“Thanks, Mom. You’re the best.” I kiss her cheek and head to my room to grab my wallet and my keys. Walking to the window, I hit the button for remote start on my truck to let the cab warm. Soon, I’ll be parking inside, and the snow and ice will no longer be an issue. While I wait, I pull up Parker’s name and hit call.

“Good morning,” she says.

“Morning. You sound happy.”

“I had a good night last night. I guess that just flows over to my morning.”

“Oh really? Anything you want to tell me?” I tease.

“Yeah, this guy I’ve been running from finally caught me.”

“Is that so?”

“It is. He’s not at all who I thought he was.”

“I’m glad to see that you haven’t changed your mind with the light of day.”

“No. Have you?”

“Never,” I assure her. “What are your plans today?”

“I have some gifts to wrap and a few last-minute things to pick up, but other than that, I’m a free woman.”

“No, you’re not. You have a boyfriend, remember?” I know that’s not what she’s referring to. She’s free from college for three weeks, but I’m still going to take every opportunity to remind her she’s now attached to me. She’s mine, and I want everyone to know it.

“So bossy,” she jokes.

“When it comes to you and you being mine, you’re damn right I am.”

“So, caveman, what’s on your agenda today?”

“I’m going to buy a trash can, and I have some last-minute shopping that I need to do as well.”

“Anything I can help with?”

“I think I’ve got it. Do I get to see you today?”

“Do you want to see me today?”

“Yes. Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you. What are your plans for Christmas?”

“Well, we usually get together and have Christmas morning breakfast, which is actually brunch since Jett came along. Paisley and Cameron like to have him wake up and open his gifts from Santa before heading to Grandma and Grandpa’s.”

“When do you all do Christmas dinner?”

“Usually that evening. It’s an all-day event at the Monroe household. What about you? When does your family get together?”

“Christmas Day Usually, we all meet at my aunt Lottie’s house for dinner around five.” There’s silence. “I want you to meet my parents.” The words feel foreign because they are. I’ve never introduced them to a woman, not since high school.

“Are we doing this?”

“Yeah, sweet pea, we’re doing this.”

“Maybe we should hold off. This is so new…” Her voice trails off.

“Kicking me to the curb already?” I tease.

“No. That’s not it at all.” She’s quick to defend. “We literally just started dating. Officially.”

“What can I say? When you know, you know. I’m not hiding this, Parker. I don’t care who knows that you’re mine. In fact, I prefer that everyone knows.”

“Okay. Well, we can’t be in two places at once,” she says, shocking me.

“We can’t. My mom has already said she’d make dinner for the four of us some other time when you were available.”

“You can’t miss your family's Christmas.”

“We’re a couple now, so we’re going to have to start compromising sooner or later. What if we have dinner with your family and then leave in time to stop in and say hello to mine?” I’m aware that I just invited myself to her family Christmas, but we’re a unit now. Where she goes, I go, and vice versa. I might have never had a relationship in my adult life, but I do know that I want to be where she is.

“Can you let me process this a little? We can talk about it when I see you tonight?”

“Sure, but don’t think I’ll forget,” I say, my tone teasing.

“Oh, I know.” She chuckles. “Do you need anything while I’m out? Something you’ve been looking for but can’t find.”

“I already found it, Parker. You.”

“Holden Bailey and his silver tongue.”

I almost tell her what this silver tongue of mine can do to her, but I keep that comment to myself. She’s already worried this is just about sex. Well, she used to be. I’d like to think that I’ve convinced her it’s more than that. And it is. It’s more, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to strip her bare and show her what my tongue can do. And my cock. We can’t forget my cock. The two together can give her an out-of-body experience, but that will come, and so will we.

“What time are we getting together tonight?” she asks.

“Call me when you’re done with everything that you need to do, and we’ll see where we are.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Be safe, Parker.”

“Always. You too.”

“I’ll see you soon.”

“Bye.” She ends the call, and it dawns on me that I’m one of those guys. You know the ones who say “you hang up first?” I want all her time, even if it’s on the phone. What is this woman doing to me?

Tags: Kaylee Ryan Out of Reach Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net