Page 12 of Gaining the Heart of a Gemini (BLP Signs of Love #15)

“I told you I’m hard to love, mami.”

“I’m up for the challenge, and right now, you need someone to be strong for you. A part of you wanted me here since you texted me. I’m not about to let you down.”

There was no use in me trying to argue with Parrish.

She was headstrong, something I liked about her.

Not only that, but she seemed to genuinely care about me.

No woman had ever shown interest in my feelings.

Not that I had let any get close enough to, but even with me fucking and financing the ones I did, they were only in it for themselves.

I wasn’t sure how long Parrish and I sat there, but eventually, I drifted off to sleep.

Hours later, I woke up with her in my arms, softly snoring again my chest. I blinked a few times to adjust to the light.

I peered over at her and smirked. Her jaw hung down, and each time she exhaled, her lips vibrated.

There was something stirring in me that I couldn’t quite decipher what it was. All I knew was that everything with her felt right.

Quietly, I searched for my phone to check the time.

It was a little after ten at night. I had missed calls from Carter and Patrick.

Since I wasn’t in the mood to be bothered by anyone other than Parrish, I sent them a text, informing them I’d get up with them tomorrow.

I texted Mama and Karmen to check in on them, just as Parrish stirred in her sleep.

“Oh, shit!” she exclaimed, sitting up and using the back of her hand to wipe her mouth. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“Me either, but I slept well. I needed that.”

Parrish stood up and looked around for her phone. She picked it up off the floor before slipping her sandals on. “I’ll let you get some rest. I’m sorry for falling asleep.”

“Stay.”

“Huh?”

“You heard me, mami. Take your sandals back off and come with me to the kitchen. I’m hungry.”

“Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t have said shit if it wasn’t what I wanted. Come on.”

I led Parrish to my kitchen, happy to see that my chef had prepared dinner before leaving. There was a plate waiting for me in the microwave, so I warmed it up and opened the fridge to get the containers out.

“You can have that plate,” I told Parrish. “I’ll fix me one.”

“Thank you. It smells heavenly. What did she cook?”

“Oxtails, rice, and mac and cheese.”

Parrish rubbed her hands together. “I’m about to throw down. I love oxtails.”

“Me too. It’s one of my favorite meals. Chef makes it exactly how my granny used to. My mama gave her the recipe, and she executes it perfectly each time.”

“Are any of your grandparents still living?”

“Unfortunately, no. My abuela lived the longest. She passed away about five years ago.”

Parrish went to the sink to wash her hands.

Once her plate was warm, she put mine in the microwave for me.

I thanked her and grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge.

She took our plates to the table while I poured us wine.

In between, I kept stealing glances at her, wondering if we were peeking at the future.

I blessed the food, and we dug in. Parrish nodded her head in approval after the first bite of food.

Halfway through eating, I asked, “Do you want to have a big or small wedding?”

“Small and intimate. I don’t have too much family or friends, so I don’t want to do anything extravagant.”

“I’m with that. I’d prefer it that way as well, but if my future wife wanted to go all out, I’d be more than willing to do so.”

“That’s sweet of you, but you don’t need to worry about that with me. I’m a simple woman.”

“Sounds like you’re warming up to the idea of us.”

Parrish picked up her wine glass and nodded. “I am. The more I get to know you, the more open I am to it.”

“The feeling is mutual. Thank you for being here for me today. Like I said, I didn’t realize I had texted you, but that only means I wanted you near. For me, that says a lot.”

“Why didn’t you remember, Klay?”

“I was drowning in the darkness of my emotions. That shit is hard to deal with and come out of. It fucks me up.”

“It only fucks you up because you don’t know how to properly deal with it. Don’t worry. That’s something we’re going to work on.” Parrish winked at me and took a sip of her wine.

I set my fork down, stood up, and held my arms out. Parrish’s head tipped to the side as she wet her lips before mushing them together. She stood up and melted into my arms.

“Let me find out you’re affectionate, Klay.” She giggled.

“Only with the right people. When you hugged me earlier, it healed something in me, mami. I need that in my life.”

“Good thing I’m right here to give it to you.”

We stood there, wrapped in one another for a good minute before we went back to eating.

Parrish kept me company until a little after midnight.

I rode with her to her house and made sure she got in safely.

A part of me didn’t want her to leave. The idea of her always being with me plagued my mind all night.

Parrish Wells was leaving her mark on me, and I hoped I was doing the same for her.