couldn’t ignore, couldn’t control. She always had.
When Val and I broke apart, I forced myself to focus. It wasn’t easy; she’d completely scrambled my brain.
I had to get a grip.
Her birth mother rose to her feet as well, staring at me a little starstruck. “It’s an honor to meet you,” I said, holding out a hand to her in greeting. “I have to say, thank you for bringing my favorite virgin into the world.”
The woman burst into tears, but I figured they were happy tears because she was laughing while she was crying. “I don’t know whether to thank you for your part in bringing my daughter back into my life,” she said, “or smack you for the way you treated her.”
I concentrated on smiling so that I wouldn’t roll my eyes. I was often accused of being a jerk to Val back in the day, but, honestly, I didn’t see what I’d ever done that was so wrong. Val always knew I was just messing with her. I think. She fell for me anyway, so I couldn’t have been that horrible.
“Well, if I get the chance,” I said, forcing a laugh, “I’d prefer the thank-you. I’ve been slapped on national television before and it’s not all that fun.”
Okay, maybe, on the rare occasion, I’d been a little bit of a jerk.
Whatever. She still liked me.
Val and her mom scooted down on the sofa, making room for me to sit on the end closest to Connie. Val scooted a little too far away for my taste, so when I sat down I pulled her over to me, closing all distance between us. She cast me a flustered glance, letting me know exactly how much I affected her.
I grinned and tucked her snuggly against my side. Val stiffened, as if I was making her nervous, but I didn’t care. It felt right. It’d been years, but the chemistry between us was still there, still thick enough to choke on.
I kissed the side of her head and whispered, “It’s been way too long, Val,” not sure if I was trying to calm her down or rile her up.
My attention was pulled away from Val when Connie cleared her throat and said, “So, Kyle, Val was just telling us she was sure you’d forgotten all about her. Is that true?”
Connie smiled so big her face had to hurt. She looked ecstatic as her eyes bounced back and forth between Val and me, obviously proud to have reunited us.
I laughed. “Connie, there are some people that could never be forgotten.”
“I have to agree,” she said. “Tell us what you’ve been up to.”
“Well, I’ve got a solo album coming out soon, but other than that I’ve just been taking it easy.” I gave Val a meaningful squeeze and added, “Waiting for the right woman to come along and make an honest man out of me.”
Connie nearly melted into a puddle of pleasure in her chair. Even the audience swooned. I tried to gauge Val’s reaction and noticed little pink spots of color on her cheeks. She was blushing. That was a good sign.
“You’re looking to settle down then, are you?” Connie asked, following my lead.
“Something like that.” I smiled to myself. We were talking about settling down, but inside I was only getting worked up.
My gaze drifted to Val again. She was wearing the faintest trace of perfume. It was just barely enough to make me want to lean in and bury my nose in her neck, taste her skin. It was maddening.
Her lips looked so soft. If I didn’t do something fast, I was going to kiss her. I couldn’t let that happen. She’d been so mad the last time I’d done that in front of the cameras.
I reached across her lap and pulled her hand into mine. I needed the distraction. She gasped, but it wasn’t the handholding that had her shocked—it was the bracelet tied around my wrist.
That’s right, Virgin Val!
“What is this?” she asked, fingering the black leather strap with the small A dangling from it.
I grinned, loving her reaction. “You don’t recognize it? You gave it to me once, a long time ago.”
“Yeah, I recognize it.”
Her eyes drifted out of focus, as if she were
When Val and I broke apart, I forced myself to focus. It wasn’t easy; she’d completely scrambled my brain.
I had to get a grip.
Her birth mother rose to her feet as well, staring at me a little starstruck. “It’s an honor to meet you,” I said, holding out a hand to her in greeting. “I have to say, thank you for bringing my favorite virgin into the world.”
The woman burst into tears, but I figured they were happy tears because she was laughing while she was crying. “I don’t know whether to thank you for your part in bringing my daughter back into my life,” she said, “or smack you for the way you treated her.”
I concentrated on smiling so that I wouldn’t roll my eyes. I was often accused of being a jerk to Val back in the day, but, honestly, I didn’t see what I’d ever done that was so wrong. Val always knew I was just messing with her. I think. She fell for me anyway, so I couldn’t have been that horrible.
“Well, if I get the chance,” I said, forcing a laugh, “I’d prefer the thank-you. I’ve been slapped on national television before and it’s not all that fun.”
Okay, maybe, on the rare occasion, I’d been a little bit of a jerk.
Whatever. She still liked me.
Val and her mom scooted down on the sofa, making room for me to sit on the end closest to Connie. Val scooted a little too far away for my taste, so when I sat down I pulled her over to me, closing all distance between us. She cast me a flustered glance, letting me know exactly how much I affected her.
I grinned and tucked her snuggly against my side. Val stiffened, as if I was making her nervous, but I didn’t care. It felt right. It’d been years, but the chemistry between us was still there, still thick enough to choke on.
I kissed the side of her head and whispered, “It’s been way too long, Val,” not sure if I was trying to calm her down or rile her up.
My attention was pulled away from Val when Connie cleared her throat and said, “So, Kyle, Val was just telling us she was sure you’d forgotten all about her. Is that true?”
Connie smiled so big her face had to hurt. She looked ecstatic as her eyes bounced back and forth between Val and me, obviously proud to have reunited us.
I laughed. “Connie, there are some people that could never be forgotten.”
“I have to agree,” she said. “Tell us what you’ve been up to.”
“Well, I’ve got a solo album coming out soon, but other than that I’ve just been taking it easy.” I gave Val a meaningful squeeze and added, “Waiting for the right woman to come along and make an honest man out of me.”
Connie nearly melted into a puddle of pleasure in her chair. Even the audience swooned. I tried to gauge Val’s reaction and noticed little pink spots of color on her cheeks. She was blushing. That was a good sign.
“You’re looking to settle down then, are you?” Connie asked, following my lead.
“Something like that.” I smiled to myself. We were talking about settling down, but inside I was only getting worked up.
My gaze drifted to Val again. She was wearing the faintest trace of perfume. It was just barely enough to make me want to lean in and bury my nose in her neck, taste her skin. It was maddening.
Her lips looked so soft. If I didn’t do something fast, I was going to kiss her. I couldn’t let that happen. She’d been so mad the last time I’d done that in front of the cameras.
I reached across her lap and pulled her hand into mine. I needed the distraction. She gasped, but it wasn’t the handholding that had her shocked—it was the bracelet tied around my wrist.
That’s right, Virgin Val!
“What is this?” she asked, fingering the black leather strap with the small A dangling from it.
I grinned, loving her reaction. “You don’t recognize it? You gave it to me once, a long time ago.”
“Yeah, I recognize it.”
Her eyes drifted out of focus, as if she were
Similar Books
