Parker shakes Addison's shoulder softly, waking her up carefully, so she doesn't startle. She slowly opens her eyes, focusing on Parker, realizing where she's at. "Are we home already?" She mutters.
He likes how she already considers it as her ‘home' without even thinking of it. She's becoming more comfortable around him, clearly, and he's very happy about that. His leopard purrs in agreement.
"Yeah, we're home. Do you want me to carry London into the house or can you do it by yourself?" Parker askes her, knowing she's still tired.
"No, I've got her. Thanks, though. Are you able to get everything into the house by yourself? I'll come back out after I get her to bed and help you put everything away," she whispers.
He chuckles quietly. "You get her inside and tucked into bed. I can get everything else. Yes, if you don't mind, you can come out to help me when you're done," he whispers back.
Parker reaches back to unbuckle London from her baby carrier so Addison can grab her sleeping body quietly.
Parker gets out of his side of the truck, rounds the front end and opens Addison's door, helping her down. He picks up the sleeping child carefully and puts her into Addison's waiting arms.
Addison grabs the backpack, too, and then walks into the house, flicking on the front light.
Parker unlocks the bed of the truck and starts to bring the bags of food into the kitchen, setting them on the counters. He grabs the crib box next and sets it in the living room. He decides that will be his first job tomorrow. Then he goes back for the high chair and a few extra bags.
Addison walks out from the master bedroom about fifteen minutes later, shutting the door behind her. She makes her way into the kitchen, and noticing that Parker has brought everything in and the counters and floor are full of bags, she flinches but doesn't say a word.
She helps Parker put away all the food and other items they bought. They don't get in each other's way; at all, oddly. It's like they move in sync with one another, almost a dance around the kitchen where neither partner touches.
Just like Hailey and I used to do, but better.
After everything is in place, Parker grabs a beer from the fridge, popping the top off and taking a long drink of the cold brew. He offers Addison one, but she shakes her head and an odd look crosses her face.
He walks over and plops his tired ass on the couch, blowing out a long, exhausted breath. Setting the beer on the side table, he sprawls out across the couch, stretching his long legs out and his feet up on top of the coffee table. He pushes over the toys left there with his foot. Parker tips his head back against the cushion of the couch. He then spreads out his arms, resting them across the back of the couch.
***
Addison watches Parker and takes it all in. Him grabbing the beer, drinking it and watching his neck muscles swallow the alcohol. She almost stares as he sets the bottle on the end table and then fully relaxes back into the couch.
He's an amazingly handsome man. Relaxed in his home. He can be himself here. He doesn't have to watch what he does. No one here to tell him what to do. What to say, how to act. Just to do what he wants to when he wants to do it. Must be nice to be able to live like this.
She's hesitant on what to do. She could tell him good night, it is late, but then she did sleep in the truck on the way back. She could sit next to him and tell him a little bit about herself. He'd said he wanted to know more about her, after all.
She's feeling much more comfortable with him, and that scares her. She shouldn't be comfortable with anyone. That's how mistakes are made. That's how Derek happened.
She feels comfortable and safe here with Parker. Home. Yes, this feels like home. Or what a home should feel like. Home. Yeah. That sounds nice. Too bad I have to move on from here. I don't want Derek to find out I'm shacking up with another man. He'd kill Parker. too.
Addison flicks her gaze back to Parker, then around the room, conflicted on what to do. She takes a step closer to him, again looking around the room, her fingers in front of her, slowly fidgeting and clasping her sweaty palms. She is nervous, no doubt about that, but she's determined to push it aside in the hope he won't notice. She gets to the coffee table and pushes the toys to the far end of the coffee table, so Parker won't kick them and knock them to the floor.
"Is it okay that I sit here with you? I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. I can go to my room for the night." She asks timidly while leaning away from him, perched on the very edge of the couch, eyes downcast.
***
Parker can feel her gaze on him, judging his reaction, but doesn't move to look, he already knows Addison is thinking about something but she doesn't know what to do about it. A minute later, he feels the couch dip next to him and Addison's scent lingers in his nose.
Parker can feel her move closer, then she slides into his side, under his arm, resting her head on his chest. He lifts his head and looks at the top of her head. Addison glances up and pulls away from him and he can feel the cooler air take over where her body's warmth was.
"No, it's okay. You can come to me for anything, Addison. To talk to me. A shoulder to cry on. A hug or even a place to rest your head, even if it's only for a few minutes," he answers her truthfully.
Addison looks in to Parker's eyes, searching for the truth in what he's just said. She must have found it because she lays her head back on his chest, her hand curled under her chin, and she brings her knees up to her chest. Snuggling into his warmth.
Parker's fighting against himself. He wants to lower his arm and bring her closer, to make her feel safe, protected. He decides to, finally, and then moves slowly.
She turns her head to look. After she sees his arm, she snuggles back in and lays her hand on his chest. She huffs out a breath and he knows now he has her trust.
She's huddled in a ball against his side. Her hands folded under her chin. Her feet under her ass and she's leaning into him. She's warm and content, and trusting him to protect her.
