I run after him like a child. “What will I say to them?”
He stares at me as if completely lost for words and then shrugs. “That you like my dick.”
The situation overwhelms me and I put my hands over my mouth and burst out laughing. “Will you be serious?” I whisper.
“Listen, I don’t know what you should say.” He digs around in my suitcase. “I’ve got my own worries. I just showed my mother my hairy helmet.”
I laugh hard, trying to keep quiet. “What the hell is a hairy helmet?”
“A colossal troublemaker.” He throws a dress at me. “Get. Fucking. Dressed.”
Elliot pulls up his jeans commando-style and throws a T-shirt over his head. He looks down at his crotch. “Now you decide to go down, after you’ve already ruined my fucking life,” he whispers angrily.
I smile as I throw my dress over my shoulders and pull it down, run into the bathroom and smooth out my dress and quickly wash my face.
Elliot goes to the door and holds his hand out for me. “Come.”
I close my eyes, dread filling my every cell.
“It’s fine, don’t worry.”
My eyes search his. “Is it really fine?”
“Not in the least, it’s abysmal.” He opens the door and pulls me out of the bedroom. We find his family all sitting in the living room.
Christopher, Jameson, and Tristan are all wearing goofy grins, as if this is the best thing to ever happen. His mum and dad are pensive and on the other couch.
“Mom and Dad.” Elliot holds his hand out. “This is Kathryn. Kathryn, this is Elizabeth and George, my parents.”
His mother fakes a smile and stands. “Lovely to meet you.”
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper as I shake her hand. “To meet you like this is my worst nightmare.”
George stands. “Could have been worse, dear, you could have been on one of those hard surfaces.”
The boys all burst out laughing, and my cheeks heat with a blazing fire. I’ve never been so embarrassed in my entire life.
“That’s impossible. I’m a virgin, Dad,” Elliot mutters as he kisses his mother’s cheek. “Sorry, Mom.”
She smiles adoringly up at her son. “That’s okay, dear, sorry to interrupt.”
She turns her attention back to me. “So . . . Kathryn.”
“Kate,” Elliot corrects her.
My heart hammers so hard in my chest that I can hear it in my ears.
“Kathryn—you work for us, don’t you?” George asks.
“Yes sir.” I cringe. Kill me now.
“She’s the head of IT in London.” Elliot smiles proudly. “Damn good at her job, too.”
Elizabeth smiles softly as she stares at me. I can feel her gaze as she assesses every inch.
“Who wants coffee?” Tristan stands.
“Me,” I answer way too fast.
“Me, yes please. Yes, me too,” they all answer.
Tristan looks at Jameson and Christopher. “Come help,” he says. The boys both stand and Tristan knocks twice on the table as he walks past it. “Now, that is a hard surface.”
Jameson chuckles as he walks past a cabinet and knocks twice on it too. “Rock hard,” he says. They disappear into the kitchen and we hear another two loud knocks on the wall.