“A bit, yeah. I’ve definitely got a reputation, but let’s just say that the reports of my man-whoring have been greatly exaggerated.”
Parker chokes on a sip of water. “Did you just bastardize Mark Twain in your defense of serial dating?” She laughs.
I grin at her. “Of course, you know that quote.”
“Book nerd, right here,” she says, pointing at her face. “I mostly read romances, but I know my literary history.”
“I love that about you,” I say, before clearing my throat. Phrasing, asshat, I think to myself. “It’s just… when I fuck up, I fuck up publicly. I don’t always think things through the way I should.”
Parker nods. “And I overthink almost everything.”
“Do me a favor,” I say, leaning close. “Don’t overthink this.”
She grins at me. “Deal. You planning to take me to bed soon?”
* * *
“This isn’t exactlywhat I had in mind,” she says as I tuck the blanket around her.
We put the leftovers in the fridge, and she followed me upstairs, smiling sleepily at me when I lifted her dress over her head. It took every decent bone in my body not to rip her bra off, throw her on the bed, and make her come half a dozen times. I’m not sure how I managed to find a clean t-shirt and pop it back over her head before I could give in.
She was easy enough to steer into bed but started getting suspicious when I climbed in next to her and pulled the blanket up, desperately trying to block out the mental images fighting their way to the surface. Slipping her panties down her legs, spreading her thighs, and licking her until she’s screaming my name… The hot, tight clasp of her pussy, gripping my cock while I empty myself into her. My runaway thoughts are threatening to ruin my best intentions.
“I’m not an expert, but this feels like the weirdest foreplay,” she says, tilting her head to the side and squinting at me.
She needs sleep,I tell myself. She’ll be here in the morning. At least she fucking better be. Although, now that I think about it, she liked the spanking so much that she might slide out of bed just to get a repeat. I briefly wish I had a pair of handcuffs just to make sure she stays put.
“That’s because it’s not foreplay, it’s bedtime. You’re exhausted.”
“I’m not too exhausted…” she lies, blinking slowly like her eyelids are too heavy to hold up.
“You can barely keep your eyes open, Freckles.”
“I can fool around with my eyes closed,” she argues.
I chuckle, pulling her body against mine, running my hand along the dip of her hip before kissing her slow and deep. Her movements are languid, and I love the way she sighs happily.
“See, totally good to go,” she murmurs against my lips even as her muscles relax. It’s impossible to tear my eyes away from Parker, especially like this. Her coppery curls spill over my arm and shoulder, her breath teasing my chest.
She’s still for a long time, but when she stirs, it’s to slide her arm over my ribs and hitch her leg over mine. I love that even in her sleep she wants to wrap herself around me.
I didn’t know I was walking around with a perforated soul, but Parker is filling in all these little holes. Protecting her, taking care of her like this, it fills a piece of my soul that I didn’t know was empty. It feels the same when she puts her trust in me, giving me that sweet open look that makes me feel like I can do no wrong.
I don’t know if I deserve to feel this good, but one thing is for sure: no one and nothing is coming between me and Parker. They’ll have to pry her from my cold, dead hands.
I always thought it was weird when I saw couples go all in, but now that I’m here, I realize there’s no other option for me.