by S. M. Shade
The fingers in my hair freeze and he looks down at me in shock. It’s so hard to look him in the eye and keep a straight face. “You’re crazy.”
“Well, it made him drop the gun, and I kicked it under the soda cooler where he couldn’t reach it. Boy, was he pissed, though. I ran for the door and almost made it when he knocked me down. I kept trying to get away, to crawl to the door, but he grabbed my ankle.”
Parker’s eyes are wide as he asks, “How the hell did you get away?”
“Like I said, I was trying to crawl, but he had my ankle. He kept pulling my leg and pulling my leg…just like I’m pulling yours.”
It takes a few seconds for my words to sink in, then his laughter echoes through the room. “You…little…you’re going to pay for that. Not a word was true?”
“Well, I do buy snacks at convenience stores.”
Shaking his head, he grins down at me. “I should put you over my knee.”
“Nah, I’d probably like it.”
His groan makes me smile. “Shit, Macy, don’t say stuff like that while you’re in my bed.”
“It’s Mason’s bed.”
“Any bed.”
“I made you laugh.” My plan was to take his mind off of Mason, so mission accomplished.
His fingers slide beneath my chin and he tilts my head up. Our faces are so close, his breath warms my lips, and my heart rate leaps forward. “You always make my day better,” he whispers before closing the gap and pressing his lips to mine in a soft kiss.
I swear I evolved on this earth just to kiss this man. It’s a long searching kiss that makes every inch of my skin tingle. His eyes lock on mine when we break apart. “We’re going to happen, doll. Not here and not like this, but I won’t fight it anymore. Life’s too short not to be with the people you care about.”
Mason’s bed is empty when I wake, but I can smell Parker’s scent on the sheets. The memory of the night before seems like a dream, his soft kisses and affectionate words.
For the first time in six weeks, I’m not dreading the future. Parker has feelings for me. Maybe our timing isn’t the greatest, but it won’t stop us from seeing where this could go. Does he want a relationship? Parker is a notorious playboy. Is it naïve or narcissistic to think he’ll change for me?
My analyzing is interrupted when Cody dives on the bed with a wide smile. “Can we go swimming?”
“Let’s get some breakfast, first, honey.”
“Pancakes?” he asks, hopefully.
“Sounds good to me.”
Parker
This has been the most fucked up, amazing, turbulent day, beginning with a funeral and ending with a miracle. After accompanying Ev to her father’s funeral, I walked into Mason’s hospital room in time to overhear a nurse tell Ev she’s pregnant.
Though she balked and protested, I stayed glued to her throughout the obstetrician visit and exam. If Mason couldn’t be there for such a significant moment, I sure as hell was going to be. It blew Ev’s mind to find out she’s carrying my brother’s child, and I could see her fear that he’d never know.
Her worry wasn’t long lived. Just a few minutes ago, Mason finally woke up and promptly kicked Alex and me out of his room so he could be alone with his girl. My face actually aches from smiling when I call Macy. “Hello,” she answers, trepidation thick in her voice. She’s afraid I’m calling with bad news.
“Mason’s awake!” I exclaim.
“Oh my god, Parker, that’s great. How is he doing?”
“He’s exhausted, but other than that, he seems like his normal self.”
“I’m so happy to hear that. How are you?”
“Fucking ecstatic.” I laugh, pacing the hall.
“Now you need to take a break,” she lectures. “If you know he’s okay, you need to get some rest.”
“Yes, dear,” I tease. “I was hoping this dark haired beauty I know might make me dinner.”
“You tell that bitch that’s my job.”
Fuck, I’m crazy about this woman. “I’ll be there in a couple of hours.”
Ev approaches smiling ear to ear and throws her arms around me. “Thank you for everything, Parker. I’d never have made it through this day without you.”
“We’re family now, babe. Did you tell him about the baby?”
Shaking her head, she steps back. “No, I want to give it a little time, let him recover before I give him heart failure again.”
Alex steps up beside her and slides an arm around her shoulders. “Mason will be thrilled, Ev.”
