“You don’t have to do that anymore. They’re gone. Also, no matter what happens between you and me, we’ll all protect you. McCallister’s Paradise is your home now, and everyone living on the island is your family.”
He hoped that made her feel better, at least a little. How horrible must life have been growing up for her? Sure, he fought back and forth with his siblings his entire life. They had some rivalries and arguments. However, he always knew they loved him and he loved them. His parents believed in hard work and hard play. They couldn’t have been any better as role models or caregivers. It seemed unfair that he’d had such a wonderful life, while Sierra’s had been the exact opposite.
She blinked rapidly, and Parker knew she tried not to let the tears fall.
“Hey,” he said softly, wiping the corner of her eye where a little water leaked out. “It’s okay to be upset. You’ve been so strong through all of this, but I don’t mind if you need to use my shoulder for a while.”
Another tear squeezed out, but she shook her head. “Crying is a sign of weakness, and if there’s one thing I’m not, it’s weak. Cece might have worn me down and made my life miserable, but she will not break me. I won’t give her that satisfaction.”
That worried him, because if Sierra kept stuffing her emotions away, one day they would come out and bite her.
“Cece isn’t here,” he pointed out. “And I don’t think crying makes you weak, especially if it means you’re willing to share yourself and your feelings with me.”
She sighed. “And that’s what you’re looking for? You want me to bare my soul to you and risk getting my heart broken?”
It might creep her out if he told her that his heart was already at risk. While he tried to convince himself all week that it wouldn’t matter if Sierra decided not to see him again, upon spending this evening with her he knew that was a lie. She was so much more than he ever expected.
He wrapped her in a hug and pulled her against him, but then quickly released her before his body could betray him by getting excited again. “I want both our souls bared, at least to each other. Isn’t that what a relationship is?”
“You already know my most important secrets,” she replied. “Why not tell me yours? For example who, exactly, am I a replacement for? Your family told me your last relationship hurt you badly, and you are right, I don’t want to be the girl you use to get over it.”
Parker clenched his hands together, wishing for the umpteenth time that he hadn’t told Quinn and Larissa about Vanessa.
When the silence had gone on for a small eternity, the only sounds being the splashing of waves against the hull of the boat and the occasional chatter of the nearby dolphins, Sierra stood from the bench.
“You want my true feelings?” She asked, sounding upset. “Here it goes. You want me to reveal all, but it seems like you’re not willing to do the same. That doesn’t make us partners. That makes me a doormat. You have to tell me about her, or I’m putting an end to us.”
He knew she was right. He had to tell her what had happened, but it was so embarrassing. Last year, Vanessa La Fabre had used him. The island’s player got played by a prostitute, and it changed him forever. It wasn’t manly or sexy, and he feared Sierra would think less of him for it.
Then again, if he didn’t tell her, she might refuse to see him again. He may as well give her what she’d wanted and let things turn out however they were destined to.
“You’re right, Red. You deserve to know. First off, you have to believe that you’re not a rebound. That relationship ended over a year ago, and I’ve had plenty of women willing to be my rebound, if that’s what I wanted.”
She sat along the far side of the boat, the moonlight shining down on her and showing how cautious she appeared. Maybe that was better. If she were across from him where they couldn’t touch, he wouldn’t be tempted to rip her clothes off and give her what she wanted earlier in the night. Sex would be the way to make her forget her questions about Vanessa, but it certainly wouldn’t make them equals.
“So tell me what happened, Parker,” she said softly. “I have to know.”
Putting his head down in his hands so he didn’t have to look into her eyes, Parker expelled a long breath before starting.
“Vanessa seemed perfect,” he said. “The sort of woman a man waits his whole life for.”
* * *
Staring at Parker, Sierra felt as though her heart dropped to her stomach at his words. Of course his ex was his soul mate and everything he wanted. That’s what she’d been afraid of ever since learning about her. Then again, she needed to stay calm. She was the one who insisted he tell her about the other woman, now it was only fair she hear him out.
Clearing her throat, she forced herself to say, “So what happened to Miss Perfect?”
He snorted, a disgusted sound that gave Sierra the tinniest sliver of hope.
“I spend all this time flirting,” he said. “It’s part of my persona. The family’s always telling people what a flirt I am, and the female guests love feeling flattered. So, I guess I’m this big player who uses women or something according to people on the island.”
Sierra didn’t think it would help Parker to know she’d basically heard that from coworkers. It was assumed a different girl graced his bed every night and that Parker wasn’t in anything for the long haul. She hadn’t argued with the gossips, but she spent all week hoping she knew Parker better than they did.
He kept his eyes down on his legs, as though afraid to see whether she judged him. “Vanessa was a massage therapist here on the island. She’d been here for a year before we started dating. She was feisty and funny and challenged me in a way no one had before.”
Not that Sierra hadn’t asked, but did she really need a running monologue of all the woman’s assets? “But you guys obviously broke up. Was that her decision?” That was the biggest fear Sierra had. Parker might still be in love with Vanessa.
He finally lifted his head, looking directly at her in the bright light of the moon. “People aren’t always who you think, you know?”
