Page 53 of Resisting His Charm
“Fine, my ass,” I mutter under my breath. Pocketing my phone, I glance up to find my mom scrutinizing me with that look of hers. “What?” I ask her.
“You’re hiding something,” Mom says.
“I just want my girlfriend back,” I tell her, stepping forward and wrapping my arm around Poppy’s waist.
“Don’t be clingy, Sammie J,” Mom chastises as we approach my father in the dining room.
“Poppy, this is my father—Sammie.”
“Mr. Russo, it’s nice to meet you,” Poppy says in a quiet voice.
“You can call me Sammie. Welcome. And if he doesn’t stop clinging, let me know. I can always break his hands,” my dad tells Poppy.
She smiles. “I don’t know… I kind of like his hands,” she says and then slams her lips shut. Her face goes bright red. “Oh my god, I did not just say that.”
My parents laugh. “It’s fine. Don’t feel like you can’t say anything around us. We’re cool parents,” Mom tells her.
“Cool parents don’t have to say they’re cool, Mom. They just are.” Imogen finally shows up in the dining room.
“Thank god you’re here.” I drop my arm from Poppy to pull my sister in for a hug. I hold on to her a little longer than I normally would. My eyes scan up and down her body when I let her go. “You good?”
“I’m fine. Stop asking,” Imogen hisses under her breath. “I’m starving, Daddy. Thank god you ordered enough food to feed an entire village.” Imogen steps past me and walks over to our father.
“Well, I didn’t know what Poppy would eat. I did look up what beef your family’s ranch produces and ordered the chef to put some steaks on the table on the off chance that’s all you ate,” Dad says.
“Oh, I’ll eat just about anything. I’m really not picky,” Poppy tells him.
“Clearly. You’re dating Sammie J.” Imogen sticks out her tongue at me.
“Everyone’s a comedian all of a sudden.” I lead Poppy to the table and pull out a chair before plopping into the one next to her.
“This really looks amazing. Thank you for having me.” Poppy turns to my parents and smiles.
“Anytime. Eat up. After dinner, I’ve got Sammie’s baby albums ready to show you,” Mom says.
“No, you don’t,” I grunt.
“Yep. I saw it in a movie once and have always wanted to do it.” Mom shrugs.
“Have you never brought a girlfriend home before?” Poppy asks me.
“I’ve never really had a girlfriend,” I admit.
Chapter Twenty-Two
All through dinner, Sammie’s words have been repeating in my mind. What does he mean he’s never had a girlfriend? He’s way too good at sex to have never been with women before, but has he really never had a relationship? Why on earth would he want one now? With me?
“Okay, what the fuck is going on with you two?” Mr. Russo points between Sammie and Imogen.
I look at Sammie. He’s been hovering over his sister all night. At first, no one said anything, and then his mom started giving them both odd looks as if she was trying to solve a puzzle. I guess now Mr. Russo wants answers as well.
“Imogen?” Sammie turns to his sister.
“Don’t…” she hisses out.
“I’m not going to. You are,” Sammie tells her.
Shit, I really should not be here for this conversation. It’s going to devastate her parents when they find out.
