Page 45 of Cinnamon Strudel
“So is going into your blind brother’s apartment and hiding things.”
“Fucker! I knew you moved my fucking toothbrush!”
“And the condoms but I guess you two haven’t gotten that far yet.”
“Need me to hold him down?” Alexander suddenly chimed in, seeming to have heard all the fuss.
He shook his head and shut down the laptop. With Blue at his side and his hand in Ruby’s, he walked out, ignoring the giggles and teases from his brothers.
“So… Should we stop at the pharmacy on the way?” she asked, breaking the silence.
“I thought you had to work tomorrow?” he countered with a smirk.
“What does that have—oh… well, maybe you can be gentle?”
Ruby shifted his hand to her arm to guide him through the parking lot. “There’s a pack in the closet he didn’t get.”
“You mean next to the new toothbrush you had to whip out because of him?”
He was grinning all the way to the nail salon, where he was parked in a seat right next to his woman. His fingers soaked while Ruby chose the motif she wanted to have on her nails. Apparently, it was possible to get Christmas lights. His nails and cuticles were trimmed and filed. There wasn’t much to do anyway. After all, Morgan knew to keep his nails clean for Ruby’s benefit. He opted to get his pinkie painted to match Ruby’s red nails.
“That was fun,” Ruby cheered as she sat beside him in the car. “Show me,” and before he could move, she snatched his hand across the centre console.
When she went to drop it, he twisted it and snatched hers, inspecting her nails for what felt like the tenth time. “You’d better get used to me tagging along.”
“The girls loved you.”
They’d filed off and replaced her gel tips, then painted them red with Christmas trees, lights, and candy canes alternating each nail. “Are you excited to spend Christmas with your family?”
“I am. Remi is coming too.”
“That’s not the one in Germany, right?”
“Yes. He’s the one living in Seattle.”
As they drove off, they decided to treat themselves to a drive through for dinner, with Morgan feeding Ruby fries as theydrove home. Well, more like holding them in her direction—after he’d slapped her with the first two.
She walked with him and Blue to the pet area where she insisted on cleaning up after him. She made it seem like the most natural thing in the world, babbling on about her parents’ cat, Percy. As if they’d been summoned, her parents called as they were sitting down to have the rest of their dinner.
“Hi, Mom.”
He stepped into the kitchen to give her some privacy and only tuned in to the conversation again when she called his name. “My parents would like to know if you’d like to come over Christmas Day—or even for a Sunday lunch sometime after.”
“My brothers and I usually just have a Christmas breakfast. I could come after?”
She relayed the message and giggled. “They would be delighted to have you over.”
Shit.
Reality slammed into him. What had he agreed to? His palms went sweaty with nerves. He was going to meet her parents. Herdad! Before he could freak out, her fingers wrapped around his wrist and a kiss brushed over his jaw.
“I’ll see you on Thursday. Love you.” Then the back of her fingers danced over his cheek before she turned his head towards her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m meeting your parents.”
“Yes, you are. Wait? Were you not ready for that? Oh gosh, I pushed that on you, didn’t I? I’m so sorry.”
“No, that’s not it. I’m ready, I’m just not readyready.” He grabbed her face and pulled her close, needing to see her. “What if they don’t like me? What if they don’t think I’m good enough for you?”