He seemed to want an answer, so Sierra nodded. “All the people I know are that way.”
“All the people you knew,” he corrected. “You can trust most of us on the island. But it’s good you understand what I’m saying. I don’t have sex with everyone on the island, even though I know you’ve probably heard that. I’m not the person people assume I am.”
Considering that for a few seconds, Sierra finally nodded again. “That’s good to know.”
His hands ran back through his hair, a nervous, frustrated gesture that didn’t seem his usual way. “Vanessa wasn’t who she pretended to be either. I thought perhaps I was in love and had finally found the woman I would spend my life with. She had other ideas.” Looking away from her again, Parker rubbed his hands against his pants. “She was sleeping with clients for money.”
Unable to stop herself, Sierra gasped. “While you were dating?”
“While I thought we were committed to each other.” He shrugged. “You’d think I would have caught on. I’m supposed to know so much about women and be good at reading them. After all, I’m a player, right?” Another snort sounded through the night between them. “But she played me.”
It wasn’t what she thought at all, but in some ways it still worried her. “So you didn’t want things to end, and she broke your heart.”
“You’re wrong,” he said. “Loyalty and trust are important to me. Just for the record, I’ve never had a different girl in my bed each night. I’ve slept with a fair share, sure, but I’m not that bad.”
“How many have you had since Vanessa?” Maybe she wasn’t a rebound after all.
“I’ve spent the last year getting myself triple tested for any diseases. I mean, I had a year-long relationship with a prostitute and we weren’t exactly careful about protection. Knowing how she betrayed me, I didn’t even want to look at another woman, honestly.”
Parker stood t
hen, crossing the platform to her side of the boat. He took her hands in his, and Sierra didn’t resist as he pulled her to her feet. Parker wrapped her in a hug. Even though she was somewhat frustrated to know he’d had this great love before her, Sierra snuggled into him. He was being honest—that had to count for something.
Not trying to do anything more than hug her, Parker kept his cheek pressed against hers when he resumed speaking. “That was until I met you, Red. Then fireworks, lightning, whatever you want to call it, hit me on the beach that afternoon you tried to kill me.” He chuckled softly. “My idea to never have another relationship flew out the window and I knew I had to get close to you. The more I learn, the more I want to be with you. In a serious relationship, not a fling.”
He might be the smoothest talker on the island, but Sierra believed his sincerity. She held him tightly, again loving that she felt safe within his embrace.
So what if he used to be a player or once dated a woman he thought he loved? He was here now, with her, and that was where Sierra wanted to keep him.
“I want to be with you, too, Parker.” She turned slightly to kiss his cheek. “I’m sorry I didn’t go entirely along with your plans for romance tonight, but I think this was better anyway.”
“It was?” He sounded skeptical.
“Of course it was,” she responded. “Now I know I can trust you, and that was my biggest hold up.”
“Does that mean we’re dating for real?”
“Yes,” she said. “And one-hundred percent exclusive.”
His body relaxed marginally. “Good to know, Red. That’s exactly what I’d hoped for.”
Chapter 15
In the week since their conversation on the boat, Parker was pleased with how things had progressed with Sierra. Being as gentlemanly as possibly, he’d taken them to shore and walked her home after they agreed to be a couple—not taking advantage of her, even if his raging hormones urged him to do differently.
Now, every night they had dinner together. Sierra was certainly still exhausted after work each night, but at least it was Friday again. They could go to dinner and maybe spend even more time together than usual tonight.
They both had the next two days off, and Parker wondered if his parents conspired to give Sierra the same schedule he had. They might have told her they didn’t care whether Sierra dated him or not, but Parker also knew they schemed last year to set Quinn up with Larissa. Well, if they did the same thing for him, Parker was happy about it.
Riding the elevator up to the sixth floor in Sierra’s building, Parker clutched the single rose in his hand. He hoped tonight was the night—the night she’d be ready to make love. It still might seem fast, but they’d officially been on six other dates now, not to mention the intense time spent together after her mom attacked her. He wasn’t a saint, after all. Parker gave her time, but now he wanted her body. The question was, did she feel the same way he did? Did she truly care about him?
As he walked down the hallway to her little apartment, the door flew open before he could knock. Sierra’s arms circled his waist and she pulled him inside, shoving the door shut behind him.
“I’ve missed you,” she said, pressing her mouth against his.
Groping blindly for the desktop beside the door, Parker dropped the rose atop it and ran his hands through Sierra’s hair.
Her lips parted, inviting him to kiss her deeper as she led him the short space to the small twin bed. She lay on the mattress, pulling him against her.
With a chuckle, Parker broke off the kiss and looked down at her. “It seems your thoughts are going a direction I like.”
She smiled sweetly, making her beauty that much greater. Her face was bare of makeup, the first time Parker had ever seen her that way. It seemed her trust of him was growing every day. Gently, she touched his face with a feather-light touch. “I know we were waiting, but I can’t handle it anymore. I want you, and I think seven dates are sufficient for us to know that we’re headed somewhere real.”
Parker laughed and kissed her again. “I love a woman who knows what she wants. Actually, I had the same plan for tonight, but I figured we’d eat dinner first and then go to my house for... ummm... you know.”
