by Addison Cole
They both laughed, and Grayson leaned down to kiss Christmas’s head. “You are one jealous dog. But I don’t blame you. If someone else were kissing your mom, I’d do a lot more than shove my nose between them.”
Parker rolled her eyes. “Like you have to worry about that? I’m as loyal as…I was going to say Christmas, but he’s already jilted me for you. So I’ll say I’m as loyal as…me.”
He tugged her in for another kiss. “I’ll take you all day long, baby.”
Promise?
Grayson leaned closer and whispered, “When you look at me like that, you make me all sorts of crazy.”
“Shh.” She clutched his shirt. “When you use that voice, and…” Her brain was scrambling. Nonono. Not now. She didn’t want to be a swooning mess when she saw Sky, but she needed him to know what he did to her and how good he made her feel. “The way you’re looking at me right now? I’ve never been looked at like that. You look like you want to devour me, like you see all of me, not the actress. So, yeah. You’re hot, built like you were put on this earth to be touched and licked and ogled.” She couldn’t stop talking! “And if that’s not enough, you’re the best kisser on the planet and you love my dog to pieces.” She had Grayson—and Christmas’s—rapt attention. “How do you expect me to look at you?”
A wicked smile spread across his face, and his gaze smoldered. “Just. Like. That.” He hitched an arm around her waist and began walking toward Sky’s shop again. Quickly.
“Why are you hurrying? I think I left my legs back there. These rubber ones aren’t working so well.”
He laughed. “The quicker we say hello, the quicker we get back home. I have some touching and licking to collect on.”
“Ohmygosh.” Yes, yes, yes!
He cocked a brow. “Infuriatingly male?”
“Right. Unfortunately, it turns out that I am totally into infuriating males.”
“Plural?” His eyes slanted to possessive slits.
“Would you have it any other way?” She patted Christmas on the head, then kissed Grayson’s scruffy chin. “One favorite man, one favorite boy.”
He made a cute little growling sound as they came to Sky’s shop. “Is that Sky’s friend Lizzie’s shop?” She pointed to P-town Petals, the flower shop next door.
“Yes. She’s Blue’s fiancée,” Grayson said.
“Blue the woodworking guy? Gosh, everyone knows everyone around here.”
“We like it that way.” He took her hand, and they headed inside.
Christmas lifted his nose and sniffed. The scent of lavender flowed in a stream of dancing smoke from incense burning on the counter.
“Grayson!” A girl with jet-black hair jumped off a stool behind the counter and hugged him. Grayson kissed her cheek with a loud mwah! She had a beautiful smile and an arm covered in tattoos. “I wasn’t expecting you. You must be Parker! I’m Cree. Sky told me you guys were going out.”
“Hi,” Parker said, surprised and delighted that Sky had already spoken of them as a couple.
Cree dropped to her knees and let Christmas lick her cheeks.
“This is my boy, Christmas,” Parker said.
“Love his name!” Cree hugged Christmas around his neck, then popped back up to her feet. Her sunny disposition contrasted with her head-to-toe black attire and her heavy military-style boots.
Sky was leaning over a customer just beyond the counter. Her long dark hair was tied back, revealing the top of a tattoo on her left shoulder blade. The buzzing of the tattoo gun stopped, and Sky looked over her shoulder. “Come on back. I’m going to be a while.”
Cree pushed open the knee-high iron gate that separated the waiting area from the work area. “She’s got a few hours to go on his tat.”
“Is it okay to take Christmas back?” Parker asked.
“Sure. Sky loves dogs.” Cree laughed and returned to the counter.
“Hey, guys.” Sky glanced at Christmas. “Aww. He’s so cute!”
“You see me all the time, and now you notice?” Grayson leaned down and kissed her cheek. “How’s it going, sis?”
“Awesome, like every day,” Sky said. “You just missed Sawyer. He’ll be so bummed. He had to do a training session down in Eastham.”
