He paused, really thinking about what she’d said and realizing the huge missteps he’d taken. “I don’t know how to do this right. I’m feeling my way along. I should have told you earlier on and most definitely that night you met her. I really am going to have to buy out the entire Godiva store to make up for my fuckups today, huh? Maybe some paint or a trip to Vancouver for the weekend where I’ll keep you pleasured until you forgive me. Yes, the latter. I vote for that.”

She sighed and tiptoed up to kiss him. “Caramels. Try Fran’s. I like that better than Godiva, though if you go that way, nuts and chews, please.” She opened her door and gave him a look over her shoulder. “And yes to Vancouver.”

Hot damn. Weekend-in-a-luxury-hotel sex was something he’d been wanting with PJ for some time.

He put a hand at her elbow as they went down the steps. He hefted her overnight bag, not caring that it was heavy. Just pleased it meant she’d be in his bed that night.

After he finished an epic grovel. He knew that was necessary too. He’d hurt her trust in him. That was a problem he needed to fix.

He hit the remote and popped the trunk and PJ came to a stop. “One of those few other cars?”

He put her bag in the trunk of the BMW 7 Series crouched at the curb. “It is indeed.” He loved the car. Smooth and powerful, he loved to road trip in it. He bet PJ was really fun on a road trip.

It also was safe, and if he couldn’t surround her in all that steel of Motor City’s glory days like the Caddy, he’d happily surround her in the finest German engineering.

Plus, it was an impressive fucking car. He knew enough about PJ to understand that the kind of guy she brought home to her family before didn’t have a pierced cock. They’d be suspicious of him from go. So he’d keep in his piercing in his nose, but he wore nice clothes, drove an awesome car, and he cared about PJ.

If that didn’t matter to them, they didn’t care about PJ very much. So he hoped they’d all get along for her sake if for no other reason.

He followed her directions and then settled back into the seat and drove, just enjoying the time with her.

“This car is so quiet. It’s like you can’t tell an engine is running but for that purr beneath your feet.”

“After driving the Caddy it’s an adjustment, but she’s so smooth, it’s like really good scotch. And way easier to fit into a parking spot at a restaurant.”

“Ha. And yet you do it. You parallel park in a car that’s half a block long. It’s your superpower. Well” – her voice changed, going low – “you have a few other superpowers, but that’s one you can do in public.”

He wanted to ask if she was all right, but it was clear she was a little tense and he figured asking would only make it worse. He let her lead with how much she wanted to talk.

She seemed in good enough humor and hopefully in a forgiving mood as they parked, and he sent out a prayer that her family wouldn’t upset her. And that he’d be a good guy and not make anything worse.

It was a warm night with a light breeze; the sun wouldn’t go down until after nine, but it was one of those Seattle summer nights when it was twilight for hours.

He put an arm around her, pulling her close as they walked across the street together and headed into the restaurant.

Once inside, they were led to a table where her entire family waited. She and Asa weren’t late. She’d gotten them there fifteen minutes early, even with the thing she and Asa had had at her place.

She should have known they would have been there twenty minutes early just to make her feel bad even when she hadn’t done anything wrong.

Julie grinned up at them, standing and heading over to hug her and smile at Asa. She held them in place, speaking quietly. “You’re early. Shawn and I bet Jay fifty bucks. He said you’d be ten minutes early. I said fifteen, so I win. Shawn said twenty.”

“How early were you?”

“I got here three minutes ago. Shawn and Jay only just put napkins on their laps when you two walked in, so don’t let them make you think they were here yesterday at dawn or something.”

PJ cringed inwardly. This weird family stuff must seem so strange to Asa. It was pretty embarrassing when she thought about how it must look from the outside. Then again, he’d totally kept an entire marriage from her and she was still annoyed.

Just because she was mad didn’t mean she wanted her family to make him feel bad. She hooked her hand at his arm and they went the rest of the way to the table, where her brothers stood and, after a poke from their mother, her father did as well.

Asa sent out so much charm PJ had to school her features. She gripped his arm a little tighter to keep from stroking his beard or kissing his neck. The man was lethal.

His hair had been drawn away from his face, exposing all that feral, masculine beauty. He wore a dark shirt with a tie that brought out the amber in his brown eyes. He was dressed appropriately for a meet-the-parents dinner. He cleaned up really well, while still being himself.

She introduced him to the siblings he hadn’t met yet before they turned to her parents. “This is my mother, Lenore Colman, and my father, Howard Colman. Mom, Dad, this is Asa Barrons.”

There was handshaking, though her father was cooler than usual; whether it was about Asa or the situation already existing with PJ leaving the company, she didn’t know. And cared about less as each day passed.

“I think we should get a few bottles of wine for the table,” Julie said as their server came over with bread once they’d all sat.

“I’ll have a scotch and soda,” her father said before Julie had finished her order.

PJ was sorry she hadn’t taken Asa up on his offer to get a drink before they showed up because before they were finished with appetizers her father had consumed his fourth scotch.

As it was, she kept herself to one glass of wine because she didn’t know what he might do. Which was disturbing as well as annoying and embarrassing.

Asa, though, kept it together. He asked Lenore about what she did, her hobbies and activities.

“We keep telling her she should run a party planning business.” PJ smiled at her mother. “When you’re invited over to Lenore’s for a meal you always say yes, because it’s going to be really good and she gives presents.”

Julie laughed, putting her head on their mother’s shoulder. “She does. When PJ and I had dinner with her recently she gave us each a silver frame with a picture of our grandmother in it.”

“I was just asking PJ about that photograph a few days ago.”

Of course, he’d been in her bed at the time and saw it on her dresser, but no one needed to hear that detail.

Her mother blushed as they kept talking about what everyone had been up to.

Finally, the most exasperated Lenore had ever been in public toward their father, she said, “Howard, you’re awfully quiet tonight. I was just telling Penelope how much we’ve been admiring her work. From the pictures and articles Shawn sent over last week, remember?”

Her father grunted but said nothing. Asa’s body language radiated anger though he kept a civil tongue and continued to talk with her siblings.

“Penelope tells me you’re gifted with machines.” Lenore shifted, her body language seemingly relaxed, though they all watched Howard somewhat warily as he ordered another drink.

“Excuse me a moment.” Jay got up, dropping his napkin on his seat before walking off.

PJ never found it hard to talk about Asa’s work. He never bragged on himself, so she had no problem doing it with her family. “He’s pretty amazing. Sometimes these cars come in and they’re a total mess. Half the original parts are totally destroyed because it was stored in a barn for sixty years or whatever. And then he shapes the metal and their shop machines new parts and when they’re done it’s totally art.”