The Personal Shopper

by T. L. Quinn

  I lay back on the bed and blow out a breath. I need to tell Cassie about everything that happened last night. I text her and we plan to meet this afternoon after I visit grandma Perason.

  ◆◆◆

  I get back from hanging out with Cassie pretty late. I check my phone for the millionth time, but still nothing from Parker. I don’t want to be that crazy girl that needs to get a text every hour, but I’m going crazy not knowing what him and Doug are doing. I could break down and ask Becca, but again I'm trying not to be crazy here.

  I decide to try to relax before I go to bed with the new bath bomb Cassie convinced me to buy. I get a glass of wine and head into the bathroom. Just when I get into the tub, my phone dings. I practically fall on the ground and spill my wine while I frantically reach for my phone.

  Parker: What are you wearing ;)

  I smile at his message. He was trying to be funny, but heck, I just so happen to be wearing nothing. I send a picture of just my feet sticking above the water.

  Me: Nothing.

  I see the dots pop up that he is typing something, and I nervously bite on my finger.

  Parker: I don’t know why I expected anything different from you. Show me more.

  Me: How about I show you more once you tell me what you are up to with Doug?

  Parker: Oh you know. This and that. There are definitely a ton of hot girls here though. I want to tell them I have a girlfriend, but you know.

  Me: Asshole.

  Me: So what did you tell them then?

  Parker doesn’t answer for a few minutes, so I go back to drinking my wine and scrolling through my phone. A notification pops up that I have a new text, so I open it right away.

  Parker: I told them to back off. I have the most beautiful girl in the world waiting for me at home even if she won’t admit to being my girlfriend yet. One day she will. Even if she is the most stubborn little spoiled brat I’ve ever met.

  My cheeks hurt from how big my smile is. I re-read the message over and over again. I don’t know what to say back. I have been trying to play it cool with Parker, but I know I want to be with him. I just don’t want to rush into anything. What if he changes his mind? He obviously had his reasons for leaving the first time. What if those reasons come back again? I don’t think I could handle him rejecting me again. I decide to just keep it simple.

  Me: Good.

  Parker doesn’t respond to that message. Maybe because I didn’t actually say much or maybe he fell asleep. Either way I won’t be able to stop thinking about what Parker said tonight. How am I supposed to behave around him tomorrow at dinner?

  Chapter 10

  Ava

  I heard Parker get home around 3 p.m. today. We haven’t talked since the texting last night. I am anxious to see him, but I don’t want to come off as too eager. I mean I’ll see him tonight at dinner. I wonder if he wants to ride together? I mean even if we didn't have anything going on between us, I’d probably still ride with him. It’s the responsible thing to do.

  I spend the next hour getting ready for dinner. Usually on Sundays, I just throw on some sweats and a hoodie. It’s just my family after all, but today I spent a while picking out my outfit. I want to look sexy for Parker, but I don’t want it to be obvious to my family. I have a feeling Becca will be able to tell no matter what I choose, but oh well, as long as my dad and Doug don’t notice. I decide on my skinny jeans with an off the shoulder sweater. It isn’t too dressy, so it shouldn’t be suspicious to anyone. The amount of time I spent perfecting my makeup may be another story.

  I am reapplying my lipgloss when I hear a knock at the door. That’s weird. Who could that be?

  I open the door and Parker is standing there looking as handsome as ever. “Since when do you knock?”

  He just shrugs. “Since we’re not doing it until Friday, I didn’t want to tempt myself by walking in on you in a towel again.”

  I laugh and roll my eyes. “Oh my god.”

  Parker smiles too. He looks so handsome when he smiles. His perfectly straight teeth and the way his eyes crinkle a little. Wait. What is that?

  “What happened to your face?” I reach up to touch the bruise that formed along his left eye.

  “Ouch! Don’t touch it!” He pulls away.

  I just laugh. “Don’t be such a baby. What happened for real?”

  He crosses his arms over his chest. “No. I’m not telling.”

  I just stare back at him. “Are you serious right now?”

  He just smiles. “Yeah. Then I’d have to tell you what our secret trip was, and I’ve already taken it too far. I can’t turn back now.”

  I just roll my eyes again. “You are ridiculous.”

  He bites his bottom lip to stop the ridiculously huge smile on his face. Then he pulls me toward him and kisses my lips. I kiss him back and what should have been just a hello kiss turns heated very quickly.

  I pull him inside and shut the door behind him. I push him back against the door, so I can press against him easier. His hands start roaming my body, but then he pushes me back. “What are you trying to do to me?”

  He smirks. “You think you can make me go back on my word? I said no sex until after our date.”

