Groomed For Love: A Steamy Standalone Instalove Romance Read online

  Like I said, a good puppy again when it comes to bath time with the right person.

  And man oh man is Naomi the right person.

  I know at a glance she is.

  For me and my best friend, my buddy. My police partner.

  She’s our new everything in a New York minute, and we both know it without a single glance or a word between us.

  I should feel jealous at how easy Moose is with her.

  But I can’t.

  I’d rush to her with the same affection if she called me to, jumping into the steaming warm water.

  Naked.

  For her.

  And I can’t help wondering as I watch her heart shaped ass from behind as she checks the water in the tub if she’d do anything I asked her to.

  If she feels the same way about me physically as I know I do for her.

  Moose’s eyes are bright with excitement, and I’m glad Naomi’s back’s turned while I take a seat.

  My hard on has reached the stage of not being able to hide it, with the urge to take it out and show her what she’s doing to me almost overpowering me.

  I get lost in my fantasy, picturing myself walking over to her and keeping her bent over, tugging those sweat pants down so I can get at what I need most.

  I hear myself groaning softly, imagining my hands gripping her waist, running my hands over her hips, and spanking that perfect ass as she spreads her thick thighs for me.

  One hand on her ass, the other sliding its way between her legs as her head tilts back, our moans of pleasure ringing out together.

  Ringing.

  There’s a pressure in my head, and that ringing…

  “Uh, Parker? Parker!”

  I snap to attention, the room slowly coming back into focus.

  Naomi’s craning her neck around, both her hands holding onto Moose as her eyes move from my bulging crotch to the phone on the wall.

  “Can you get that, please?” she asks, her voice shaking a little as I notice her whole body struggle to keep Moose still.

  Or is it something else?

  Without thinking, I lunge for the phone on the wall and answer it. Identifying myself as Officer Parker and naming the salon.

  To my surprise, it’s the hospital calling. A nurse tells me which hospital and ward she’s calling from but she stops short on answering any questions about her patient’s condition when I ask.

  They have Sasha on the other line and she’d like to speak with Naomi, if she’s there.

  “Uh… She’s got her hands full right now, I can take the call,” I tell the nurse.

  Sasha sounds like hell, her strained voice rasping from the other end of the line.

  “I’m at the salon with Naomi, and Moose,” I tell her, thinking that might make her feel better.

  But it has the opposite effect.

  “Get her out of my salon… I don’t want her near another dog or my place ever again, you hear me,” she tries to shout, but the phone’s taken from her by the hospital staff.

  Holding the handset away from my ear, I know that Naomi’s heard just as much as I have.

  Her whole body seems to slump and Moose licks her face as even he tries to console her.

  It’s official, I guess.

  She’s fired.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Naomi

  It feels good to have Moose’s trust while I start to set up his bath.

  Feels even better knowing his master is right behind me, watching me.

  I’m no show pony, but a girl gets a feeling when she’s being watched in a positive way.

  Doesn’t she?

  I wouldn’t know but I can’t deny it when I sense it coming at me from behind.

  It has to be. Nothing else could make me feel like this.

  And although I still have no idea what the man must see in me, I can tell from my own sly glances at his crotch that he likes what he sees.

  Is it me, or is he just barring up watching his dog getting washed so he doesn’t have to do it?

  I’m hoping it’s the former, but at this stage, I couldn’t care less.

  I feel wet in more ways than one once I start to hose down Moose, who is suddenly so well behaved it’s beyond suspicious.

  There’s a mirror above the bath, we use it to keep an eye on the front door of the salon, but I can only see Parker staring at me as I bend over, his hand straying to his bulging cock as he starts to moan.

  Like he’s in a trance or something.

  I should be frightened, I could be turning to tell him to straighten up his act. That it’s inappropriate.

  But the feeling he’s broadcasting is traveling through the room and right up the inside of my thighs, deep inside someplace that I know now for sure I want Parker to bury his face first followed by that huge dick of his.

  I’ve never had a sexual thought about an older man in my life.

  Any man at all really.

  But knowing I’m appreciated for once in my life. Knowing I have a certain effect on a real man?

  It’s the biggest freaking turn on ever, so much so I almost forget how to wash a dog. But Moose is understanding.

  He just stands there, waiting patiently, and I’m sure he shoots me another of his little winks as he grins at me once he picks up on how his master is feeling.

  I feel my knees going weak, and my whole body shiver at the thought of Parker running those huge hands of his over me as I’m bent over the bath, but then the damned phone rings.

  Interrupting what might have been the beginning to the perfect day after all.

  I pull myself together enough to catch his attention, begging him to pick up the phone, almost wishing straight away I hadn’t.

  It’s the hospital, and I know instantly that it’s about Sasha.

  And once Parker holds the phone away from his ear, I can hear her voice trying her best to shout out the obvious instructions she hinted at before she was carted off in the ambulance.

  She doesn’t want me in her salon for one more minute.

  Doesn’t want me touching another of her client’s dogs.

  Doesn’t want me working here anymore.

