24. Feet on the Dash

TWENTY-FOUR

Ididn't let myself shy away after knowing that he understood what I said. I'd been the one pulling away this whole time, and I was done. I was giving in. Hearing him thank me for being the mother of his child had sent me over the edge. Why was I holding back from what I wanted when he was offering it up on a silver platter? He was the only man I'd ever wanted like this.

I spent years questioning why he would want me, even though his actions had made it clear. No one had ever prioritized me the way Parker did.

He also wasn't a liar. I trusted his advice and the words he said. So why hadn't I believed him when he said he wanted me?

He took my hand and spun me out and around so my back was pressed to his front. I could feel his body heat seeping into me as every part of me was held snug against him. He was so much taller than me, but it felt like we were made to fit together. Our bodies snapped together like puzzle pieces aligning with their perfect match.

All around us couples, strangers too I guess, swayed to the music or made out without any care of who was watching. I was always worried about who was watching. Sometimes it was all I could think about.

But with Parker's hands on me, I was in my own personal bubble. I was surrounded by the feeling of his warm touch on my skin. I loved how his fingertips traced where my bodysuit disappeared into my skirt and found small openings where he could feel my skin. It was like he didn't want to settle for touching me over my clothes. He needed to feel me.

I turned in his arms, tugging his hat off and onto my own head. He didn't protest when I threaded my fingers in the curls at the base of his neck. His gaze was so intense that I felt like my whole body was on fire.

I reached up to pull his face close to mine and mouthed, "Kiss me."

It might have been a rash decision to ask this of him. Stupid probably, to ask him to kiss me in the middle of sweaty strangers, when we couldn't hear a word the other person was saying.

Not that either of us even tried to communicate verbally when given the opportunity.

His conflicted gaze bore into mine before he shook his head. I hadn't expected him to deny me but I felt the blow. He'd been touching me seconds earlier like he couldn't get enough, and begging me to open up to him for weeks. Here I was, ready to take a leap of faith, and he denied me.

I put my arms back down by my sides and completely deflated. It had taken every ounce of courage I had, liquid or otherwise, to put myself at his mercy. I ripped his hat off my head and shoved it at his chest before walking away. I had to push through dozens of people before finally making it to the sidewalk. I took a deep breath of the brisk air and wrapped my arms around myself. In our haste to get to the club, I forgot to grab my jacket from beside the pool table. Another reason to be pissed at Parker.

The big bouncer standing out front was different than the one that had been there earlier.

"I forgot my jacket inside, can I grab it quick?"

"ID?" He stuck his hand out.

I looked down at myself and my total lack of pockets. Fuck. "My friend has it. Look, I promise I'll come right out. Can I please go get it?"

"Right, I've heard that one before. Have a great night young lady." He tried to wave me off but was interrupted by Parker swooping in to save the day, like always.

"What the fuck, Delilah. You can't just run off like that!" I hated when he used my full name. It either sent me into a blind rage or meant he was consoling me for the millionth time. Neither made me feel warm and fuzzy.

"Piss off. I need my ID." I reached out my hand expectantly, but he didn't budge.

"I think you've had enough to drink tonight. Let's go home." He wrapped his hand around my bicep to steer me away.

Now I was furious. I pulled out of his grip. "One, you're not my dad. I will drink as much as I want. Two, I was trying to get in and get my jacket. It's fucking cold out here."

Realization flashed over his features. "Shit, my bad." He fished his wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans and handed it to me.

"Yeah, your bad." I snatched it out of his grasp and held it up for the bouncer. He motioned for me to go ahead.

Of fucking course Parker followed right behind me. I found my jacket exactly where I left it and tugged it on. I whirled around to leave and ran right into Parker's hard chest. He put his hands on my shoulders to steady me.

"We need to talk, and you need to stop running away from me." I was about to point out it had only happened once when he continued. "Physically and emotionally."

"I wasn't really in the mood for talking. I thought we were on the same page when you pretty much dry fucked me on the dance floor." I pursed my lips. "Clearly I was wrong." I wrenched out of his touch and made for the door.

