Lifting both glasses and moving toward him, her gaze steady on his, she said, “I sure as heck would like to be suave and sophisticated right now, but in all honesty, I’m quaking like a leaf inside, and maybe you don’t need this, but I do. And if you don’t want yours, I’ll drink that one too. Here.”
Parker could have damned near laughed, but he didn’t. At that moment, he’d gone over the edge. Totally had fallen into the chasm. He was hopelessly, and he hoped forever, in love with this crazy woman.
He took the drink, brought it to his lips, and downed the bourbon. Setting his glass on the counter, he looked at her and said, “Bottoms up, Reba.”
Then he reached for her hips and jerked her toward him. “And then bottoms up…” he said, breathing the words into her ear.
****
Reba had never felt a sensual thrill as deep as the one that shot through her when Parker claimed her personal space as his own—and left a hot, steamy trail of kisses down her neck. His closeness and his words played out as a double-whammy, sending a shuddering spiral of need through her. She was nearly lost in the sensation of it all.
The glass of bourbon still in her hand, she tried to set it on the counter as he tipped her head back and ran a lazy track with his tongue, from behind one ear to her cheek. “Wa— Wait,” she hissed and Parker lifted his head a little. “Let me…put this…”
She was afraid she would lose her grip on the glass and it would shatter to the floor.
Parker straightened up, smiling, and looked square into her eyes. “Drink up, Reba,” he whispered. With a forefinger to the bottom of her glass, he guided it toward her mouth. Reba took it the rest of the way, quickly threw back the bourbon, and closed her eyes as the smooth, warm burn glided down her throat. Then she waited for the heat to hit her center.
There.
She already felt braver.
Opening her eyes, she found Parker gazing into hers. The smile he’d worn earlier was gone, replaced with a serious look of intent. With light strokes, he brushed a few stray hairs from her forehead and with his other hand, removed the glass tumbler from hers and set it on the counter.
“You are beautiful, Reba.” His voice was raspy, deeper. “And I am genuinely and hopelessly attracted to you.”
She cocked her head a little. “The eye, the bruise…”
“You’re beautiful.”
And so are you, you hunky cowboy man….
He continued. “I know I’ve been an ass the past couple of times we’ve been together, and before we go any further I just want to say that it was all me, not you. I am smitten—with you, Ms. Reba Morris—and I wasn’t quite sure what to do with that. The timing is lousy. And the thing with Mike, well… I just couldn’t ignore it, or you, any longer.”
Reba put two fingers on his lips. “Shush, Parker McKenna. I know.”
An eyebrow arched. “You do?”
She nodded and slid her hands around his waist, angled her face up to his, and placed a soft, wet kiss on his lips. “My room is upstairs.”
He kissed her back. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
Chapter Eleven
They kissed their way up the stairs, pausing now and again to take a breath and tug at buttons and zippers. By the time they reached the second floor landing, the cabin was scattered with clothing, leaving a sloppy trail directly to the bedroom.
Smiling, Reba jerked back the covers on the bed and turned to him. Parker inched forward and wearing a saucy grin, slowly peeled off Reba’s bra, keeping eye contact with her the entire time. The scrap of lace fell to the floor while his hands molded her breasts and his fingers pinched and tugged at her nipples.
Reba gasped. “Oh, Parker…” Briefly, she closed her eyes, while he fondled and played. They flashed open again when the heat of his mouth took first one breast, drawing her nipple lazily into his mouth, and then the other.
Her breathing was heavy, labored, her legs weak. “I’m not sure I can stand much longer.” Parker lifted his gaze to her face and ginned, as if he were extremely happy about the effect he was having on her. He straightened his body and walked her backward to the bed. She lay back, and with a flick, he removed her sandals, first one and then the other. His hands moved to her hips and slid beneath the waistband of her jeans, and he slowly, careful inched them, and her panties, down to her ankles. Then he whisked those away too.
