A Mate for Lance (The Program Book 5) (22 page)

She felt her cheeks heat. “You’ll never let me live that down, will you?”

He shook his head. “No. We have a lot to make up for. I have a lot to make up for. I’m a bastard remember?” Then he kissed her hard and nothing else mattered. Not even a tiny little bit.

Try not to think about it.

Focus on something else.

“I still can’t believe that Kai disappeared for days without telling anyone where he was going or what he was doing,” Amber said.

Lance gave her a look. “He was with a human female, breaking every rule in the book. Of course he didn’t tell anyone.”

“It’s not right.” She gave Lance a sideways glance. “Brynn said that Kai acted completely out of character. He also mentioned that Kai is still acting strangely, like he’s pining for this woman he was with, or something.”

“If I didn’t know better I would say that you were jealous.”

“I’m not and if I didn’t know better I would say that you’re also jealous…are you?”

“Not a fuck.” He gave a frustrated noise at the back of his throat. “Kai is a young buck.”

“He’s also really tall, really stacked and exceptionally good looking.” It was all true but she wasn’t interested in the guy.

Lance shrugged. “He isn’t me, so he isn’t good enough for you.” He actually puffed out his chest and flexed his muscles.

Amber had to laugh. The sound died on her lips as she realized where they were. Namely, half way up the drive to her house. The one her parents lived in. The one she had grown up in.

Lance must have felt her hesitation because he put his hand to her back and nudged her forward.

Amber tried to turn but he hooked his arm around her waist. “I’m not ready for this,” she squeaked as she buried her face in his chest. “Please don’t make me.”

“You are a strong female. You’ve got this.” He rubbed a hand down her back. “
We’ve
got this.”

“That’s kind of the problem.” She pulled back and winced when she caught the hurt that flashed in his eyes.

“Are you ashamed of me? I thought that…”

Amber thread her hands around his neck. “I love you but my parents can be so difficult. They still see me as their little girl. My mother can be a complete bitch when it comes to guys I’m dating. Not that I’ve dated many guys but still…she gets weird.”

She released Lance and scrubbed a hand over her face. “You might change your mind about me. You might decide it’s too much effort.”

“Never going to fucking happen. Your parents will love me.” He winked at her.

Amber huffed out a breath. “Of course they will,” she mumbled. “Arrogant much?” She had to laugh as they continued their trek up to her house.

“Just stating facts.” His beautiful eyes twinkled with mischief.

“To be fair, you can be an asshole.”

He pulled her closer. “I promise to be on my best behavior.”

“I feel sorry for Kai.” She wasn’t ready to knock on the door. “I don’t think it was fair of the kings to do the things they did. I think his punishment was a bit severe.”

“If he can’t keep his dick in his pants, then he deserves everything he gets.”

“That’s rich coming from you…manwhore.”

Lance narrowed his eyes. He hated it when she called him that. There were still vampire women who knocked on their door. Even now that she had moved in. Maybe once they were mated…her stomach rolled when she realized where they were.

“I’m still a manwhore…but only where you’re concerned.” He made a growling sound and pulled her up against him. Something hard nudged against her stomach.

Her eyes widened. “Lance…you’re not getting horny at a time like this…are you?” He was. She was being silly even asking the question. She could feel that he was. Most guys would feel nervous at the thought of meeting the parents. Not Lance.

He chuckled. “I’m always horny when I’m near you. I hope you’re going to keep quiet.” He bobbed his eyebrows and grinned at her.

“Oh no. Don’t even think about it. My parents will put us in separate rooms. That’s a given.” She shook her head, feeling mortified at the thought of having sex under her parent’s roof. Then she felt a shiver of excitement at the prospect. What was wrong with her? No! They couldn’t. It wasn’t going to happen.

Lance shrugged. “What they don’t know won’t…” His nostrils flared and he smiled. “You want to.” He smirked. The jerk!

