Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Wilder shook his head. “Having you settled into our home will let me concentrate during the competition.”
He’d used the whole needing to limit distractions argument when I’d balked at his phone call to the moving company a few minutes after I’d agreed. “You better win for me.”
He flashed me a cocky grin. “With you there to cheer me on, how could I lose?”
“Excellent point.” I’d been stunned when he’d asked me to come to Tahiti with him and relieved that there was another month until I had to be in Portugal. I’d seen him surf in competitions before, but watching him now would be a totally different experience. “I’ll be the best cheerleader ever.”
“It won’t take much, baby.” He wrapped his arms around me. “Just knowing that you’re on the beach because you love me will be more than enough.”
My heart melted as the movers said their goodbyes. A few minutes after they left, the doorbell rang. “That must be our lunch.”
“You’re not going to cook for me on our first day living together?” I teased, tilting my head back and puffing my bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout.
“Only because I know how much you love those fish tacos from that one food truck.” His lips curved into a sexy grin. “And I figured I should conserve my energy for later.”
“Oh, do you have big plans beyond unpacking?” I asked as he walked toward the front door.
“Hell yeah, I do.”
Whatever else he’d been planning to say was forgotten when he swung open the door and found his parents standing there instead of the person delivering our tacos. “Mom, Dad…what are you doing here?”
“We thought we’d pop in for a quick visit before you leave for your next event,” his mom explained as she pushed past him, clapping her hands when she spotted me. “And we were hoping we’d get the chance to meet Chloe.”
“That’s actually the only reason we’re here,” his dad huffed, shaking his head. “Your mother saw the two of you on the news, and the next thing I knew, she was packing a bag so we could drive down.”
“Of course, I did. After seeing how my baby boy looked at you, I just had to come.” She pressed a hand over her heart. “And that kiss. So romantic. I didn’t know Wilder had it in him.”
His dad elbowed Wilder in the side. “He must take after his dad.”
“I’m Winifred, but everyone calls me Winnie.” Walking over to me, she shot her son a mischievous look over her shoulder. “But you’re more than welcome to call me Mom if you’d like.”
I wasn’t sure how my mom would feel about that, so I just mumbled, “Thank you.”
“You’re coming on a little strong, dear. Don’t scare the girl off,” her husband warned as he came over and gave me a quick hug. “I’m Archie, Wilder’s dad.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“You couldn’t have called to let me know you were coming?” Wilder asked, slamming the door shut before joining us and pulling me against his side with his arm around my back. “It had to have taken you at least six hours to drive down here, which was plenty of time to give me a heads-up.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Winnie pouted.
Archie heaved a deep sigh. “You know how your mother gets when she has a bee in her bonnet.”
The doorbell rang again, and Wilder headed back to the door. “If you had called or texted, I would’ve ordered tacos for you guys, too.”
After he got the bag of food from the delivery person, Archie waved off his concern. “Don’t worry about us. We stopped for lunch at In-N-Out a couple of hours ago. After a double double and animal fries, we won’t be hungry again for a while.”
“But I’ll get some plates out for you two,” Winnie said as she headed toward the kitchen with her husband trailing her.
“Be nice,” I muttered, narrowing my eyes in warning at Wilder when he groaned. “At least your parents are being more welcoming of me than my dad was of you when you first met.”
“Give her five minutes, and you’re probably going to wish she was a whole lot less welcoming,” he warned.
I thought Wilder was exaggerating, but Winnie proved him right shortly after I finished my first taco.
“Please tell me that you’re going to take a page from your brother-in-law’s book and lock this one down soon.”
“Mom, seriously?” Wilder pinched the bridge of his nose between his index fingers.
“What?” She widened her eyes and pasted an innocent expression on her face. “I’m just saying that Chloe is a lovely girl, so you should make sure she knows that you want more from her than just living together. Otherwise, she might not think you’re serious about your relationship.”
Wilder threaded his fingers through mine and squeezed my hand. “Chloe knows exactly how serious I am about her.”