“I hope so,” she murmurs. “We haven’t been together long and never discussed kids since I didn’t think it was possible.”
“Fate intervenes and all we can do is submit. You never know what will happen. I mean, look at Parker, all smitten with Macy. Never thought I’d see the day.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to deny it, but there’s no use. Alex knows me too well, and besides, I’m not ashamed. Mason will be pissed, but he’ll get over it. “Who the hell says smitten?” I scoff, shoving him.
Alex grins at Ev. “See? No denial.”
Ev places a palm on my cheek. “You deserve a good girl like Macy. Does she know how you feel?”
“I’m telling her tonight.”
“Well, don’t fuck it up by whoring around.”
“Thanks for the advice. Let’s give Mason some recovery time before he finds out, okay?”
“He’s going to kick your ass,” Alex says, trying to get me in a headlock.
“Not going to happen,” I grunt, slipping out of his grip and twisting his arm. Ev shakes her head when a nurse gives us a dirty look for roughhousing in the hall. I don’t give a shit. Our relief and joy is overwhelming, nothing can wipe the smile from our faces.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I shove Alex away so I can answer. “Officer Roberts, hey, good timing. Mason just woke up.”
“I’m glad to hear it. You tell that stubborn son of a bitch I’m making him wear Kevlar from now on.”
“Will do.” I laugh.
“Listen, I’m calling because I got some hits on Allen Pearson’s credit card. It appears he’s in Miami, jumping from roach motel to roach motel.”
Just the sound of that bastard’s name makes my fists tighten. “What’s he doing in Florida?”
“No clue. Probably trying to escape the heat after burglarizing the safe house. There’s an APB out on him, so it’s a matter of time. Just wanted to let you know he isn’t close.”
“Thanks, Jack. Keep me posted.”
“Now you can woo Macy properly,” Alex taunts after I relay the news.
“Woo her? That’s worse than smitten. I’m going to say goodbye to Mason, then head out.”
Macy and Cody are giggling in the kitchen when I arrive, and I laugh out loud at the sight of them. Whatever they’re cooking apparently requires them to dust themselves head to toe with flour. “Parker!” Cody rushes into me, grabbing my leg. “Daddy called. He’s getting better!”
“I know, little man. I told him how brave you’ve been.”
“Is he coming home?” A white cloud of flour puffs from his shirt when I scoop him up.
“In a couple of days. Tonight, though, I want to go see a movie. What do you say?”
“Can Macy come?”
“You bet. Go pick out some pajamas and I’ll run you a bath after I talk to Macy.”
“Pajamas?” His brow wrinkles and he looks at me like I’m insane.
“Yep. This movie is outside. We watch it from my truck, so you can wear your Hulk pj’s if you want.” His feet are moving before they hit the ground and he darts to his room.
“Will you be my date tonight?” I ask Macy, sliding my arms around her waist.
Sparkling eyes meet mine. “I’d love to, if you think it’s safe.”
“Al is apparently hiding out in Miami. He’s been using his credit cards. It shouldn’t be long now before he’s behind bars.”
“Today just keeps getting
better,” she says, dropping a soft tentative kiss on my jaw.
“Wait until tonight,” I murmur, taking her lips with mine. No one has ever affected me like she does. The world around us drains away until there’s nothing but her taste, her soft moans, the heat between her legs pressed against me.
“Don’t tease me,” she whispers, kissing me again.
“Oh, I’m going to tease you. All evening. But I’ll make it all worth it tonight.” Her tits press into my chest, and I run my lips down her neck.
“Is Macy your girlfriend?” Cody asks, watching us with his green pajamas in hand. Damn, that boy needs a bell around his neck.
Macy smirks at me, waiting to see how I’m going to escape this one. “I don’t know. She might be too pretty to be my girlfriend.”
“Yeah, probably,” the little brat replies, and heads toward the bathroom. I give Macy’s ass a pinch for laughing.
“I’m going to give him a bath.”
“Try not to hold his head underwater.”
“No promises.”
