The Hookup

Sixty eight

"I'm nervous," I say as I slide my hands down the front of my skinny back jeans while looking in the mirror. I'm putting the final touches on my "hope it doesn't look like I'm trying to hard because I really really want you all to like me," look before we all have dinner downstairs.

"Don't be nervous. They'll love you," Hero grins cheekily at me through our reflections in the mirror as he comes to stand beside me. Dressed in dark wash jeans that make his legs look somehow longer yet and a black hoodie that makes his green eyes pop even more. If it weren't for the possibility that his family could barge in at any given moment, I'd recreate  the time we'd spent on the plane ride here.

"I like that top. Looks nice on you," Hero makes a point to stare directly at my chest. The cream colored cashmere dipping lower than probably necessary, giving a hint of cleavage. A sweater he also purchased along with everything else I've seen in my suitcase thus far.

"You just bought it because it was low cut," I raise en eyebrow. "Admit it."

"Admit that I love looking at your tits? Even when they're almost fully covered? Fine, you caught me."

I swat at his hand as it snakes towards my ass. He gives me a little punch before chuckling. Our banter making me relax.. only slightly.

I roll my eyes as he licks his lips while eyeing me from head to toe.

"Stop it," I try to slide past him. To create some much needed space.

"Stop what?" He's hot on my heels.

"Looking at me like.. that." I wave my hand as I sit on the edge of the bed and begin to put on my shoes.

"Like what?" Hero's voice is full of mischief. What else did I expect.

"Like you'd rather eat me than the dinner your family has prepared."

But that does sound glorious.

I can't look at him as the words leave my mouth. But by his low groan and heavy sigh, I think he can imagine it too.

"And why would you want me to ever stop doing that.." he says quietly as he leans down and places his hands on either side of where I sit. Caging me in from above as he looks down on me. His face so close I can smell a hint of toothpaste from earlier.

"Because," I turn my shoulder to grab my purse from the middle of the bed. Acting like I'm searching for something. Anything to keep from making eye contact with him. We all know how that ends.

"Because why," he whispers against my neck, his nose running the length of it as goosebumps breakout over my skin. My hot, flushed skin that is blushing harder by the moment. "You can tell me.."

I take a few steadying breaths before working up the nerve. The old Josephine would have never been this straight forward with someone of the opposite sex. Never spoke her mind like her life depended on it. But, from the moment I meant Hero, I had this overwhelming sense of confidence. The ability to speak without thinking too much. Partly because he did the same to me. The other because I loved to watch his reaction as much as he loved to watch mine.

"It makes me want to say forget dinner and do.. other things," I quietly say. My eyes closing as Hero's lips land on the skin of my neck. His perch never leaving from in front of me as he stands and I still sit.

"Tell me about these other things," his breath makes me shiver as it hits the shell of my ear. It would be so easy to pull him down onto this bed.

"They're not appropriate."

"Why's That?"

"Not under the same roof as your family. In your childhood bedroom." My words come out as a breath. My stomach clenching at the feel of his teeth as he gently tugs on my earlobe.

I feel him smile against my skin. "But appropriate for an aircraft said family frequently uses."

"That was different."

"How so?"

I'm losing what little strength I have here.

"Your parents couldn't hear us just down the hall."

"No.." Hero slows his assault on the side of my neck and drags his face back in front of mine. His pupils blown and his eyelids hooded as he pins me with a look. One made complete with a sly little grin. "Just the pilot and stewardess. I have a feeling they heard their fair share."

As if my cheeks couldn't burn anymore. My look of terror seems to only amuse him even more.

"Here's what's going to happen," Hero's eyes go from mine down my face to my lips, lingering far longer than necessary before he eyes me again. "We are going to go downstairs. You're going to meet my family. We'll engage in conversation. My mother will gush over what I lovely little girlfriend I've seemed to find myself back in the states."

I can't speak. I just sit. My eyes wide as I listen to him give me a play by play of our night ahead.

"We're going to drink, eat, have a grand old time of it, yeah? And after we've excused ourselves and said our goodnights, I'm going to take you for a tour around the property because I'm a gentleman like that. We'll find the most secluded area on this land and then we're going to figure out a way to deal with the tortuously inconvenient hard on you decided to give me before dinner tonight," he says slowly and calculated as I watch him lick his lips. Lips I want on every square inch of my body, no matter where we are. "Do we have a deal?"

Hero keeps me pinned. His eyes bouncing back and forth on my face as I try to level out my racing heart.

After a few seconds, I swallow and nod my head ever so slightly. Looking up at him I hold my own. "We have a deal."

"Good," he smiles and returns to his normal height. Making a show at rearranging himself before me. All I can do is smirk. "Now let's get this night started. Shall we?"