You Are My Air: Breathless Book 1 (20 page)

"Hi, I'm Joe." He offered me a hand, and I shook it.

"I'm Natalie." I smiled at him, thinking that things were going better than I had expected.

"David, I didn't know you were bringing a friend today." Joe looked at David with a huge smile. David shifted back and forth on his feet looking embarrassed, which almost made me laugh. I didn't think he could get embarrassed.

"Surprise," I said, trying to help David out. I'd never seen him at a loss for words like this before.

Joe laughed at that. "Well, I'm glad you're here, Natalie. We've got plenty of food for everybody."

I heard a door open and glanced to my left. An older woman was just walking into the room through a nearby door. She was small in stature with short gray curls, and she was wearing charcoal slacks and a light pink sweater. She paused when she looked at me, her sharp blue eyes moving to David and noticing his hand still resting on the small of my back. A slow smile crept across her wrinkled features.

"David," she began in a thick accent, that I realized must be Ukrainian. "Who is this you brought with you?"

"Baba." David's demeanor suddenly transformed as he smiled at this tiny woman, his eyes lighting up with warmth and adoration. "This is Natalie."

"Hello, Natalie. I'm Polina." She walked right up to me and grabbed both my hands in hers, eying me up and down with a grin, then looked at David again. "
Tse vasha podruha?
" she said in what I assumed was Ukrainian. It sounded like a question, and David actually blushed.

"
Tak, babusya.
" He nodded with a reluctant look on his face. I gaped at him. I didn't know he spoke Ukrainian.

"
Vona absolyutno chudova.
"

"
Tak, vona Baba.
" A small smile playing across David's lips.

"
Vona vashe povitrya?
" Another question, and David looked really uncomfortable now.

"That's enough, Mom," Aleta told her mother with a tight smile. "You're making both of them uncomfortable."

"I apologize, Miss Natalie," Polina said with a warm smile as she continued to grip my hands firmly in hers. "I was just asking David if you were his girlfriend, and telling him how beautiful you are." No wonder David was uncomfortable. We hadn't even labeled our relationship yet, and his grandmother was already grilling him about it.

"That's alright," I told her with a warm smile. I was just about to ask Polina about the second question she asked when a commotion coming from the front door drew everyone's attention. Two dark-haired little boys came barreling into the room with a waddling pregnant woman, and a tall broad-shouldered man in their wake. The woman was
very
pregnant, and absolutely beautiful with her round face and high cheekbones. Her dark hair fell in loose curls to her shoulders. She had flawless skin, and her eyes were identical to David's. This must his sister, Diana.

"Can't talk, gotta pee!" she announced as she made a beeline for the kitchen, then jerked to a halt when she saw me. Her eyes widened, and she looked at David then back at me again. "Hello," she finally managed to blurt out.

"Diana, this is Natalie." David gave his sister an uncomfortable smile.

"Hi, Natalie." Her eyes narrowed at me, her voice coming out flat. "I hate to be rude, but my bladder can't wait. If you'll excuse me." She continued on into the kitchen and disappeared.

"Hi, Natalie." I turned to look at the man who had entered with Diana. He was very handsome and about David's height, but broader in the shoulders and more thickly muscled. His hair brushed his shoulders in thick dark waves, and his pale blue eyes were kind and welcoming.

"This is Tony, my brother-in-law," David told me with a smile. "And the two tornadoes who just blew through here were T.J. and Michael." The two boys had already disappeared from the room with Baba in tow.

"They'll realize there's somebody new here eventually," Tony said with a wide grin as he shook my hand. "It's nice to meet you." He shot a wry smile at David, who shrugged one shoulder at Tony.

Tony started asking me questions about what I did for a living, and Joe joined in. Aleta went back into the kitchen to finish dinner, and the rest of us were sitting on the couch and love seat nearby. I found out that Tony owned a trucking company, and that Joe was a business man and had his hands in lots of different things to do with finance. David sat next to me on the love seat with his arm around my shoulders and our legs touching. I was relieved that he was still attentive to me, despite his discomfort.

