Well this was awkward.

Bea told her sticking to David like glue would lead to the thief. But with his cousin Jeff throwing them looks all day like he wanted to his something and his wife interrogating her life and sneering at her Felicite' was starting to feel like unsticking herself from him. It was either that or slap the snooty bitch in the face.

Who cared if she was on so many committees and foundations? Who cared what companies her daddy and her husband sat on as board members? Who cared if she won the town's beauty pageant two the times in a row and almost became Miss Virginia. Like the Brandy song went almost doesn't count.

The only good thing was that aside from those two everyone else went out of their way to get to know her and bring her into the fold. They were treating as if she was a family friend and were above cordial. And whenever Jeff's wife Olivia, who was once David's ex, tried to belittle her he jumped in her defense and singing her praises.

To say she was surprised that he knew so much about her was an understatement. He even knew she was allergic to shellfish. Just how well he knew her only made her remember the vision she saw of him jerking himself off in the shower and calling her name. She flushed hot at the memory and squirmed in her seat.

"You alright," he whispered against her ear. His smooth baritone voice and warm breath sent tingles straight down to her core. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Felicite' shivered and hoped to god he couldn't smell her arousal.

"I'm fine," she lied.

Felicite' removed his hand around her hip under the table then picked up her fork to take a bite of her strawberry swirl cheesecake. And smiled around the utensil.

"Mmm, this is delicious Mrs. Johnson." Felicite' wrenched away from the hurt look on David's face and turned right towards his mother who sat at the other head of the table from her husband. "Where did you buy this?"

"Please dear," his mom waved her hand in the air beaming with pride, "call me Victorica. And I made them myself."

Felicite''s mouth dropped open. "No. This is so good. You should open a bakery."

"That's what I tell my wife all the time," added Mr. Johnson, followed by a hacking cough. He cleared his throat and looked lovingly at his wife. "But always she says she bakes for pleasure."

"And it's very true. Baking will become boring if I turned it into a business."

Mr. Johnson coughed again drawing her concern. She wondered how long he had it but she just met him and didn't want to be intrusive.

"Honey. That cough is not going away. You sure you don't want to have the doctor come over to check it out?"

"Definitely. The cough relief medicine is more than enough. It's just taking a while because those damn pharmaceutical companies wants to keep us sick longer."

"Oh you stubborn man. You're going to wait until it develops into pneumonia or worse-"

"Mom. Dad. Please." David stepped in as mediator. A role he fulfilled many times growing up. A natural talent that made him a good cop. "Can't we-"

"I'm sorry," interrupted Felicite'. "But if you don't mind trying a home remedy I know one that can help."

"Really?"

"Yes. Just boil a cup of warm milk with ginger if you have it. If not then five cloves of garlic. Then add honey."

"That's it?"

Felicite' nodded glad she could help. For some inane reason she wanted to help David keep his parents' argument from escalating. But from the amused glances of his older sister June and younger brother Chad that this was a common occurrence. She would've kept her mouth shut if it wasn't for the silly smile on David's face.

Dammit why did she want to please him?

"No. Make sure to drink it when it's warm. Can't let it get too hot or too cold. And drink it every morning for three days."

"Ugh, don't say you'll drink that horridly, disgusting concoction?" asked bitch face Olivia. "Father, tell me you won't. It'll probably upset your stomach."

"Olivia honey," said through his teeth as his smile practically cracked his face, "you're making too big a deal out of this. Besides an upset stomach can be cured by some Pepto Bismol."

June rolled her eyes and Chad shook his head. Virginia sighed and seemed to be communicating silently with her husband with her eyes. If Felicite' had to guess she was exchanging something along the lines 'can we uninvite her?'

"That's right Olivia," answered David in a tight voice. "You should listen to your husband. You're making a big deal out of nothing. And Felicite' wouldn't advise anyone to do anything that'll hurt them."