After an hour or so of having Addison snuggling into his side, Parker can tell by her even breathing that she's fallen asleep. She's still huddled into him and he shifts to lift her up and against his chest. He walks her to the bedroom carefully, laying her down and covering her up.
London is snuggled on the other side of the bed and is covered under the extra blanket he gave her the first night.
After leaving them safely in the room, he shuts the door and grabs his now warm beer from the end table. Dumping the remaining beer down the kitchen sink and throwing the bottle away, he turns off the lights and locks the front door.
Parker slowly walks upstairs to his own room, thinking of Addison the whole way. Now that he knows that this guy is here looking for her, he's not taking any chances with Addison and London's safety.
Parker strips off his clothes and climbs into bed naked. It's too late for a shower or a run. So, he grabs the light sheet and pulls it up to his chest.
Sleep comes fast and he dreams about the beautiful young woman downstairs who's slowly stealing his heart.
Chapter Five
Addison wakes up to use the bathroom and notices she's in her bed and not on the couch with Parker. To her surprise, she's disappointed to be here in the bed. She glances at the clock on the night table. 6:36 a.m.
She's recently found there's a bathroom connected to this bedroom that is quite luxurious. A huge garden tub with jets. A full shower with two shower heads coming from the ceiling.
She hasn't investigated it too much yet, but she plans on going to shower there soon. Hell, why not now? It's still early and she knows London won't be waking up anytime soon. At least for another hour or two. It's been two days since she's showered, and she really does need one.
Convinced it's the best time, she jogs over to her suitcase and pulls out her shower things. She walks into the bathroom.
The night Addison fled with London, she'd showered at the hotel. She got a phone call from the front desk clerk mentioning that there was a man asking about
her. She'd thought he looked like trouble so she called to warn her.
Addison had immediately starting packing everything up quickly, then her and London left as soon as she could and not be seen. Thank God she'd parked around the back, and he didn't get to see the car.
Addison had sped off into the night around two in the morning. A few miles down the road is when she'd seen the deer in the middle of the road. She'd veered to the side to avoid hitting the damn thing and that's how she'd ended up in the ditch and smashed up Derek's car.
She was going to have to go back there and try to get the car out, and make sure she has everything she needs out of there. She has the backpack, purse, box of diapers, and suitcase. She thinks that's all she had with her.
She stood luxuriating in the shower now, letting the hot water wash away the stress and grime of the past few days.
As she's washing her hair and body, she also shaves her legs. She hasn't done that in a few days, and it feels good. To take time for herself because she wants to, not because she has to for someone else. Derek wanted her shaved. Legs, armpits, and lady parts.
She hates shaving the lady parts. Trim, yes, but not shaved.
After about a half an hour in the heated warmth of the shower, she steps out onto the fluffy mat on the floor. Grabbing the towel from the towel bar, she wraps it around her body, tucking it in between her breasts to secure it there. She grabs another towel and starts drying her hair with it.
She then starts tackling the tangled locks with her brush, brushing out the long, straight strands until all the knots are gone and it's shiny, flowing almost to her rear end now.
Unwrapping the towel from her body, she begins drying her body. Lovely, soft and fluffy towels, not the coarse cheap one's she's used to. These are heavenly.
After hanging up the towels and then putting on clean clothes for the day, she realizes she only grabbed a few sets of clothing from the house. At the time, London was more important and she'd grabbed everything she thought London could still wear.
Addison does have one passion, though, and she's going to keep it if she can afford it. Nice panties and bra sets. She loves them! They make her feel sexy and empowering. She only has a few sets left because Derek would rip them from her when he wanted sex. He loved them, too. Asshole.
She double checks the bathroom, making sure everything is put away where she found it. She cleans up her shower things and puts them back in her suitcase. She never knows when she might have to up and leave again quickly. She learned early with that one. Always be prepared.
Derek would attack or have violent sex with Addison then pass out. She remembers that she would cry in her pillow after he would fall asleep. When he was doing those things to her, she would show no emotion and just lay there. He'd beat her for that, too. Because she wasn't showing any emotion. Like I'm supposed to enjoy that shit, I don't think so.
Maybe I could like a little rough sex, when I know a man can take charge and show his dominate side, but not cross the line like Derek always did. I'm sure I could learn to enjoy sex. But not by him anymore. I would rather die before Derek takes me to hell again. Never again. Addison hopes karma comes and runs him over and shoves a stick up his ass so far, he'll look like a stuffed pig about to be put on a barbeque!
Addison realizes she's getting angry and she needs to relax. London's starting to stir and she's being too loud with her huffing and puffing. She crawls back into bed and snuggles London next her. The baby calms Addison, centers her. She's Addison's little Zen.
Lying next to London, she thinks back to yesterday and the things they did with Parker in town. Seeing Derek walking into the store nearly undid her. She couldn't escape fast enough. She couldn't run fast enough with London but didn't want to attract attention for him to notice her.
She hid in the bathroom crying into London's little shirt. Trying to keep her quiet as well. Parker said he would take care of it and he did.
Parker had walked right into the women's restroom and she remembers how she immediately flew into his arms of protection. She and London really are protected by Parker. Safe.
