Free Find You in the Dark by A. Meredith Walters - Find You in the Dark 01 - Find You in the Dark

the display and seeing my mom's number.  I hurriedly answered it.  “Hey, Mom.”  I looked at Clay, but he had moved away and was putting on his jeans.  “Where are you, Maggie?  We've had dinner waiting for almost forty-five minutes.” 
      I couldn't help but stare as Clay pulled his shirt over his head, his stomach muscles taut.  My mouth went dry and i had a hard time swallowing.  “Maggie!”  My mom said tersely on the other end and I realized I hadn't answered her.  “Sorry, Mom.  I met up with a friend.  I have to get my car from the school and then I'll be home.”  I told her.  I prayed my mom would be cool and save the thousand questions for when I got home.
      No such luck.  “Friend?  What friend?”  She asked.  I walked a bit away and dropped my voice.  “Clay Reed.  I was just showing him around town.”  I said quietly into the phone.  I heard my mom tapping her fingers on something on the other end.  Great, she was pissed.  “I don't like the idea of you out with some boy we don't know.  I'd like to meet him.  Particularly if you're going to be going out with him.”
      I tried to not groan into the phone.  “We're just friends, Mom.  Not a big deal.”  I tried placating.  Well, my mom wasn't having it.  “Well, regardless.  You know how we feel about you getting into cars with boys we don't know.  I want to meet him.”  She was going to be unyielding about this.  Just fan-fucking-tastic.
      “ Fine.” I said curtly.  I heard my mom sigh.  She knew she had made me mad.  “We just worry. It's a scary, scary world out there for a girl.”  I didn't say anything.  “Just get home.  But be safe.  We'll talk when you get here.”  My mom said and then hung up.
      I turned around and saw Clay standing there, looking at me.  “Your mom?”  He asked.  I nodded and realized I was still in my bra and panties.  If my mom could see me now, she'd have a heart attack.  I tried to discreetly slide into my skirt and I noticed Clay respectfully look away. 
      After I was dressed he and I walked back to his car.  I rang my hair out but shivered as water made it's way down my back. Clay reached over and pulled my heavy, wet hair over my shoulder, his fingers skimming the back of my neck. 
       “ Was she mad you weren't home yet?”  He asked after we had gotten in and were backing out of the field.  “She's just majorly over protective.”  I said, watching him change the gears on the gear shift.  There was something seriously sexy about his hands.  
      “ Understandable.  I'd be over protective too if you were my daughter.”  He smirked at me and I smirked back.  Okay, how to broach the subject that they wanted to meet him, without sounding incredibly lame?
      “ Well, um, Clay.  They sort of want to meet you.”  Clay cocked his eyebrow and gave me a quick look.  “Okay.”  He said slowly.  I hurried on. “It's just they're weird about me being in cars with guys.  And I told her we're just friends, but she still wants to meet you and I promise you it'll be cool.  It's just that they want to make sure you're not a serial killer or anything.”  I was rambling to try and cover my complete mortification.
      Clay reached over and squeezed the hand that sat clenched in my lap.  “Mags. It's okay. I understand. I want them to be cool with us hanging out.  I'll meet them.”  He assured me.  I let out a breath and sighed with relief.  He made me feel like less of a tool, and I appreciated that. 
      “ Thanks.”  I said quietly.  Clay smiled.  “No, thank you, Maggie.  For today. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun.”  I felt warm at his compliment.  He took a deep breath.  “The last few months have been really tough and sometimes I forget that it's okay to let loose and just live life, you know.  I have a feeling, you'll be really good for me.”  The look he gave me made me tingle to my