* * * *
Clermont is one of only two drive-in theaters still operating in Indianapolis. Cody is fascinated by the new experience. His eyes dart from the blank screens to the dilapidated playground and everywhere in between. “Can I go swing?”
“I’ll take him while you finish setting up,” Macy volunteers, watching me spread out an air mattress in the bed of my truck. “Should I even ask why you carry around a portable bed?”
“Very funny. I borrowed it from Mason’s camping gear. After sitting for a couple of hours, your ass will appreciate it.”
Macy giggles and drops a quick kiss on my lips. “My ass thanks you.”
Blood rushes to her cheeks when I hook my fingers in her front pockets and tug her forward to murmur in her ear. “Your pussy will thank me later.”
“Come on, Macy!” Cody whines, hopping around like a coked up flea. After inflating the mattress, I head to the concession stand. When they return from the playground, I’m sitting on the tailgate, surrounded by popcorn, candy, and soda.
“Whoa,” I call, grabbing a soda from Cody’s hand and replacing it with a juice box. “You’ll wear a ditch in the ground if you have caffeine.”
“When is the movie going to come on?” he asks.
“About twenty minutes. Keep your pants on.”
Shock fills his little face. “I wasn’t going to take my pants off!”
Fighting the urge to laugh along with me, Macy rubs her palm across his short hair. “Parker’s just being silly. I know a game we can play to pass the time.” She retrieves an empty fast food cup from the truck, placing it a few feet away, and dumps a pile of gravel on the tailgate between Cody and me.
Hopping up to sit beside him, she tosses a rock into the cup. “Can you hit it, Cody?” For something so simple, the boy is hooked, totally absorbed with landing rocks in the cup. “My dad used to take me to the drive-in a few times each summer. This was how we passed the time until the movie,” she says, moving to sit next to me.
Cody frowns and moves to her other side. “Someone is jealous,” I whisper in her ear.
“Don’t be. He’s only five.” Her warm lips taste like buttered popcorn when she kisses me. “He is awfully handsome though.”
“Takes after his uncle.” I can’t wait to get her home tonight. The expression on her face when she came by her own hand is branded in my brain, and I need to be the one to put it back on her face.
“It’s on!” Cody exclaims, scrambling up to lie on the mattress as the previews play. As usual, the first film is a kid’s movie and by the time it’s over, Cody is sound asleep.
“I’m going to move him to the cab of the truck before mosquitoes eat him alive,” I whisper, wrapping a blanket around him. I’m so full of shit. I just want her alone with no chance of interruption. Macy opens the door, and I place him on the seat.
“That boy could sleep through a tornado,” she says fondly.
We return to the air mattress, and I grab her hips and settle her ass between my legs before she can protest. With my back against the rear window, I can check on Cody with just a sideways glance.
“Your arms are warm,” she remarks, her voice low and sexy.
“And you’re chilly,” I reply, pulling a blanket over her lap. “Better?”
“Perfect.”
She’s perfect. Her plump little ass is nestled against my crotch, and I know she can feel my response. There’s no way I’m waiting until I get her home to touch her. The second movie begins, and I brush my lips down her neck. I love the way it makes her shiver. Her breath catches when I suck her earlobe, and she tilts her head, giving me better access.
“Parker,” she groans, shifting on my lap when my hand travels up her shirt.
“Shh, it’s dark and no one is parked close enough to see us.” She leans her head back, arching her back to press her breasts into my palms. “You have such soft skin. I have to touch you.”
Her hand slides to the back of my head and she slams her mouth to mine. Fuck me, this woman can kiss. She grips my hair hard and takes what she wants, her tongue diving and wrestling with my own. My little grammar girl is hiding a wildcat behind those soft smiles. “I swear, if Cody wasn’t with us, if we weren’t in public,” she gasps, breaking the kiss.
“Cody’s asleep, and you’ll just have to be quiet. I can’t fuck you, but I can damn sure make you come.”
Her body stiffens as my hand slips beneath the blanket, under her waistband and into her panties. “I don’t think…I’m not…”
One arm around her waist keeps her from fleeing. “You’re going to be still and come on my hand, doll. Now, pull your knees up.”
