He seemed content with her answer and nodded, turning back to face the front.
When they pulled up at the apartment, Parker paid the driver and held the door for her. His hand slipped into hers as they took the elevator in silence. Scout didn’t know what was going to happen once they made it inside, but she was done fearing the future so she could hold on to a meaningless past.
The amount of days no longer mattered. Fourteen, twenty, thirty days, he was never coming back. The pain would likely always be there, but tonight, for those brief, magical moments, she’d forgotten her hurt. Parker had given her that gift.
Parker unlocked the door and switched on the light. She placed her bag on the couch. Would he sleep there tonight?
Hands gently turned her shoulders. Parker’s expression was unreadable. He stepped close and lifted her hair, carefully placing it behind her shoulder. Her breath stilled in her lungs as his eyes met hers.
He blinked. There were no words, but the question was there. Lowering his head, he slowly pressed his lips to hers. She stopped drawing comparisons and took it for what it was. Nice.
Her mouth slowly opened and his arms pulled her closer. Her body rejoiced at the feel of another’s touch, no matter how much her mind objected. It was only because it was different, she told herself.
They kissed for several long minutes. Scout’s body engaged and disengaged on and off. She was never able to fully lose herself in the moment, and that frustrated her.
Taking his hand, she backed into the bedroom. He eyed her curiously. She didn’t want to sleep with him—couldn’t—but it was silly to make him stay on the couch. “We can share the bed,” she told him quietly. “But . . .”
He shook his head. “I’m not asking for more than you want to give, Scout.”
Thank God, because she was still trying to process the fact that she and Parker were kissing. She couldn’t handle anything more. She only wanted the relief he’d given her from her recent misery to continue. She’d figure it out later.
They took turns using the bathroom. Parker changed into a pair of sweats while she carried a large T-shirt to the bathroom and changed there. It hung past her knees and covered all her important parts. It was the least inviting thing she owned that she could sleep in.
She crawled into bed and he did the same. He leaned up to shut the light, and the mattress dipped. Her breathing echoed in her ears as she waited. Would they sleep? Would he try to kiss her again? She wasn’t sure what she wanted.
The mattress whined as he turned on his side. “Come here,” he said as he pulled her close. Her heart raced. The dark complicated things. This was Parker. Needing to remind herself of that, she went to him, her hand mapping out his shoulders, feeling the difference.
His mouth pressed into hers and there was suddenly a loud bang. She stilled. Frowning, she drew back. The pounding sounded again.
Parker’s frown showed in a slice of moonlight pouring through the drapes. “What the—”
“Evelyn!”
Scout jerked back. Everything stopped, her lungs, her heart, the rotation of the earth. She held her breath, and then she heard it again. More pounding.
“Evelyn, open the door!”
Breath burst out of her as a million shards of her broken soul reacted to that voice. Parker cursed as she scrambled out of the bed. She ran to the hall and suddenly came up short. She glared at the hand holding her back. The pounding continued. He was going to break down the door. Parker turned her and pulled her back into the dark bedroom.
“Scout, listen to me.” His eyes were frantic. “Stay here. I’ll get the door, but just, please, stay here.”
“Parker, let me go. It’s Lucian. What if something’s wrong?”
His grip on her arms tightened. “Please.” He shook his head rapidly. “Let me make sure everything’s all right before you do anything.”
Her lips pursed beneath her tight brow. She couldn’t catch her breath. What was he talking about? Lucian was here for her. Parker wouldn’t let go of her until she gave him her word. She huffed. “Fine, but hurry, before he leaves.”
He placed a brief kiss on her cheek and left, shutting the bedroom door behind him. She brushed away his kiss and pressed her face to the cool wood of the door. Her heart was erratic. She dug her fingers into the wood of the door, forcing herself to stay put.
“Evelyn!”
The locks clicked and as soon as they turned she heard the front door pull wide. “What the hell are you doing here?” Parker asked coldly.
Lucian’s voice grew closer. “Get out of my way. Where is she? Evelyn!”
She cracked the door. Should she go to him? What did this mean? What about Paris?