“What?”
“I lost you there for a minute. What were you thinking?” She pulled his arm over and held his hand between her palms. “You looked a million miles away.”
Mick smiled, lifted her foot, and kissed her big toe. “I was just thinking that it’s been a long time since I’ve laughed this way, and I have you to thank.” He massaged the bottom of her foot. “I’ve been too serious for too many years. Struggling to secure my finances, climbing the corporate ladder, and putting on a suit every day… Somewhere in that huge amount of time, it all got old.”
“I’m glad you laugh too.” She pulled her feet down and climbed up into his lap. “Even if it’s because of my immaturity.” She snuggled against him.
“You balance me.” He cradled her to his chest. “We give each other a lot. Let’s never take that for granted, okay?”
“Nope.” She nibbled his neck. “I’ll never do that.”
He sighed. “I almost wish we didn’t have to go to the party.”
“Yeah, me too.” Her fingers roamed over his chest. “The sooner we go, the faster we can come home.”
Mick kissed the top of her head and scooted her off his lap. “Thank God. Let’s go hop in the shower and get this show on the road, shall we?”
She followed him into the bathroom. “You say the funniest things.”
* * *
The conversations swirled around Debbie. She had the odd sense that she belonged at home with Mick, not here. The out-of-body revelation overrode her wish to join in the laughter around the table. Why had Mick insisted they come?
“Deb.” Juanita laid a hand on her arm. “Remember that guy who used to put off taking his son home after class so he could talk with you? Jason’s father?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“He’s hooked up with Melissa’s mom. I heard this afternoon they planned to get married next summer.” Juanita tapped the table with her finger. “I thought he’d never lose his fascination with you, but it looks like he survived.”
Debbie turned to Mick. “Jason’s dad is a young single father, and Melissa’s mom works down on Cleary Street dancing the poles.” She grinned. “Who knew?”
“Ah.” Mick smiled in understanding but didn’t add anything to the conversation.
“Okay, how many of us are planning on hitting the party tomorrow night?” Barb, the wildest out of all her friends, held her mug of beer up in the air at the other end of the table.
The others in her group of friends cheered and held up their drinks. Debbie slid her hand up Mick’s thigh and twined her fingers through his. Not one for college parties, she planned to convince Mick to snuggle in bed and watch the chick flick she’d bought yesterday. She’d make suffering through a girlie movie worth it for him.
“You in, Deb?” Barb raised her brows.
She shook her head. “Nope, got other plans.”
“Oh, come on. You never go out with us anymore.” Barb scrunched up her nose. “You’re turning into an old fuddy-duddy like the old man.”
Oh no, she didn’t go there . Debbie sucked in a breath. God, she was so tired of getting her relationship with Mick thrown back at her in every conversation.
Mick sat forward. “Baby…”
She leaned back. Her glass thunked against the table. “You know what?” She stared down the length of the table. “Lay off. Just because I—” She waved her hand in front of her. “Never mind.” Grabbing Mick’s hand, she turned. “Do you want to go dance?”
He scooted back his chair, stood up, and led her across the floor. She slipped her arms around his neck. Her heart raced, and it surprised her how bent out of shape she’d become.
“Shit.” She laid her head underneath Mick’s chin. “Why can’t my friends understand? It’s not as if I’ve changed. I rarely went out to the parties with them before I met you.”
“Maybe you’re a little sensitive.” Mick rubbed her back. “Your girlfriends are giving you a hard time
“I lost you there for a minute. What were you thinking?” She pulled his arm over and held his hand between her palms. “You looked a million miles away.”
Mick smiled, lifted her foot, and kissed her big toe. “I was just thinking that it’s been a long time since I’ve laughed this way, and I have you to thank.” He massaged the bottom of her foot. “I’ve been too serious for too many years. Struggling to secure my finances, climbing the corporate ladder, and putting on a suit every day… Somewhere in that huge amount of time, it all got old.”
“I’m glad you laugh too.” She pulled her feet down and climbed up into his lap. “Even if it’s because of my immaturity.” She snuggled against him.
“You balance me.” He cradled her to his chest. “We give each other a lot. Let’s never take that for granted, okay?”
“Nope.” She nibbled his neck. “I’ll never do that.”
He sighed. “I almost wish we didn’t have to go to the party.”
“Yeah, me too.” Her fingers roamed over his chest. “The sooner we go, the faster we can come home.”
Mick kissed the top of her head and scooted her off his lap. “Thank God. Let’s go hop in the shower and get this show on the road, shall we?”
She followed him into the bathroom. “You say the funniest things.”
* * *
The conversations swirled around Debbie. She had the odd sense that she belonged at home with Mick, not here. The out-of-body revelation overrode her wish to join in the laughter around the table. Why had Mick insisted they come?
“Deb.” Juanita laid a hand on her arm. “Remember that guy who used to put off taking his son home after class so he could talk with you? Jason’s father?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“He’s hooked up with Melissa’s mom. I heard this afternoon they planned to get married next summer.” Juanita tapped the table with her finger. “I thought he’d never lose his fascination with you, but it looks like he survived.”
Debbie turned to Mick. “Jason’s dad is a young single father, and Melissa’s mom works down on Cleary Street dancing the poles.” She grinned. “Who knew?”
“Ah.” Mick smiled in understanding but didn’t add anything to the conversation.
“Okay, how many of us are planning on hitting the party tomorrow night?” Barb, the wildest out of all her friends, held her mug of beer up in the air at the other end of the table.
The others in her group of friends cheered and held up their drinks. Debbie slid her hand up Mick’s thigh and twined her fingers through his. Not one for college parties, she planned to convince Mick to snuggle in bed and watch the chick flick she’d bought yesterday. She’d make suffering through a girlie movie worth it for him.
“You in, Deb?” Barb raised her brows.
She shook her head. “Nope, got other plans.”
“Oh, come on. You never go out with us anymore.” Barb scrunched up her nose. “You’re turning into an old fuddy-duddy like the old man.”
Oh no, she didn’t go there . Debbie sucked in a breath. God, she was so tired of getting her relationship with Mick thrown back at her in every conversation.
Mick sat forward. “Baby…”
She leaned back. Her glass thunked against the table. “You know what?” She stared down the length of the table. “Lay off. Just because I—” She waved her hand in front of her. “Never mind.” Grabbing Mick’s hand, she turned. “Do you want to go dance?”
He scooted back his chair, stood up, and led her across the floor. She slipped her arms around his neck. Her heart raced, and it surprised her how bent out of shape she’d become.
“Shit.” She laid her head underneath Mick’s chin. “Why can’t my friends understand? It’s not as if I’ve changed. I rarely went out to the parties with them before I met you.”
“Maybe you’re a little sensitive.” Mick rubbed her back. “Your girlfriends are giving you a hard time
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