I frowned but swallowed the amber liquid anyway, a hot shiver racing down my spine. “Why don’t you drink?” I slurred.
“No desire.” He kissed my cheek and leaned down to my ear. “The only intoxicating liquid I want are the juices from your delicious body.”
I waggled my eyebrows. “I think that can be doable.”
I laughed as I stumbled into Parker’s apartment. Holding the wall for support, I kicked off my feet killers they called shoes and made my way into the vast expanse of his home. “Holy balls on a cracker, this place is huge.” I walked into a table, tripped over my feet, and landed on a couch. Bubbles of laughter escaped me as I rolled off the cushion, landing hard on the floor.
“Shit, Keely. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
I giggled some more and sat up. “Did you know that you are really gorgeous?” I pointed at Parker. “Like beyond edible. I could bite into you so hard right now.” I hiccupped.
He shook his head and helped me to my feet. “Not gonna happen, little one.”
“Oh why not?” I pulled out of his grip and sashayed down his hall. “You don’t think I’m attractive?” I asked, pulling my dress up and over my head.
His nostrils flared as he followed me.
“You don’t think I can handle you?” I unclipped my bra and threw it at him, holding my arm across my breasts.
He growled and was on me before I knew what was happening. He cupped my panties, pulling me roughly against him and took my mouth in a hard bruising kiss. “I’m an asshole but I don’t fuck drunk women,” he said, pushing me into his room. “Now get some sleep, pet.” He smacked my ass and slammed the door shut, leaving me sexually frustrated and alone.
My eyes slowly opened when the scent of warm coffee invaded my nostrils. My muscles ached and a sharp pain pounded inside of my skull. “Ugh. Who hit me with a truck?”
A deep chuckle sounded from beside me as the bed dipped. “Tequila did.”
I stretched my sore arms out under my pillow and lifted my head when I realized that I wasn’t actually in my bed. “Are we at your apartment?”
“Yes.”
I turned onto my back when a cool breeze washed over my skin. I looked down and saw that I was naked except for the black boy shorts I was wearing. I probably should have been embarrassed but clearly Parker had already seen me. I was also hung over as shit. But being a lady, I pulled the sheet up and around me and sat back against the head board.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, handing me a cup of coffee.
I took it and drank a sip, swallowing the hangover cure-all before replying. “Like hell. Crap. I need to call Troy.”
Parker handed me a phone and crawled under the covers beside me. That’s when I noticed he was only in drawstring gray sweatpants. My gaze roamed over his hard tattooed torso. His pierced nipples twinkled in the early morning sunlight.
“That’s some serious ink,” I pointed out, while dialing Troy’s number.
Parker smiled and took a sip of his own coffee.
Troy’s phone only rang to voicemail so I left him a quick message telling him that I was fine and safe. Hung over but alive. Although at that moment I felt like death would be a treat.
“Take a shower, little one. There’s a robe hanging on the back of the door.”
I nodded and moved to do as he suggested. “Parker?” I asked, once I reached the bathroom door.
“No. We did not have sex. I wouldn’t take advantage of you like that.”
Memories of the night before crashed into my mind. I winced. “I am so sorry for how I acted.”
“Don’t be. You had fun.”
“Why did we come back here?” I asked, attempting to keep my chest covered. “Wait.” I held up my hand. “Troy brought a guy home.”
“Did he ever. Have you heard the pickup lines that come out of him?”
I laughed and nodded.
Parker rubbed his fingers along his mouth.
My gaze followed the movement. “You probably think so little of me.”
His gaze roamed over my scantily clad body. “Take a shower and then I’ll show you exactly what I think of you.”
I swallowed hard at what he was suggesting but did as I was told. The scalding hot water made my aching and hung over body feel much better. But the anticipating tingles that washed over my skin didn’t help. At all.
Once I was dried off, I wrapped the terry cloth robe around me, snuggling into its warmth. “Parker, I should get going...” My voice trailed off when I didn’t see him anywhere in his room.
Making my way down the hall, I saw him sitting at the kitchen table.
His gaze popped up to mine. He put the newspaper that he was holding down and sat back. “Come here.”
My feet moved of their own accord, my body so willing to follow his command. I closed the distance between us and stepped between his knees.
“I wanted to wait before I fucked you.” I trembled at his words. He leaned forward and grabbed the belt of my robe, untying it. “But seeing you in my home, in my robe, does something to me.” The robe fell open, revealing my naked body. He grazed the back of his knuckles from my belly button to my mound. “Spread your legs, beautiful one.”
I chewed my bottom lip and did as he said.
His finger brushed up my inner thigh. “I don’t know what it is about you, Keely, but I want you and I won’t stop until you break and give yourself completely to me.”
I didn’t know exactly what that had meant. I whimpered as his fingers spread me open for him, revealing a part of myself that only one man had ever seen.
“So pure.” With strong arms, he lifted me, laying me back on the table. His rough, calloused hands held my thighs, spreading me open as far as possible. “Say it.”
“Reed.”
“Good girl.” With a growl he covered my core, diving his tongue deep inside of me before I even had a chance to breathe.
I gasped, whimpering, arching under his rough touch.
