“Well, there’s not much to tell. You know I have a sister, Rae. We’re very close. My parents are just average, I guess. My mother was a stay-at-home mom. My dad is a corporate lawyer. He wanted me to work for him, but I wanted to be on my own.” She shrugged. “I had a normal childhood. I wanted to marry a cowboy when I was a little girl.” She grinned at him. “I guess you’re as far from a cowboy as I could get.”
Conor laughed. “I’ll buy you a horse, if you like. We can keep it at Morgan Creek. Lots of open country and trails in the mountains. Shoot, I’ll put on a Stetson and boots and buy you a ranch if you want one.”
She grinned at him. “Can you afford that? Really?”
He nodded. “Really.”
“A vampire cowboy,” she murmured. “I’d like to see that.”
Conor was whistling when he left Bryn’s house an hour later. For the first time, he felt he might win her heart.
~ * ~
Bryn smiled as she got ready for her date with Conor. They had spent almost every evening of the last few weeks together. The more time she spent with him, the more she was sure she loved him. He was kind. He was funny. He listened to her thoughts, her hopes and dreams and promised to make them all come true. From any other man, she would have doubted his ability to do so. But Conor wasn’t like any other man.
He treated her with kindness and respect. Somewhat apprehensively, she decided it was time for him to meet herparents, although she wasn’t sure how that would work. Dinner was definitely not an option. When she saw Conor tonight, she would ask him about going to meet her mom and dad. Thinking about her own parents made her wonder what Conor’s mother was like. Bryn was anxious to meet her.
~ * ~
They went dancing that night, and then for a walk under the stars. As it turned out, it took her most of the evening to summon the courage to suggest he should meet her parents. And it wasn’t until they were back at her apartment that she brought it up.
Conor blew out a sigh. He knew her parents wouldn’t be able to tell he was a vampire, at least he didn’t think so. Most people weren’t able to sense the otherness that surrounded him.
“Well?” Bryn prodded. “Just say no if you’d rather not.”
“I guess it’s a good idea,” he decided, thinking it might be good for Bryn to see that he could relate just fine to her mom and dad.
“How about tomorrow night?”
“Sure. Where do they live?”
“About thirty miles from here.” She smiled at him. “After you meet my folks, I’d like to meet your mother. Maybe we could do both the same night.”
That took him by surprise, but he could hardly refuse. “Sure.” Drawing her into his arms, he kissed her lightly “I love you, Brynlee. You’re the best thing in my life.”
Her heart warmed at his words. “I love you, too. More than I thought I could love anyone.”
Drawing her body against his, he kissed her again, longer, deeper, with all the yearning in his heart. “Sweet dreams, love.”
“Do you dream?”
“No. But if I did, they’d be of you.”
She grinned at him. “You say the nicest things. No wonder I love you.” Rising up on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek. “See you tomorrow night.”
Conor waited until she was inside. Then, with a shake of his head, he willed himself to Morgan Creek to tell his mother they’d be coming by for visit in a day or two.
~ * ~
Bryn was a nervous wreck all the next day. She must have been out of her mind, wanting to introduce Conor, a vampire, to her traditional, stay-at-home mother and her business-minded father, neither of whom had ever entertained a paranormal thought in their lives. Hopefully, Conor wouldn’t say or do anything other-worldly.
She dressed conservatively – a brown skirt, a beige sweater, a gold necklace that had belonged to her grandmother. She wore her hair down, but pulled back by a pair of gold combs, also from her grandmother.
She was as jumpy as a cat when she heard his knock at the door. Her eyes went wide when she saw him. He’d never looked more handsome. Clad in a black jacket over a white shirt open at the throat, black slacks and boots, he looked like a million dollars.
“Do I look okay to meet the folks?” he asked with a wry smile.
“You look better than okay.” She shook her head. He’d always been gorgeous but tonight...wow!