Pandora
“I’ve never seen you look nervous before,” Royce says, looking over at me.
It’s been over a week of pure bliss with him. I even said “fuck it” and called out of work for two days just to stay in bed with him. I’d been working my ass off, and I figured I’d earned it.
He’s right, though. I hardly ever get nervous. “I want them to like you,” I tell him, looking up at my parents’ house.
Penelope has been begging me all week to bring Royce to the family dinner. While I want to, I’m a little reluctant. Not because I’m embarrassed to bring a guy around, but because I want everyone to love him.
Royce reaches over, sliding his hand into mine. “Baby, I promise everything will be fine.” He gives me a little squeeze.
“My family is close,” I tell him, trying to making sure he understands how important this is to me. I don’t want him to think I don’t want them to meet each other I just want this to be perfect.
We’re more than close. My family is everything to me. I actually think that’s part of the reason why I never went out and found—or wanted—a boyfriend. I had people close to me at home and didn’t think I needed it anywhere else. Plus, I always thought I’d never find someone as good as my dad. I wasn’t willing to settle. I saw how he treated my mom, and I thought that was rare. I didn’t think I would ever find a love like that. My mom’s strong-willed like I am, but he handles her, while letting her be who she is. I’m a leader like her, and most men are threatened by that. Royce seems to get off on it, though. It’s probably why I love him.
I freeze for a second, processing the thought that just popped into my head. I love him.
“Then I want to be close to them, too,” he says, breaking through my internal shock.
“I’m different with them,” I admit. “It’s not like the ‘work me’ most people see.”
“Baby,” he sighs. God, I love it when he calls me that. I used to think guys calling their women that was annoying. Maybe I was secretly missing something, because when Royce says it, I melt into a puddle. “I’ve spent a week worshiping your body and feeding you. I know there are two sides to you. I love them both.”
“You love them both,” I repeat, only really catching one word.
He grabs me, pulling me onto his lap and positioning me so I’m straddling him. He takes my mouth in a deep kiss that has me worked up in seconds.
“Loved you from the moment I saw you,” he tells me. He runs his hand up to my hair, pulling my ponytail. “I felt it that first time you took my hand.”
I’d felt it, too, but it scared me. “You make a different part of me come out. With you, I feel like I don’t have to have any walls. I can just be me,” I admit, because it’s true.
“I’m like a fucking king because you’re that way with me.” He rubs the back of my neck before pulling me to him and taking my mouth again. This time I deepen it, wanting to fall into him.
I pull him closer, but suddenly the car door is flying open.
“Oh. My. Fucking. God,” I hear Penelope say.
“Royce, this is my sister,” I mutter, pulling back from the kiss and blushing because I got caught making out.
“He’s hot,” Penelope says. I hear Ivan growl and look over to see him moving her behind his big body and away from us. “Not hotter than you.” She rolls her eyes. “Get out of the car,” she says, before yelling, “Mom, Pan is making out in the car!”
Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. Royce chuckles as I climb off him and out of the car. The smile on Penelope’s face is giant. Ivan has his arms around her, cupping her belly like her baby might pop out at any moment and he might need to catch him.
“She’s mine,” Ivan says simply, his eyes boring into Royce. I know Royce can fight, but I’m not sure anyone wants to come up against Ivan when it comes to my sister.
Royce wraps one arm around me, pulling me into him. “And she’s mine,” he says simply.
They glare at one another, and Ivan nods to me. “And she’s my sister. Hurt her and I promise you it will be the last thing you do.”
It takes me a little by surprise, but his words make me smile. Ivan and I have become somewhat close over the years, with him being married to Penelope, but I didn’t think he’d say that.
“And this is my brother, Ivan,” I say, smiling.
“Hurting her is the last thing I’ll ever do,” Royce says, pulling me even closer to him. Ivan studies him for a moment before nodding.
“Look at them. He’s all cuddling her and she’s letting him!” Penelope says excitedly. She looks like she’s about to burst into a pile of sparkles.
“Pan,” Mom says. I turn to see her and Dad standing in the front door. Dad has his arms crossed over his chest and is giving Royce a death stare. Mom has a little smirk on her face. She and Penelope seem to be the only ones who are happy here.
“Hey,” I say, waving to them.