“He was a professional boxer, but too many noggin knocks took him out of the ring,” Grayson explained. “Now he trains other boxers in Jana’s brother’s club.”
“And writes,” Sky said, turning back to her customer, who seemed so relaxed he could have been sleeping. The buzz of the tattoo gun hummed again as she worked. “Sawyer writes poetry, and he and his dad published two books together.”
“I’ll give you one before you leave,” Cree called to them, holding up a book.
“Wow, thanks. I love poetry,” Parker said.
“Good to know.” Grayson kissed her again.
“You just missed Lizzie, too. She got swamped about ten minutes ago. But you’ll meet her at some point, Parker. Are you guys going to make it over to Seaside for breakfast sometime? Maybe next weekend?” Sky wiped blood from the area she was tattooing, then set the needle right back to work.
“I’ve got a bear of a client breathing down my neck to get her railings done. You’ll have to ask my boss.” He winked at Parker.
I’d like to do a lot more than breathe down your neck.
“A gorgeous blonde breathing down your neck?” Sky laughed. “You poor thing. Parker?”
“Oh, I think he’ll deserve a morning off by then.”
“Good! The girls and I were hoping to see you again soon.”
She and Grayson hadn’t talked about what they were doing tomorrow, much less what they were doing a week from now. In fact, she realized, they hadn’t been making plans at all. They, as a couple, had been a given, and that gave her a solid sense of where they stood.
“So you guys are working while you’re in town?” Sky asked.
“We’re not getting much work done yet, but we will be.” Grayson drew Parker into his arms and lowered his voice. “My famous girlfriend has a new script arriving tomorrow.”
Her heart turned over in her chest at how casually he said girlfriend, and she was glad he’d thought to lower his voice when he’d said famous. Both were such Grayson things to do.
“How exciting!” Sky wiped more ink and blood from her customer’s arm.
Christmas brushed against Grayson’s leg. He petted him as he whispered to Parker, “I can think of a few exciting things I’d like to do to you right now.”
“Grayson.” She hoped Sky hadn’t heard him. Grayson kissed her again and stepped to her side, bringing Sky, who was watching them with aww in her eyes, into view.
“You guys are so cute,” Sky said with an approving smile. “It’s kind of sickening.”
“It’s awesome!” Cree called out. “Sky and Sawyer are the same way, which leaves me out in the cold. Don’t you two have another brother?”
They all laughed. After talking for a few more minutes, Parker and Grayson headed back to the car. As they drove back toward Wellfleet, Parker realized she hadn’t teared up with thoughts of Bert today. Not when she’d seen his photograph in Café Heaven, not when they’d talked about him, and not when thoughts of him had simply floated into her mind. Her talk with Abe had helped her through one of the most troubling parts of her grief, which helped alleviate the guilt she’d carried from being away when Bert died.
She looked at Grayson as he drove down the highway. Without him, she may never have gotten through to Abe. And it was Grayson who was right here by her side, reminding her how wonderful life could be if she slowed down enough to enjoy it instead of racing from film to film. As the sun began to set and Christmas yawned in the backseat, happier than she’d ever seen him, Parker knew that just as she’d been the only one to get through to Abe, only Grayson, with his patience, confidence, and innate understanding of what she needed, could have gotten through to her.
Chapter Twelve
PARKER LEANED ON the r
ailing of her deck, gazing out at the ocean while absently brushing her bare foot along Christmas’s back. The tuckered-out pup lay fast asleep from their busy afternoon. They’d picked up dinner at the Bookstore Restaurant on their way home and had shared a bottle of wine while they ate beneath the evening sky. Parker’s long hair was gathered over her right shoulder, her skin shimmering under the moon’s glow. A gentle breeze brushed her dress against her thighs.
If ever there was a perfect moment, this is it. Right here, right now. They were too far above the beach to be seen, making the whole star-filled sky and beautiful bay seem like their own private paradise. Grayson slid his arms around Parker’s waist from behind and kissed her cheek. She rested her head back against his shoulder and sighed with pleasure.