  I give him my best pouty face.

  “Ava…” I can’t help the grin that forms on my face. Parker just shakes his head. “I can’t believe you. You little brat. You’re going to try to tempt me all week aren’t you?”

  I just playfully shrug and turn to grab my purse. “You ready to go?”

  When I turn back around, Parker pulls me in for one more kiss, and then we head out.

  ◆◆◆

  We walk up to the front door of my dad’s house. Parker is about to knock, and I just laugh at him. He looks at me. “What?”

  “You don’t have to knock. It’s just my dad’s.” I twist the door handle open and walk in. “Hey Dad, we’re here!”

  My dad peeks his head around the corner. “Hey sweetie. Oh Parker! I’m so glad you decided to come. Wasn’t sure you’d show up after having to deal with my Ava here so much already.”

  I just roll my eyes. “Oh please. You know you both can’t get enough of me. That’s why you get mad everytime I make plans on Sunday.”

  My dad just gives me a big hug. “I have to keep up your mom’s tradition. Otherwise, I’d send you away.” My mouth drops open. “Dad!” He just laughs and shakes Parker’s hand. “Welcome. Not much has changed since you’ve last been here. We still have wine and order in so we don’t have to cook.”

  Parker smiles back at him. “Sounds perfect. I try to sneak over to Ava’s for a home cooked meal, but you know I don’t think she actually has ever cooked anything in her life.”

  I glare back at him. “Wow. I see it’s pick on Ava day.” I shake my head at both of them. “Where’s Becca? I need someone on my side.”

  They both just laugh again. My dad points toward the kitchen. “They just got here. I couldn’t stop Becca from breaking into the appetizers. Pregnancy and all.”

  I walk into the kitchen to find Becca. “Hey sweetie.” She comes and gives me a hug. Parker follows in behind me. “Oh Doug. Parker’s face is not that bad.”

  Parker raises his eyebrows at her. “Uhm...thanks?”

  She laughs and pats his arm. “Of course it’s a very handsome face. Don’t get your panties in a wad. I meant the bruise. Doug over here was freaking out that you wouldn’t go snowboarding with him again because you were sooooo badly injured.” She laughs.

  I look over to Parker and raise my eyebrow. “Snowboarding?”

  He leans down and whispers in my ear. “There still could have been hot chicks trying to come onto me you know. I happen to look super sexy in snowboarding gear.”

  I just laugh. “Oh yeah super sexy when you obviously crashed right onto your face.”

  He just shrugs. “I can be super sexy while I have you nurse me back to health too.” He winks at me.

  Becca chimes in. “Hurry up guys. Let’s
eat. I’m starving.”

  Doug walks in the kitchen from the dining room. “Oh thank goodness you guys weren’t late. Becca was about to start eating without you.”

  We all laugh and then dish up our plates and head to the dining room table. I sit in my usual seat and Parker sits next to me. Becca and Doug sit across from us, and my dad sits at the head of the table. He looks over at Parker sitting next to me. “Well look at this. Sitting next to each other and everything. After that first day, I thought Ava here would have killed you by now Parker.”

  Parker just laughs. “Not yet, but it’s still early. Remind me to update my will.”

  Parker reaches under the table and squeezes my hand. I glare over at him, but then he starts rubbing his thumb up and down over my hand soothingly, and I can’t seem to remember why I am supposed to be mad at him.

  The rest of dinner goes well. It feels right having Parker here again like he never left. Except this time is different because before I would just stare at him longingly from across the table, and now I can feel him catching glances over at me.

  After dinner Becca pulls out some new board game that she found that is similar to Pictionary. Let’s just say Parker’s drawing skills are on the same level as most 1st graders. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard in my life. Not that mine are much better.

  “That was supposed to be a bunny? Why does it have pointy ears?” I point to Parker’s drawing. He just pulls it away from me. “It’s a special kind of bunny okay?”

  Becca laughs. “Yeah Ava, didn’t you see the little carrot he was holding?” She has tears in her eyes from laughing so hard.

  Parker stands up. “Hey now. Now you guys are just ganging up on me. I’m going to get more wine. Anyone want anything?”

  I stand up too. “I’ll help.”

  I follow Parker into the kitchen, and the second we are around the corner, Parker pulls me to him and kisses me. He pulls back, and I smile at him. “What was that?”

  He grins back at me. “I couldn’t wait until we got home.”

  I laugh. “Home? You know you don’t live with me right?”

  He just smiles bigger and leans in for another kiss. “Not yet.”

  Becca calls from the living room. “What’s taking so long? I need those cookies you promised me.”

