The Game by Vi Keeland by Vi Keeland

“I’m not sure. I’ve never worn it before. Should I change?”

“Nah. We’ll just take it off.”

“Take it off?”

“When I try to fuck you in the car, and the plane, and probably the bathroom of the restaurant where the party is. You can’t look like that and expect me to keep my hands off of you for too long.”

She smiled. “I guess you like the dress?”

“I like the woman in it in anything. But you look amazing. Are you leaving the glasses on?”

“I was going to. You said you liked them.”

“I do.” I looked her up and down and shook my head. “You are most definitely getting fucked before we get there...”





CHAPTER 18




* * *



BELLA



“There’s my mom and my brother Tyler.” Christian started walking, but I didn’t. We’d arrived at the restaurant twenty minutes ago, though it had taken us that long to get inside since everyone had swarmed Christian to say hello. When he felt the resistance at our joined hands, he turned back. “What’s the matter?”

“Your mom is here?”

His forehead wrinkled. “Yeah. Why?”

“I…I guess I just didn’t think about your parents being here.”

“It’s only my mother. My father wouldn’t come to a thing like this.”

“But your mother is here.”

“Is it a problem?”

“No, except that I’m going to meet your mother.”

Christian’s lip twitched. “Yeah, that’s usually how it works. Two people are in the same room, sometimes they meet.”

“That’s not funny, Christian.”

“Considering that most of the color seems to be gone from your face, I take it meeting my mother makes you nervous?”

“I’ve never met anyone’s mother, Christian.”

“Like ever? You’ve only ever met young people?”

I narrowed my eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Christian stepped back toward me and rubbed my shoulders. “Alright, talk to me. What makes you nervous about meeting her?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. Everything?”

“Do you think you could be a little more specific?”

“Well, what if she doesn’t like me?”

“Stop overthinking it. She’s going to love you.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I like you. And my mother wants me to be happy. Plus, I’ve never introduced her to a woman I was dating before, so she’s going to be excited to meet you.”

My eyes bulged. “Do you think you’re making me feel better by telling me you’ve never introduced anyone to her before? That’s even more pressure. What if she says hello, and I dive into a diatribe about the advances in cryptography algorithms?”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because you know how I get when I’m nervous.”

Christian grinned. “Yeah, I do. You’re adorable.”

“Christian…” I glanced over his shoulder and saw his mom walking toward us with a big smile. “Oh my God. She’s coming...”

Christian turned, and his mother held her arms out. “There you are!” She hugged her son for a long time, then looked at me. “You must be Bella?”

I glanced at Christian, and he read the confusion on my face. “I texted her while you were getting ready to let her know I was bringing someone.”

I gave him a sugary smile that did not match the evil eye I also gave him. “Oh. I’m glad she knew.” I held my hand out to his mom. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Knox.”

She opened her arms and brought me in for a hug. “It’s Priscilla, please. I’m so excited you’re here. Christian usually keeps his personal life so quiet. Do you do that? I feel like girls probably share more with their moms.”

Since I probably looked like a deer in the headlights, Christian intervened. He put his arm around his mother’s shoulder and lifted his chin to the man standing next to her. “Before Mom smothers Bella, let me introduce her to Officer Knox.”

Christian’s brother had a warm smile as he extended his hand. “Tyler. Nice to meet you, Bella.”

“So, Mom, what’s the deal with the proposal? Is it going to be before dinner or after?”

She shook her head. “I’m not sure. Why?”

Christian looked at his watch. “Because it’s almost six now here, but it’s already almost eight back in New York, and I have practice in the morning.”

His mother frowned. “Can’t you skip that just once?”

He looked over at me. “I would, but the new owner’s a tyrant.”

Priscilla’s frown deepened, but then she caught the joke. “Oh.” She laughed. “I forgot you said Bella was the new owner. But doesn’t that mean she can give you permission to stay a little longer and miss one practice?”

“That’s more of the coach’s decision, Mom. But I need to be at practice. I’ve missed too much being out with my knee already.”

A woman in a white shirt, black slacks, and a black vest walked over. “Mrs. Knox, a guest has arrived who is on the guest list, but we can’t find a seating card for him. Would you help us figure out where we should put him?”