Diana finally returned from the bathroom. She made her way over to her husband who immediately vacated his seat for his wife, helping her lower herself slowly onto the couch.

"So, Natalie." Diana turned toward me with a smiled that never quite reached her eyes. "How did you meet my brother?"

"David and I were in a 10K last weekend, and some jerk knocked me over." I smiled, hoping to get her to warm up to me. "David helped me up and I thought I would never see him again, but my brother broke his foot and needed surgery. I was at the hospital the next day, and ran into David in the cafeteria."

"I asked her out." David pulled me in tighter against his side and gave me an affectionate smile. "And we've been out a few times since."

"Wow," Diana responded with a hint of sarcasm. "Things must be moving pretty fast between you two." She shot a sharp look at her brother, who narrowed his eyes in response.

"Lunch is ready," Aleta announced from the kitchen, ending the standoff between the two siblings.

Within minutes, we were all seated around the table passing around food, and I smiled at all the lighthearted chattering. Meals were never like this with my family, even when my parents were still together. David seemed to be over his discomfort finally, joining in the conversation and making a point of including me whenever he could. The only part of the meal that bothered me, were the subtle waves of hostility his sister kept sending my way. I kept catching glimpses of her glaring at me out of the corner of my eye, but whenever I turned toward her, she'd be looking somewhere else. I didn't know what her problem with me was, but David must have noticed too. He looked annoyed every time he glanced at his sister.

After dinner, I excused myself to use the bathroom which was through the kitchen and across a family game room. Unfortunately, it made it the perfect out of the way place for Diana to corner me. I walked out of the small guest bathroom to find her waiting for me.

"David is a good man," Diana began as she turned her glare on me directly. "He's been hurt and alone for a very long time now. If you think you can take advantage of my brother and get away with it, you're going to have to deal with me." If she hadn't been so serious, I would have laughed. She was so pregnant right now, that I wouldn't even have to run to get away from her.

"I'm not taking advantage of anybody," I blurted out with exasperation. "I like David and he likes me. We're just dating and getting to know each other."

"If you think you're going to get money out of him, then you are going to be greatly disappointed," Diana continued angrily, ignoring what I said. "David is very good with money, but he's not rich. He's not going to give any of it to some gold digger looking for a payday."

I opened my mouth to say what I thought of that presumptuous statement, in a way that I would probably regret, when David appeared behind his sister with an angry expression on his face.

"Diana," he snapped out in a low and intense voice, making his sister jump guiltily. "
What
are you doing?"

"I'm protecting you," she said vehemently as she turned to face her brother. "I told you that you needed to get out there again, not bring home the first girl who comes along. How do you know she isn't looking for money? What if she tricks you into getting her pregnant?"

David's jaw clenched down hard, his eyes glittering dangerously. I opened my mouth to defend myself, but David noticed and stilled my tongue with a hard stare. He looked back at Diana.

"Natalie doesn't need or want my money," David told her succinctly. "She has her own. I don't appreciate you insulting her, even if it is some misguided attempt to protect me."

"David, I..." she began angrily, but he interrupted her.

"Diana," he said in exasperation, "I don't know what you want from me. You tell me you want me to put myself out there, but as soon as I do you assume I'm letting someone take advantage of me. Which is it? Do you want me to be alone, or do you trust me to figure this out for myself?"

"I...I..." Diana stammered out, her anger deflating into a fragile tone. "I don't want you to be alone."

David's face softened as he stepped closer to his sister and put his hand on her shoulder. "Then trust me, Diana. Please. You know how hard this is for me. Just let me figure this out for myself. Okay?" Their eyes locked for several long moments, a silent communication passing between them like I had never seen before, even with my own brother.

"Alright," Diana finally said with a nod. She turned toward me with an apologetic expression. "I'm really sorry, Natalie," she said with sincerity. "I don't know what came over me. Can we just blame it on pregnancy brain?"

"It's okay, Diana," I told her with a wan smile. "I understand. I have a brother too, and I'd kick someone's ass for him in a heartbeat."