For the first time in a very long time, Reba lay on her bed, naked, looking up at a man who was not her husband. For the first time in a long time, she was going to make love with a man.
It had been nearly three years, and she was not backing out of this. Not now. For this one night, she was going to enjoy Parker McKenna’s company, and his lovemaking, and she’d worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.
Parker toed out of his boots and shimmied out of the remainder of his clothes. There he stood, in all of his hard-body cowboy glory, and all Reba wanted to do was gulp—and think that in a few minutes, he would be all hers.
At least for tonight.
His gaze traveled Reba’s body from her slightly parted thighs and the juncture between them, to her belly, her chest and up to her face. Reba watched as his eyes rose to hers, and she caught his gaze and held it, while sucking in a breath. Parker placed one knee on the bed and leaned into her and then began working his way up her body with his lips, following the same path he had lain with his eyes.
Inner thighs. First left, then right.
The crook between her leg and hip—that tender hollow so close to her center. His tongue made a trail from her right hipbone down deep into that hollow, and then he breathed out a hot breath that fanned over her as he moved to the left hipbone and its opposing hollow.
Reba shivered, huffed out a few tiny breaths, and clutched the sheets.
“You’re driving me crazy, Parker,” she hissed.
“Good,” he replied, “that is my intent.” He made his way to her navel and beyond, moving up her centerline and nuzzling between her breasts. Reba’s breathing deepened and her chest rose and fell with his ascent. When he reached her face, he placed an elbow on either side of her shoulders, took her face into his big hands, and kissed her with an unleashed passion that lifted her onto an entirely different plane.
His kiss was slow and deliberate, gently tugging at her lips and teasing her tongue. Reba’s hands went to his head, and Parker rested more fully between her thighs, his heaviness welcome against her.
“Reba, I am consumed by you,” he breathed against her mouth. “And I want to consume you…”
The hard length of him burned against her tummy. He was ready and frankly, so was she. Besides, they had all night and perhaps there would be more than one time….
“Take me, Parker. Now. Consume me.”
He pushed back. “Yes, but first…”
He slid lower then, between her thighs, and nuzzled next to her sex. His breath hot against her tender skin, she quaked in anticipation of the touch of his tongue to her most intimate place. Her center. And then he sent her over the edge into the pleasurable abyss between torture and ecstasy.
His tongue probed and flicked. His lips nibbled and tugged. One then two fingers entered her. The sensation of being penetrated thrilled her, and she grabbed Parker’s shoulders. “Yes.” She blew out the word, and Parker burrowed deeper, licking and sucking until her hips and thighs were shaking. She held him against her, her hands at the back of his head, until her entire upper body lurched forward as he pushed deeper into her center and she gave way to a powerful, and perfectly long-overdue, orgasm.
“Oh… My…”
Parker stayed with her until she was finished, kissing and caressing, and then quickly moved up her body to capture her lips in a deep kiss, while he centered himself and pressed inside her.
Slowly, he moved in and out, as if he was exercising caution and restraint, but the passion they shared soon crescendoed to the point of unrestrained lovemaking. Parker cradled her body beneath his, claiming her, making
her his; her legs spread wide to wrap around him and take him deeper.
It didn’t take long for Parker to shudder, then moan and shout above her, and with one last powerful thrust, spill his pleasure into her.
She stayed draped around him, both her arms and legs, as tight as she could. As greedy as she could be.
She didn’t want to let him go. Ever.
She wanted him. Inside of her. Always.
****
After a moment of stillness, Parker rolled onto his side and took Reba with him. Grasping the covers and flipping them over their bodies, he drew her close into his chest, facing her, aching to keep feeling her skin against his. Heat against heat. He wrapped her protectively within his body, arms and legs entwined.
His.
She was his. He wanted her with all of his heart. His heart, which was beating wildly out of control. He wanted her with his body, his head, his soul.
