Page 37 of The Bookworm Who Stole Christmas
I lift my head, confused. “Accept what?”
His smile’s so wide I’m surprised his face doesn’t hurt as he says, “That you, Maddison Coleman, are stuck with me until the end of time.”
Before Parker, those words would have filled me with a sense of dread, enough that I’d be packing my bags and getting the hell out of town. But with him? They make my body come alive, and for the first time ever… they make me want to stay.
Chapter Twenty-Two
MADDIE
Waking up and walking into my living room decorated with a Christmas tree is a little weird, but I don’t hate it.
I left Parker in bed, needing a minute to myself—I amnota morning person. Padding into the kitchen, I set about making coffee with Arty fussing around my legs and meowing for attention the entire time. I crouch down, lifting him into my arms, and press my face into his fur. “Hi, boy.”
After having a cuddle, I get his clean bowls out and put fresh food down for him. Arty purrs while he eats, eliciting a smile. I’ve always been a lover of cats; there’s just something so soothing about them. I heard once that if you’re having a rough day, a cat sitting on your lap while you stroke them can ease the tension and make you feel better. To be fair, I’ve always felt better after cuddles with my cat, so maybe there’s some truth to it. I smile to myself as I pour a cup of coffee.
Hands slide around my waist, and I jump slightly, nearly spilling my drink.
“Morning, sweetheart,” Parker whispers in my ear, the low timbre of his voice going straight to my clit.
You’d think I’d be satisfied after last night, but my body’s acting as if its starving, begging him for another round. I shiver as he places gentle kisses along my neck, his hot breath against my skin only fueling the fire further.
Leaving the coffee on the counter, I spin in his arms, sliding my hands up his bare chest to the back of his neck. “Good morning to you, too,” I whisper against his lips.
Parker deepens the kiss, our tongues gliding against each other in lazy, unhurried strokes. Like we have all the time in the world, and, in all honesty, we do.
He draws back first, planting one last kiss on my lips before reaching around and stealing my coffee. I laugh and get another cup out, making a new one while he watches me.
I look over my shoulder shyly. “Can I help you?” I ask, a smirk on my face.
Parker eyes me from behind his cup as he takes a mouthful. He swallows slowly before saying in a gruff tone, “Yeah, I think you can.”
I take my T-shirt off and watch as his eyes darken, my nipples hardening under his watchful gaze.
He swipes his thumb across his bottom lip before tracing it with his tongue. “I’m gonna need you to get that ass over here, sweetheart. I need breakfast.”
My body obeys of its own accord, walking toward him without me even telling it to—that’s how gone for him Iam.
“What are your plans for today?” Parker asks as I’m getting dressed.
He’s leaning against the bedroom door, arms folded across his chest, and I struggle to look away. We finally managed to drag ourselves out of bed but the way he’s standing there—his arms bulging against his T-shirt and the casual, heat-filled look he’s giving me—it's taking everything in me not to say, “fuck it” and drag him back to bed.
Is it always like this? Being so completely consumed by another person, you don’t know where you end and they begin? He ignites a fire in my soul I’ve never felt before, which is kind of scary but also exciting.
“Erm, I’m not sure,” I say as I put my hair into a ponytail. “Nope, that’s a lie. I’ll be staying in and reading.” I chuckle, turning toward him. I grab a discarded jumper from the bed and put it on. “What about you?”
Parker runs a hand through his hair as he says, “I need to head into work. Some final bits of paperwork need to be sorted before we close for the holidays. I’m also hoping to spend some time with that runaway daughter of mine,” he jokes, pushing away from the door.
I follow him into the living room, walking him out. Parker reaches for my wrist and tugs me into his body. My hands automatically find his chest as I let out a laugh.
His eyes sparkle with happiness as he says, “Only a few more sleeps until Christmas.”
“Uh huh,” I agree, wrapping my arms around his waist.
He swallows. “Would it freak you out if I asked you to spend Christmas Day with me and my family?” Parker’s cheeks flush, and it’s got to be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
The internal freakout I thought would happen doesn’tshow up. I have no clue if it’s because I already know Samantha and Amelia, but spending Christmas with them actually sounds really nice.
“I would love to,” I say quietly, my heart pounding a mile a minute. “If your family doesn’t mind me being there?”
