“Okay.”
He turns off the water, ties a towel around his waist and wraps me up in one. He lifts me and carries me down the hall. “You know, I kind of like that I can reduce you to one word answers.”
I laugh and he sets me on the bed, and I take a few breaths to refill my brain. He walks to my door and my gaze goes to his strong back.
“Thanks.”
He grins at me. “You’re thanking me for sex?”
I smile. In a sense, yes, but this is so much more than sex to me. This is me living again. “I’m thanking you for…everything.”
“Anytime, babe.”
I laugh as he leaves and the sounds of pots and pans snap me back to reality. I dress quickly, and grab my tablet. I quickly check the time, and knowing they’ll be up, I hit video call. My Mom answers with a smile on her face and she calls Dad over.
“Darling, how are you?” Mom asks.
“Great, Mom, missing you all.”
She frowns. “I hate that you’re spending Christmas alone.”
A movement at the door catches my eyes, and I spot Brody there, Mabel at his feet, and I frown. “What?”
“Can I say hello?”
Panic races through me. Why the heck would he want to say hello to my parents and what are they going to think. It was only last year I lost Jon. What will they think of me?
“Is someone there with you, dear?” Dad asks.
“Uh, yeah. A friend.” I glance up and take in Brody’s smile. “He wants to say hello, is that okay?”
Mom and Dad exchange a look I don’t quite understand. “By all means,” Mom says when she turns back to me.
Brody plops down on the edge of my bed, his outer thigh brushing mine and sending tingles through my body. “Hi there.”
They both go silent, and I worry I made a big mistake. They think it’s too soon for me, and of course they’re right. I shouldn’t be sleeping with Brody, shouldn’t have invited him to stay with me and I sure as hell shouldn’t have let him video message with my parents.
“Mom—” I begin and I’m about to end the call, when Dad speaks.
“You’re Brody Tucker, from the Seattle Shooters.”
My heart starts racing. Okay, now I get it. They’re star-struck!
“Yeah, it’s me,” Brody says.
“Brody this is my Mom and Dad, Elias and Astrid Larsson.”
“Nice to meet you both. It’s a shame you can’t all be together for Christmas, but don’t worry I’m here and I’m going to make sure Josie has a fantastic holiday season. Wait until you see the tree. Although, it will actually have to wait. We haven’t decorated it yet.”
I sit here with my jaw open as he talks to my parents, putting them at ease, like they’ve been friends for ever. Mom and Dad smile and move a little closer to the screen, and I suddenly feel like a bug under a microscope.
“Josie, you didn’t tell us you knew Brody Tucker.”
“Just Brody, sir.”
My dad smiles. “Brody it is, and you can call us Elias and Astrid.”
“Nice to finally meet you both. I’m looking forward to getting to know you better.”