Burrowing into the crook of his neck, she sighed deep, and he could feel the moist heat of her breath and the physical relaxing of her shoulders in his arms.
He stroked her back. “That was quick. I’m sorry. Next time longer?” He spoke softly, on a whisper.
She nuzzled. “It was perfect. And yes. Next time.”
Parker smiled. So there would be a next time.
His fingers found her hair, and he tangled them in her long, silky strands.
“I’m falling in love with you, Reba Morris,” he whispered. “I hope that is okay with you.”
For the longest moment, Reba didn’t move, or respond. Then just about the time when he was ready to retract that statement, she lifted her head and searched for his lips.
She kissed him. Long and hard, sloppy and deep. And she kept kissing him until she rose up and pushed him over onto his back, straddled and rubbed her body over him until he was hard again, and rode him into the night.
He guessed his falling in love was okay with her.
****
About five o’clock the next morning, Reba leaned a shoulder into her front porch doorway and watched Parker’s truck slowly make its way down her lane to the main road. It wouldn’t take him more than fifteen minutes to get home, since their properties joined. He wasn’t in any hurry. He had lingered at the door much too long, stealing kisses and pulling her close, right up until the very last minute.
No doubt the night they spent was pleasurable. She enjoyed making love with him tremendously. He was a skilled lover and an unselfish one. And she’d let him pleasure her in any way he wanted, for as long as he wanted.
She’d needed that. She liked being the receiver, for once, and she twinged even thinking that. She had willingly given to Jack over the years because she loved him. And she wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Last night was for her. Well, it was for both of them.
But Parker had thrown her for a loop when he said he was falling in love with her. She hadn’t expected that. And she wasn’t sure her heart, or her brain, was prepared.
Was she ready for a relationship?
Was there room enough in her life for that? Had a big enough space opened up in her heart yet to let Parker in?
She needed time.
If she truly was setting out to find herself in the aftermath of losing herself, where did Parker fit into the equation? Had she found herself enough to be able to lose herself again, to him?
And to love?
Chapter Twelve
Thursday
After feeding and checking on the cows and babies with Murphy and a couple of the ranch hands, Parker headed for the house. Ready for another cup of coffee and some breakfast, he didn’t linger long at the barn. For the first time in days, he was hungry, and maybe that was a sign he was beginning to deal from the reality of his father’s death.
It would take time. Getting over losing a family member is never a quick process, but he was more at peace today than a few days ago.
It could also be Reba—and the fact the two of them had shared an incredible night together. He smiled. Yes, it could be that.
Pushing through the back door, he halted, seeing Callie sitting at his kitchen table, her laptop open and papers spread out.
She glanced up. “I hope you don’t mind. Murphy’s apartment is so small. I barely have room to spread out on the bar where we eat. Your table is bigger, plus the Wi-Fi is faster over here. Do you care?”
“Of course not. Make yourself at home.” Then he peeked over her shoulder. “What are you working on?”
“Oh, some stuff for Reba. Just helping her catch up a bit.”
“For her work?” He was curious. He’d made love with the woman and still had no clue what she did for a living.
Callie nodded. “Yes. I’ve temporarily taken over her social media accounts until her arm is better.” She nudged him. “Oh, that’s right. You don’t do social media.”
Parker shook his head. “Nope. And I can’t say that I ever will.”
Callie smiled. “Well, she has great followings on Twitter and Facebook, and she’s growing her base on Google+. Her blog is the most fantastic thing ever though—she has hundreds of thousands of followers. She e-mailed a few things to me this morning, and I’m working up her blog post and then will be sharing it around.”
Parker listened to his sister rattle on while he pulled a skillet from the cabinet and retrieved bacon and eggs from the refrigerator. There was still a half pot of coffee left, so he poured himself a cup while the skillet was heating up. He struggled with the plastic bacon package. “Why does Reba do all of this twittering and posting and stuff?”
There. The zipper on the package opened. He pulled out four slices of bacon and arranged them in the pan. Callie still hadn’t answered.
