Page 30 of The Bookworm Who Stole Christmas
“After?” he asks, a confused look on his face.
“After whatever it is you have planned on Saturday. You could, uh, come back to mine, and I can make you dinner?”
I feel like a teenager asking their crush out for the first time. My cheeks heat, and I avert my gaze.
Parker uses the tip of his finger to bring my eyes back to his. “I’d love to, sweetheart.”
I blow out a breath, a small chuckle following. Parker lowers his head, and I meet him halfway in a gentle kiss. I’m no hussy, but I’ve never spent as much time with anyone else as I have with Parker and only kissed them. It’s a novelty I’m really enjoying, this whole getting to know someone without sex being involved.
Parker resumes our walk, dropping me off outside my door. He leaves when I’m settled inside, promising to see me on Saturday. Arty fusses around my legs, and I feel like the worst cat mom for leaving him on his own for so long.
Once he’s been fed, I pad through to the bathroom in desperate need of a shower to warm myself up. We were outside for hours, and the cold has seeped intomy bones. Turning the shower on, I wait for it to warm up, then remove my clothes and step under the spray.
My mind wanders to Parker and how he treats me. The way his eyes always light up whenever he sees me, and the smirk that always seems etched onto his face. Every time I try to think of something else, I always come back to thoughts of him and how he makes me feel—happy, safe, and wanted.
I think about how he is with Amelia and how both of them just seem to get me in a way no one else has before. There might be fifteen years between me and Amelia, but she’s quickly becoming someone I can’t imagine not being in my life.
Washing my hair and rinsing off, I grab a towel and dry off before pulling on my sweats, vest, and oversized hoodie. I curl up under the duvet, grabbing my Kindle when Arty trots in and jumps on the bed.
“Hi, boy,” I coo, wiggling my fingers so I can stroke him.
Arty, not being happy with me, ignores my gesture and curls up at the end of the bed with his back to me.
“Look, I’m sorry, alright? I didn’t mean to be gone as long as I was.” Arty continues to ignore me, and I know he’s won this argument for now. “Fine, have it your way,” I grumble.
Turning on my side, I get lost in the fantasy world of D.L. Houpt’sShadow of Polaris.
Chapter Eighteen
PARKER
“Don’t you think now would be a good time to come clean about the ‘dates’ you’ve been having with Maddie?” my mom asks.
I came over to get some help with operation de-grump Maddie, but now I feel like I’m getting a lecture. We have our next date tonight, and I wanted some advice. Guess I came to the wrong person.
“But theyaredates,” I reply, fidgeting slightly from her ‘mom look.’
Yes, it began as a way to get her to enjoy Christmas, but that was before I realized I was falling for her.
“But that’s not how itstarted, Parker.” Mom puts her hands on her hips, quirking an eyebrow at me.
“It’s fine, Mom. I know what I’m doing. Maddie’ll be fine.” I dismiss her with a wave of my hand, but she just sighs.
“Parker, my boy, you still have a lot to learn about women.”
“So I’m assuming you don’t want to help me anymore?” I ask.
“No. I think you need to come clean. You know I like her.”
I shrug, unbothered. “That’s fine, Amelia will help me.”
At the mention of her name, my daughter comes waltzing into the kitchen. “Amelia will help with what?”
Kissing my mom on the cheek and grabbing a can of soda from the fridge, she props herself against the counter, looking expectantly at me.
“I was just telling Grandma that you're still gonna help me with operation de-grump.”
“Yeah, no,” she says. “I like Maddie, Dad. I don’t want to keep secrets from her. This isn’t fun anymore.”
