The Unexpected Bride-Book One in Taming of the Shrew

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Three

Five minutes later, Nick drove through the road leading to her house. By that time, the rain had stopped, and the sun had set. In its place was the beautiful quarter moon that gave minimal light.

From the passenger seat, Sharlene witnessed the silhouette of her family walking to and fro through the closed curtains of the lighted living room.

Home. She had arrived home.

"It appears no one has gone to bed."

"Do they normally go to sleep early?"

"Yes, especially when the temperature rises. My mom loves to sleep in the afternoons, so she stays up to appreciate the cool and quiet night. That goes for my brother as well. He is a night bug. Mia calls him a cockroach."

He chuckled before inquisitively asking.

"Mia? Is she a relative?"

Averting her eyes from the window, she turned to face him.

"In a sense. It is a long story, but I will give you the abbreviated version. Mia is the younger sister of Yvonne. She has come to live with us for some time."

'Or forever,' she silently added, knowing Mia's stay is permanent.

"She is a fifteen-year-old who spends more time shopping for clothes and gossiping than wanting to go to school."

Slowly, Nick nodded with understanding.

"I see. She sounds like a handful."

"She is, yet still has two or three qualities that make me dismiss that fact."

"And you like her nonetheless."

She shrugged, "most of the time."

Nick lifted their interlocked hands and kissed the surface of her hand as he parked the vehicle at the back of hers.

"I am sorry for not keeping my promise of bringing you to dinner, sweetheart."

"It's okay."

Sighing, Nick lamented.

"I wish I was just an ordinary 8-4 working hour employee. Maybe then, I would be able to make more time for our dates."

Smiling, Sharlene appreciated his sentiment.

"But you aren't, and I am satisfied with the time you put aside to be with me. I enjoyed spending the afternoon with you. Even if it was just a few hours, I felt like it was an entire day."

He kissed her forehead.

"Why don't you go inside? Your mom must be worried about you."

Nodding, she released their hands and was about to remove the blanket from her person, but Nick quickly dismissed the thought.

"It's cold outside. As a matter of fact..."

Unfastening his seatbelt, he opened the driver's door and left her in confusion. Three seconds later, he was assisting her out of the car. Wrapping the blanket around her until only her face was exposed, he beamed with pride.

"You look like a marshmallow."

He teased.

Blushing, she hit him on the chest, but it was like a feathery touch.

"It's all because of you."

Grasping, her hand resting on his chest, he offered.

"Can I walk you to your front door?"

Sharlene giggled.

"You don't have to ask."

"I know, but having your approval makes me happy to assist. Also, I get to spend an extra two minutes with you."