seconds flat, his hand sliding over her black T-shirt and over the black denim of her jeans to mold her closer. “Kim—”
Her hand pressed against his chest. “This isn’t—”
“It is,” he said. He laced his fingers in her hair. “We are. The other night when we—”
Her eyes went wide, and she pressed on his chest. “Blake, wait. This isn’t a good idea. My—”
He kissed her, his lips slanting over hers, his tongue delving deep into her mouth, his tongue stroking hers with velvet-smooth demand. She was stiff at first, unyielding, but then she moaned and melted. God, how he loved when she melted, how he loved knowing she didn’t do it easily, but she did it for him. He was in trouble with this woman.
“Oh, my!” came a female voice from the office behind the desk. “Oh…my.”
Kim shoved away from Blake, her cheeks flushed. “Mom…I’m sorry, we, uh…”
Blake glanced at the petite woman in the doorway—her red hair and ivory skin, a dead giveaway. This was, indeed, Kim’s mom.
“Oh, my, indeed,” came a male voice, followed by a chuckle as a gray-haired man in slacks and a button-down shirt appeared. “This is the most excitement we’ve had in a while. Why don’t you introduce us to your friend, Kim.”
Kim cast Blake an “I warned you” look. “Blake,” she said. “These are my parents, Carol and Jack Baker, who surprised me today with a visit. They’re here for a week, before they return to Europe.” She motioned to Blake. “Mom, Dad, this is Blake Morgan.”
“Who’s just proceeded to make a complete ass of himself,” Blake conceded, always finding the elephant in the room better addressed than ignored. “Please accept my apology. I’d love to buy you all dinner to make it up to you.” The invitation rolled off his tongue with ease, when he’d promised himself this thing with Kim was just about conquest and sex. But it wasn’t—he’d known that with complete certainty the minute he’d seen her standing at the counter tonight, all doubts erased.
“Blake,” Kim said quickly, as if to object to the dinner invitation. “You don’t have to—”
“But he wants to,” Jack said, cutting off anything further she might have said, charging over to Blake and extending his hand. “We Bakers roll with the punches, and we never turn down a dinner invitation. Isn’t that right, ladies?”
“Of course it is,” Mary said, appearing in front of Blake, as well, and offering her hand, which Blake shook. “Nice to meet you, Blake. And yes, we will take you up on dinner with one understanding.”
Kim moaned and pressed her face in her hands. “Mom, please, whatever you’re about to say—don’t.”
Blake barely contained a smile, finding Kim adorably irresistible in her embarrassment. And Blake liked her parents, too—their directness, and the warmth they exuded. He arched a brow at Mary. “What understanding would that be?”
She crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave him a measuring look. “We get to drill you for information. We want to know everything about the man who is so close to our daughter that he feels he can kiss her silly right here in the middle of the store.”
This time he outright laughed, and decided that Kim didn’t get her docile demeanor from her mother. “You absolutely can drill me all you like.” But he certainly wouldn’t be telling her everything.
Jack rubbed his hands together. “Great. Now…where can we get a really good burger downtown?”
“Roy’s,” Blake said instantly. “It’s a new place that opened a few months ago, and it’s within walking distance. They make a killer burger and fries you don’t want to miss.”
“Roy’s it is,” Jack said.
Kim delicately cleared her throat. “I need to speak to Blake a moment, please.”
“Go ahead,” Mary said, though she and Jack made no move to leave.
Kim pursed her lips. “Alone.”
Mary waved off the idea. “We’ll walk behind you two lovebirds on