Love Again

  But tonight was guys’ night. Waylynn said she was exhausted and needed to soak in a hot bath…and a part of me was jealous. My dick was certainly thanking me for the reprieve. Even he needed a night off.

  I knocked on Cord’s door. It opened and Cord flashed me a smile. “Right on time, as usual.”

  I handed him the normal entry fee of a six-pack of beer, and he motioned me in. After a few steps I glanced to my left and stopped walking.

  My eyes closed and I mumbled, “Oh fuck.”

  “Well, if it isn’t Jonathon Turner.”

  There they were. A lineup of Parker brothers. None of them smiling. I held out my hand as I walked up to each of them.

  “How’s it going, Steed?”

  He simply nodded. I moved to Trevor. “Trev, how’s it going?”

  “I’ve had better days.”

  My smile faded, but I knew better than to show fear. “Sorry to hear about that.”

  Next came Mitchell. He was no longer a cop, which was not a good thing for me. He had been one of the only Parker brother you could count on to not get crazy because of his job. Well, actually him and Tripp. Now that Mitchell worked on his daddy’s ranch, I had a feeling he had some pent-up steam to let out, and I was the first punching bag available to him.

  I turned slightly and saw Tripp. He was leaning against the bar that Cord had on the other side of the living room.

  I couldn’t get Cord’s warning about Tripp out of my head, but I forced my feet to take me over to him.

  “Tripp, great seeing you again.”

  He grunted as he reached for my hand. His handshake was the firmest of all. When he dropped my hand, he let an evil smile play across his face.

  “Karen said she saw Waylynn heading into your house.”

  Awww, hell. Here we go.

  “Yes, that’s true.”

  “And according to my sources,” Mitchell added. “She didn’t come out of your house until late afternoon.”

  My eyes darted around the room. I noticed for the first time that Cord only had one exit in this damn place. How had I never noticed that before?

  “Um, that’s right.”

  I looked past the bar to the balcony. It faced Main Street. If I ran, I could call for help. Surely someone would help me…wouldn’t they?

  “You want to tell us what she was doing that whole time in your house?” Cord asked, taking a seat in his oversized, brown leather chair.

  Glancing around, I focused on Cord. They’d all shit if they knew how many times she’d been back to my house. “Are you sure you want me to answer?”

  “You afraid to answer?” Trevor piped in.

  “No. If you want to hear how your sister and I spent the day, I’ll tell ya.”

  “NO!” all five of them said at once. It was a small victory, and probably one that was going to lead to another black eye and busted lip.

  Pushing off the bar, Tripp hit me on the back and headed over to the other sofa. “We’ve got some…things…we need to discuss with you.”

  The front door opened, and Wade walked in. I let out the breath I’d been holding.

  “Please, tell me you’re my backup?” I said, desperation in my voice. Wade glanced around the room and then back to me.

  “Sorry, dude. I’m only here to make sure things don’t…you know.” He shrugged as he pointed to the five men sitting in the living room staring at me like I had a death wish hanging over my head.

  “No, Wade. I really don’t know.”

  “Go ahead. Fill him in,” Cord said.

  Wade took a seat at one of the barstools at Cord’s kitchen island. “I’m here to make sure they don’t go too far with you.” He sliced his hand across his throat.

  I swallowed hard and looked back at the balcony. “It might actually be worth the broken leg if I just run and jump right now. Save y’all the trouble.”

  Steed laughed. “What fun would that be, Jon?”

  With a sigh, I threw my hands up in surrender. “Fine. Let’s do this.” I closed my eyes and scrunched up my face while I waited for the first punch.

  “What are you doing, asshole?” Cord asked.

  Opening one eye, I looked at him sitting there. “I figured y’all were here to beat my ass, so I was getting ready for it.”

  “So, you’d actually let each of us hit you? Why?” Tripp asked.

  With a half shrug, I replied, “If that’s what y’all feel like you need to do. There’s nothing you could do or say to make me stop seeing Waylynn, so we might as well get this all said and done with.”

  They looked at each other and then back to me.

  Trevor stood up and cracked his knuckles. “Alright, then, if that’s how you want to do it, let’s just get to it. You want it in the face, gut, or dick.”

  “Dick?” I asked, my voice notes higher. “Why do you have to bring my dick into this?”

  “Oh, believe me, I’m sure your dick has been having a good ol’ time the last few days with our sister. He already has a dog…or a bone…in this fight.”

  “What?” I exclaimed, covering my junk as Trevor moved closer. “My dick is off limits. There will be no hitting of my dick. I mean, that’s going too far…even for y’all.”

  “Damn,” Tripp said as he shook his head. “He’s right. That means we get an extra hit if you choose stomach.” He looked around. “Fair enough, y’all?”

  They nodded.

  “Christ Almighty,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You’re all crazy.”

  Trevor walked over to me. “Where do you want it?”

  “You might as well make the other eye black and blue.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Trevor reached back, about to throw the punch, when the front door banged opened.

  “What in the living fuck are the five of you doing?”

  Waylynn’s voice caused us all to freeze.

