Dragon Rider

Chapter 14

"Nana, papi, nono, and poppy, this is my boyfriend, River Vincent," I introduce my grandparents to River with a shy smile. "River, nana and papi are Afra's parents, and nono and poppy are papa's parents."

"It is wonderful to meet all of you," River politely greets them, and my grandparents greet him back warmly.

"So, how old are you, River?" Poppy asks with a raised left eyebrow.

"I am twenty-one, Sir," River politely replies with a small smile toward him as all of us move into the living room to sit down.

Poppy nods, and papi asks River what River's Career is, and he tells him that he is an Instructor at the school.

"The school that Larken and Laria attend?" Nono asks, sounding concerned, and my entire body flushes at their questioning of River.

Softly groaning at them, and River seems to be taking all of this in stride as he replies; "Yes. I am an Instructor at their school. Larken and I are allowed to date because Larken is eighteen, and he is no longer in my Instructional. The school is aware of the romantic feelings between Larken and I, and they have given their blessing because of these two mentioned items from before."

"What are your intentions with our grandson?" nana questions, and I groan out loud for them all to hear.

River smiles over at me with soft eyes; "It is okay, Larken. I expected these types of questions from your family. I do not mind answering their questions."

Pouting at him, and then my family with a soft huff; "Okay, but do not answer anything you are not comfortable answering."

"My intentions with Larken are to make him as happy as possible, to have fun adventures with him, and never intentionally hurt him by doing or saying something stupid," River replies with a gentle smile toward my entire family and me.

My grandparents nod, and they look impressed, and I roll my eyes at them, and I beg of them; "Can you guys please stop harassing my boyfriend?"

"We sure can, Bubbles," nono says, causing me to loudly groan in frustration at her childhood nickname for me.

"Bubbles?" River questions, choking on his laughter, and I pout at him again.

"Yes, my nickname is Bubbles," I grumble with a dark blush coating my entire body.

"Oh, I am gonna remember that for future use," he chuckles, and I groan at him in frustration.

"You know you enjoy the teasing, Larken," papa chuckles with a grin.

When the oven timer beeps about twenty minutes later, papa announces that dinner is done, so all of us head into the kitchen. Everyone grabs a bowl to ladle themselves a bowl filled with the soup papa made. When everyone has a bowl of soup, we sit around the table in the kitchen.

"Thank you for making my favorite food, papa," I say in appreciation.

A tradition we have in our family is that for every person's birthday, we make their favorite meal for dinner. Mine is ham potato soup with homemade bread, Laria's is veggie pizza with alfredo sauce, papa's is grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, Afra's is spaghetti and meatballs."

"What is your favorite meal, River?" papa questions as we start eating.

"Um, ham split pea soup, Sir," he answers after thinking while swallowing his mouthful of soup.

"Good to know," papa grins, and I know if River and I are still together for his birthday, River's favorite meal will be made for him.

"Does this mean I might get a birthday meal?" River whispers into my right ear as he leans his lips into my ear.

Smiling brightly at him once he is sitting upright with a nod of acknowledgment. He grins as if this makes him happy which makes me excited that he is this happy over a birthday meal. We spend the next several hours eating dinner, talking, laughing, and papa even made a chocolate and vanilla swirl cake with caramel frosting for dessert. This is my favorite cake and frosting. All in all, this has been a good birthday despite the hiccup earlier with River.

The entire time we sat at the table, River either had his palm on my thigh, or his arm draped over the back of my chair, and occasionally brush his fingers over the skin on the back of my neck. I have to keep myself in check every time his warm fingertips brush over the sensitive skin on the back of my neck under my hair. I think he was deliberately trying to make me shiver or something when he did this because he would look at me from the corner of his eye with a smile.

Narrowing my eyes at him every time he does this, and his smile would become bigger. He knows what he is doing to me with every brush of his warm fingertips. Oh, he is so gonna get my sassy side here in a few if he keeps up with me in front of my family.

He knows that I cannot respond the way my mind and body wants too in front of my family without embarrassing myself. All I can mentally say to him is that paybacks are a bitch, and I am enough of a bitch to get him back when we are in front of his family or friends.

My plan at the moment is not to play with the hairs at the back of his neck, or run my fingers of the back of his neck. Oh, no, my plan is to rub his penis, and make him needy like he is doing to me currently, and for him to not be able to visually or verbally respond to what is happening to him.

Is my plan a little over the top? Perhaps, but at the moment for me, fair is fair. I may or may not do what I am currently planning, but I will get him back for this at some point.