“You’re right. We’ve had no new information. What’s happening there? Are you scared? Is your captain holding you close and keeping you safe and warm with long, drugging kisses?”
“Mum!”
“All right, all right. I’ve got to go anyway, love. Your father’s just pulling into the drive. Three phone calls today and now he’s home early. I don’t want to miss a minute.” Her voice pitched with happy excitement. “Unless you want to speak—”
“No. I absolutely don’t want to speak with him.” She wanted to tell her mum she never wanted to speak with the duke again, but that would throw her into a tizzy. It was so sad that her vibrant mum was head over heels for the duke and lapped up any attention he was willing to give. Her mum could and would put the duke in his place, but she also seemed like a puppy sometimes just waiting for some attention that wouldn’t come. The duke was too busy and important for even his own wife.
“I understand. No worries, love. I’ll smooth it all out. You stay safe. I’ll be praying the bobbies will catch this stalker, and you just kiss and hold that burly American stud, all right?”
“I can do that.” She hoped. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Zeke to push her away.
“Love you.”
“Love you, Mum.”
She hung up and stayed in the entryway. She did love her mum, but she was sick and tired of her dad. He acted like he was above everyone and as if he was in such perfect control of himself, but he was the one who blew everything out of proportion.
Steps approached. She glanced up, and there he was. Her American superhero, handsome stud of a protector. But Zeke was so much more than that.
Zeke cautiously approached. His eyes were filled with concern. “You all right?”
She slapped the phone against the palm of her hand, still upset. “My mum was the one who fed exaggerated and distorted info to my dad.”
“Really?” He folded his arms across that lovely chest of his, the muscles in his biceps bulging at the move. He leaned casually against the wall, focused on her face as if she were his only priority in the world.
“Yes. She took what Auntie told her and blew it all out of proportion. Then apparently Charlie said something about us sleeping together and my dad escalated it all with his own prejudices and worries about his ‘little girl’.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t excuse what a git he is and I’m terribly sorry he didn’t treat you well.”
He straightened away from the wall and moved into her space.
Mia’s stomach flip-flopped and her pulse sped up. She set the phone on the entry table, looked up at Zeke, and moistened her lips.
His bluish-gray eyes were still concerned but also filled with a longing need—a need for her.
Her chest warmed. Zeke. What a man he was.
“Mia,” he said softly, and then he gently cupped her face with both of his palms like he’d done so beautifully last night. He replicated the move that had been perfect in her mind, threading his fingertips into her hair. She waited for his thumb to trace her lips, and then he had to kiss her. He just had to.
“I honestly couldn’t care less how he treats me,” he said. “All I care about … is you.”
“Ah, Rambo.” She clung to those brilliant biceps and pulled herself closer to him as he bent down. “Could you be any more perfect?”
He gave her a slight grin. “I’m the farthest thing from perfect. You, on the other hand …” His thumb slowly, tenderly trailed over her upper lip and then along her lower lip.
Mia panted for air, feeling a bit faint. Any headache had disappeared, but she had lip aches, if there were such a phenomenon. She ached for this man’s lips to meet hers.
“You are incredible, Mia. Absolutely perfect. Your dad is smart to try to keep us apart. I could never be worthy of you.”
“What kind of barmy pre-kissing talk is that?”
“Pre-kissing?” Zeke actually looked surprised. “Is there … pre-kissing talk I’m supposed to do?”
Mia laughed. She couldn’t help it. She wasn’t laughing at him. Well, she didn’t want to be. He blinked at her and luckily he didn’t release her, but she worried she’d hurt his feelings.
“Oh, Zeke. I was teasing you. There’s no specified pre-kissing talk, and you were doing brilliant until you said that mad line about my dad being smart and you not being worthy of me. You are worthy. You are incredible. You are the only man I’ve ever wanted and needed, and I hope the only man I will ever want and need.”
His eyes got big then. He appeared incredulous at her declarations. She hoped he could believe her because she absolutely meant every word.
She ran her hands along his biceps and up to his shoulders, leaning completely against him. “We’ll talk about the wanting and the needing more later. Right now, you should probably kiss me.”