  I guess I should thank my stars she’s not talking or even shouting about suing me yet. Trying to have me arrested for almost killing her.

  Who the heck doesn’t tell you they have a nut allergy? Every Vegan is like falling over themselves to advertise the fact… I thought allergies were the same?

  I can feel Moose consoling me as I go through the motions of finishing his bath, rinsing his shampoo, and shutting off the water to dry him off.

  But I still feel numb.

  I can feel Parker too, still standing behind me as he hangs up the phone. Knowing he’s a hundred percent behind me in more ways than one.

  But it doesn’t take the sting out of it.

  It doesn’t take the pain out of my chest, knowing I’ve failed once again.

  Knowing that somebody else in this world doesn’t want me because I screwed up.

  “Let me help you with that,” Parker says, not skipping a beat as he moves over, patting Moose’s damp fur and covering him with a towel before he starts to shake all his wetness all over us both.

  “See? I told ya. He’s not the best doggy when it comes to bath time… He wants to make everyone else as wet as he is,” Parker says, his hands brushing over mine as we loosely fight to cover Moose with a huge towel, making us both laugh for a second.

  Almost making me forget everything else.

  “Why don’t I help you dry him off, then you can show me how to clip his nails, and then we can get out of here?” Parker suggests, resting one of his huge hands over mine as he looks down at me, his lips giving me a comforting smile.

  The lips I wish he’d just press up against mine.

  Put me out of my misery and either just kiss me, fuck me or tell me I’ve got no hope like my boss just told him.

  I surprise myself and readily agree.

  We finish Moose’s bath and I
fetch a second hose from the reverse vacuum we use to dry dogs, and Moose seems to enjoy being spoiled by the two of us.

  He sits pretty well through me showing Parker how I’d clip his nails, which only need a tiny trim.

  Moose being on his feet so much.

  “He really likes you,” Parker says, pointing out the obvious, but also hinting at an answer to my own hidden question.

  “And you?” I hear myself almost gasp, fumbling as I try to lightly brush his hand but damn near scratching him, which makes him laugh nervously.

  “Oh, I like you fine too,” he says casually, blushing a little as we both stand perfectly still, our hands barely touching as I wait for him to take the lead.

  Maybe even lean in and kiss me? Like in the movies or something.

  I even push myself up on the balls of my feet, craning my neck a little so I can reach his mouth sooner once I notice his face moving closer to mine.

  Like two magnets, helpless against the power between them.

  I finally consider that maybe, just maybe a man like Parker could have feelings for a girl like me.

  Feeling my eyes close, I even pucker my lips, waiting for his to meet them midair for what feels like forever before I finally open my eyes, disappointed.

  “Let’s get out of here, huh?” Parker suggests suddenly, squeezing my hand gently before Moose puts his own lips between ours and licks both our faces, stamping his newly trimmed feet impatiently before I let him out of the bath.

  “Where?” I ask, fighting back the wave of truth that threatens to drown me all over again.

  I’ve got nowhere, nobody, and nothing to my name, so I’m not sure where exactly I’d go right now.

  But anywhere with Parker is fine by me.

  As long as it’s not my apartment or the hospital where Sasha is still breathing fire about me, I guess.

  “We can go home. To my place,” Parker suggests, a glint in his eye as he catches his lower lip in his perfect white teeth.

  “Or we could…” he starts to say, scanning the interior of the dog salon but I fake hit his huge chest, stopping him before he suggests leaving me here on my own or worse.

  “I’d like that,” I confess. Knowing if I can feel so at ease with Parker and Moose in person, I’d love to be in their house, even just long enough for me to have a break so I can figure out what to do next.

  “I hoped you would,” Parker admits as Moose picks up his own leash in his teeth, pressing it into my hand and signaling us both it’s time to go.

  “We should really walk him around the block a couple of times, dry him out completely,” I suggest and Parker agrees.

  “Yeah. Get the last of that wet dog smell off of him,” he agrees, and it’s decided.

  Even though Moose looks a little offended that anyone would suggest he even smells just a bit still.

  I close up the salon, slipping the key into the mailbox slot outside, and handing Parker Moose’s leash as all three of us set out on a lap around the city block.

  The sun peeks out, and as we round the corner even I start to feel like things are gonna work out just fine.

  I hear Moose growl first, and then feel Parker tense up as we turn the corner.

  I don’t even know what’s happening next, except that it’s the second knife I’ve seen in one day and I don’t like it.

  “Give me your wallet, phones!” The rough voice snarls, swiping at the air in front of us.

  It’s not my landlord this time, but someone who looks even more desperate.

  Someone who smells like they need a bath as well.

  I grip Parker’s arm, knowing what he’s capable of doing, Moose too.

  “Just give him what he wants, Parker. None of this is worth-”

  But it’s too late.

  The man’s reflexes are quicker than my words and even quicker than our new friend’s mind.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Parker

  Are you fucking kidding me?

  It’s the only thought I can have between what this punk says and what my arm does next out of reflex.

  Even Moose lets me handle this one on my own, only stepping between the guy with the knife, blocking him from Naomi while I twist his arm into a creaking knot behind his back and pin him to the wall.

