“I’d be a fool not to,” Dax said, his lips curving in a small grin. “Come on in.” He stepped back, his fingers resting lightly on my hip as he pulled me inside with him.
“So this is your place, Sabby?” my dad asked, looking around.
“Our place,” I corrected, my arm slipping around Dax’s back too. I wanted to have him close; I was suddenly feeling a bit more possessive of him than usual. We hadn’t actually gotten around to moving the rest of Dax’s stuff in, but that was on the agenda for the near future.
Another knock at the door sounded, and I glanced at my dad. He was looking at Dax like he wanted to talk business, and I didn’t think Dax would mind that at all.
“I’ll grab it,” I told the men, slipping away from my mate.
His lips brushed my head and his hand squeezed my hip as he let go of me.
Dax’s parents were both standing on the doorstep, grinning, when I pulled the door open.
“We’re so glad to see you!” Dax’s mom exclaimed, throwing her arms around me.
I laughed, hugging her back just as tightly. “I’m glad to see you guys too.”
“You look so much better,” she said, her hands cupping my cheeks and tilting my head this way and that as she checked me for signs of illness. “And this hair… Damn, you are gorgeous!”
I laughed again. “You’re too sweet.”
“I’d say I’m just sweet enough.” She winked at me, finally releasing me.
“Can I get a hug too, or is my son still too possessive?” Dax’s dad asked, his expression teasing.
“He’ll survive,” I teased back, giving him a quick hug as well. Like his wife, he was friendly and treated me warmly, which made me feel good. I hadn’t even had a real conversation with either of them, but I already liked them and felt like I belonged with their family.
“Come on in,” I said, gesturing them both in after me. “Dax cooked, so I’m sure everything will be great. He’s a wizard in the kitchen, compared to my bumbling armadillo.”
His mom laughed loudly. “At least you’re a cute armadillo.”
Another laugh escaped me. “True. If I’m going to be an armadillo, I might as well be a cute one.”
“Exactly.”
The three of us walked into the kitchen, and found Dax putting the last of the plates on the kitchen table. He tugged me to his side when he saw me, pressing a kiss to my lips and then helping me into my seat. When I was seated, he slipped over to give his mom and dad a quick hug before taking his seat next to me.
His foot wrapped around mine as we dished out the food, and his parents had no problem chatting with my dad.
We fell into an easy conversation, trading stories and sharing laughs as we ate. Dax’s pancakes were delicious, and he even went so far as to make homemade buttermilk syrup that I’d probably be dreaming about for weeks after the breakfast ended.
All of them stayed for a few hours, moving to the couch. Dax’s mother and I did the dishes together since Dax had cooked, and we chatted about books while we washed—apparently she liked to read too, and Dax had referred her to some of the books he’d read because of my Goodreads account.
I’d always wondered what it would be like to have a mom, and talking with Jolie about plot details, tropes, and our favorite fantasy worlds made me feel like maybe I’d started to find that.
And damn, I loved that feeling.
Dax’s parents finally left around 3 PM, and Dax walked them to the door, leaving me with my dad.
“So, do you approve?” I teased him lightly.
“Surprisingly, I do.” He leaned against the couch, his arms folding loosely over his chest. “Your mom would’ve liked him. He treats you well.”
My throat swelled, and I nodded. “Really well.”
“And his reputation seems well deserved. He’s not stupid.”
“He’s brilliant,” I corrected.