His thumbs spread me open wider, parting his way into a spot he would devour. “So fucking delicious.”
I moaned, bucking under him when he sucked my clit between his lips.
Licking from my center to the erect nub, his teeth ever so slightly grazed over the sensitive peak.
My hips jerked. “Parker.”
“Come for me, pet. I want to swallow your orgasm.” He covered me again, thrusting his tongue in and out of me.
My body shook as I came hard and fast against his mouth. My whimpers and cries of pleasures erupted through the room as my muscles calmed down.
He released me with a pop and wiped his chin. His eyes were black, hungry. In a quick move, he had me on my stomach, bent over the edge of his table. My breathing was erratic as I anticipated his next move.
The sound of a tin foil wrapper erupted around the room and I shivered.
Parker pulled the robe off of me, leaving me completely naked. He trailed a finger down the length of my spine. “So submissive. So perfect. And you,” he fisted my hair, “are all mine, aren’t you?”
I nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
He snarled and slammed into me hard. I whimpered, squeezing my eyes shut.
“This is what you were begging me for last night.” He pulled out slowly, sending a shiver racing through my body.
“Oh, Parker.” I moaned, spreading my legs wider.
He towered over me, restraining me against his table. “Come on my dick, pet. And scream my name. Do not disappoint me.” He linked our fingers, holding my hand tight in his as his hips sped up. His thrusts deepened, turning rough, and his grunts of pleasure sounded in my ears.
I cried out, small whimpers of ecstasy escaping my lips as he pushed into me as far as my body would allow.
“Come for me,” he demanded.
I swallowed a gasp, his name leaving my lips over and over.
“That’s it.” He leaned back and gripped my hips, powering into me with so much strength, I was surprised the
table didn’t break.
“Parker,” I moaned. “Come. For me,” I blurted out.
He growled.
“Come. Damn it, Parker!” I pushed back against him.
“Shut up.” He fisted my hair, pushing me face first against the table.
“Hmm...someone doesn’t like being told what to do.” With all my strength, I pushed up from the table.
“Keely, this is my game.” He released me and pulled me off the table in a rough move before throwing me over his shoulder. “I own you.”
I gripped the back of his sweats, my heart racing. Maybe I shouldn’t have challenged him. I didn’t know what had come over me but the need to have him lose control inside of me was so strong, I couldn’t stop the demands from leaving my lips.
The moment we reached his bed room, he threw me onto his bed and pulled me to the edge.
He ripped off his sweats. “Spread those beautiful legs. I want to see my mark.”
I spread my legs and grazed my hands down my inner thighs.
A wicked grin splayed across his face. “Nice and swollen, pet.” He crawled between my bent knees and brushed his mouth over mine. “Did my thick cock hurt you?”
I nipped his bottom lip. “Never.”
“Good.” He tilted my head back and plunged his tongue between my lips at the same time he entered my body in a smooth hard thrust.
I gasped into his mouth, my thigh muscles burning.
“I’m going to fuck you,” he pushed my knees up to my chest. “And fuck you hard until you’re raw.”
“Oh God.” I ran my nails down his back, scratching them into the hard muscles. Grabbing the back of his thighs, I pulled him tight against me, taking him as deep as my body would allow.
“Shit, Keely.” He panted, sucking and pulling at the soft skin under my ear.
His hard thrusts sped up, pounding into me with a ferocity that left my nerve endings exploding with delight.
My pussy rippled over his length. My body tightened, coiling with a pleasure so great, my vision blacked out. An explosion of raw ecstasy crashed into me like a tidal wave. I screamed his name so loud, my voice gave out.
“That’s it, Keely. Louder.” His hips pushed into me hard, his cock hitting a spot inside of me that set off another release. His body shook. The tendons in his neck stretched. He threw his head back and roared. “Keely.”
I felt him pulse inside of me before he crashed his weight on top of me. I sighed, cupping the back of his nape. Never in all of my life had I experienced anything that came close to what we just shared. It felt right. Perfect. And I found myself wanting it again and again but I still wasn’t sure if I could trust him. The walls that I had spent so much time building around me threatened to fall just from a gentle touch of his hand. But those walls were strong. I wasn’t even sure if they could break.
“My sweet, Keely.” He kissed my nose and brushed my damp hair of my forehead. “I could eat you for hours. Devour your body.”
I shivered, running my hands down his sweat-soaked back. “Well you, Mr. Reed, are pretty delicious yourself.”
He grinned and kissed me once again. I inhaled his breath, our hearts beating as one as he made love to my mouth.
His body swelled inside of me. “Who are you?” he panted against my lips.
“I could ask you the same thing,” I whispered.
He placed a soft peck on my nose before rising from the bed.
I couldn’t help but stare at his firm backside as he made his way into the bathroom. Tattoos covered him like a second skin.
“Come here, pet,” he said, standing in the doorway.
I sat up. “It’s getting late. I should go.”
His gaze darkened. “I wasn’t asking.”
“You slept with Mr. Sexy. Didn’t you?”