Silence descended at the table. Jeff and Olivia took David's defense of her as a gauntlet. If them showing up together as a 'couple' as his mother introduced them to the family wasn't the gauntlet thrown then the moment David showed how much support and belief he had in her was. Felicite' expected for one of them to challenge the other to a duel. What she couldn't figure out was whether Jeff or Olivia would issue the challenge.

Mr. Johnson cleared his throat startling everyone out of the stare down happening around the dining table. On cue Virginia clapped her hands and said, "As interesting as the debate on home remedies is I believe I'd once declared there'll be no debating of any kind during family time. It was bad enough when you three were on the debate team but it was headache inducing when you brought it home with you. And always at the most inappropriate times."

Virginia shook her and tsked as if she were chiding children and not grown adults. Then again only two of the three actually were behaving like children. The mean, bullying kind.

"Sorry ma." David's arm hugged her shoulder and tucked her back to his side. He planted a kiss on her temple then said, "Can't stand anyone hurting Felcitie' in any way, big or small."

"Can see that," June snorted. "Never thought I'd see the day you go a little caveman over a woman."

"Yeah," added Chad. "Usually you're all feminist and she can handle stuff like this herself."

His parents merely smiled as they watched their other two children poking fun at David while the table was cleared by servants.

David ignored them and pressed another kiss, this time lower and on her cheek. Instead of pulling away she leaned toward him and rested her head on his broad shoulder. The rightness of being in his arms lured her into dangerous territory. One filled with landmines.

June and Chad continued to rib David. Felicite' vaguely heard them making bets on when the wedding will be but the words 'this is lust' pounded in her head over and over to hear what else was being said.

And as she snuggled up against him a new fear bloomed in her heart. That she might not survive the weekend with her heart intact.

👮👩💋👮👩💋👮👩💋

"You okay?"

Despite his cousin and his wife putting a damper on things the day couldn't have been more perfect. He had the most beautiful woman in the world in his arms. And already her parents, older sister and younger brother liked her. June even invited her to do girls' night out just the two of them binge watching the Clueless while scarfing down liqueur chocolates.

Still he'd noticed how Felicite' gotten quieter and quieter as the day wore on. Now they were in the pool house, sent off by a wink from his mom, and away from his family he was adamant to find out what was going on inside her pretty little head.

He watched her as she hugged her arms and looked around the room. He tried to see it as she saw it. A big screen TV and stereo surround system took up most of the wall to the right. A springy, plush silver blue sectional with red pillows divided the open dining room and kitchen area.

The sliding doors up ahead led outside to the swimming pool and jacuzzi. Before the doors and to the left and right were bedrooms. The one on the right was a spare bedroom his mom decorated with lots of frills and flower prints it almost felt like walking into a meadow. The bedroom on the left was the one he used. Larger than the other room, it was fitted with a king size bed he'd love to see Felicite' spread out on it. Naked and open begging for him.

The image sent blood rushing down to his cock making him hard as steel and uncomfortable. He leaned against the back of the sectional and crossed his legs to hide his erection just as Felicite' finally turned to face him.

"I don't know."

"I don't know what?"

"I don't know if I'm fine."

Okay. Wherever this was going he didn't like it. His gut tightened but he remained outwardly calm as he asked, "Why don't you know if you're fine?"

"I'm not really sure what happened in there with your family. But this morning I only stopped by your place because I think we should work together in catching the real thief." David noticed her eyes glanced to the left then back to his so he knew she was lying. She didn't they should be working together at all. Yet she came knocking on his door. Right now he cared more that she sought him out than the why. "Now I'm willing to play along with your mom thinking we're together but some ground rules are needed."

Ground rules? So she can continue keeping a wall between them. A wall he finally felt came down she snuggled into his shoulder? Fuck no.

"Why," he demanded sharply. Felicite' stiffened in response but he didn't care. She was trying to fortify her walls against him and he wanted to know why. If he had to be harsh to her to keep her off balance enough to slow her down he will.

She straightened her shoulders and looked at his straight on. "Because we have to set rules to remind us none of this was real."

