Groomed For Love: A Steamy Standalone Instalove Romance, Flora Ferrari [macos ebook reader .TXT] 📗

“My Mom’s old, Naomi. I have to explain things to her in very simple terms otherwise she can’t keep up…”

Naomi shrugs, waiting for my reasons for talking about her the way I did.

“I was supposed to spend the weekend at her place and I haven’t visited in over six months,” I continue. “So… she’s pretty mad that I upped and left to come back to town when I heard Moose wasn’t with who he was supposed to be with,” I add.

Naomi’s eyes narrow again, and I can tell she’s replaying the worst of everything in her mind.

The ‘just a kid’ comment.

I heave a sigh, slumping down into a seat.

“It’s a lot to explain, but Ma is old school. If I suddenly went up there to introduce you and she had no warning about how much younger you are than me, she’d probably have a heart attack,” I tell her straight up.

Naomi looks confused.

“Introduce me?” she asks. “Why would you want me to meet your mom?” she asks, hopefully getting a few ideas from the look I give her. When I crease a guilty smile in her direction.

“Because I want you to stay, Naomi. Not just now while we’re talking, but always. I want you to come live with me.” I tell her, going out on a limb but I have to.

It’s the truth.

I know already that I can’t live without her, so I may as well live with her.

Even if we do fight sometimes.

She presses her fingers to her temples and sways a little.

“Whoa,” she says to herself. “Just… Whoa. Hold up a second,” she adds, turning her attention to me.

“I’m trying to be mad at you for calling me a kid and you’re asking me to move in… Telling me you called me that to prep your mom so she didn’t keel over when she finds out you’re shacked up with someone half your age?” she asks almost sarcastically.

I frown in agreement, nodding my head.

“That’s about the size of it. And my Brooklyn accent? It always comes out when I talk to her, it’s the only language she speaks,” I shrug.

There’s a split second of relief in her eyes, and the tiniest hint of her lip about to curl into a smile. But it’s short-lived.

“This is happening way too fast,” she says suddenly, her face creasing with worry all over again.

I did want to take it slow, but she’s kinda forced my hand here.

I don’t think it’s moving fast enough, but I figured she’d need a few days before I sprung the move in with me idea.

Every cell in my body wants to get up, go over to her and take her in my arms.

Take her back to bed so we can start over.

But I know a little more about her now, and now is the right time to give Naomi a little space, but I don’t feel like giving her so much space that she leaves.

“It’s been a big couple of days for you,” I reason with her. “We can take things slow. I’m just being honest about what you heard me say on the phone is all,” I remind her.

She looks more confused than ever now, but at least she’s not so angry.

“Listen,” I continue. “I said you should stay here for a few days anyway, at least until you figure out what you want. Ignore everything I just said if you want, but I can’t hide the fact I’m crazy about you even if I tried.”

Her look softens and that lip quivers again.

“Just don’t walk out of here, Naomi. Because I don’t think I’d make it if you did,” I tell her, my own voice cracking with emotion.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Naomi

My brother Chet always tells me that when I’m tired, when I’m hungry, I act like my shoe size, not my age.

Like a kid.

Hearing Parker explain patiently, but with concern about what I overheard him saying to his elderly mom on the phone, I can’t help but feel stupid.

I’m accusing him of calling me ‘just a kid’, so why am I acting like one to prove it?

I guess I feel torn between feeling scared like a little kid with everything that’s happened today and feeling more grown up than I ever have. What Parker and I have done together so far definitely qualifies as grown up stuff.

Stuff I thought I’d never share with anyone in my whole life, let alone with someone as perfect as Parker.

I admit to Parker this is all happening too fast, and once he tells me how he understands, just doesn’t want me to go I know I’m in the right place.

I could say the dumbest things or act like a child and he’d still be here, waiting for me.

Like he says, whenever I’m ready and if it’s what I really want.

I think it is what I want, I mean. I know he’s what I want. I just don’t want to commit to anything on the spot.

Being so tired, so hungry, and with nowhere else to go right now.

Moose scratches at the door again, and barks.

With Parker’s say so I let him in and he trots straight past both of us, back to the room I was just in, and jumps up on the bed.

Parker smiles to himself and shakes his head a little.

“I know Moose wants you to stay as well,” he admits. “Looks like he’s gonna want to keep you company for a while too,” he adds.

“And you don’t?” I ask him, suddenly worried I’ve put him off or maybe acted too crazy for one day.

“I do, you know I do,” he says gently, coming over and brushing my hair over my ear. “But maybe just go have a lie down. Get some sleep. I’ll still be here when you wake up,” he recommends.

I have so much I suddenly want to tell him. I want him to come back to bed, want him to take me as his own like he said he would.

But Parker’s eyes are clear