definitely more muscular than the last time I saw him. My eyes linger lower and find he’s wearing only a white towel. His gaze meets mine as my eyes roam up his body and back to his face. His mouth curves slightly. He knows I’m checking him out.
Snapping myself out of staring at him, I say, “Little help here. Your horny friend won’t leave my girl alone.”
“That girl is my fiancée,” John clarifies, “and I’ll leave her alone if she’ll just give me five minutes alone. ” John stops pawing at her and steps back, fixing his tie. “Come on, baby,” he purrs softly as he gazes at Edie who is peeking over my shoulder. “Let me take the edge off. For both of us. I know you want it, too. You look so fucking good in that dress, Edie. If I don’t have you now, I’ll be thinking about it all night and I’ll act like a dick to everyone and that can’t happen.”
Stepping aside, I look at her and shrug, letting her know he’s right. This party, while meant to celebrate their engagement, is also a way for John to meet more of the townsfolk. He’s new here and trying to take over Carl Wayward’s clients. He needs to make face.
Edie bites her lip as she looks at him then back to me. She wants him, too. “Could you guys give us a few minutes?”
“Good to see you, Edie,” Parker laughs as he steps back, waiting for me.
“You too, Parker. Can’t wait to chat with you,” she squeals as John picks her up and tosses her over his shoulder.
“Let everyone know we’ll be out soon,” John calls as he carries Edie into the master bedroom. Edie giggles as the door slams shut.
“It was like we weren’t even here,” Parker laughs.
“Yeah, they can be that way sometimes.” Turning to him, I force my gaze to his. “How are you?”
Placing his hands casually at his sides, he steps toward me. “I’m good. It’s nice to see you again. You look . . . beautiful.”
“It’s nice to see you, too,” I say. I know I need to tell him about the baby while he’s here, but how? I’ve been so worried about telling him, I forgot to worry about the effect he has on me. It almost seems like a natural instinct, I want to hug him, touch him, hell, even kiss him. When I left New York after our night together, I refused to speak with him outside of our two friends. I didn’t want to be close to him. I wanted that one incredible night to remain that way. But now . . . there’s a baby. There’s a life growing inside of me that he and I made together. But if I’m being honest . . . it’s more than that. Parker Hayes . . . affects me. It’s more than his awesome body and his incredible scent that makes me want to jump on him, or his sexy smile. He looks at me like he sees inside of me.
These thoughts have turned over and over in my head. I’ve had to remind myself that my desire for him may have to do with how scared and alone I feel. I don’t want to force him into my life or our child’s life. I’m going to tell him about the baby because it’s the right thing to do, but I have absolutely no expectations of him.
“I think we need to talk,” I tell him.
His mouth quirks on one side and he drops his head. When he raises it again, he says, “You don’t have to tell me, Nikki. I already know.”
My heart drops to the floor like a thousand-pound weight. He knows? Did Edie and John tell him? Edie swore she wouldn’t tell John until after the engagement party.
“Look. That weekend . . . was incredible. And I get it.” He lets out a snort. “I mean, clearly you’re not into me at all.” He runs a hand through his shaggy hair. “I won’t harass you anymore. I just . . . thought I felt a connection,” he chuckles. “I sound like such a pussy right now. I guess I thought you were as into me as I was into you.”
Was? My insides wither.
“So I’m sorry I’ve . . . pursued you all this time. Clearly, that’s not what you want.”
“Parker, I . . .”
“Hey.” He leans in and kisses my
Snapping myself out of staring at him, I say, “Little help here. Your horny friend won’t leave my girl alone.”
“That girl is my fiancée,” John clarifies, “and I’ll leave her alone if she’ll just give me five minutes alone. ” John stops pawing at her and steps back, fixing his tie. “Come on, baby,” he purrs softly as he gazes at Edie who is peeking over my shoulder. “Let me take the edge off. For both of us. I know you want it, too. You look so fucking good in that dress, Edie. If I don’t have you now, I’ll be thinking about it all night and I’ll act like a dick to everyone and that can’t happen.”
Stepping aside, I look at her and shrug, letting her know he’s right. This party, while meant to celebrate their engagement, is also a way for John to meet more of the townsfolk. He’s new here and trying to take over Carl Wayward’s clients. He needs to make face.
Edie bites her lip as she looks at him then back to me. She wants him, too. “Could you guys give us a few minutes?”
“Good to see you, Edie,” Parker laughs as he steps back, waiting for me.
“You too, Parker. Can’t wait to chat with you,” she squeals as John picks her up and tosses her over his shoulder.
“Let everyone know we’ll be out soon,” John calls as he carries Edie into the master bedroom. Edie giggles as the door slams shut.
“It was like we weren’t even here,” Parker laughs.
“Yeah, they can be that way sometimes.” Turning to him, I force my gaze to his. “How are you?”
Placing his hands casually at his sides, he steps toward me. “I’m good. It’s nice to see you again. You look . . . beautiful.”
“It’s nice to see you, too,” I say. I know I need to tell him about the baby while he’s here, but how? I’ve been so worried about telling him, I forgot to worry about the effect he has on me. It almost seems like a natural instinct, I want to hug him, touch him, hell, even kiss him. When I left New York after our night together, I refused to speak with him outside of our two friends. I didn’t want to be close to him. I wanted that one incredible night to remain that way. But now . . . there’s a baby. There’s a life growing inside of me that he and I made together. But if I’m being honest . . . it’s more than that. Parker Hayes . . . affects me. It’s more than his awesome body and his incredible scent that makes me want to jump on him, or his sexy smile. He looks at me like he sees inside of me.
These thoughts have turned over and over in my head. I’ve had to remind myself that my desire for him may have to do with how scared and alone I feel. I don’t want to force him into my life or our child’s life. I’m going to tell him about the baby because it’s the right thing to do, but I have absolutely no expectations of him.
“I think we need to talk,” I tell him.
His mouth quirks on one side and he drops his head. When he raises it again, he says, “You don’t have to tell me, Nikki. I already know.”
My heart drops to the floor like a thousand-pound weight. He knows? Did Edie and John tell him? Edie swore she wouldn’t tell John until after the engagement party.
“Look. That weekend . . . was incredible. And I get it.” He lets out a snort. “I mean, clearly you’re not into me at all.” He runs a hand through his shaggy hair. “I won’t harass you anymore. I just . . . thought I felt a connection,” he chuckles. “I sound like such a pussy right now. I guess I thought you were as into me as I was into you.”
Was? My insides wither.
“So I’m sorry I’ve . . . pursued you all this time. Clearly, that’s not what you want.”
“Parker, I . . .”
“Hey.” He leans in and kisses my
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