None of this was real? He'd never heard five more debilitating words. He remembered how she melted and sighed against him. She wasn't pretending then. She liked being in his arms though she pulled away from him before. He remembered how she nuzzled his neck. He remembered how the way her hair smelled of sunshine and coconuts. And he remembered how in that moment all the years he went through being a dumb teenager and wrong timings was finally worth it.

He stood up and stalked towards her. Wary she started to back away from him before she stood her ground. It reminded him of high school. When she believed in something nothing could sway her in not following through. She was their school's mascot for the defenseless. He'd admired her. And seeing her not retreating from him, showing her backbone, was sexy as hell.

"Who said I was pretending?"

His hands cupped her face, the pad of his thumbs caressing her jaw. Her pulse beat in staccato by his ring and pinky finger. Her lips trembled.

"Please," she whispered, her sweet, warm breath went straight from his thumbs to his cock, hardening it even more until it became painful. "Don't."

"Why? Don't tell me you don't feel anything. Your pulse is racing. And you've just licked your lips."

He stared fascinated at her glistening lips. So full. So plump. He'd love to see his cock disappear into her mouth and have her suck him dry.

"Because you're making me nervous."

"Then why are your looking at me like you want to devour me?"

Felicite' closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes he didn't like what he saw there at all. And her pulse were back to normal.

She tugged her head out of his hands and stepped back. "Fine. Maybe I feel a bit of lust for you. But this, whatever this is and isn't, not gonna work out."

"Why not?"

"Well for one you're the arresting officer who put me in jail."

David sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "That doesn't mean I believe you did what you're being accused of."

"Yet you still arrested me!"

"I had to! It was either me or my douche partner. You didn't see the way he was looking at you. There was no way in hell was I going to let him near you."

The room filled with tense silence. Frustration and sexual energy swirled around them.

"Felicite," David spoke, breaking the silence, "I think we could be good together. I've wanted you..." David stopped himself from saying half his life. He didn't want to scare her and have her run from him again. He took a deep breath then continued with a half-truth, "I've wanted you for a year. We were both with someone then. But the minute I woke up and realized how much I wanted you I broke it off. And waited for you. Do you know how many times I jacked off to thoughts of you?"

Felicite' nodded then shook her head.

Good. He had her so confused she didn't know how to answer. Or come up with more of her coherent excuses.

"So fucking much my right hand's weeping to be given a break. But I'm always hard when I think about you. See you. Imagining sinking my cock inside you and fuck you senseless."

"Really?" she breathed. Her head tilted up as if to reach for his lips but she started to pull away. His hands traveled down her spine and wrapped his arms around her waist. God he loved the feel of her lush curves pliant against him. If he wasn't careful he'll come in his pants. "No that's just lust. What you feel for me will pass."

"I don't think so. I know it won't." He pressed her against his hard on and watched in satisfaction as her mouth opened in shock. "Yes I lust after you but I do have feelings for you. We have chemistry Felicite'. Just give me, us, a chance to prove that together we're more than feelings that'll eventually pass."

Her eyes dilated and she shivered in response. "How?"

"Let our bodies do thinking for us. For years I've let my mind do thinking and it kept me away from you. You're doing the same now. Come to my bed and let me show you how good we can be. Say yes and I promise you you won't regret. Say no, I'll back off and won't touch you tonight."

"You won't? What about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's another day. I'll just try again.

He leaned down and brushed her lips. "Please say yes."

He hovered above her mouth, praying that she'd give in to him. Seconds passed, an eternity that stripped him bare and back to the scrawny insecure kid he used to be. Before puberty molded him with broad shoulders and muscles the girls drooled over. And his family name along with his popularity made him feel alone and unworthy. He felt the rejection from those days all over again. The rejection of who he is as a person because what matters most was his family name and money.

Dejected, David sighed in regret and started to pull away releasing Felicite' from his embrace when she did the most amazing thing a person ever done for him. She said yes, pressed her body into his and pressed up on her toes to seal it with a kiss.