“I know. Let me think a minute.” James put both hands on the worn Formica countertop, staring into the huge mirror. Daniel opened the case, using the opportunity to check his makeup.
“I…” James sighed, and Daniel hated that his family made him feel this way.
“Somehow it will be all right,” Daniel soothed, even as he tried to figure out how the hell it could be possible. His skin would look like he was allergic to everything after a while.
“We’ll go to a hotel. That’s the only solution. It will put some distance between us and my family and give us some privacy. Mom will probably be upset and get worked up, but there’s nothing we can do about it.” Daniel liked the determination in James’s intense eyes and shifted closer, running a hand up and down James’s strong back and up to his shoulders, which rippled under his shirt. Wow, he wanted to feel closer and see if the rest of him was as hard and hot.
Daniel pulled his hand away. This was a job—a working arrangement, nothing more—and he needed to keep his thoughts and wandering hands where they were supposed to be.
“We’d better get back out there or your mother is going to check to see if we aren’t breaking her ‘lock and key’ commandment.” Daniel couldn’t resist, and James groaned, a deep, resonant sound that rumbled off the light blue tiled walls.
Daniel closed his makeup case and opened the door, stepping out and following James down the hall and back to the kitchen.
James cleared his throat and seemed to get ready for battle. “Mom, Daniella and I have been seeing each other for a little while now. Do you really think that we—” His voice trailed off as Grace turned around. Daniel expected her eyes to shoot fire and smoke to come from her ears at any second.
“Under my roof…” She emphasized each word, and Daniel knew the exact speech that was coming. He’d seen it in multiple movies. Daniel wondered at the way James seemed to pull away a little, like he was pondering what she was going to say next. The guy was a cop, he stared down criminals on a regular basis, and yet his diminutive mother had him practically cowering in the corner. Maybe it was time for a Lala moment.
“Of course, James.” Daniel patted his hand with a huge smile that he flashed in Grace’s direction. “This is your mother’s house, and she needs to feel comfortable with what’s happening in her home. I’m sure that she and your father have talked things over and have given every consideration to the fact that I’m a guest here and they only want me to be at ease.” He flashed the brightest, most innocent smile possible at Grace before standing up. “You’re the only person I know here, but if she feels it’s important that I stay with your sister, whom I’ve just met, then I will be okay with that.” Grace’s stance and expression had already softened…a little. “It’s been a long trip, and I’d like the chance to freshen up and maybe relax for a little while and get off my feet.”
“But we can just go to a hotel, then, and…” James sputtered softly, most likely confused. Daniel watched Grace yank open the refrigerator door with more force than was necessary.
“I won’t hear of it. Your mom and dad have been so generous and gracious to invite us to stay here with them. It would be rude of us to decline. This is your sister’s wedding, and I don’t want to do anything that will add to an already stressful situation.” He turned toward the hallway. “Can you show me which room I’ll be using and then we can bring in my bags?”
“Oh, for god’s sake, Grace,” Phillip called from the living room. “James has a life of his own back in Chicago, and if you think that he’s a perfect little angel and doesn’t go out and have a good time, then you’re fooling yourself.” He shook his head from his chair in front of the television where he was watching baseball.
“Phillip…” she snapped.
“Get over it, Grace. We’re in the next room. What do you think they’re going to do?” He rolled his eyes, and Daniel tilted his head toward the hall.
“Strike while the iron is hot and show me which room is ours,” he whispered, and James drew his lips upward and strode back down the hall, pushing open the bedroom door right across from the bathroom.
“I’ll be right back with our stuff.” James raced away, and Daniel grinned as he watched that damned tight backside haul ass.
* * *
“That was brilliant.” James beamed softly as soon as he set the bags down on the floor.