We say goodbye and hang up. I turn back to Becca. “Millie loves the idea.”
Becca claps her hands and grins wide. “Yay!”
“She also wants to invite you to her Thunder From Down Under baby shower.”
“Really?” Becca’s eyes go wide before a shy smile pulls at her lips. “I mean, I don’t want to impose.”
“You’re not imposing. She wants you to come.” I wrap my arms around her. “I want you to come too. If you want to. And if the idea of watching a bunch of dudes strip off their clothes for the most outrageous baby shower ever doesn’t turn you off completely.”
She chuckles. “No, I’m definitely into it. It’s just…Your family will be at Sweet Cheeks for your cousin’s shower, right?”
I try to decipher the uncertain look in her eyes. “Yeah, my brother, all my cousins, and aunts and uncles will be.”
“I’ll be meeting them. And well, I guess I’m not sure how you want to…or if you want to…”
She closes her eyes and shakes her head. She frowns up at me. “Sorry, I’m not making a whole lot of sense.”
I kiss the wrinkle between her eyebrows. It disappears instantly. She smiles up at me.
“Are you nervous about meeting my family?” I ask.
“It’s not just that. It’s…” She hesitates for a second. “I love where you and I are at right now, just, um, enjoying ourselves, no pressure and all that. And I know I said I wasn’t ready for anything serious…but meeting family is kind of a serious thing to do…”
Dread pools in my stomach. Becca is getting cold feet about us at the thought of meeting my entire family. Damn it, why didn’t I think of this?
I try to smile at her, but I can feel the tension in my face. “I can just tell them we’re friends, Becca. It’s no big deal.”
“Oh. Okay.”
That wrinkle in her brow is back.
“What’s the matter?”
She looks at me, her gaze steady, almost like she’s gearing up to tell me something important. “I thought that’s what I wanted, to just be friends. But the moment you said it, it didn’t feel right.”
My stomach twists. I’m not sure where this is going. “What feels right to you?”
She opens her mouth, then quickly closes it. She flashes a tight smile. “Never mind. I don’t know what I’m babbling about. I’m not making much sense.”
She starts to turn away, but I catch her hand in mine. “Hey,” I say softly. “Talk to me.”
When she doesn’t say anything right away, I gently squeeze her hand. “Becca, you can tell me anything. I mean it. Whatever’s on your mind, I want to hear it. I promise I won’t get upset.”
She hesitates before taking a breath. “This is probably going to sound insane given that we’ve only known each other not even two months. I know we went into this with no expectations, but I really like you, Gage. And I…I want to be more than friends with you.”
I grin wide. “I feel the same way. And I want that too.”
Becca lets out a breath and flashes a relieved smile. “Really?”
I cup her face in my hands. “Really.”
“So, um, how do you want to introduce me to your family?”
“As my girlfriend.” I don’t even blink when I say it. Yeah, things are moving quickly between us, but I don’t care. I’ve never been the kind of person who worries about doing things too quickly or too late when it comes to dating and relationships. If something feels right, I go with it. And being with Becca and calling her my girlfriend feels right.
Her eyes light up as she slinks her arms around my neck. “I love the sound of that.”
She leads me in a kiss that leaves me dizzy. When she pulls away and kisses down my bare chest, I have to grip both hands on the edge of the counter to keep upright. My skin is on fire as she works her mouth lower and lower.
