Lukas
Parker grudgingly lets me help her get ready for bed. It was bad enough watching her struggle to eat dinner with her left hand, but I drew the line when she started fighting with her shirt.
“Just let me help you!” I say exasperatedly.
“No,” she argues. “You can’t undress me, it will just turn me on and then I can’t do anything about it.”
I sigh, sliding a hand under the hem of her shirt. She makes me crazy sometimes. “I promise it won’t be sexy. I’ll make a stupid face the whole time.”
“It won’t help,” she mutters, acquiescing to my touch. I help her get her good hand out of the shirt and lift it over her head before easing it down her injured arm. I do my best to be a gentleman but the sight of her standing there in that lacy bra and red skirt, knowing I can’t fuck her is straight torture.
“That’s not a stupid face,” Parker grumps up at me. “Those are “fuck-me-dirty-bedroom-eyes.”
I bite my lip, holding back a smirk as I help her out of her bra and into one of my clean t-shirts. She shimmies out of her skirt and tosses it into her duffle bag with the rest of her dirty laundry. She climbs into bed, sitting propped up against the headboard, watching as I find a comfy blanket for Cujo to sleep on.
The big goof licks my face gratefully when I bend down to lay it out for him next to Parker’s side of the bed. He spins in circles on top of it before I can get it smoothed out, thunking down on it happily, which makes Parker laugh.
“I guess that’ll do then,” I say, scratching his head.
“Thank you,” Parker says. “For taking us in like this.” She’s still smiling, but it’s tight around the edges and I know what she’s thinking. I know the lasting damage and self-doubt a parent can inflict when it’s clear they don’t want you.
“I want you here, Parker. I was going to ask you to move in, anyway. This was just the best excuse to speed up the process. I meant what I said, you can live anywhere you want… but I want you here and I’ll fight to keep you.”
Reaching back, I grab my shirt and pull it over my head. Parker moans and flops sideways on the bed.
“Well, if you keep doing that you’re going to have to fight to keep me off of you!” Her voice is muffled by the pillow she’s buried her face in.
“So, I should find sweatpants to sleep in?” I tease her.
“Yeah,” she sits up with a grin. “Or maybe like a velour jogging suit? That might dampen the sexiness…”
I pretend to gag. “I can promise you there’s not a single item of velour anything in my closet.”
Parker laughs. “Now I know what to get you for Christmas.”
I snatch a pair of sweats from a drawer, drop my pants, and put on the sweats, trying to ignore the way she watches and licks her lips.
“Stop it, Freckles!” I shake a warning finger at her. “You’re not going to tempt me!”
“But it’s my birthday,” she says with an exaggerated pout.
“No, it’s your birthday tomorrow,” I argue.
“Fine… I guess I can wait,” she sighs.
I get in bed next to Parker, slipping an arm under her so she can lay her head on my shoulder. She rests her splinted hand on my chest gently.
“I love you, Parker,” I say, kissing the top of her head.
“I love you too, Lukas,” she sighs, her breath tickling my chest.
She drifts off quickly, and I lay awake for a long time, listening to her breathe. She scared the ever-loving shit out of me today. I don’t know how I’m going to let her out of my sight ever again.