My back stiffened when I slid into my skirt. I ignored the scrutiny Troy was giving me and finished getting dressed. A black A-line skirt and a red blouse later, and I was good to go. If only the nerves in my belly would ease up. I hadn’t seen Parker in a couple of days since he got called away on an emergency but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. I hoped it was just me being paranoid and that everything was alright.
Whatever the tabloids were saying I didn’t know but they sure were having a field day with his untimely disappearance.
“Keely.”
“What, Troy?” I snapped. “Yes. I slept with him. Is that what you wanted to hear? Do you want the details? Want me to tell you how amazing it was? How good it felt not to be forced into it?”
His eyes softened. “I’m sorry.”
I shook my head and sighed. “No, I’m sorry. You’re just looking out for me and I’m being an ungrateful bitch.”
“I’m glad that you found someone that can give you what you need.”
I scoffed and pulled my hair back into a messy bun. “I don’t even know what I need but right now, I need you to be my friend. And I need Parker just to...I don’t know. Be there for me I guess.”
“Did you see this?”
I frowned when Troy flashed a magazine in my face.
“No? Let me read it to you. New assistant, Keely Price, gets caught taking the walk of shame out of Parker Reed’s apartment building. The guy didn’t even have the nerve to drive her home.”
My eyes widened. “Excuse me? He had an emergency and I spent half an hour arguing with the guy over me taking a cab home.” I snatched the magazine from him, my eyes dancing over the words.
“I told you to be careful.” Troy left my room.
“I didn’t know I’d end up in one of these stupid magazines,” I cried, throwing the tabloid in the trash.
“Everything Parker touches ends up in one of those stupid magazines, Keely. You just need to ask yourself: is he worth the public humiliation?” Troy walked up to the patio doors and opened them, motioning outside. “Is it?”
I followed him, gasping when flashes of light went off in our direction. I huffed and pushed past him, ignoring the media that stood outside our apartment building. “I’ll talk to him.”
“Keely.”
I stopped once I reached the door. “I know, be careful.”
Troy shook his head. “I was going to ask you if you’ve heard from Devin.”
“What?” My heart started racing. “No. Why?”
Troy handed me a folded up envelope. “This was in our mailbox.” He gave my shoulder a light squeeze before kissing my head. “Being around Parker might be the safest thing for you right now.”
I unfolded the envelope, my stomach sinking when I saw State Penitentiary in black bold ink in the corner. With shaky fingers, I ripped it open. A whimper escaped my lips as the words on the white piece of paper seared their way into my brain.
I’m back. And I found you. Miss me, princess?
I met my worst nightmare when I was sixteen. That sounded so much like a cliché but it was true. Devin Tate was the epitome of evil and I got sucked into his clutches. If it wasn’t for Troy, I’d probably be on the street or worse. He was my savior, my knight in shining armor in so many ways and I waved off his concern.
“Keely?”
I took a breath and shoved the envelope into my purse. “I have to go,” I told Troy. I kissed his cheek. “Thank you. For everything. I don’t say that enough but I am thankful.”
“I know. I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “You need to talk to Parker.”
“And say what? It’s not like we’re together.”
Troy shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. You’re sleeping with him, aren’t you? He clearly feels something for you.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I saw the way he glared daggers at every man the other night when we went to Nine. You were too drunk to notice, girlfriend.” He tapped my nose. “But that man is smitten.”
The back of my neck heated remembering the way he growled at Tony for kissing my knuckles. “Talk to him. Invite him over for supper tonight. I’ll cook. You
can talk to him with me there if that makes it easier.”
“Why?”
“Again, they may just be rumors but Parker can protect you more than I ever could. I don’t want...” His voice trailed off, becoming thick. “I don’t want something to happen to you.”
I sighed and wrapped my arms around Troy’s hard middle. “I know, honey.”
He kissed my head. “Bring Mr. Sexy home tonight.”
I nodded and left the apartment. I didn’t know what would become of this new revelation. I didn’t know anything really.
The hairs on the back of my neck tingled as I made my way down the street. I frowned, glancing around me, but all I saw were a couple men holding huge assed cameras pointed in my direction.
With this new bit of information about Devin, I no longer cared that I had ended up in the tabloids right alongside Parker. Okay. Maybe I cared just a little bit. But knowing Devin was out, that he was free…a tremor shook through my body at the possibility of him finding me.
I huffed and walked the three blocks quickly to Reed Industries.
Once reaching the building, I took the elevator up to the top floor and headed to Parker’s office.
“Keely, good morning,” Liz greeted me with a smile.
“Hi.” I smiled back.
“Mr. Reed is about to start a meeting but wanted you in there. He said to just go ahead and knock.”
“Okay. Shouldn’t you page him at least, though?” I asked, nerves racing through my belly.
She shook her head. “Nope. Not what he wanted. Go ahead.” She nodded towards the door, her auburn bob brushing her shoulders with the movement.
I took a breath and headed to the large double doors. “Liz?”
“Hmm?”
“This is really dumb but one of the things I hate the most is entering a room and all eyes look your way.” I turned back to her. “Like whenever I was late for class in school.”
She grimaced. “Oh I know. So embarrassing.”
I agreed and turned back to the door, giving a small knock.
“Come in,” Parker barked; didn’t that just do something funny to my insides?