Page 47 of Reaper & the Lioness
Eva’s eyes widened, and a hint of panic crossed her face. “A friend just stopped by. So, the fish?”
“Liar. That was a man’s voice. You have a boyfriend, don’t you?”
“Dad, stop. Finish your story.”
I watched the blush creep up her neck at her dad’s teasing tone. I removed my cut and hung it on the hook near the door.
“Let me meet him,” her dad pressed. “If he’s on vacation with you, it must be serious.”
I’d forgotten she caught up with her dad each week, and apparently, she’d told him my cabin was a vacation spot. It was understandable, because the reality—that your former employer had tried to kill you and you were hiding in a cabin with the VPof an outlaw motorcycle club—wasn’t exactly the kind of thing you wanted to share with a parent.
“Come on, I promise I won’t scare him off,” her dad cajoled, his voice a mix of amusement and curiosity.
I smirked at Eva as I stepped behind her. Her shoulders tensed, but she didn’t stop me. I squatted eye-to-eye with the screen.
“Sir, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Roman.”
Eva gave me an exasperated expression, but her father just grinned at me, his weathered face crinkling with delight.
“I was right,” he said triumphantly. “She was being so cagey. Now I understand why. Tell me about yourself.”
Eva side-eyed me as if she wanted me to give him the sanitized version. I cleared my throat, choosing my words carefully.
“I own a local construction company. Before that, I spent ten years as a Marine.”
Knowing his background, her dad would show more approval for my military service than my club service—which I conveniently left out.
“A Marine, huh? Glad she’s finally dating someone who won’t back down from a challenge,” he joked. “Those boardroom types in D.C. never lasted long—always too intimidated by her.”
“Dad …” Eva said in warning, her cheeks flushing deeper.
“She certainly still tries to intimidate me, but I think she’s pretty when she’s pissed off. She’s cute, in a honey badger sort of way,” I said with a grin as I watched her shift in her seat. “Unfortunately, I need to step away. I have to prep dinner, because somebody”—I glanced at Eva before continuing—“invited a bunch of people over tonight, and they’ll be here in thirty.”
As I returned to the kitchen to season and prepare the steaks, Eva finished her call, her voice a low murmur punctuated by occasional laughter. I tossed some trimmings to Hawk, keeping him occupied and quiet.
After she ended the call, Eva hopped onto the stool at the counter, shaking her head. “He’s going to be begging to come visit to meet you in person now.”
I paused in my dinner prep, turning to face her. “And how do you feel about that?” We hadn’t defined our relationship, and the thought of meeting her father in person made it more real.
Eva bit her lip as her eyes met mine. “I don’t know. This situation is complicated enough without adding my dad into the mix.” She trailed off. “It was kind of nice that you got along, though.”
“That’s good. It’s important for your dad to like your boyfriend,” I said nonchalantly, glancing up to gauge her reaction.
The word sounded foreign on my tongue, but not unpleasant.
“So, we’re already placing a label on this?” She waved her hand between us.
My lips quirked into a smile. I enjoyed watching her squirm under my gaze. “I think so. Unless you have any objections?” I left the question hanging, giving her an out if she wanted it.
Eva bit her lip, considering. “No objections,” she said after a beat with a smile. “It’s just … unexpected.”
“Speaking of what people know about us, did you tell Rhetta anything?” I wondered if she’d texted her best friend about our night together.
“Not yet. I wasn’t really sure what to say. Did you tell Thane?”
I shook my head, focusing on seasoning the steaks. “Nope, though he has made some insinuations. Linc is already giving me shit about you, too.”
“Is Linc coming tonight? You should invite him.”