With a groan, she closes her eyes and complies, and I hook my feet on the inside of hers, spreading her legs. “Oh god,” she moans as I drag one rough finger up her wet center.
“I’m just getting started, baby,” I murmur in her ear while rubbing slow steady circles on her clit.
“Park, shit. It’s not going to take much,” she whispers, a tremor in her voice.
“Yeah? Have you been horny, Mace? Have you been thinking of me touching you like this?”
“Yes.”
“Were you picturing this when you touched yourself?”
Embarrassed, she turns her face into my neck before confessing. “No, not your fingers. Your mouth.”
This woman is going to fucking kill me. “Tonight, doll. You’ll be whimpering under my tongue, begging me to stop.”
Her hands tighten on my thighs when I slide a thick finger inside to stroke her spot. When my thumb resumes painting circles on her clit, she bites my shoulder and groans as her body shivers through a long orgasm. Her walls clench around my finger, and I need to feel that around my cock more than I need to breathe. “Parker?”
I can’t help the satisfied smile on my face at the sound of her labored breath. “Yes, sweetheart?”
“To hell with the movie. Take me home and fuck my brains out.”
I make the drive home in record time and thankfully, Cody doesn’t budge when I tuck him into bed.
Macy sits on the edge of Mason’s bed, removing her shoes, her shy smile contradicted by the heat in her eyes. Innocence and sensuality wrapped in a tiny package I can’t wait to open. I’ve argued with myself for months, spent hours running through the reasons I can’t have her. She’s a victim. I’m supposed to be protecting her. She’s too vulnerable. Call me an asshole, but I don’t give a shit anymore.
I want her. I care about her and will protect her with my life, so Mason can kiss the meatiest part of my ass. I won’t let my feelings for her interfere with my job.
Chapter Six
Macy
Finally! The look on Parker’s face as he gazes at me from the bedroom doorway assures me this is really going to happen. I shove aside the invading thought that this may be a mistake. Parker always jumps from girl to girl, and I’ll feel even worse when he moves on, but at the moment, I don�
�t care. I’ll deal. I want him. Want to feel him inside me more than I’ve ever wanted anything and I won’t let my brain screw this up.
I jump at the click of the lock when Parker secures the door, and he gives me a small smile. He approaches me slowly with a cautious expression, like he’s afraid I’ll run away. Hands clasped in his, I’m pulled to my feet and into his arms. “It’s okay if you’ve changed your mind.”
“Oh no you don’t. You’ve teased me all night. Now you have to put out.” It’s all he needs to hear and I’m spread on the bed beneath him before I can take a breath. “The light,” I mumble, when he unfastens my bra, pulling it and my shirt off in one practiced move.
“Stays on. I’ve dreamed about this sweet body. I need to see it.” His lips and tongue on my skin distract me while he removes my jeans and panties. Getting to his feet, he stands at the foot of the bed, his gaze flowing from my face to my toes.
Heat floods my cheeks. It’s an incredibly vulnerable moment, being so exposed to him while he remains fully dressed, and I avert my eyes. “Look at me, sweetheart.” His husky voice is simultaneously arousing and comforting. He sheds his shirt and steps out of his jeans and boxers. The thick cock standing at attention between his legs damn near makes me salute, and he raises his eyebrows at my grin.
“Are you laughing?”
“No.” I smother a giggle. “I’m sorry, it’s just nerves.”
“Don’t be nervous. You’re beautiful, Macy.” Crawling up the bed, he presses his lips to my navel and works his way up, leaving a path of tiny licking kisses between my breasts.
I’m not ashamed of my athletic body, but if he’s a boob man, he came to the wrong chest. He doesn’t exactly look disappointed as he sucks my nipple into his mouth, sending a flash of heat through me that makes me moan and grip his hair.
“Mmm, so sweet…soft,” he murmurs, sliding his lips to give my other breast the same attention. I revel in the weight of his body on mine, his hard length pulsing on my thigh as his tongue explores my skin. Pleasure rushes through me when he sucks on the soft place below my ear. How did he find my weakness so quickly?