“Don’t even say it… Lance, no.” She could see by the way he was looking at her that he wasn’t listening. “N. O. Spells. No!”

“Mmmm. I can’t fucking wait.” He kissed her. Grabbed her ass, pulled her against his cock and kissed her some more. Harder.

As always, her body reacted even if her mind was traveling at a mile a minute. His lips, tongue and nipping fangs did terrible things to her. Things that made her pull him closer.

He finally released her. “I’m game, but…” Lance laughed. His chest vibrated against hers.

“Shit.” When had she climbed him like a pole. Her legs were wrapped around his hips and her skirt. “Oh god.” She landed on her feet. Her cheeks felt flaming hot.

Lance gripped her hips to keep her from falling on her ass.

“Don’t do that again.” She wagged a finger at him.

“Sorry, sweetheart. I can’t make any promises.” He tugged down her skirt. “As much as I love your ass, I don’t want anyone else seeing it. Good thing this yard is so big.”

“Behave, please.” Her hands went back to shaking, her mouth felt dry.

“Anything for you.” He winked. “Let’s go.” His fingers brushed her lower back.

“Maybe I could tell them that I’m not feeling well. We can postpone.”

He shook his head. “We’re doing this. You already told them that you didn’t go to Paris.”

She nodded feeling her blood drain with each step.

“You told them I’m a vampire.”

She nodded. “I don’t think they believed me.”

“They will now.” His hand tightened around her and he practically carried her to the door. The front door of the house she had grown up in. The house that she called home…at least up until a few weeks ago. “Nice place.” He whistled.

Yeah, her parents had done really well for themselves over the years. Their house was big. Too big for a family of three. The gardens were large and manicured.

Lance knocked on the door. It felt weird to wait outside. This was her home.
Was.

“Honey,” her mom gushed. The older woman completely ignored Lance and threw her arms around Amber.

“Mom.” She hugged her back.

“We’ve missed you so much. That’s the last time you climb onto an airplane, young lady.” Her mother’s familiar scent wrapped around her. The strawberry smell of her shampoo. The citrus scent of her perfume.

“Margery, let her get some air,” her dad chided. “I’m Ken, by the way.”

Amber snuck a peek over her mom’s shoulder. Her dad looked apprehensive. He was frowning, big time.

“Lance.” It sounded like he was smiling but she couldn’t see him.

“Was it cold? Were you careful about what you ate…” Her mom had yet to let her go. “Were there bees there?”

Amber peeled herself away from her mom and huffed out a breath. “I told you that I wasn’t in Paris. I was just outside of Sweetwater.”

“Well,” she said, and raised her brows. “How did I get this then?” She handed Amber a postcard of the Eiffel Tower.

What?

There was a small paragraph of writing that said she was having an awesome time. That she loved every minute and true as bob it was signed with her name, only, it wasn’t her handwriting.
What?

“Can we please go inside, Marg?” Her dad didn’t look happy. “We don’t have to have this conversation in the doorway, now do we?”

Her mom shrugged, she took back the postcard. “Just trying to clear things up. I’m confused. Really very confused.”

That made two of them.

“What’s to be confused about? Amber never went to France. We’ve been over this.” Her father stood to the side. “Please come in.” He glanced at Lance. “This is my wife Margery.” He gestured to her mom.

Her mom shook her head. “I’ll meet the young man once we’ve cleared this up.” Her lips were pursed. Her eyes set in a no-nonsense stare.

“You’re being rude mom.”

“You lied to us, dear.” Her mom kept her eyes on Amber.

“I love you both but you’re overbearing. What if I had told you that I was going to the vampire castle?”

“To be a part of that…
program
?” Her mom pulled a face. Like the whole thing was distasteful.

Amber looked up at Lance. He gave her a reassuring smile and a small nod of the head.

“Yes, to be a part of
The Program
,” she said firmly, looking back at her mom.

She shook her head. “Why couldn’t you find a regular guy? What about that boy you dated? The hairdresser?”