  I unfroze first. “Hey, what are you doing here? I thought you were staying home.” Walking over to her, I leaned down and kissed her on the lips. It was ballsy with her five brothers in the room, each waiting to knock the shit out of me.

  “I figured out their little plan. It didn’t take long when Paxton and Corina both said Steed and Mitchell were heading over to Cord’s for poker night,” she said, using air quotes. “Then when Amelia said Wade was going too, I knew you little bastards were up to something.”

  Cord stood. “You should probably head on back home, Waylynn.”

  Her hands came to her hips, her head tilted.

  “Oh hell,” Wade said. “Y’all done pissed her off.”

  “Head back home? You honestly think I’m going to let you beat my boyfriend up?”

  All eyes were on me now.

  “Boyfriend, huh?” Tripp growled.

  I cleared my throat. “Tripp, listen…”

  “No,” Waylynn shouted, pointing to me. “You don’t say another word, Jonathon Turner. Not one…more…word.”

  I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Waylynn slowly shook her head as she peered at each of her brothers. God, it was hot as fuck the way she commanded a room. “Have you five forgotten who is the oldest out of this bunch? You think because I’m a woman I can’t take care of myself?”

  “No,” five voices said at once.

  “Then you all need to start acting like it. This isn’t a duel over my virginity, boys. Trust me when I say that went out the door when I was seventeen years old.”

  I was positive Tripp was about to lose his shit over that bit of information.

  “What in the hell gives you the right to do what you were about to do? Did any of you think of my feelings? Or the feelings I have for Jonathon?”

  My heart soared to hear her profess her feelings for me in public. Especially to her brothers.

  “Waylynn, we just—”

  She held up her hand to silence Trevor. “I love each and every one of you so much. But I’m almost thirty-three, y’all. I’ve been on my own for a while now, married,
divorced, and interrupted having sex by an eighty-year-old woman. That was Jonathon, by the way.”

  All eyes were back on me. Swallowing hard, I glanced at the balcony. “Um, babe, maybe you should keep to your original point,” I said, rubbing the tension out of my neck.

  “The point is that you can’t beat him up or threaten him or even try to keep us apart. I care about Jonathon and the way I feel when I’m with him…”

  Waylynn’s eyes met mine across the room. We both smiled, and my stomach did that crazy ass drop thing like I was on a damn thrill ride.

  “The way I feel when I’m with him is unlike anything I’ve felt before.” She focused back on her brothers. “I’m scared, I won’t lie, and it’s not because I think Jonathon would hurt me. I truly don’t. Opening my heart up again is hard, and the well-known fact that I am older has me anxious.”

  “Age doesn’t mean shit,” Cord said, giving me a half smile. “Don’t let that bother you, sis.”

  A sweet smile spread over Waylynn’s beautiful face. “I won’t, Cord. Okay, listen, I have Dad’s blessings, and to be frank, his and Mom’s are all I need. But I actually want the blessing of each of y’all too. If you love me and you want me to be happy, you need to let this protective brother mentality go. And if you so much as lay a hand on my boyfriend, I will make sure none of you can use your dicks for a month. Do you remember my sixteenth birthday party and what happened when you threatened Bobby Harding?”

  “Shit, I was only eight and I remember it…and nothing even happened to me,” Trevor said. The other four covered their junk. Steed groaned while his body trembled.

  Tripp narrowed his eyes at his sister. “That was a low move with the Bengay.”

  Waylynn flashed an evil little grin. “Are we clear, gentlemen?”

  Each of them mumbled something under their breath.

  “I’m sorry, what was that?” Waylynn asked.

  “We’re clear,” Tripp snapped. “We won’t touch him, but let me make something clear.”

  Walking closer to me, Tripp stood inches from my face. “You so much as make a tear slip from her eyes, and I’ll rip your goddamn heart out and serve it to my brothers.”

  I didn’t think I’d ever felt my heart beat so fast. “I promise you, I won’t.”

  How in the hell my voice sounded so calm was a fucking miracle.

  Clapping her hands, Waylynn kissed each of her brothers. Wade walked over to stand next to me.

  “They would’ve gone easy on you. I hardly felt their punches.”

  “Oh, my God. Each of them would have actually hit me?”

  Wade chuckled. “Fuck yeah, they would have. Waylynn totally saved your ass.”

  “Well, shit, I figured they drew straws to see who would throw the punch.”

  Giving my shoulder a squeeze, Wade flashed a bright smile. “Welcome to the family, dude.”

  I glanced over to Tripp. He made a motion with two fingers showing he’d be watching me. Forcing a smile, I replied to Wade quietly, “It’s a damn good thing she’s worth the hazards of dating her.”

  He laughed loudly. “The Parker women are for certain worth it.”

  As I watched Waylynn make her way to each brother, I knew in my heart she was more than worth it. I let out a sigh when she walked over to me. “My savior,” I whispered, kissing her gently on the lips.

  Her eyes watered some before she glanced down and then back up at me. “You know what I’m in the mood for?”

  I wiggled my eyebrows, making her giggle. “Yes, that. But seriously, I need a big bowl of ice cream.”

