Jewel Ann - Idle Bloom

“There’s my birthday girl.”

“Hi, Dad.” I give him a big hug as he walks in the back door. He’s the only other man in my life that makes me feel short. My dad is a towering six foot six with a shiny head that he’s shaved bare for the past ten years since he started going bald in his mid-thirties.

He releases me with his gaze falling over my shoulder. “And who is your friend?”

I step back and wrap my arm around Oliver’s back. “This is Oliver.”

Oliver offers his hand and my dad shakes it. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Graham.”

My dad, the gentle beast, smiles. “Call me Rod.”

Oliver nods.

“Rodney, Oliver is Vivvy’s boyfriend ,” my mom calls from the table where she’s setting the dishes for dinner.

“Boyfriend, huh? Well what does your boyfriend do?”

Oliver grins. “I work with my brother. He owns a handyman business. This time of year it’s mostly landscaping jobs. In the winter he does snow removal and home repair.”

“A man who’s not afraid to get a little dirt on his hands and apparently can take a punch.” My dad nods toward Oliver’s face. “I like you already. You’d never catch pretty boy down the street doing manual labor or getting in a fist fight.”

My dad has never been a huge Kai fan. His opinion has always been there’s something wrong with a boy whose best friend since kindergarten is a girl.

“For your information, Oliver has a law degree from Harvard.”

Oliver lifts his shoulders, giving my dad a guilty smile. “Don’t hold it against me.”

My dad chuckles as he walks past him and pats his shoulder. “I won’t. But it makes sense now. Vivvy likes guys in fancy suits.”

I shake my head and wrap both arms around Oliver’s waist. “Shows what you know, Dad. I happen to be quite attracted to guys in boots .”

Oliver wets his lips and I can see the lust in his eyes as I feel something firm against my belly.

“I should go bring in our stuff from the car.”

I grin knowing he needs to get out of the house before he embarrasses himself in front of my parents. “Need help.”

“Nope, I’ve got it.”

Oliver heads out to the car while I snag the mixer beaters from my mom. “So, what do you think of Oliver?” I swipe my tongue over the frosting.

“He’s handsome, that’s for sure.”

I giggle. “I know.”

“I wonder if he’s too old for you. How old is he?”

“He just turned thirty—not too old for me.”

“I’m only looking out for you, Vivvy. I know how important your career goals are to you and someone Oliver’s age is probably looking for a wife and children. Something a twenty-two-year-old girl in college should try to avoid.”

God, if she only knew. “Oliver’s not planning on marrying me, or having children, or ruining my career.”

“Well that’s not great either. Why are you wasting your time with a guy who’s not planning on marrying you?”

I laugh and shake my head. “Jeez, Mom. There’s no pleasing you today.”

“Your mom just wants the world for you.” My dad bends down and kisses me on the top of my head.

“Done. Just so you both know, I’ve never been happier than I am with Oliver.”

The back door opens. Oliver has bags slung over both shoulders and in both hands as well. I may have over packed.

“Here, let me help you with those.” My dad offers, taking the bags from Oliver’s hands.

The gift bag from Alex falls on the floor. There’s a buzzing noise that gets louder as a … Oh. My. God! A vibrator rolls onto the floor.

Let me die. Right here. Right now.

As soon as I recover from my crippled state of embarrassment, I bend down and shove it back in the bag with the tissue paper while fumbling with the switch.

I’m crimson. My mom’s eyes are huge and her hand is cupped over her gasping mouth. Oliver purses his lips to hide his naughty I-can’t-believe-you-brought-a-vibrator smile. And thankfully, my dad has a confused look on his face. I’m quite certain he has never seen a vibrator.

“Uh … here.” I take the bags from my dad. “We’ll just … um … take these upstairs.”

Ducking my head, I bolt from the kitchen.

I toss the bags on the daybed in my old bedroom that my mom’s converted to her sewing room. Oliver presses his body against my back, brushing my hair off to one side. Soft lips caress my neck.

“Am I failing to meet your needs ?”

I close my eyes and giggle. “I can’t believe Alex got me a vibrator for my birthday.”

“So it’s your first?”

“Yes … well … no.” I feel the red heat surface on my skin again.

He turns me toward him. “No?”

I shake my head, staring at my feet.

“Well we’ll have to check it out later.”

My head jerks up. “What? We ?”

Oliver grins. “Sure, why not?”

“Well—I-I … ugh! Don’t do this to me at my parents’ house.” I brush past him and grab my purse. “I’m going to be a pathetic horny mess by the time we get back home.”

“What?” He chuckles. “Did you just say horny ?”

“Yes, as in … you’re going to tease me all weekend with your dirty talk and sexy…” I wave my hand in the air “…ways.”

“Vivvy? Don’t forget the rules. No boys in your bedroom.”

“The door is open for heaven’s sake!” I yell down to her.

I send off a quick WTF-thank-you text to Alex as Oliver slides his hands around me squeezing my ass. “I’m going to feel like a teenager this weekend, sneaking around trying to avoid getting caught,” he whispers in my ear.

“Whoa, no. There will be no sneaking around—not now. After the vibrator incident, my mom will be on high-security alert. I wouldn’t be surprised if she decides to install hidden cameras around the house.”

Oliver laughs. “What is she going to do? Ground you?”

“She might.” I mock bite my nails with a frightened look on my face.

Oliver grabs me and gives me a dizzying kiss. My fingers claw into his back as all sense of control obliterates under his tempting touch.

“Vivvy? Kai is here.”

Splash!

There’s the cold water being dumped on us.

I rest my hand on Oliver’s chest. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being amicable with Kai tonight.”

He laughs. “Have you been talking to my mom?”

“Why?” I look up at him.

“Because you’re messing with my mind. Thanking me in advance so I subconsciously feel the need to live up to your expectations of me.”

A wink from me, a shake of his head. I love this man.

As much as I want Oliver here with me this weekend, I’m not looking forward to my birthday dinner with both of them. Of course my parents have no idea what’s gone on over the past few weeks, and I hope it stays that way.

“Can you get the door, Vivvy?” my mom calls from the kitchen as the doorbell rings.

“Sure.” I hand Rosenburg to Oliver. They’ve been bonding over the past few hours, but I haven’t worked up the nerve to ask him if he’d consider letting me bring him back to Cambridge. I wanted to take him with me when I originally left home, but a dog would be a red flag to Alex’s parents that I live there.

“Hey, Kai.”

“Please tell me you borrowed his car and he’s not actually—”

“Here? I am.” Oliver’s voice startles me. I turn. He’s standing behind me, holding Rosenburg.

“Oliver,” Kai says with a smug voice as he walks past us both toward the porch.

I take Rosenberg from Oliver. “You know how much I love you, right, babe?”

He gives me the stop-buttering-me-up smirk. “Yeah, I know.” He kisses me and I fist his shirt to make it last a little longer.