“Who…
Freddie
? You hated him.”

“No I didn’t.” She had yet to look at Lance.

Amber squared her shoulders. “I shouldn’t have lied to you. It was wrong and I admit that but you would have talked me out of it. I’m a twenty-seven-year-old woman who still lives at home with her parents. I still work for you. That’s not normal.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it.” Her mom grabbed her free hand. “You were a sickly child. You’re still sickly and you’ll always be my baby.” Her mom squeezed her hand and shook her head.

Amber pulled her fingers from her mom’s grasp. “This needs to stop… I’m not a child any more and I’m not sickly. Just because I suffer from allergies…” She sucked in a deep breath. “I’m sorry I lied but I’m not sorry I went.” Amber glanced up at Lance who didn’t look in the least bit put out by her mom’s atrocious behavior. If anything, he looked amused. She looked into her mom’s eyes. “I love Lance. I’m marrying him. I’m happy. I hope that you’ll at least give him a chance. I want us to be able to visit. I want my kids to know their grandparents.”

Her mom had turned white and was clutching her chest. “Don’t you think that’s moving a little fast, dear. Honey…” She looked at her husband. “Tell Amber she needs to slow things down. Unless, she gasped…you’re pregnant. That’s what this is all about isn’t it?”

Frustration welled up in her. “No, I’m not. We’re going to wait. I’m not marrying Lance because of that or any other reason except that I love him.” Amber paused, thinking this was as bad as she thought it’d go. “We’d planned to stay the night and to go back tomorrow but maybe—”

“You must stay,” her mom blurted.

“I’m Lance.” His deep mesmerizing voice filled the hallway. Her mom had to crane her neck to be able to look him in the eye. It was the first time she actually looked at him. How could she not? Lance was the kind of guy that filled a room, that commanded attention. Once you looked, really looked, it was hard to look away. He clasped her mom’s hand…which was shaking…in both of his. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you.” His baby blues sucked her in.

He licked his lips and her mom made a squeaking noise.

“I love your daughter very much. I look forward to making her the happiest female alive.” He frowned. “I’m not good with words and saying what people want to hear.” He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple moved. “I can’t wait to spend forever with her. There is no need to wait or to take things slow when you know. And I know… Amber and I both know I am for her and she is for me and there’s nothing more to it.”

Her mom blushed. It started at her collar and moved up spilling over on her cheeks. Her eyes twinkled and she giggled. A family trait. Her mom was nervous. “Oh!” It came out sounding shocked. “Well…when you put it like that. Why didn’t you say so, Amber dear? Oh! Oh my…”

Lance smiled. It was the naughtiest damn smile she’d ever seen on him and that was saying something.

Lance let go of her hand and her mom gave an unsteady step forward. She was clearly under the Lance’s spell. Amber had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Puh-lease!

“Sir…” Lance turned towards her father. “I did not realize that human tradition dictates that a male must first ask the parents…more over…the father for a daughter’s hand in marriage. I would like to—”

Her dad clapped Lance on the back. “I can see that you are taken with each other.” He turned serious, his smile died on his lips. “I do need to say, for the record, if you hurt her, if you—”

“Oh my god, Dad.” Amber made her eyes really wide to try and tell her father to shut the hell up.

“No, angel. I’m your father. I’m sure Lance understands that I’ll have to come after him with my shotgun if he hurts my baby.”

Lance remained completely serious. She had half expected him to crack up laughing. There was nothing her father could do against a vampire. Instead, her fiancé nodded. “I understand, sir. I would expect nothing less.”

“We’re good then.” Her dad smiled and gave a nod.

“Thank-you, sir. I appreciate that.” They shook hands.

“While we’re being open and honest.” Lance cleared his throat. “I sent that postcard.” He gestured to the one in her mom’s hand. Amber stared at him, jaw dropping. He shrugged. “You were worried that your parents would be upset about not hearing from you so I took the liberty…” He looked shy for a half a second.

Damn she loved him.