  I wrapped my arm around her waist and headed toward Cord’s door. “Then ice cream you shall have.”

  Glancing over her shoulder, Waylynn called, “Evening, boys. Behave yourselves and make sure you check those boxers before you put them on.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh as we made our way down the stairs.

  Life with Waylynn Parker was going to be anything but boring.

  Chapter Twelve

  Waylynn

  My cell phone dinged, and a smile came automatically when I saw his name.

  Jon: Thinking about you.

  Picking up my phone, I replied.

  Me: Same here.

  Jon: Tell me what you’re doing right this second.

  Me: Staring at fabric samples for the benches and chairs for the lobby and reception area.

  Jon: Fun times. They should be getting there soon to install the floors.

  As if on cue, the front door of the dance studio opened.

  Me: They just walked in.

  Jon: I’ll be there as soon as I finish up getting these windows in at this house.

  Me: No rush. See you soon!

  Jon: Kisses!

  Me: Hugs!

  Smiling, I ran my fingers along my lips. How I loved Jonathon Turner’s kisses. After nearly two weeks of officially being boyfriend and girlfriend, I’d gotten a lot of those kisses. And in places that made my body tremble just to think about it.

  “Ms. Parker? I’m Randy Leman, owner of Premiere Flooring. Jonathon said you were expecting us.”

  I made my way out of the small office in the lobby. “Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “I’ve gotten the instructions from Jonathon, but do you want to walk through each dance room as well, so we’re all on the same page?”

  “Sure,” I replied with a smile.

  Randy smiled bigger, and it wasn’t lost on me how he quickly gave me a once over.

  “There are four dance rooms,” I started, making my way through each area. Each room was connected to the others by a single hallway with my office, the kitchen, and another office on the opposite side. Each room was glass almost all the way around, except on the ends.

  “One is the ballet room, one for tappers, and two ballrooms.”

  “Right.”

  “From what Jonathon has told me, the subfloor frame will be built, then a high-density foam over the plywood and then the floors.”

  “That’s correct, Ms. Parker.”

  Turning to look at him, I stated, “Waylynn is fine.”

  He nodded. “Waylynn, it is.”

  We stood there for a few brief seconds as he smiled at me. “The performance surface?”

  “Yes, I’ve got the northern hard maple floor ordered for all four rooms,” he replied. “It was birch, at first, and Jonathon said y’all changed it after looking at the hardwoods.”

  “That’s right. We decided on maple. How long do you think it will take to install the floors?”

  “I’ve got a full crew here, so I’ll say two days at the most, for each room.”

  I glanced around as we stood in the ballet room. “Wow, okay that’s pretty fast.”

  “It could be faster. We’ll see how everything goes.”

  I took a good look at Randy. He was probably a few years older than me, good looking, and the fact that he couldn’t keep his eyes off me should have been flattering. But it gave me the opposite feeling.

  “So, Randy, how long have you been installing floors?” I asked as I walked into the next dance room.

  He chuckled. “Since as long as I can remember. My father started the business and I guess he figured his sons would follow in his footsteps.”

  I lifted a brow. “And did they? I mean, clearly you have.”

  Laughing, he shook his head. “I worked as an engineer at NASA, my younger brother took over the family business.”

  “You’re just filling in?” My curiosity was piqued.

  “No, I’m ready to settle my life down, start a family, work less. NASA was amazing, but I worked seventy hours a week and got tired of the grind.”

  “Wow, I can see how that would get old. Are you married?”

  His smile grew wider, if possible. “Not even close. Finding a woman my age who isn’t already married or who isn’t career driven has proven to be a problem.”

  I chuckled. “I totally understand. I’m at the same place you are. Rea
dy to have a family and settle into a routine.”

  A man appeared at the door and cleared his throat to get our attention. “Randy? Are we ready to start bringing in the materials?”

  “Yeah, let’s get moving so we stay on schedule.”

  The next hour or so was filled with guys bringing in wood and tools. I stood in the very last room, one of the ballrooms, and watched as they built the frame.

  Randy was right in there with his crew, working alongside them. I admired men like him and Jonathon who worked with their employees. My father had always been like that. Never standing back to order people around, always in the thick of things.

  My cell phone started ringing. I pulled it out of my back pocket.

  “Hey, Momma, what’s up?”

  “Hello, sweetie. I wanted to make sure you were coming for dinner tonight.”

  “Yep, I’ll be there.”

  “And will you be bringing Jonathon?”

  My stomach fluttered at the mention of his name. “Do you promise not to scare him away?”

  She laughed. “Of course!”

  “Then, he’ll be there with me this evening for dinner. And, Momma, please don’t start pryin’ into his business.”

  “What are you talking about, Waylynn Parker? I’ve known Jonathon Turner since the boy was in diapers. I already know all of his business. Heck, I’ve seen all of his business.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Oh Lord, please don’t remind him of that tonight. I forgot what town I was living in and how much of a busybody my mother can be.”

  “Mind your tongue, young lady. Bring me some of Lilly’s homemade bread, will you? I’ve made a lasagna that will go perfectly with it.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Better make it two loaves. Your brothers like it as well.”