"Are you nervous?" Lauren asks and I think for a moment before shaking my head.

"No... should I be?" I question and she shrugs.

"I don't know, I've never really done this before."

"Taken a girlfriend home?"

"Not a serious one, and not after secretly dating for a year beforehand." She replies and I shake my head with a small laugh.

"Don't be nervous, darling." I bring my hand to the side of her face and she leans into it for a moment before turning her head and placing a kiss on my palm.

"Thank you, baby girl." She says with a small sigh and then shuffling on the other side of the door prompts me to take my hand away and lace my other one with hers.

"Lauren's home!" A voice calls as the door opens, and Lauren instantly lets go of my hand to tackle the other person into a hug. It's been months since she's been back in Miami, I don't blame her. Plus it gives me a perfect view of her ass so I can't really complain.

Hey! She's my girlfriend, I'm allowed.

"Who's this?" The woman who I guess is her mom asks and I stick my hand out and smile politely to her.

"I'm Y/n." I grin, "You must be Mrs. Jauregui."

"Please, call me Clara." She smiles back and turns to Lauren with a questioning raise of her brow. Well, now I know where she gets that from.

"Mama, this is my girlfriend." Lauren says and I hear the nerves evident in her tone as she reaches out to take my hand. I offer her a reassuring squeeze which she then returns as her mom looks back at me.

"Oh! For how long?" She asks and I look to Lauren for help, not knowing what she wants the answer to be seeing as she was technically cheating with me even if the guy she was 'with' wasn't a real relationship and if she told them the truth then they'd be able to figure it out... yeah, it's complicated.

"I'll tell you when I tell everyone." She states and Clara nods subtly before opening the door wider.

"Lauren!" I hear more voices call and soon they're all engaged in a group hug that has them stumbling around to keep their balance. I chuckle softly as I take in the scene, my hand still attached to Lauren's somehow,
and hear her mom do the same beside me.

"Let the girls inside." She instructs with a laugh and everyone pulls away from Lauren to head back inside, announcing things like 'I'm so glad you're home!' along the way.

...

"Y/n, will you come with me for a moment?" Mike, Lauren's father, asks at one point throughout the evening. I glance at Lauren who has wide eyes before giving him a small nod and standing to follow him.

"Wait," Lauren calls and grabs my hand, spinning me around and disguising the action as a hug to whisper in my ear, "Like we practiced."

Oh shoot, this is what we were nervous for.

"I've always been a daddy's girl. I'm close with my mom too, don't get me wrong, but my dad is particularly protective of me. He'll probably ask you the same questions he asks Taylor's boyfriends so we can at least practice a little." Lauren had explained one day in the car, a few days before tonight.

"Take a seat." Mike offers, pointing to the chair in his office as he sits in the one behind his desk. Anxiously, I do as he asks and rapidly review everything Lauren told me I should know in my mind.

"I suppose Lauren has told you how I like to make sure my children's partners are good enough for them?" He asks and I nod my head, unsure of quite what to do. I'm a little terrified, if I'm going to be honest.

"How long have you two been... dating?" His pause shows his specific word choice and I instantly gulp. Are we supposed to tell them how long it's really been? What will they think of me if they know that I was, essentially, the Other Woman?

"I... we started dating just over a year ago, but we've been 'official' for... around ten months now." I decide on replying, because they'll find out the truth sooner or later, won't they?

A look of thought passed across his features and I feel my palms beginning to sweat, so I subtly wipe them against my jeans.

"A year ago, wasn't she with-"

I cut him off, "She was engaged in a PR relationship, yes, but he knew about me too and was fine with it, seeing as they didn't really have any feelings for one another."

"Right." He nods and I sigh in relief when he smiles at me, "So, do you love her?"

There's that word.

"No." I reply and his jaw clenches before I continue, "I don't just love her, sir. I'm in love with her. There is a difference, a huge difference, and I am sure that she's the one I'm in love with."

He smiles again, and stands up, gesturing for me to do the same. Then he takes me by surprise and wraps me in his arms, chuckling as he did.

"Thank you. You look after my girl now, yeah?" He nods and I do the same when he lets go of me.

When I turn around to leave, I see Lauren leaning against the doorway with a smug smirk on his face and I instantly blush. Then she changes it to an eyebrow raise and pushes off of the doorframe to stand up straight.

"How long were you standing there?" I question, surprised that I hadn't noticed her presence.

"Long enough. You're in love with me, huh?" She quips and her dad passes by us with a wide smile, heading back into the living room.

"Completely and helplessly." I sigh as I look into those gorgeous eyes. They're what got me wrapped around her little finger in the first place. They're the most addictive drug on this earth but, as far as I am aware, they won't hurt me. I hope not, at least.

She smiles and leans in to press a gentle kiss against my lips, moving her hands to rest on my waist as mine land on her elbows.

"Well then it's a good job I'm in love with you too, isn't it?" She smirks and takes one of my hands as she turns to lead me back into the living room, looking over her shoulder at me all the way with a devious look in her eyes.

"What're you doing?" I question as she waits for me to take a seat on the sofa, which I do. I look up at her as I wait for a response and she slowly moves down to straddle my hips, nuzzling her face into my neck and kissing it softly before saying quietly.

"I'm tired from driving and you're comfy." She smiles against my skin and I do the same, rubbing up and down her back and turning my attention onto the TV, ignoring how every member of her household is looking at us with loving eyes as best as I can.