I thought I'd finally gotten away from him when I got outside, but he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

"Parker!" I scolded. "What the fuck are you doing?"

He ignored me and kept walking at a steady pace, like carrying my weight didn't hinder him in the slightest.

"Parker, my whole ass is out!" I whisper-yelled.

I could feel the vibrations of his laughter. "Then you shouldn't have made a scene, brat."

"Totally, except for the fact that I'm not wearing underwear." I was, but he didn't know that. "You can't let me flash everyone."

I felt his hand run up my leg and knew I was screwed. I waited in anticipation as his warm touch slowly slid under my skirt and over the curve of my ass. Then he snapped the band of my thong.

"Liar." His finger traced back down, and I jumped when it brushed over the fabric covering my crotch before returning the back of my thigh.

It was dark enough outside but people were everywhere. I couldn't believe he'd done that in plain view. Looking around, I found no one was even paying attention to us anyway.

"I hate you."

"Then why's your pussy wet, Del?"

Maybe it was because I hadn't had sex in over a year, but I wasn't telling him that, so I stayed quiet for the remainder of the walk back to the truck. He walked us through the parking garage to the basement where the only available spaces had been.

I shimmied my skirt down once I was back on my feet, then leaned down to yank off my heels. I'd kept them on for way too long and knew I'd be paying for it tomorrow.

Parker stopped me before I could release my sore feet from the beautiful torture devices.

"Dude, there's literally broken glass over there." He huffed, opened the truck door, grabbed me by the hips, and placed me in the passenger seat. "Why are you being so reckless tonight, Delilah?"

"Why are you being such a dick?" I countered. "And stop calling me that. You know I hate it."

"You're acting like a child and throwing a fit because you didn't get what you wanted."

"You're one to talk. Do you want me or not, Parker? You've been waiting for the green light this whole time, and you rejected me when I finally gave in to you. Sorry for being confused." I threw my hands up in defeat.

"Really, Del? You want me when you're drunk at Thomas' birthday?"

"For the tenth time, I'm not drunk!"

Parker didn't dignify my outburst with a response. He turned me around in my seat so I was facing the dash. He reached across and buckled me in before retreating and shutting the door slightly harder than necessary.

"What, so now you're not talking to me?" I asked when he still hadn't spoken by the time we exited the city limits.

"Oh we'll talk. Tomorrow, when you don't have alcohol to blame for your words and actions."

"What do I have to say to convince you I'm not drunk?"

"Would you drive with Lily in the car right now?" Silence fell over the vehicle. "That's what I thought."

"Why do you take everything so seriously? Why can't you just fuck me and get it over with?" I cocked an eyebrow. "Since you're so damn obsessed with me."

"This isn't something we're doing to get it over with," he said. "It's just the start. We're endgame, and you know it. Your heart knows it." He ran a warm hand up my thigh and pulled my knees apart. "Your body definitely knows it. We just have to get it through your thick skull that I'm not going to leave you. And I'll be damned if you run away from me again." He traced over the sensitive skin without looking at me once.

"I thought you were waiting until tomorrow."

He ignored me and tugged on the lace between my legs. "Off." Apparently I didn't move fast enough because he continued. "If you want me to touch you so bad you have three seconds to hand them over."

"You're such a dick. I can't believe I'm letting you touch me."

"You can think I'm a dick all you want and still let me make you feel good."

Despite what he thought, I was in full control. If anything, I was slightly bolder than normal. I quickly pulled my panties down and placed them in his hand. He took them and then adjusted my seat on the touch screen so I was reclined just enough to give him easy access.

"You're a brat." His hand came down and slapped my clit. I jumped, not expecting the abrupt contact. I nearly snapped my neck turning to look at him but his attention was fully on the road. Only the rigid set of his shoulders told me he wasn't totally unaffected. Well, that and the bulge in his pants.

Before I could protest, the rough pad of his fingers massaged and soothed the ache. I relaxed back into the seat and sighed at the warmth radiating off the heated leather. I looked at the screen to see he had the seat warmer on and the massage rollers on slow and deep.

Parker traced the outline of my pussy, and I whispered his name.