“You going to introduce us?” Dad says.
“This is Pan’s man,” Penelope says before I can get a word in. “She needs a ring and a baby,” she adds, and I feel myself blush. I give her a hard look, and she just shrugs.
Mom and Dad make their way out the front door. “Mom, Dad, this is Royce. We kinda work together,” I tell them.
“This is what had you in knots last week?” Mom asks. I feel myself redden even more. I had no idea I was a blusher, but leave it to my family to pull it out of me.
Royce reaches out, taking Dad’s hand. Dad holds it for a second before letting it go.
“I wasn’t in knots,” I say as Royce takes Mom’s hand next. Mom just smiles more, looking just like Penelope.
“Don’t let her lie to you,” Royce says before kissing the top of my head.
“I know my girl. And I know you,” Mom says as she lists off Royce’s life history. She even knows a bit more than I do.
“Mom,” I scold, but she shrugs.
Penelope keeps on smiling, and Dad stands there, seeming to know it all.
“We run one of the biggest security firms in the States. Do you think we don’t know who you’re dating?” Dad says.
Royce lets out a bark of laughter. “Well, I hope I meet your standards.”
“Not that it matters,” I add. “I’m keeping him.”
Dad studies me for a second before a smile finally pulls at his lips. While I was a little nervous to introduce them to Royce, I knew they would be happy. My parents are so in love and want the same for me. Dad has even been poking me about when I might bring someone around.
Royce squeezes my hand, and I smile at him. “Okay, guys, now that’s out of the way. We’re leaving,” I tell them.
I go around and give everyone a goodbye hug.
“You just got here,” Penelope says grumpily in my ear.
“He just told me he loves me,” I whisper back.
“Yep. They have to go,” Penelope says loudly, making me shake my head.
My mom and dad try to protest, but Penelope goes about pushing them back into the house.
Royce looks at me with confusion and holds his arms out, palms up.
“Get in the car,” I tell him, and he raises his eyebrows at me.
“You get in the car,” he says back, and I roll my eyes.
I go around to the other side and get in and wait for him to slide into the driver’s seat. Reaching over, he pulls on my seat belt for me and waits.
“Drive,” I grit out.
“What has you all pissy?” he asks as he slides his key in then backs out of the driveway.
“The man I love just told me he loves me, and I haven’t gotten to say it back.”
We’ve only traveled a few yards when the car comes to a sudden halt as he hits the brakes and throws it into park.
Before I know it, my seat belt is off, and Royce yanks me out of my seat and onto his lap.
“Say it.”
“You can’t demand it,” I tease.
“Baby…” His voice comes out rough and deep, with so much emotion in it. “Say it.”
“I love you,” I whisper for the first time to someone outside of my family.
He stares at me hard for half a second before his mouth hits mine. His tongue pushes in, and I kiss him back just as fiercely. I don’t know why I ever fought this. His hands tangle in my hair, and all I can think is that this love is what I’ve been waiting on my whole life.
“We’re getting married,” he tells me as his lips move to my neck.
“You’re bossy.”
Normally I would get mad, but something about the way he’s so assertive and sure of what he’s saying does it for me. I feel myself smile and close my eyes, loving the feeling of his lips on me.
His grip on my hair tightens, and my pussy clenches. God, what this beast of a man does to me.
“Say you’ll marry me,” he pushes, and I moan at the strong grip he has on me.
He’s tough, and it goes straight to my core. I’m not used to someone being so firm with me. I like it, and he smiles, knowing damn well I’m getting off on it.
“I’ll marry you,” I tell him, because it’s what I want. It might be crazy fast, but I don’t care. This man was made for me. “We could fly to Vegas tonight.”
He smiles and then leans forward, giving me a soft, sweet kiss. It’s the complete opposite of what we were just doing. Then he’s putting me back in my seat and going back into my parents’ driveway.
“What are you doing?” I ask, wondering what the hell is happening.
“I’m going to go ask your dad if I can marry you.”
He’s giving me that cocky grin with his deep dimples, and I melt. I once wanted to smack that look off his face, and now all I want to do is kiss it. He gets it. He understands what my family means to me.
“I love you,” I tell him again.
“I love you, too,” he says before getting out of the car and taking me with him.