Chapter 266 - The Bet

After showing his visitors around the house, Tom led them up the stairs where he showed them their bedrooms and encouraged them to relax a bit before coming down for dinner. 

As he returned downstairs to find Lucy and his mother, his steps faltered at the top of the stairs when he caught sight of Lucy standing by the foot of the stairs as though she was waiting for someone there, while also holding her phone to her ear like she was trying to make a phone call. She had her back to him but he didn't need to see her face to know that she was the one. He smiled when he noticed that she had worn her hair down for him. 

Tom's heart skipped a beat when he finally noticed what she was wearing. His eyes moved from her feet which were covered in gold-colored high-heeled sandals, up to her calf, thigh, and her bare back which was mostly covered thanks to her long hair. The dress seemed to be covering just her ass, leaving her back exposed. He didn't even want to imagine what the front of the dress must look like. How was he supposed to concentrate on anything tonight when she was dressed this way? His gaze shifted to his phone when it started vibrating with a phone call, and he ignored it when he saw that the call was from Lucy.

He noiselessly descended the stairs and stopped a foot behind her. Lucy spun around when she suddenly perceived the scent of his cologne before he could touch her.

"You're not with your phone? I was just trying to reach you," she said with a wide smile, happy to see him even though they had been together less than three hours ago. 

Tom didn't say a word to her as he let his eyes move over the front part of her dress. It had a deep V neckline that stopped at the top of her belly button, exposing parts of her midriff and boobs. It seemed like the only thing keeping the dress on her body was the halter neck. 

Lucy's face grew hot as she watched him assess her unhurriedly. Although she would have preferred he say something, she patiently waited to hear what he had to when his gaze finally returned to her face, "You really shouldn't have worn this dress, babe," he said with a shake of his head, and Lucy tried to blink back her disappointment.

"But since you wore this, I hope you'll be ready to face my parents and yours tomorrow morning?" He asked with a suggestive smile as he reached out to touch her hair, and Lucy blushed when she recalled what his mother had said.

She cleared her throat, "I wouldn't have worn this had I known that she was around. Why didn't you tell me?" Lucy asked with a scowl, and Tom chuckled.

"First of all, I didn't think that you would come here with your parents dressed to SEDUCE me. So there was no need to tell you that. Secondly, I see no reason why my mother should determine your wardrobe. As long as you're comfortable in what you're wearing, I'm good," Tom said as he pulled her closer to himself and placed his arm around her shoulder, while still standing on the staircase and looking down at her. 

"Your mom is pretty cool though," Lucy informed Tom.

"Your parents are cool too. Although, I think I might have a problem with your dad," Tom said, making her raise a brow.

"What sort of problem?"

"I noticed how he has been glaring at me all evening. Maybe it's because I told him that I was your one true love," Tom said, and Lucy laughed softly.

"I think Bryan is going to have an issue with him too. Sonia has a huge crush on my dad," Lucy said, and Tom chuckled.

"So he told me. He really bragged about it. I'm glad I don't have to worry about you having a crush on him," Tom said with a grin and Lucy hit him playfully.

"You should know that he is my first love, and has been my only love for the past twenty-five years of my life," Lucy pointed out.

"Too bad for him. I already snatched you from him. He can be your first love, but I intend to be your forever love," Tom said with a wink as he kissed her forehead, "By the way... Thanks for wearing your hair down and ditching the glasses for my sake tonight. You look delicious," Tom said with a playful smile as he used his tongue to lap at the tip of her nose like a dog, making Lucy giggle as she looked up at him with her arms around his waist.

"Who would have imagined that the almighty Thomas Hank could be so playful?" Lucy asked with a smile as she grabbed the collar of his shirt and tugged it so he would lean forward for a kiss. 

"Ahem!" Tom's dad cleared his throat behind Lucy as their lips touched, making her spin around in surprise, but Tom held on to her arms so that she wouldn't fall, while he glared at his father for the interruption.

"You are Lucy," Tom's father said, looking at her flushed face curiously as she unconsciously tried to adjust her dress. This one seemed more naive and innocent than the other one. They were a good combination.

"Yes, I am..." Lucy said, feeling embarrassed at being caught being naughty. She could tell that he was Tom's father, but she didn't know what else to say to him. It seemed like she was tongue-tied around his parents. 

