling the cab.
“What if we got caught?” She breathed, the idea making her want to hyperventilate. “Oh my God, my parents would absolutely die. I would die.”
Of course, Leo just laughed harder at her words, which caused her to start giggling as well. “I can see it now; the headlines would read ‘Daughter of prominent doctors found in compromising position’ on the front page,” he teased.
“Don’t even joke about that!” Jasmine laughed out, unable to keep the picture from materializing in her head complete with a picture of them disheveled.
“C’mon. Don’t tell me you’ve never gotten caught necking in public before,” Leo said before becoming quiet when she didn’t answer him. “Seriously, Jazz? You’ve never been caught fooling around by your parents?”
When she simply shook her head no, he smiled softly. “What about by anybody? Ever get caught in the movie theater or out parking?”
“No and no,” Jasmine replied primly, folding her hands in her lap.
“Oh, sugar…that seems like something we need to rectify,” he drawled, reaching over to lace his fingers with her own.
When she shot him a glance that said “you’ve got to be kidding me,” he shrugged. “It’s a rite of passage.”
“A rite of passage? That’s the argument you’re going to use to get me to go parking?” Jasmine scoffed, trying to keep the smile off her face.
“No, that’s the argument I’m going to use for us to find a way at some point to fuck in the backseat,” Leo replied, his voice teasing.
Jasmine sucked in a breath so quickly that she almost choked as Leo was patting her back as if she were a toddler. “We are NOT going to have sex in the backseat!”
“We are so going to have sex in the backseat, but I’m pretty sure I used the term ‘fucking’.” With that parting shot, Leo climbed out of the truck. Using the open door to hide his lower body, he adjusted his cock before closing it and going around to her side.
Jasmine watched him with her mouth slightly open, unable to tell if he was serious or not. From what she could tell from the firm set of his jaw, he was extremely serious even though his eyes were twinkling with mirth.
Opening her door, Leo tipped her mouth closed with his fingers. “Might want to close that sweetheart before I find something to fill it with.”
“Leo!” Jasmine screeched as quietly as possible. “You cannot say things like that while we are at my parents’ house.”
“Why not? It got your mind off being nervous, didn’t it?”
Why that sly devil…he knew exactly what he was doing with all that sex talk.
Jasmine snorted. “You’re so lucky I love you.”
At her words, they both froze.
She literally froze.
She didn’t blink.
She didn’t breathe.
Even her hair stayed still, not a single strand daring to blow in the breeze.
Jasmine just stood there with her leg half down off the truck and the other one standing firm on the running board.
Leo was basically in the same pose, frozen with his hand out to help her down and staring at her. His mouth hanging open and a stunned look on his face.
“Ummm…you might want to close your own mouth,” Jasmine mumbled, unsure what to say since she hadn’t expected to say the L-word to begin with, much less what her follow up should have been.
“Jazz?” Leo asked snapping out of his stupor quicker than she did, and reached for her again to assist her off the high step. “You’re lost in your head again. Want to come back out and play?”
“I’m sorry,” Jasmine said, unsure of where she was going to go with that opener.
“Why are you sorry?” Leo smiled and leaned down to kiss her once she cleared the truck.
Jasmine rolled her eyes and waved her hands in the air knowing she looked like a crazy person, but not really finding the desire to care. “Because I’ve made this awkward and we’re getting ready to go—”
“Jasmine Jane, please stop loitering in front of the house. You’re making a spectacle of yourself.”
The interruption came from none other than Victoria Kingsford, overbearing and judgmental as always.
Both she and Leo turned at the same time. Jasmine pasted a fake smile on her face to greet her mother while Leo just stared at her with a blank expression.
“Well? Your father would like to talk to your…date in the study, and you can help me arrange the flowers for the table.” Victoria turned on her pale ivory pumps and walked back into the house leaving the large entry door wide open.
“Jazz.” Leo dropped one hand down to palm her bottom before raising it back to her waist in a more appropriate manner. “Stay with me, sugar. No matter what, I’ve got you.”
Her blabber mouth dismissed for the moment, although she figured not for long, Jasmine straightened her back to march up the steps and into the cold house she once thought of as home.
“Did you just cross yourself?” Jasmine whispered when she saw a familiar movement from Leo out of the corner of her eye.
“I figured since I’m basically getting ready to have scotch with the devil it might help me a little,” Leo deadpanned before cracking a smile at her accompanied by a wink.
“Dear lord,” Jasmine mouthed, knowing her mother would have a conniption fit if it were said aloud.
Since Victoria had disappeared, Jasmine figured she would need to usher Leo into the lion’s den aka her father’s study. As they walked toward the large wooden double doors, Leo stopped her from opening them with a soft grip on her arm.
“You don’t need to introduce me, sugar,” Leo reminded her. “It may have been years ago, but I’m pretty sure he remembers me.”
Looking at the man before her, Jasmine tried to catch a glimpse of the boy she knew from the past. The same boy that walked through this house with his mom as she dusted and cleaned. The same boy that had always been a temptation, but kept out of reach by not only her parents but also her own insecurities.
He was different and yet he was the same. He had grown taller. He’d filled out with muscles and walked with more confidence than she ever remembered him having, but it fit the man he had become. A man who was not only one of the strongest and funniest people she had come to know, but also a sweetheart who passed her the Kleenex during the funeral scene from Steel Magnolias. A man who gripped her hand tightly as if he would never let go while she was on the phone this past week with her parents.
The dangerous boy from her youth had grown up into one damn fine man. A man who obviously could tell how anxious she was for this dinner to be over, and was trying to ease all of the nerves she felt. He squeezed her hand and then raised them together to kiss the back of her fingers.
“Are you sure?” she asked, trying to borrow some of his strength for what was to come.
“Positive,” Leo answered, his voice sure. “Now, go before your mom comes back out here to reprimand us like we’re teenagers.”
Jasmine hated that she was basically throwing Leo into the fire, but dealing with her father had never been her strong suit. Hell, dealing with her mother wasn’t one either.
With a quick nod and smile of gratefulness, Jasmine leaned up on her tiptoes and bopped a kiss on his lips. The act was quick and efficient, but more importantly, it didn’t give her body the chance to melt into Leo like it normally did.
“Thanks.” Jasmine stroked the strong jaw of the man she knew had her heart and walked quickly toward the opposite end of the house.
With her heels clicking quickly on the marble floor, she turned back once more to catch a glimpse of Leo opening the doors and stepping inside.
As she approached the dining room, Jasmine noticed that the doors were wide open. The only sound coming from the large formal room was the light snick of gardening shears.
“I got this,” Jasmine said, trying to pump herself up. Smoothing the front of her skirt down to her knees, she winced at the clammy feeling of her hands catching the thick fabric. Even without the pantyhose, she wasn’t remotely comfortable in her attire having picked out a thicker skirt and button up blouse as if they would somehow take the place of armor.
Opening the door, she took in a deep breath and sent up a quick prayer for the lord to grant her the strength she needed to deal with what was to come, and for the ability to keep calm and not strangle her mother during dinner.
Pffft…even on a good day, she felt the urge so maybe that was hoping for too much.
It was her turn to face the dragon.