“I think you were put on this earth just for me,” he whispered against her cheek.
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
“Because you were all I thought about when you were thousands of miles away, and when we’re together, everything feels good and right.” He licked the shell of her ear and pressed a kiss to her delicate skin just below.
“What else?” Her eyes were closed, a sweet smile on her lips.
He kissed his way back down her neck and over her shoulder, loving the shivers that trembled through her. “I love seeing you smile and hearing your laugh. Being with you makes me happy.”
She leaned in to him. “Tell me more, but keep kissing me.”
“Oh, yes. You’re definitely put on this earth just for me.” He kissed her shoulder again and grazed his teeth over her freshly kissed skin, repeating the sensual rhythm and reveling in the hitching of her breaths.
She reached behind her and gripped his hips, craning her neck, pushing it toward his mouth. “Grays—” The end of his name was drowned out by a moan as he sealed his mouth over her neck and sucked.
Splaying his hands over her belly, he pressed his hips tighter against her bottom. Her fingers tightened on his hips, holding him firmly in place.
“Don’t worry, baby. I’m not going anywhere until you’re fully satisfied.” He gathered her silky hair and draped it over her other shoulder, giving the newly revealed shoulder the same loving attention as the other.
“Tell me how,” she whispered.
Her hands moved up and down his hips in time to every kiss. He tangled one hand in her hair and moved his other arm up her body, and curled his fingers around the nape of her neck.
“First I’m going to kiss your mouth.”
With a not-so-gentle tug, he angled her head just so and captured her mouth in a greedy kiss. Her mouth was hot and sweet, but the kiss was urgent and messy. There was no room for finesse as their tongues tangled and their bodies rocked to an erotic beat. She moaned and whimpered and dug her nails into his flesh just above his waist. He told himself to slow down, but the torrent swelling inside him was too powerful. He turned her in his arms, never breaking their connection.
He groaned at the sensation of her supple curves conforming to his. “So sexy, baby.”
Their mouths crashed together, and he hiked her leg up to his waist, caressing her outer thighs. She moaned into their kiss, clawing at his back. There was no slowing this runaway train. He was lost in the feel of her hot skin, the erratic pounding of her heart against his, and the sensual pleas spilling from her lungs.
Christmas’s head popped up.
“It’s okay, buddy,” Grayson said with more control than he felt. Christmas settled his chin between his paws and closed his eyes.
He framed her face with his hands, and kissed her—hard.
He kissed her again. “Your kisses are so sweet. So perfect.” He kissed her again and brushed his thumb over her glistening lower lip. “You are so mine.”
A MILLION KISSES later, Parker was floating on a blissful cloud. If not for the railing she was leaning against and Grayson’s arms around her, she’d melt into a puddle on the deck. Grayson lifted her into his arms, and he must have seen the confusion in her eyes. She was enjoying being outside. It brought an element of danger and made her feel sexy. He kissed her again—oh, how she loved his kisses. Mine, he’d said. You have no idea how very yours I am. Take me. Love me. Keep me.
“Bedroom,” he said, and let out a short whistle. Christmas stretched lazily and lumbered inside. Grayson closed the door behind them and carried her upstairs.
“Why?” she managed.
“Because I want to feel your softness beneath me as our bodies come together. I want to feel you beneath me, and then I want to see your gorgeous face while you’re on top, and there is no way I’m laying your beautiful body on that hard deck.”
She pressed her finger over his lips. Every time he started talking dirty her body responded in ways she had never known before. “No more promises. I’m not sure I’ll survive them.”
“Okay, baby. You let me know when you’re ready to hear more.”
He carried her into the bedroom. Christmas plopped down on the floor, somehow knowing Grayson had become the alpha of the house. Her big, strong alpha set her down on wobbly legs, still holding her around her waist, and unzipped her dress. He slid the thin material off one shoulder, pressing a kiss to her skin, then repeating the sensual move on the other side as her summery dress fell to the floor. He pulled his shirt off, dropping it to the floor, and took her face in his hands, kissing her again, sweet and tender this time.