"Lu, this old man here, who just stopped you from kissing me is my dad," Tom said, placing a possessive hand on her lower back as he stepped down from the last staircase so that he would be at the same ground level with her. 

Lucy felt like strangling Tom for making the introduction that way, but judging by the grin on his father's face, it seemed like the man didn't mind.

"It's nice meeting you, sir," Lucy said with a polite bow.

"The pleasure is mine," he said and Tom watched his father in surprise as he held out his arms for Lucy to embrace him. His father hardly easily accepted people and that was why he and his siblings hardly had friends, yet here he was making it obvious that he liked Lucy. He was glad. 

Lucy glanced at Tom in confusion before going to embrace the man, "Feel at home. This is going to be your home after all," he murmured to her before breaking the hug.

"Thank you, sir," Lucy said, wondering if this was the same reception Sonia had gotten from the man. Tom's parents seemed like very cool people. She knew she wasn't supposed to be surprised since the apples couldn't have fallen too far from the tree. Tom and Bryan had wonderful personalities, so it made sense that their parents were just as wonderful. 

"When are we going to have dinner? Or is it a midnight meal? Your mother keeps saying I need to avoid late-night meals yet she is the same person starving me," Tom's father complained just as his wife appeared in the living room.

"The three of you can proceed to the dining while I get the others," she said as she walked past them, ignoring what her husband had just said. 

"I will leave you both alone. Lucy, you can continue from where you stopped," he said with a wave at Lucy and puckered his lips to remind her of where she stopped before walking away. 

Lucy closed her eyes in embarrassment, "Your parents..." 

"Speaking about my parents, what did my mother say to you?" Tom asked curiously, and Lucy shook her head. 

"She started by apologizing to me for believing the news about me, and for asking you to fire me and break up with me."

"She told you that?" Tom asked, surprised.

Lucy nodded, "And she ended it by asking me to keep things down tonight since her room isn't too far from yours. I think your butler reported me to her," Lucy said with a blush, and Tom chuckled.

"Why didn't I think of making my bedroom soundproof? Oh! I know why. Never mind," Tom said dismissively and Lucy raised a brow.

"Why didn't you?" She asked, and Tom grinned. 

"I never imagined that I would meet a screamer like you. And even if I had soundproofed the bedroom, what about the living room? You also couldn't keep your voice down when you were the same person who insisted that we do it on the dining table," Tom said and laughed out loud when she raised both hands to cover her face. 

"Now I'm wondering how I'm going to eat on that table tonight without thinking about you sprawled on it with chocolate spread all over your boobs. This dress you are wearing is certainly not going to help matters either," Tom complained as he looked into her face which was flushed. Her lips were still glistening from their kiss. He wanted to kiss her and make love to her. But he knew that wasn't going to happen until after dinner. Only a quickie was possible, and what he craved wasn't a quickie. 

Lucy cleared her throat, "I was drunk the other night. It was the alcohol's fault," Lucy said defensively.

"Really?" Tom asked in amusement, and she nodded. 

"Alright. I will make sure that you don't taste a drop of alcohol tonight. I don't want you blaming the alcohol for your inability to control yourself when I touch you," Tom said with a promise in his eyes as his hand moved under her hair and he used his thumb to caress her nape before pulling her in for a kiss. 

He kissed her slowly, tasting every inch of her lips before slowly teasing his way between her lips and into her mouth with his tongue. Lucy sighed as she leaned into him and returned the kiss. 

Tom broke the kiss when he heard footsteps ahead of them, and he looked into her eyes with longing, "How about we make a bet," Tom suggested.

"About what?" Lucy asked curiously as she tried to blink back the desire in her eyes. 

"If you're able to keep your voice down tonight, you can ask me for whatever you want," Tom said, making Lucy giggle.

"You're serious?" 

"Yes."

"And let's assume that I'm unable to. What happens?" She asked curiously.

"You'll do whatever I want for a week," Tom said, and Lucy narrowed her eyes at him as she licked her teeth.

"Seriously? I can ask for anything?"

"Anything."

"Okay.. I'm game," Lucy said with a nod, believing that the presence of both her family and his under this roof will keep her from embarrassing herself and them.