Page 36 of Suddenly Beck

‘Mum’s place.’ He turns in his seat to look at me.

‘Oh, okay.’ I frown as I study the little lemon coloured house with white window trims. ‘I guess I’ll just walk back if you point me in the right direction.’

‘Sorry, no can do,’ he says with a smile. ‘It’s Sunday.’

‘I am aware.’ My eyes narrow.

‘You know what that means.’

‘That… its… Monday tomorrow?’ I answer slowly.

‘Yes,’ he chuckles. ‘But it also means Sunday dinner and you’re invited.’

‘What?’ I can feel the panic suddenly rising in my chest. ‘What? No.’ I shake my head. ‘It’s… that’s your family’s time. I’ll just be in the way.’

‘Nat.’ He tilts his head and studies me as if a thought has just occurred to him. ‘Have you ever had a family Sunday dinner before?’

‘We didn’t… that’s not.’ I shake my head.

‘Nat.’ He reaches out, and I feel his hand in mine, his thumb brushing lightly over my wrist soothingly. ‘Come home with me for dinner. Mum wants you here. She’s taken a real shine to you, and everyone else is curious to meet you.’

‘I don’t…’ I stare at the house uncertainly.

‘Please?’ He smiles slowly.

‘Stop it,’ I grumble.

‘Stop what?’

‘Flinging those dimples at me like Chinese throwing knives, they’re bloody lethal.’ I scowl.

‘Nat,’ he laughs softly. ‘Mum really isn’t taking no as an answer, but I promise that if it gets too hectic for you, I’ll take you back to the B&B.’

‘Hectic?’ I reply. ‘How many people are there going to be?’

‘It’s hard to say.’ Beck shrugs.

I sigh loudly. ‘Fine.’

‘There’s one thing though,’ Beck adds, and my heart kicks up a notch when I notice he still hasn’t pulled his hand from mine.

‘What?’

‘Would you mind not mentioning the whole gallery thing,’ he says quietly. ‘It’s just that I haven’t told anyone yet.’

‘Why did you tell me?’

‘I don’t know,’ he murmurs, his eyes locked on mine. ‘I guess I thought you might get it.’

‘I do,’ I answer, my voice barely a whisper. ‘I do understand.’

His gaze dips to my lips as he raises his other hand to my face, the soft pads of his fingers rasping along the dark stubble of my jaw line, leaving my skin tingling in their wake. I hold my breath, my heart pounding as those beautiful fingers graze my bottom lip.

‘Nat,’ he mutters, transfixed by my mouth.

‘Hey, fuckface! You coming in for dinner or what?’ a loud voice shouts through Beck’s open driver’s window.

‘Fuck,’ Beck growls in annoyance as he lets go of my face and throws himself back in his seat, turning to gaze at the wildly grinning face by the window.