Fourteen

"Don't let us forget to order to-go food for Stuart," I say, pointing my chopsticks in his direction. This Pad Thai is hitting the spot after dance tonight. It was one of the harder classes I've done in a while.

Parker finishes his bit of Khao Soi. "I was just thinking the same thing."

When he called me today offering to meet me after dance, I couldn't help my excitement at spending more time with him.

"I think it"s officially Thai Mondays at this point," I tease in an attempt to get out of my head.

"Thai Mondays for the foreseeable future," Parker declares. "Stuart will definitely be happy about this news."

Foreseeable… I wonder what that means, exactly. My place needs at least a month's worth of work, per the update this week, and I'm just choosing to ignore all the red flags as usual when it comes to Parker and shacking up in his guestroom. Our lives have so easily intertwined over the past week, between walking to work together most days, to numerous meals, I even have him drinking hot tea with me on his rooftop in the evenings. I love spending time with him, way more than I ever thought I would, but I can't lie and say I'm not disappointed he hasn't tried to kiss me again.

I get the reasons he wants to keep emotions to a minimum because now I understand who he is so much better. The thing is, I should walk away before my own feelings get involved and this becomes more than just sexual chemistry. Right now, it"s like that new favorite candle you want to burn any chance you get, but I worry my heart won't know when to realize it is time to move on and that flame will turn into an inferno I can't blow out.

"So how was dance tonight?" Parker asks.

"The class was actually really challenging. I learned some new moves, but damn if my back and neck aren't going to be sore tomorrow." I wince at the reminder, rubbing my free hand up my neck, already feeling the muscle ache.

His eyebrows furrow in concern and the devious side of me says I should milk it just to get his hands on me, but I decide to brush it off.

"I'm good. It was fun to be challenged."

Parker's expression relaxes, and it brings warmth to my chest. "What got you into dance?"

"My parents put me into ballet at a young age, and that was fun, but I'll never forget the first time my teacher invited me to take a hip-hop class. I immediately knew it was my forte. I actually asked my Aunt Samantha to sign me up for the class, since at that time, she was still living in the apartment that I live in now. She was the one taking me to dance class anyways, because she found out no one ever went with me to watch. Either my nannies or driver had always dropped me off before her."

"Did they ever find out?"

"They had no clue until they came to the recital, and I did my routine." I laugh, remembering the look on their faces that day.

"What did they do?" he asks gruffly.

"They were pissed. It didn't fit the prima ballerina persona that had created for me. That was the only time I have seen my aunt mad. She went head-to-head with my mom, and let's just say, I was able to sign up for hip-hop the next year as well."

Parker laughs at that. "This aunt of yours sounds like a good time."

"She's the best. Her and my grandparents are the people who have always loved and supported me, no matter what." I smile as I take a sip of my water.

"I'm sorry your parents are shitty, but I'm glad you have the rest of your family."

A thought pops in my head. My grandmother has been begging me to come to visit her, and she has so many questions about my new boss/roommate. Maybe Parker would like to come too. I'd love for him to meet them, but would that be too much for him?

He showed me a huge piece of himself this weekend in Hudson Valley, so why can't I show him something important to me?

My home away from home, that was much more about the people in it than the location or the size.

I untwist my lips, deciding to ask him. "Speaking of my grandparents... They want me to come visit soon, and I was thinking you should come out east with me."

"Not sure about that, Av," he says almost tentatively, looking back to his food like it has all the answers. But I decide to keep going; the request is already out there at this point.

"Come on. It will help all my grandmother's questions about who I'm living with." Giving him my sweetest smile, I bat my eyelashes at him.

That makes him chuckle, shaking his head at my antics. "I don't know. I'll think on it."

I nod. Okay, at least it's not a hell no.

Parker asks me meaningful questions throughout the rest of our meal, and because I know he has no problem sitting in comfortable silence with me, I know they are out of genuine curiosity. He asks what my aunt does over in Paris, more about my grandparents, and what my first job as an interior designer was like. The rapt attention and intrigue for me seems different from before our trip to Hudson Valley, or maybe even before the twins' birthday party. I'm not sure when things started to change, but there is no denying they certainly have. I try not to analyze it too much and just soak up being in his orb for the time being.

I'll save the overanalyzing for tomorrow… because apparently, Parker lets nothing go.