Addison knows that Parker will never hurt them. He's a protector of some kind. Even with the little bit of darkness she can see in his eyes, he's all good. She feels like she can trust him with London's life. With her life.
Suddenly, Addison hears knocking on the bedroom door, pulling her from her drowsy nap. It's light out now, maybe after nine, and she knows it's Parker at the door. "Come in," she tells him quietly.
London stirs next to Addison and her beautiful blue eyes open to see her. Addison rubs her rounded tummy and London's legs come up, bringing the blanket with her feet. She grabs her own toes and giggles.
Parker opens the door and smiles at the two of them.
Addison's still under the blankets and quickly sits up, leaning against the headboard. She pushes the blankets down and off her body. She'd learned from that mistake, too.
Derek had come in to the bedroom one time and jumped on Addison while she was sleeping in bed, covered head to toe. She'd thought that if she was under the blankets, he couldn't hurt her. Boy, was she wrong. He'd straddled her lap and punched and slapped her. She couldn't move. She'd been trapped under the blankets.
Addison can feel her breathing increase. She slams her eyes shut, holding her closed fists to her eyes, trying to push the visions and thoughts of him and those days away. She can see Derek and she's trying to push him from her mind. She's trapped in a memory.
It's Parker. Not Derek. It's Parker. It's Parker.
"Yes, honey, it's Parker. I'm here. It's me. No one else, just me."
Addison can hear him so she assumed she must have spoken loud. She opens her eyes suddenly and sees Parker sitting on the bed next to her, looking concerned. Her breathing is still heavy and labored, panicking.
He's close to her and she lunges out and wraps her arms around his neck, crying into his light blue tee shirt. She can feel his arms circle her waist and he holds her tightly to him.
His body is hard and muscular. Her curvy body fills in the grooves and contours around him. They fit together perfectly. As her breathing evens out, her crying slowly stops, Addison ducks her head down and uses her shirt to hide her face, wiping her nose and tears on the inside of her tee shirt.
She eventually sits back and finishes wiping away her tears. London sits up on the bed, looking at her momma like she's going to cry, too but holds back the tears, just in case. London looks to Parker and then back to Addison. She decides that Parker is a good man and she allows her tears to finally fall. Addison picks her up and holds her close. Snuggling her to her chest. Comforting her small body.
"I'm so sorry, baby. So, sorry. Mommy's just having a bad moment. Give me time," Addison whispers into London's ear.
"Addison, you're allowed to have bad moments. Hell, have a bad month or two. You're scared of what that man did to you and you have every right to feel that way. I hope you can tell me someday soon all about it so I can help you heal. It's okay, Addy, I'm here." Parker tells her, looking like he means every single word he says. Addison believes him.
He scoots closer to Addison on the bed and she allows him to wrap his arm around her shoulders, comforting her. He uses his other hand to rub London's back up and down, soothing her, too.
Addison settles in next to Parker, resting her head on his chest, and she slowly tells him about where and whom they are running from. She feels Parker tense when she tells him Derek liked to hit and punch whenever he felt it was needed, which was pretty much all the time.
Over the next hour, Addison tells Parker everything, and everything is laid out in front of him like ugly, infected stab wounds to her and London both. Addison pouring out what their lives had been like living with that monster.
Parker sits next to her listening and saying only a few words, questioning some things he needs clarified. Holding Addison's hand in his, his thumb caressing the scars on her wrists.
Addison te
lls him about that dark point in her life, too. She shudders at the memory and he hugs her closer, mentally giving her his strength and support. He's been listening to everything Addison's told him, letting her get it all out in the hope it'll help her heal. Everything. Every dark thing that demon has done to her.
When she's done her story, Parker finally tells her about what happened at the store. "Addison, he was looking for you both. I watched him go up every row and every aisle, searching for you. "Then he left and walked down the street after he couldn't find you. I was loading everything into the truck while he was looking around the store. I locked up the truck and came back to get you when I saw him leave the store. He drove off in a black pick-up truck." He sucked in a deep breath and then continued. "I know he won't give up looking for you. I will get rid of him. He won't ever bother you again and you won't live in fear of him anymore, I promise you that."
Addison nods and her voice is trembling from crying, "Yeah, that's his truck. I took his car. I have to go check on it soon and make sure I got everything from it."
"No need. I checked all over that car, I took whatever I found. Let's get London something to eat," Parker attempts to change the topic, knowing Addison is drained and they've both dealt with enough emotional upheaval today.
Parker stands up from the bed, grasping Addison's hand and pulling her up with him. He wraps his arms around her shoulders, pulling her tight to his chest. Wrapping her arms around his back, she inhales his scent and he can feel her calming, the tension fading from her body.
London whines, reminding them she hasn't yet had her bottle, and Addison pulls away from him. She picks up the child and shifts London to her hip, carrying her out to the kitchen and setting her on the floor. Grabbing a clean bottle from the counter, she pours some milk into the bottle and hands it to the little girl.
"We should probably eat as well" Parker pushes away from the doorjamb where he'd been watching Addison tend to the child.
Remote in the Shadows: A Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance Page 5