  The little knife clinks to the sidewalk, as passers-by gasp, and someone reaches for their phone to start filming.

  I identify myself as K9 patrol again, flashing my badge with my one free hand before making the guy a full pretzel.

  Both hands behind his back and his mouth tasting New York’s finest antique brickwork against his rotting teeth inside his equally rotten cheek.

  I felt Naomi’s arm on mine briefly, begging me to give this piece of shit what he wanted, but she doesn’t get it.

  Nobody seems to be getting it lately.

  Naomi is mine now. I’m her protector and Moose is my backup, we belong together now. All three of us.

  And for some strange reason, it feels like the leak at the shit head factory today is flowing thick and fast downstream and right towards us.

  Will I ever make it home without a ton of paperwork?

  I hear her though, and once she asks me again, I relax my grip on the guy without letting him go.

  I can try a different tact for once today, why not?

  “Listen, buddy,” I whisper in the guy’s ear. “You picked the wrong couple to mug but I’ll cut you a break, maybe even save you a six by ten holiday…” I hear myself growl, my jaw grinding.

  Not even believing I’d let something like this even slide past with or without Naomi involved.

  “You need a meal, something to get you outta trouble?” I ask, spinning him to face me and putting my face in his.

  My fist looming up with the first bill I can grab from my pants, which just happens to be a fifty.

  Shit.

  “Take this, go get yourself fed and cleaned up someplace,” I advise him, stuffing the money into his own front pocket before I loosen my grip on the prick.

  Moose whines, looking at me like I’ve lost the plot. But it’s only because Naomi asked me to.

  That and the fact I already have enough paperwork from our efforts this morning.

  I’m trying to get her home and alone with me, and at this rate, I’ll have to arrest half the city before I can even get a second alone with her again.

  “Now beat it,” I hiss, keeping my foot over his knife when he bends down for it and kicking it into a drain once he slinks down an alley, away from us.

  Away from Naomi and hopefully, towards a meal and maybe something good for him even if it’s just for one day.

  “Oh Parker,” Naomi gasps, falling into my arms as a small round of applause erupts from the crowd gathered at a distance. “Let’s just get out of here.”

  I don’t need any encouragement, and in seconds once I’ve held her close again we’re safely back in my truck, heading for home with Moose in the back giving me a strange look as Naomi stares out the window, silent.

  Probably in a state of shock for the second time in one day.

  Dammit.

  “I promise there are no more nasty surprises,” I tell her once we cross the bridge to my side of town.

  Her body shivers a little and she shudders a breath before turning to meet my eyes in the mirror.

  “I hope not,” is all she can say, her lip quivering. Making me feel worse by the second.

  Counting them until I can get us home, behind locked doors.

  Knowing she’ll be safe and we won’t be disturbed anymore. At least not for the rest of the weekend.

  “I promise,” I tell her, meaning it.

  Wanting to ask her a hundred things but knowing I need to give her some space right now.

  Let her settle from the day so far and most of all, let her make her own mind up about what she really wants.

  Moose lets us both know when we’re nearly home, growling with excitement, knowing he’s coming home and can run himself all
through the house now that he’s had his bath.

  He’ll drag his clean face all over everything, pretending it’s as much fun as when he’s soaking wet and I’ll try my best to keep him inside long enough too.

  Once he gets outside, I know he’s gonna need a bath all over again.

  I hit the remote and the gates swing open, my gravel drive arcing around, and I park right out front. Not even opening the car door until I know the gates are closed again.

  Naomi’s gaze has shifted from Moose to the house.

  It’s not a huge house, but a historic townhouse with a driveway and a yard maybe isn’t what she was expecting.

  “It used to be my parent’s place,” I explain, getting out to open her side before letting Moose out.

  “Once my Dad passed, Mom moved upstate,” I add, trying not to sound pretentious.

  Trying not to sound like I’m a big-noting myself or my family.

  Dad saved every nickel, and he bought this place for my mom and me to feel secure while he worked once his own father passed and left him the family purse to carry.

  Once I was old enough I was working too, and the old man sure as hell made sure I paid my way as well as learned how to use money wisely. Just like his old man taught him.

  “It’s not too much?” I hear myself ask Naomi, who looks in awe of two stories and a few stone gargoyles, poking out their tongues, guarding ancient downpipes.

  Moose barks from the porch, cocking his head in an open question that asks me what the hell is taking me so long to open the front door.

  Ushering Naomi up to the front door, I open it and tapping the security code on the keypad in the hall, I have to move fast to get out of Moose’s way.

  He’s racing for the rug in the kitchen, but I know from experience he’ll not rest until he’s rubbed himself over every woven surface in the whole house.

  But I can only watch Naomi.

  Only study her reaction to the house I hope she’ll want to call home from now on.

  “He’ll run around like a kid for a while, but he’ll simmer down,” I inform her, motioning towards the kitchen.

  “You want some coffee?” I hear myself ask, feeling like I can’t even swallow until I know she approves.