She nodded with relief then smiled. "If you'll excuse me, I really need to use the bathroom again." She nodded toward the bathroom door behind me. "This kid is tap dancing on my bladder again."

"Sorry." I stepped out of the way and let her pass. I watched her waddle into the bathroom and shut the door, then I turned toward David. He took my hand and pulled me with him out into the family room, away from the bathroom door.

"I'm sorry about that," he said quietly as he pulled me into a hug. I sighed into his embrace, his arms felt so right around me. "I swear my sister isn't usually like this. She's just worried about me and hormonally challenged right now." His mouth twisted wryly.

I smiled back at him, but I couldn't help wondering what exactly had happened with this Paige, to make his sister react to me this way. I didn't know I could hate someone I had never met this much, or that I could feel so protective of a man I barely knew.

"Thanks for standing up for me," I said gratefully.

"Your welcome, sweetheart," he whispered then brushed his lips against mine in a gentle kiss. The slight touch of his lips on mine ignited an instant desire inside me, and it uncoiled itself from my core and filled me up. Our eyes locked together, and I watched his eyes darken as he fed off the desire radiating out from me.

"The things you do to me, Natalie," he said softly with a disbelieving shake of his head. His arms tightened around me. We were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. We turned our heads to see Baba in the doorway of the kitchen, smiling knowingly at us.

"
Vona vasha povitrya, chy ne tak?
" Baba asked in Ukrainian again, meeting David's eyes.

He looked annoyed and uncomfortable yet again as he answered her. "
Tse zanadto rano hovoryty , Babusyu
."

"
Ya bachu tse, chomu ty ne mozhesh?
" It was yet another question.

"Baba, stop with the Ukrainian already." David switched back to English, his voice exasperated. She shrugged unperturbed by his irritation. Whatever she said, he certainly didn't like it.

"Your mother sent me to tell you it's time for dessert."

"Okay," David answered her. "We'll be there in a moment." He waited until she left the room, then closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.

"What was all that about?" I asked him curiously.

He opened his eyes and gave me a pained look. "Baba, much like my sister, is way too involved in our relationship. She's just trying the opposite tact. She's trying to rush us along to the happily ever after."

"Oh," I said in surprise, my voice coming out a little freaked out.

"We don't have to listen to them, Natalie." David's face returned to the serene calmness I was coming to count on. "We can do this as fast or as slow we want. I really like you, and I want you to know that I want to see where this is going between us."

I nodded. "Me to, David."

He hugged me tight, and I took comfort from his words. It wasn't a crazy declaration of love, which would have freaked me out, but it was a commitment of sorts. I'd take it for the comfort it offered me, even if, deep down, I suspected our relationship was already more serious than either of us was really ready for. I had absolutely no problem living in denial with him for a while longer.

**********

"What are you doing tonight?" David asked in his smooth sexy voice as soon as I answered his call. I had just gotten home from work on Wednesday, and I was staring into the freezer looking at my pathetic collection of frozen dinners.

"You?" I asked wickedly, hoping that would be the case. His answering laugh made things down low in my body contract with need.

"Besides that," he said. I could tell he was smiling from just his voice alone.

"Well, I really had my heart set on this sad looking frozen dinner I was just about to pull out of the freezer," I told him facetiously. "Unless of course, I get a better offer, but it better be good."

"How would you like to have dinner with some friends of mine?"

"A nerd like you has friends?" I asked wryly as I closed the freezer and leaned against the kitchen counter.

"It's shocking isn't it?" he asked scandalously.

"Are you going to tell them you're bringing me or do I get to be a surprise again?" I couldn't resist ribbing him about Sunday.

"Ouch," he blurted in mock injury. "You're not going to let me forget about that are you?"

"Only until you do something else dumb."

"Well, that shouldn't take long." He laughed. "I am a guy after all."

"Who are these friends you speak of?" I asked in a formal tone.

"My best friend Sydney and her husband, Jensen. He was in the 10K with me."