Groomed For Love

But I can only watch Naomi.

Only study her reaction to the house I hope she’ll want to call home from now on.

“He’ll run around like a kid for a while, but he’ll simmer down,” I inform her, motioning towards the kitchen.

“You want some coffee?” I hear myself ask, feeling like I can’t even swallow until I know she approves.

Until I know she feels safe and wants to stay.

Until I know she’ll be mine.

She shivers a little and gives me a small smile, her eyes lighting up once Moose bounds past us both again, heading upstairs this time so he can do what he does best on my bed.

“Sure.” She smiles again. “Coffee sounds great and I can see what you mean about Moose and baths in the house,” she adds, breaking the ice some more, and we both chuckle.

My relief must be audible because she moves closer, putting herself between me and the fridge.

“Parker?” she asks, looking up at me, her eyes clear and wide with a sincere look.

“Thank you,” she says softly and cranes her neck while reaching for my shirt, pulling me down so her peck lands on my cheek.

“For everything,” she adds, blushing as I stand frozen to the spot, feeling like I’ve just been touched by an angel.

My whole world almost complete now.

An actual kiss.

Kind of.

Sort of.

Of course, it is.

Naomi shifts herself away from me swiftly though and busies herself by pretending she knows where everything is so she can help get us some coffee ready, but I can’t move.

At least, it doesn’t feel like I can but there’s definitely one part of me that shifts in time with my pounding heart.

Before she looks at me again, I make sure I take a seat at the table and sliding my laptop over I clear my throat.

“When you’re up to it, I’ll need to take that statement,” I hear myself tell her. “Always best to do it while things are fresh,” I add. My cop voice taking over.

Covering for my urge to take her in my arms and kiss her like I know she needs it.

She stops scooping ground coffee into the machine and creases her mouth, letting out a long breath.

“When you feel up to it though,” I remind her, trying to sound like Parker the man, not Parker the cop.

She sets the coffee machine and nods slowly, joining me at the table, sitting herself down across from me.

“I guess now’s as good a time as any,” she frowns, and I feel more proud of her than anything.

“It’s not the statement that bugs me,” she adds, reading my thoughts. “Just… well I don’t know what’s gonna happen next. I mean, no real place to stay. No job…” she says, her voice trailing off.

I want to tell her it’s all hers. Everything I have and everything she sees right now. It can all belong to her as well, but I don’t.

I can’t add more confusion or expectation to what she’s already been through today.

But I can show her.

“You’re welcome to stay here until you find your feet,” I murmur, trying to sound offhand as I pretend to bring up a file on my computer.

“There’s a guest room down here, Moose and me are upstairs,” I add.

There’s a long, deafening silence. And I half expect her to flat out say no, to turn me down. To ask me to drive her home now.

How many middle aged cops ask girls half their age home and then want them to stay?

None.

The coffee machine finally gurgles and belches loudly, breaking the silence and I manage to lift my eyes to meet hers.

“I’d like that,” she whispers. “But I don’t want to be in your way. Just a day or two… Until I find my feet,” she repeats.

A day or two is all I need.

I’m sure of it.

Chapter Nine

Naomi

Either Parker is a magnet for trouble or he’s just happened to be there twice in one day, saving my bacon both times. Moose too.

Once we cross the bridge out of and away from the city, in his truck with just me and his back up K9. I feel safe.

Even though I have no idea where I’m going or what I’ll be doing next.

As long as it’s with Parker and Moose, that’ll do for now.

The burbs out of the city aren’t somewhere I’ve even been since leaving home and pulling into his gated driveway, the old-style up and down townhouse really takes my breath away.

The whole street, the whole neighborhood is like a scene from days gone by.

Manicured, small front yards with driveways. Big backyards and houses that are clean, well built, and just wholesome looking.

They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.

I could feel nervous about the gates closing behind us, and then the front door once we all get inside.

But seeing Moose acting the way he does, seeing Parker at ease now that we’re all home. I only feel a different kind of nervous inside.