He swept her into his arms and laid her on the bed. As he came down over her, his handsome face awash with emotions, his name slipped from her lips like a prayer.
“I’m so lost in you,” he confessed, every word laden with emotion. “So lost.”
She was right there with him, giving herself over to him, and as they fell into a sensual, heavenly rhythm, she surrendered the last of her heart.
Chapter Thirteen
GRAYSON HAD ALWAYS been an early riser. Like his brothers, he enjoyed morning runs to clear his mind. He’d been doing it so long that the habit had become as much of an addiction for him as coffee was to others. But this morning, going running—and getting out of Parker’s bed—had been the last thing on his mind. Of course Christmas had other ideas, so Grayson had gotten up long enough to feed him and put him out before returning to Parker—and loving her thoroughly. Several times. In the bed, the shower, and later, on the couch. She made him want in ways he’d never wanted before, and crave so much more than sex. He wanted today, tomorrow, and even though it might be crazy, he wanted every day thereafter.
He looked up from the railing designs he was working on and admired her as she read her script, which had been delivered when he’d gone home to pick up clean clothes and toiletries. She’d had a bout of sadness over missing Bert when they were eating lunch. She’d shared a few memories of their visits to the Cape. Talking about him had helped her feel better, and they made plans to visit Abe again Saturday morning. He thought that visit would help, too. Grayson knew grief was like a cloud, appearing unexpectedly and stealing your light. A person could try to outrun it, but grief was a very patient competitor, and eventually it always caught up. Dealing with it, accepting the pain and anguish and figuring out how to survive with a different kind of light was the only way to truly move past it. Parker was walking down a rocky road, but she wasn’t running from her grief, and Grayson welcomed the chance to help her find her way.
Now she sat sideways on the couch, her bare feet tucked beneath the cushion. She vacillated between scribbling notes, twisting the pen between her finger and thumb, and holding the pen between her teeth. Everything she did was enticingly adorable, but he especially liked when the pen was in her mouth and she twisted her hair around her finger as she read. Her brows knitted, and every once in a while she’d laugh, gasp, or smile. He could see that no matter how much she disliked the media attention that came with her job, acting was as much a part of her as metalwork was to him. If he wanted Parker in his life, he had to get over his dislike of the lifestyle her career demanded.
“
I can feel you staring,” she said with a mischievous smile. Her eyes were still trained on the script.
“You’re distracting, sitting over there with your tank top slipping off your shoulder. You know how much I love kissing that particular body part.” He could still feel her silky skin against his tongue—among other delicious parts.
She met his gaze. “You like kissing all of me.”
“Fishing for more?” He cocked a brow, loving when she fished for more.
Her cheeks flushed.
He rose from the chair and took the script from her hands.
“Hey, I’m working.” A smile accompanied her complaint as he parted her knees and lay between them, resting his chest on her belly so they were eye to eye.
“Grayson…”
Breathless. I love that. “How can I work with you looking so cute and sexy?”
She ran her fingers through his hair. He loved that, too. There wasn’t anything about Parker he didn’t love, and that was the other thing making it hard for him to concentrate. He’d fallen for her, overnight it seemed. He was completely and utterly taken with her, and as he gazed into her beautiful eyes, fear tiptoed in and her words came back to him. This feels very far away from my real life.
He’d spent time working in the foundation’s Beverly Hills site, and he’d gotten his fill of the elitist personalities and materialistic lifestyles that seemed to go hand in hand with the wealthy in that part of the world.
“Are you even listening to me?” She tugged his ear.
He pushed his thoughts aside and focused on Parker. “I was thinking. Sorry. What did you say?”
She rolled her eyes. “You came over here and then ignored me? Hm? Honeymoon’s over, huh?”