"Feet on the dash," he ordered, and I obeyed instantly. "You were so reckless tonight. You ran out of a bar in the city without your phone or any money. I couldn't find you." I heard what he was saying, but I was distracted as he teased my entrance, circling the opening and dipping one finger in, only to take it away again.

"You piss me off so much." He thrust one finger inside, and my head fell back as he massaged and prodded the place that always made me see stars. His hand covered me and he squeezed just a little. "But you're fucking mine."

Parker was confident in every aspect of his life. He was always calm and level-headed, but for some reason, when his hands were on me, he was dominant in every way. There was nothing shy or hesitant about him. He knew exactly where to touch me to elicit the response he wanted, like there was a secret roadmap only he knew. I wasn't sure if it was that he knew me so well or if I just melted anytime his skin met mine. It was embarrassing how quickly he'd brought me to the edge. It was right there, I could feel it.

He released me, then brought his finger to his mouth and sucked. My pussy clenched at the erotic image. He turned to make eye contact as he licked away my taste.

"Now be a good girl and close your legs. You look desperate waiting for me to fuck you."

I was taken back by his words. "Does that mean you aren't going to?"

He shook his head. "Not tonight. You don't deserve it."

I put my feet back on the floor and pulled my skirt down to cover myself. "You want me to just sit here like this?"

"Are you uncomfortable, baby? Did I leave you hanging and run away?"

"You're an asshole."

He smirked and focused his attention back on the road. We didn't talk the rest of the way home. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat trying not to rub my legs together and stoke the flames of my desire any more. After ten minutes of silence, I cranked the radio. I pretended to look out the window and formulated a plan. I'd been trying really hard to repress my feelings for Parker. Breaking news: my strategies weren't working. If anything, they were only growing. He was a great dad and genuinely loved spending time with Lily. It was what I'd wanted all along. I was grateful for it but every day we grew closer to mending our fractured relationship.

What was harder was finding a way to relieve any bit of tension when we spent all our free time together. I was used to having time to take care of myself after putting Lily to sleep, but I'd been so tired that I kept collapsing into bed at night. After the tension he stirred up tonight, I desperately needed to shut myself in my bedroom for some "self care."

An idea came to mind. I wanted to fuck with him just a little. Literally, but also mentally. Two could play his mind games. I glanced over to find him looking cool as a cucumber. He was totally relaxed like he didn't have me still on edge from the way he'd touched me. His wide shoulders were all the way back in his seat. His head rested in his hand, propped up next to the window as he stared out at the road ahead. He hummed softly to the country song until I queued up my playlist.

His eyes flicked to mine when the first song started and he shifted in his seat. I sat back in my seat and closed my eyes. I had plenty of memories that these songs encouraged me to relive. I let them play behind my eyelids like a movie for the rest of the ride.

I was basking in the vivid daydream of Parker's hands on me when the truck stopped and the engine cut.

"We're home."

His voice was gruff with annoyance, but I didn't care. The ride had sobered me up and I was ready to finish what he started. I hopped down out of the truck and hurried toward the door.

"What are you in such a rush about? You don't even have your keys." Parker took his time strutting up the front walk like he didn't have a care in the world.

I faked a yawn. "Just ready for bed."

"You skipped your way up here. You don't seem too tired."

He made no move to unlock the door. I ran my hand down his chest to the front of his jeans, looked up with a naughty grin on my face, and grabbed the keys out of his front pocket to let us inside.

"Now who's the tease?" Parker mumbled under his breath.

Everything was dark, and I was still learning where things were, so I fumbled around looking for a light switch. My fingertip just brushed it before Parker pulled my hand away from the wall and started leading me through the house.

"Scared of the dark?"

"No," I insisted. "But I'm dangerously clumsy."

"And tipsy?"

"Whatever. This is ridiculous. Let me turn a light on."

His breath tickled my ear. "I've got you." His hands found my hips as he urged me forward.

We made our way up the stairs. I felt him lean away and heard the soft click of a light switch. His amused face came into view.

I shoved his shoulder lightly. "Asshole." I moved into the room and shut the door behind me. I heard him chuckle as he walked away.