Ryan Hunter

that but scolded me for something I just couldn’t stop myself from doing. “Didn’t we agree on you using my first name from now on?”
    Innocently, I cocked one brow. “Did we?”
    “I think it was one of the conditions, yeah.”
    “Ah, conditions, conditions,” I growled through half a laugh and pulled her closer. “I should have made you swear never to wear anything other than that bikini top when you’re with me.”
    Liza leaned slightly back and gave me an evil look. “I doubt that’s a good idea. Especially, when we’re at your place. You had me sweating blood back there.”
    So I was right about the window. Brushing a strand of hair out of her face, I hooked it behind her ear. “Aw look, who’s still worried.”
    “That is your fault. You scared the crap out of me last time when your mom came in.”
    “I know. I felt your heart pounding like it would jump out your chest when I had you pinned to the floor behind the couch.” Pursing my lips, I angled my head, looking at her sideways. “Or could it be that you were just excited to be so close to me?” Which was my guess from the start.
    Liza stuck her sweet tongue out at me. “You’ll never find out.”
    Oh, I would find out, if it meant I had to tickle her sexy body until she could breathe no more. Later…
    With my arm around her warm shoulders, we walked along the beach, and I thought some more about her fear of someone walking in on us. Finally, I made a decision, one that was totally unusual for me. “I met your parents this morning. I think it’s time for you to meet mine,” I told her.
    Liza looked appalled. “What, now ?”
    Actually, why not? “There’s still plenty of time until the movie begins. And they should both be home right now. We could just pop in for a moment before meeting up with the others.”
    “But you didn’t even tell them about me yet.”
    “So what? You didn’t tell yours before you dragged me into your kitchen to say hello.” Holy crap, that was quite an experience. I’d never before been introduced as somebody’s boyfriend. But when I glimpsed her mother’s delighted face, I relaxed and realized I actually happened to like it quite a bit. Bethany Matthews had kept her promise and never told Liza we’d met that night three weeks ago. When she’d offered me a delicious smelling muffin, I winked at her, and she gave me a smile that made me feel totally welcome in her house.
    “But you’re always cool with everything,” Liza whined now. “I knew it wouldn’t trouble you.”
    “And meeting my parents would be a problem for you?” I didn’t understand her fear. Mom and Dad would love her. Rachel already did.
    “You haven’t even told me their names.”
    I didn’t see how that was important, so I chuckled. “Their names are Mom and Dad.”
    Liza rolled her eyes when her voice took on a sarcastic edge. “Amazing…that’s what I call my parents, too.”
    “Yeah, popular names.” I dropped my hand from her shoulder to hug her waist tighter against my hip. Her skin was smooth and warm everywhere and tempted me to stroke her in small circles with my fingertips. “But maybe it isn’t such a good idea to meet them now,” I added. “They’ll make us stay all evening, and we won’t be able to get to the cinema in time.”
    Instead, I pulled my phone out of my chest pocket.
    “Calling someone?” she wanted to know.
    I nodded and motioned with one finger on my lips for her to be silent for a moment while I waited for my mother to answer.
    “Hello?” She sounded breathless, like she had run through the house to get to the phone.
    “Mom? Hi.”
    “Ryan, what’s up?”
    “Just wanted to say we’re going to have a guest for dinner tomorrow.”
    “Oh. That’s nice.”
    At that announcement not only my mom sounded surprised, but also Liza’s chin dropped to her chest.
    Then my mother added in a teasing tone, “Could it actually be a girl?”
    “Yes, a friend.” I told her, struggling to sound nonchalant. But with everything Rachel had dragged out of me the other day and surely passed on to my mom, I wasn’t fooling anybody. Heck, why did I even try? “Oh, and could you please invite Rach and Phil, too?”
    Liza looked shocked at that news, definitely thinking about decapitating me for it later.
    But what really made me laugh then was Jezebel Hunter’s jumping at conclusions. “Rachel and Philip, too? Good lord, Ryan. You aren’t getting us all together to tell us I’m going