He turned. “Callie?”
She was typing, staring at her computer screen, where all kinds of messages were flying by.
Parker stepped forward. “What the hell is that?”
“Twitter.” She glanced up. “Or rather, it’s my twitter management system. I can manage several clients’ accounts with a quick glance.”
The rows kept spinning by.
“I don’t get this.”
She grinned. “I know. You just stick with cows. It’s better that way.”
“Agreed.” He went back to the bacon, now beginning to sizzle. “You didn’t answer me. Why does Reba do all of this? What is her job?”
Silence.
He turned. “Callie, are you avoiding me?”
Another pause. Finally, she said, “Yes. I’m avoiding answering that question.”
Parker turned the heat off under the skillet, walked to the table, and sat down. “Why?”
“Because, well…” She bit her lip.
“Spill it, Callie.” Her hesitancy was starting to get to him. Was there something she didn’t want to tell him?”
“You like her, don’t you?”
He cocked his head. Where was this going? “I’ll give you the short answer. Yes. I like her. A lot.”
“How much do you know about her, Parker?”
How much did he know? She was pretty and spunky. She was tough when she needed to be and it took a lot for her to cry, but when she did, watch out. She could handle him when he got out of line. And, she was soft in all of the right places and firm in the others. He glared at Callie. “I know enough.”
“There is a lot you don’t know though, Parker. Do you want to know? Because maybe Reba has her reasons for not telling you yet—”
“Then let Reba worry about telling me. It’s not your place.”
“But you are my brother, and I don’t want you to get hurt and—”
“Whoa. How am I going to get hurt?” His gut was beginning to ache. What the hell.
Callie closed her eyes and exhaled. Long. “All right. Here is the deal. Reba and I…we decided to keep this all hush-hush with the family the other day, until time comes. We don’t want any leaks.”
“Leaks?”
Callie turned in her chair to
face him. “Parker, Reba is famous.”
Famous? “What?”
“Yeah. She’s famous. I’m sure you never heard of her because you don’t do blogs and stuff, but she’s real famous. She has this fantastic food blog called Bekah’s Cottage where she does all kinds of homey food and craft and decorating ideas. She makes her own soaps and natural make-up products too, and she prides herself on using found and natural ingredients for things—well, not for cooking—but she likes to use whole foods and unprocessed and organic when it’s practical. See, she’s all about the practical and then throw in a little bit of frugality, and she’s…well, like I said, famous.”
“Bekah’s Cottage?”
“Yes. And there is a book deal, and her agent is talking negotiations with a cable network for a TV show.”
Parker sat back. Dumfounded. “Why didn’t she ever tell me any of this?”
“Did you ever ask?”
He shook his head. No, he hadn’t. Had he? He’d been too busy avoiding and pushing her away in the beginning, and then when the jealousy bug had bitten him, he’d jumped right into her bed. Had he stopped to even inquire what Reba was all about? What was important to her?
Had she done the same with him?
No. They really didn’t know each other, did they?
“Penny for your thoughts.”
Parker shook himself out of a slight trance. “Not worth a penny,” he said and rose from the table. He glanced at the bacon in the pan and put the eggs back in the refrigerator. Then he headed for the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Not hungry. Something I need to do.”
“Parker, wait. There is one more thing I want you to know. I think it’s important.”
He turned, still dazed. What else?
“Did you know that Reba was married once before?”
He blinked. “Yes. Yes I knew that, but I don’t know what happened.” One more thing he didn’t know about the woman he was falling in love with.
Callie took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. She held his gaze. “He died, Parker. Six months ago. He had cancer, and she cared for him until the end. She never let her fans know, and she kept it all inside. Now, she’s getting ready to make some things public because of the book deal and the potential TV show contract. It’s what she wants to do, but it’s going to be a difficult time for her, I think.”
Unforgettable Heroes II Boxed Set Page 26
