Chapter 154
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Chapter 154
Ames brought her home, setting her at the foot of the front steps. Before he left, he gently cupped the side of her neck, trailing his fingers over the mark. The powerful feeling elicited by Amos’s touch on the mark nearly made her knees buckle. They stared at each other, both breathing a line ** verly
“Later,” she promised. “But first, I have to talk to my ma.
Reluctantly he released her, watching from the sidewalk as she climbed the steps to her mother’s house. She let herself into the house with mingling feelings of dread and relief. At last, she was no longer going to be living with her mother. But breaking the news was going to be an ordeal. She shut the door and glanced out the window once more at Amos before turning to face the music.
“Ma?” she called. “You home p>
“In the kitchen!” Ma called back.
Chloe found her in her usual place at the kitchen table, reading glasses perched on the end of her nose as she clipped coupons from the Sunday paper while Family Feud played on the little TV above the microwave. It was an achingly familiar sight–one that she had witnessed since the earliest days of her life. The only thing missing was her Dad sitting at the other side of the table, drinking coffee and doing the crossword.
“Hey, Ma. I have to tell you something.” Chloe slid into the chair next to the one that used to be Dad’s.
Ma looked up, brow furrowed. She set the coupons down. “What happened? Are you pregnant p>
Chloe half–choked on a laugh. “No. But… I’m moving in with the guy I’ve been seeing p>
Ma blinked, apparently stunned into silence.
“I’m sorry to spring this on you so suddenly. But the credit cards are paid off and the mortgage is back under control, so you don’t need my help anymore p>
The stunned silence didn’t last long. “You’re what?” Ma demanded, aghast. “You’re moving in with some man that you just met? Are you out of your goddamn mind, Chloe p>
“No, I p>
“This is Lucas all over again! He’s taking advantage of your soft heart! As soon as you move in with him, he’s going to oh–so–conveniently get laid off, and you’ll end up footing all the bills while he spends all day playing video games, pretending he’s looking for work. You’re smarter than this p>
“He’s nothing like Lucas. I learned my lesson from that, Ma. Listen, he’s p>
“Oh god, you’re just like your father,” Ma lamented. “You’re a caretaker and provider, and people take advantage of that. Just have a little common sense, Chloe. What kind of trustworthy man wants to move in with a woman he’s only known for a few weeks? A crazy one! A lazy slob who’s looking for a meal ticket! Don’t you remember what happened to Ceci with that useless man she almost married? I can’t believe you’re- ”
Ma kept talking, but the words blurred into meaningless noise in Chloe’s ears. She realized there’d be no reasoning with Ma until she’d gotten this tirade out of her system. So she waited patiently until Ma ran out of calamitous prophecies to sputter.
“Promise me you’ll rethink this!” Ma begged as Chloe tuned back into what she was saying.
“Ma, listen,” she said patiently. “I didn’t just meet him. We’ve been seeing each other for several months now p>
Ma blinked. “Several months? And you never told me p>
Chloe winced. “I’m sorry. I know it sounds bad. He’s just really special to me, and I wanted him to be just mine for a while p>
“Just yours. What does that even mean? I don’t like this, Chloe. Not one bit. What kind of decent man agrees to stay hidden from your family for
months? ”
11:01
Caught Naked By My Alpha Neighbor! Now I’m His–No Escape.
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Chapter 154
“I promise you don’t have to worry about him taking advantage of me. He’s a line older than me understatement and makes more money than I do. The has his own company. He owns a nice house in Old Town If anyone staking adverdas, w
Ma scoffed, but Chloe could see the emotional tide had finally turned. “His own basiness? Me said skeptically “Doing what p>
“He’s a software developer. I don’t really understand it all, but he’s got clients all over the world and several smployees.
The corners of Ma’s lips turned down and she tilted her head from side to side as the considered thust. That’s where all the money in these days, ho it? Computers p>
“I don’t know, but Amos is doing all right. He won’t be mooching off me p>
Ma crossed her arms. “How much older is he p>
“He’s forty–two,” Chloe said, giving his age at the time of being turned.
Ma’s brows shot up. “Nine years p>
“Dad was seven years older than you. It’s hardly any different p>
“Well don’t you have an answer for everything,” Ma said sourly. Even so, her posture had relaxed, and she managed to return her attention to her coupons. “Am I ever going to meet this man p>
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