She chuckled, the motion jiggling her breasts against him and revving his interest. “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” she said. “But why can’t we do both.”
Gulping, Parker felt overwhelmed with how much he cared for her in this short time. “Do you know, I think you’re possibly the best woman in the world? Your ideas are so much better than mine.”
“Good.” She kissed his nose. “Now, let’s get those pesky clothes off your body.”
Parker propped himself up on his elbow, looking at her outfit for the first time. Sierra wore a silky black robe, and curiosity ate at him as to whether she had a slinky nightie beneath it or was all natural. Only one thing brought him up short.
“Shit. I don’t have a condom with me, Red. I didn’t want to be presumptive about what might happen tonight, and I left them home since I’d planned to take you there if things went well.”
She threaded her arms between their bodies, slowly unfastening the button on his pants. “Lucky for you, I’m fully prepared for the situation.” She nestled her chin against his neck and kissed it. Her fingers slipped beneath his shirt and drew the fabric up his body. Once she got it around his neck and arms, she shoved him backward in her attempt to strip it off.
As he felt himself going over the edge of the bed, Parker grabbed her close and twisted inward, crushing her beneath him as he rocked back to the mattress. “Easy there,” he said, laughing. “You about tossed me to the floor.”
She pouted for a beat and then tickled his ribs, surprising him into a laugh while he propped himself once again on his elbow.
“Dang it, Parker. This isn’t going exactly as I planned.”
He touched his finger to her bottom lip, rubbing it lightly. “Nice to know you haven’t been able to stop thinking about us together.”
“Mmmm.” She took his finger into her mouth, sucking on it while staring into his eyes. When she released it, her smile grew even wider than before. “Okay, change of plans. Stand up!”
Bemused, and not used to a woman taking control in the bedroom, Parker did as ordered. He rolled off the far side in a controlled shift instead of a tumble. “What now?”
She gave him a saucy wink as she sat up facing him. Her toes stroked along the inseam of his pants, making Parker’s pulse race. “Now...?” Her toes lightly grazed Parker’s dick, causing the bulge in his pants to throb. “Now we get these pesky pants off.”
Parker eased down the zipper, his heart pounding harder when Sierra licked her lips. The movement itself was seductive, but even more exciting was the fact that her eyes had fixated below his waist. Just what was she planning?
Slowly, he eased the jeans off his hips, happy he had prepared for the possibility of getting naked with her by wearing a tight-fitting pair of black boxer briefs. The fabric strained in the front to contain him, and Sierra’s soft murmur sounded like appreciation, making him more bold.
He didn’t want to point it out to her, but it had been nearly a full year since he had sex. Never before had he worried about his ability to please a woman, but he hoped his lack of practice wouldn’t lead to any disappointments.
With a graceful motion, Sierra stood, grabbing the hem of his shirt and slowly inching it upward once again. Her smooth fingers seemed to touch every contour, every inch of his chest while she moved the cloth out of her way. Eventually she made it to his neck.
Feeling as though he would burst while she continued with the snail’s pace she’d instituted, he took the edge of the shirt from her and ripped it over his head, throwing it to the floor beside him.
She raised one sculpted eyebrow. “In a hurry?”
Parker nodded and grabbed at the silk ties of her robe. “I feel like you’ve been playing with me since I walked in here,” he said, undoing the b
ow holding her robe shut. “I want to play with you now.”
Her breath quickened when the robe fell open, revealing a flash of skin beneath. The buds of her pink nipples jutted out noticeably, ready for him.
Now, knowing the robe was her only clothing, Parker was satisfied to slow his pace slightly. Running his fingertips up the center of her stomach, he made no move to take the robe off her shoulders.
Sierra’s skin puckered beneath his touch, making Parker smile. Out of practice or not, she wanted him.
Bending his head, he gently bit one nipple, moistening the fabric over the top of it when he turned his attention to sucking. He slipped his hand beneath the robe, flicking and twisting the other nipple lightly.
Moaning, Sierra gripped the back of his head, softly yanking his hair in her excitement. “That feels so good.”
After another nip, he moved both hands inside the silk, taking just as much time exploring her skin as she’d taken with his.
“Parker...” The sweet pleading in her voice made his cock stiffen harder. “I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone. Please, satisfy me now.”
Pulling the robe off her shoulders and allowing it to fall in a pile at her feet, Parker whistled softly. “You’re gorgeous, Red.”
She hugged him. When her body molded against his, all Parker’s self-control dwindled into the nonexistent state.
“Where are those condoms?”
She took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. “In the top drawer of the desk.”
With a nod, Parker grabbed her ass and lifted her from the floor.
A startled gasp left her throat, but she soon caught on to his idea and wrapped her legs around his waist. The feel of her moist heat against him was a delicious form of torture, and Parker quickly crossed the small space to the desk.
Fortunately, nothing was on the surface of the desk except the rose he’d brought. Sitting her down on the edge of it, Parker grabbed the rose and presented it to her. “For the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Diving Into Love (McCallister's Paradise Book 2) Page 12