  Parker laughs and then kisses me one more time. When he pulls away, he squeezes my ass, and I let out a little yelp. Becca comes into the kitchen seconds later. “What’s going on in here?”

  She looks between me and Parker with a knowing look. I just smile at her. “Nothing.”

  She just laughs. “Oh please. You guys are worse than a couple of teenagers trying to sneak around making out in their parents basement.”

  Parker pats Becca on the shoulder. “Don’t worry we were just making out in the kitchen. Who knows how far things would get if we were in the basement.”

  I open my mouth at him. “Parker!”

  He looks back at me. “What? It’s just Becca. You probably already told her about our sex date.”

  Becca coughs. “Your what?” She looks over to me. “What’s your sex date?”

  I glare over at Parker and grit out. “Something that can still be cancelled if you don’t behave yourself.”

  He just laughs. “Oh please. I’m the one who had to convince you to wait. You were alllll over me.” I roll my eyes and Becca laughs. “Wait, you two haven’t even done it yet? No wonder you’re making out in the kitchen. You need to relieve some of this sexual tension. That date better be for tonight.”

  “Friday.” Becca’s mouth drops open. “Oh remind me to avoid you two for the next week. Ava is dramatic enough as is. I don’t think I can handle sexually frustrated Ava.”

  I look over to Becca. “Hey!” She just laughs. “What? It’s true.”

  Parker laughs too. “You don’t have to worry about me, I can handle satisfying myself.”

  Becca puts up her hands. “I don’t need to hear this. Give me those cookies.”

  I hand her the cookies without taking my eyes away from Parker. “Oh, you think I can’t?” He just smirks at me. “No, but I just wanted you to tell me about it?”

  I smirk back at him. “Do you really think that’s a good idea?” I run my hand down my stomach like I am going to touch myself. Parker grabs my hand. “No. I changed my mind. Save that for Friday. I don’t want you touching yourself before then.”

  I laugh at him. “How would you know?”

  He looks down at me and smiles. “Trust me. If you touch yourself before Friday, I’ll know. I can always tell when you are lying.”

  I turn to walk out of the kitchen and then look over my shoulder. “Do toys count?”

  Parker just groans and pushes me back out into the living room. We stick around for about another hour and then head out back home. We laugh and talk the whole way home. Nothing feels awkward between us.

  When we get to my apartment door though, things change. I don’t know exactly what to do, so I just search around in my purse for a minute looking for my key. I found it a couple of times, but I didn’t want to go in yet, so I just pretended I was still looking for it. I finally pull it out and look up at Parker.

  He looks just as conflicted as me. He reaches behind his head and rubs his neck. “This waiting thing was a dumb idea huh?”

  I let out a little laugh “Yeah. Kinda.”

  He blows out a breath. “Alright then, well, I guess I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

  I smile back at him. “Yeah, I guess you will.”

  “Goodnight.” He reaches down to hug me, and I hug him back. “Night.”

  He pulls back and then places his hand on my jaw and lightly presses his lips to mine. “Night.”

  I laugh. “You already said that.” He just grins back at me.

  I turn around to unlock my door, but Parker pulls my arm bringing me back to him. His lips slam against mine followed by his tongue in my mouth. I kiss him back just as desperately. His hands grip my waist hard, and I push my fingers into his hair. He picks me up and pushes me against the door, and I moan into his mouth. His fingers dig into my ass and I push my hips against his.

  Suddenly, he pulls back and puts me on the ground. He turns around and yells. “Fuck!”

  He turns back to me, and I am readjusting my clothes that just got messed up.

  He stares hard at me, and his eyes are black with lust. His voice is stern when he speaks next. “I am going to go into my apartment now. Promise me you will not open your door for me tonight no matter how hard I beg.”

  I just laugh and then smirk. “You know your key will let you in.”

  “Ugh!” He wipes his hand down his face. “Lock your bedroom door too.”

  I laugh again and then stand on my tiptoes and place a gentle kiss on his mouth. “Goodnight Parker.” Then I turn around and go into my apartment.

  I lean against my apartment door and blow out a breath. How am I supposed to spend all week with him without being with him or touching myself?

  I get ready for bed and then get into my bed, but I can’t fall asleep. I grab my phone from my nightstand. I see I have a text from Parker.

  Parker: Go to sleep!

  Me: Lol I just got in bed. Give me a minute.

  Parker: I thought I heard moaning.

  Me: Lmao. You did not. My dad would never let me live in an apartment with walls thin enough to hear your neighbors.

  Parker: I don’t know....you are a pretty loud moaner.

  Me: Trust me. You haven’t even heard me moan yet.