Understatement, I think. “I am and I’m looking forward to Christmas break.”
About that time, Ray returns with our wine and I thank him. Drew gets his looks from his father because Ray is very handsome, but he gets his beautiful eyes from his mother.
“So Cate, do you expect to have a difficult exam period?” Letty asks.
Ray sits and stares. It’s a bit disconcerting, but Drew picks up my free hand and brings it to his lips. It surprises me how affectionate he is with me in front of his parents.
“Cate will be very busy. She works her ass off, Mom.”
I turn to Drew, pretty shocked that he said that in front of his parents.
“Well, son, after she’s finished, you’ll need to spoil her then. She’ll deserve a break.” I’m surprised to hear Ray say that.
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” I say.
Letty leans toward me and says, “Cate, honey, let me give you a little piece of advice. When a man says they want to spoil you, don’t you ever refuse it, you hear me?” And she winks.
I laugh and say, “Yes, ma’am.”
“Mom, don’t worry. I plan on spoiling this one a lot. And I mean a lot.” Then he kisses my cheek.
“I can see that, Drew.”
We chat for quite a while and I have to say I feel very much at home here. Letty and I get along so well I hate to leave, and I’ve even warmed up to Ray. But it’s late and I’d like to spend a few moments alone with Drew. So on the way home, we park at a now empty tourist area, and sit and chat a bit. He’s leaving the next day on a late flight because he has early call on Saturday morning.
“When will I see you?” he asks.
“Ugh, finals start the week after next so I’m getting down to the grind.”
“What are your Christmas plans? Are you coming back here?”
“Yeah, but I’m driving since I get a month off.”
He takes my hand and rubs a circle over my knuckles with his thumb. “Why don’t you spend some time with me before and after?”
I think about his proposition and it sounds enticing. I could stay with him for several days after I’m done with exams, then go home. And after the holidays, I could go to Drew’s and return to school the Sunday before classes. “Yeah, that sounds pretty awesome. Are you coming home at all for Christmas?”
“Yeah. From the twenty-third to the twenty-eighth.”
“Oh, cool. Then I could come back to your place for New Year’s maybe?”
“You’d want to?”
He seems eager but then I just realized I’ve invited myself to his place for a date. Is that too forward?
“Yeah, I mean if you didn’t have other plans.”
“Cate, I only want plans with you. In fact, if we haven’t said this, I want us to be exclusive. I mean I pretty much took it for granted since we’re sleeping together and I knew you weren’t the type to sleep around.”
“No, not the sleeping around type. So yeah, I’d like exclusivity. In fact, I demand it,” I say with false bravado.
“So do I.” His deep voice sends shivers racing down my spine.
A thought strikes me. “Hey, does this mean we’re going steady?”
That corner of his mouth lifts and he says, “Not only steady, but strong.” He leans over and our lips meet. “Since we’re going steady, could I interest you in some car sex?”
Giggling, I answer, “I don’t know. The closest I’ve come to it is with you.”
Even though it’s dark, the light in the parking lot reflects the sparkle in his blue irises, and he says, “Since you’re wearing a skirt, I thought you planned it.”
“Well, if your dad doesn’t mind—since it’s his car.” A giggle slips out.
“We won’t tell him.”
He helps me clamber over the center console until I straddle his lap. It’s a good thing the seats recline. My skirt gets bunched up around my waist and we must be starved for each other because things progress at a rapid pace. It’s all so incredible and the only thing I notice afterward is that it really is true—the windows get steamed up during car sex.
When I mention this to Drew, he says drily, “I’m glad you were so taken with my skills, that’s all you observed.”
“After,” I remind him, “not during.”
“Thanks for clarifying.” He slides out and I ask him if he has any tissues. Fumbling in the console, he offers me a handful. When I move to slide to my seat, he stops me with his hands. “Stay. I’m not quite ready for you to leave here yet.” His hands hold my thighs and his pants are unbuttoned and pulled down to his knees. Damn, the man is sexy.
“I want to spend the night with you,” I say.
“No more than I want you to. This coming home sucks.”