“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?
Three hours later, I have furniture bought and scheduled for delivery later today. I have a couple of gifts for Parker that are really more for me, but also for her. Now all I need is a few gifts just for her, a trip to the store to grab some food, and the essentials like blankets and sheets, and a trash can and trash bags.
With my hat pulled low to try to hide my identity, I pull open the doors to the mall and set out to finish my shopping. My parents were easy. I bought them a vacation like I have the past two years. They’ve done so much for me, and they work hard. I want to spoil them. In March, they will be married for twenty-five years. I bought them a trip to Italy. It’s prepaid through a travel agent, and all they have to do is call and schedule it. The agent knows to spare no expense and to give them what they want, and I’ll pay whatever the difference might be.
“Holden?” I turn to see Autumn walking toward me.
“Hey. Where’s my girl?” I ask, looking behind her.
“She’s here. We split up. Not going so well?” she asks.
“Actually, it’s going great. This is my final stop to grab Parker a few more things.”
“Need some ideas?”
“I have a feeling you’re going to give me some anyway.” I laugh.
“Actually, no. Not unless you need them. I’m kind of interested to see what you come up with on your own.”
“I’ve got this,” I assure her.
“I’m sure you do.”
“Fancy seeing you here.” I turn to look at the person who owns the voice who is always in my head.
I don’t say a word. Instead, I bend and capture her lips with mine. “Hey, sweet pea,” I finally say, pulling out of the kiss.
“You’re going to draw a crowd,” she whispers.
“Don’t care,” I say, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.
“Did you buy it?” Autumn asks.
“Nah, I don’t need it.”
“Need what?”
“Oh, nothing. I was just looking at a coat.”
“Show me.”
“No.”
“Come on, show me.”
“Not happening, Bailey. I was just admiring it. I have way too many coats, and I don’t need it.”
“But you want it.”
“I was admiring,” she says again, shaking her head.
“Fine,” I grumble. I kiss her again softly. “I need to go get my shopping done so I can spend some time with you.”
“We’re done here and headed back to our place.”
“Damn,” I mutter. “I still have to go grab some groceries, a trash can, trash bags, that kind of shit.”
“I can do that for you.”
“Are you sure?”
“I don’t have anything else going on until you’re done anyway.”
“I thought you had presents to wrap?”
“I finished.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” I ask, already reaching into my pocket for a credit card. I hand it to her. “Take this. We need pretty much everything.”
“What about what you’re moving here from your old place?”
“Hand-me-downs from my mom when I moved in.” I shrug. “So, yeah, dishes, pots and pans, spices, all that shit, including food. We need it all.”
“We?” Autumn asks.
I turn to look at my girl. “Me and Parker.” I kiss her again. “There’s no limit on the card, baby. You’ve seen the house, so go crazy. Oh, and I need king bedsheets and a comforter set too.”
“Gee, is that all? Holden, I can’t pick out everything in your house.”
“You’re not. I ordered furniture today that’s being delivered later, so you’re actually helping me so I can get this done and be there for the delivery. I was going to have to go back out to get what you’re picking up for me.” One more quick kiss and I force myself to step back.
“Are you sure about this?” she asks.
Another step back. “Positive. Thank you, sweet pea, you’re doing me a solid. Take your time. I have a couple of hours left of shopping before I have to meet the furniture delivery.” With a wave, I turn on my heel and let my feet carry me in the opposite direction. I have to wrap this up and get home. Hopefully, I can get this all set up before she gets there. Hopefully, she takes my little “take your time” to heart.