I grinned. “Well get your ass inside then, woman.” I smacked her butt and followed her into the madhouse that was my mother’s home. Sunday night dinner would be interesting tonight.
Mum lit up at the sight of us. “Velvet, you made it!” I watched in fascination as they embraced. I’d never known Velvet to be so open with someone new in her life. She was very guarded and distrustful of everyone she met. You had to gain her trust and it was hard work most of the time.
“Thank you for having me,” Velvet said to mum, and handed her the cake she’d brought. “I had a good friend of mine make us a red velvet cake for dessert.”
Mum’s eyes shifted to me and she smiled before looking back at Velvet. “Thanks, sweetheart. The Walkers are big cake eaters.”
My mother was sold on Velvet, of that I was sure. And Velvet was just as sold on my mother. It warmed my cold heart. But fuck, heaven help me, the two women in my life getting on? Who knew what shit they’d try and pull on me.
Carla sauntered into the kitchen. “Did someone say cake?” She smiled at Velvet. “Hi, I’m Carla, Nash’s little sister, the one he still tries to mother.”
Velvet laughed. “Nash sure does have that protective streak in him, doesn’t he?”
Carla rolled her eyes. “Oh my God, you have no idea, Velvet! Now where’s this cake?”
“Generally comes after dinner, babe, not before,” I said, knowing full well that Carla wouldn’t hesitate to eat it before dinner.
“A girl makes her own rules in life. Right, Carla?” Velvet winked at my sister and I watched as another Walker woman fell under her spell.
I decided to leave them to it and headed into the living room where Jamison was catching up on the weekend sport. He eyed me as I took a seat. “Your woman with you?” he asked.
My mother had informed everyone I was bringing Velvet tonight, and somehow that had translated into her being my woman. “She’s not my woman, man.”
“What are you then? Cause you haven’t brought a woman home since Gabriella so this seems like something important.”
I scrubbed my face as I fought the churning in my gut at this conversation. “I don’t know where it’s going yet so let’s not put a fuckin’ label on it, okay.”
“Take my advice little brother; work it out as quick as you can because women don’t like to be kept waiting. Mum seems to like her so she can’t be too bad.”
I decided to be totally honest with him. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this. If I was, Velvet would be who I would choose, no doubts there.”
“Nash, it’s been ten years; you’re more than ready for this.”
“So I keep being told,” I muttered.
Jamison chuckled, but wisely kept his mouth shut.
We were interrupted by Erika who yelled from outside, “Nash, Jamison, need your help!”
A moment later, we found her struggling with a huge pot plant just outside the front door. It was in a heavy terracotta pot and it looked like she was about to drop it.
I quickly grabbed it off her and scowled. “You should have come and gotten us rather than carrying it by yourself.”
“I thought I’d be able to manage,” she grumbled.
“Shit, Erika, you could have done your back in again.”
“Yeah well, I didn’t so it’s all good.”
I got the plant inside as we continued to argue back and forth. We’d spent our whole lives arguing; I was sure it was how we showed our love. When we got to the kitchen, Velvet was on her hands and knees reaching under the fridge for something. Her ass was up in the air facing us and I took a moment to admire it.
“What’s going on here?” I eventually asked as she continued to search for whatever it was.
Her head spun around and our eyes met. I raised my brows at her and shifted my eyes to her ass and then back to her face before grinning at her. She shook her head at me but she was smiling. “Your mum took her rings off to do the dishes and one of them fell on the floor and we think it rolled under the fridge so I’m trying to find it.”
I leant against the wall and folded my arms over my chest. “Take your time, darlin’.”
Erika groaned. “You have a one track mind, Nash.”
I smirked. “Velvet doesn’t mind, do you babe?”
She ignored me and continued her search while I settled in for the view. I particularly enjoyed it when she tried to extend her arm further because it meant her ass tilted even higher in the air. My dick jerked while I imagined that ass naked with my hands around it.
“Nash!”
I swung my gaze to my mother who was trying to get my attention. “What?”
“Stop ogling Velvet and get everyone a drink, please.”
Velvet finally stood up, having retrieved the ring. She passed it to mum and then glared at me.
I held my hands up defensively. “What, babe? A man has to take advantage of certain situations.”
She walked over to me, laid her hand on my chest and whispered, “You’ll pay for that later.”
“Don’t make promises unless you intend to keep them, sweet thing.”