“Taaammmmssseeennnn.”
How did her friend do that? Drag out her name so it took seven syllables instead of two?
Knowing Cora wouldn’t give up and really needing a cup of the delicious-smelling coffee, she broke. “Okay, fine. I was with Parker, okay? We made a bet at trivia night, and since his team lost, I got to paint him.”
And oh boy, had she painted him.
Cora smiled as if she knew the answer all along.
“So being out all night was because you got some.”
“I did not get some.” She got it all and then some.
Cora snorted. “Don’t lie to me, hun. You have sex hair.”
Her hands flew up to her frizzy mane. After the shower, she’d towel dried her hair, and since she didn’t have any of her products to tame the half curly half straight nightmare that was her ridiculous hair, it air dried into something that resembled the bedhead of a toddler after a long nap.
Busted.
“What time do you have to leave for work?”
“Fifteen minutes. So start talking.”
She held out her hand. “Coffee first.”
Cora moved about the kitchen, grabbing an extra mug and filling it with the freshly brewed coffee. Normally, Tamsen added a little cream and sugar, but she needed the full-octane stuff for this conversation.
She sat at the table where Cora joined her, passing over the mug. Tamsen took a moment to wrap her hands around the warm cup, inhale the rich scent of heavenly coffee. After the first sip went down, she finally felt ready to reveal.
“Parker and I did a Passion Painting.”
Cora’s head tilted in confusion before light dawned in her eyes. Her mouth dropped open, and she leaned forward in her seat. “Wait, you mean that article thing you showed me? The one where people paint their bodies and…”
“Have sex.” She nodded. “Yes.”
“Wow.” Cora sat back. “How’s the painting look?”
“That’s really what you want to know? How the painting looks?”
Her roommate shrugged. “Is it a single imprint of two bodies barely moving or a wild swatch of colors mixing with each other in indistinguishable shapes and smears of human appendages?”
She lifted the mug to her lips and mumbled into it before taking a sip, “The second one.”
“Yes!” Cora pumped a fist in the air. “I knew he’d be good in bed. You can see it in their eyes. How much they focus. The eyes always give it away.”
“Technically we weren’t in a bed, but yes, Parker is…amazing.”
“Amazing, huh?” Cora smiled as she took a sip of her coffee.
“More than amazing.” How did she describe what happened last night? The energy, the intensity, the raw emotion of it all? “We connected on a level I didn’t even know existed. The man found erogenous zones I didn’t even know I had.”
“Wow. So when are you seeing him again?”
“Whenever the mood strikes us.”
Cora frowned. “Wait, what? I thought you two connected?”
“We did.” She ran her finger around the rim of her mug. “Sexually. We both agreed we weren’t looking for any kind of relationship. This is just fun. No strings, no promises, no problems. Just scratching the itch until it’s out of our system.”
Cora rolled her eyes with a delicate snort. “Famous last words.”
“Beg pardon?”
“There’s no such thing as no problems when it comes to sex. Sex always causes problems. That’s why it’s so fun.”
“Problems are fun?”
“No, but solving them can be.” Cora reached over to place her hand on Tamsen’s. “Look, the problems aren’t always big. Sometimes it’s as simple as finding out you aren’t right for someone or discovering you don’t like a certain kink. But sometimes, big problems happen. Like one person falling in love and the other…not.”
She laughed at the absurdity of what her friend was suggesting. “Oh, sweetie, you don’t have to worry about that. I have zero time to add love to my schedule right now. Besides, you know I don’t want to fall in love.”
“No.” Cora raised a brow. “You don’t want to risk losing the person you love.”
She snorted into her coffee, ignoring her friend’s intense eye contact.
“Tam,” Cora sighed. “You know I love you, but in all the years I’ve known you, you have never gotten serious about a guy, and I get it, losing your mom so young…it had to be tough.”
Not really. She barely remembered her mother. What sucked was growing up watching her dad. She knew how much he missed her mom. He tried to hide it from her, but she saw the pain. She felt it radiate off him. Waves of pain she feared might drown him. Thank goodness he finally found Victoria to pull him from the depths.
But what if he hadn’t?
That’s what she feared. Losing herself so much in someone, loving someone so deeply that their loss destroyed her, threatened to end her, too. She would never fall that deeply.
“I don’t plan on falling in love with Parker.”
“And what if he falls in love with you?”
Now there was a situation that would happen after people landed on Mars. He’d already told her what he thought of love and happily ever after. She highly doubted Parker would ever fall in love, least of all with her.
“Not an issue, trust me. Besides, we can’t start any type of real relationship.”
“Why not?”
“Hello? Our parents are getting married.” There was an entire boatload of reasons a real relationship with Parker would be a bad idea due to that, but the biggest was, “If we start dating and things go badly, can you imagine the awkward family dinners? No, thank you. Not to mention it could seriously affect my dad’s relationship with Victoria.”
And she would never do anything to jeopardize her father’s happiness. Not after all he did for her.
“And what you’re doing with Parker now isn’t the same thing because…?”
“It’s just sex.”
Cora gave her a disbelieving look. “Things can go badly with sex.”
“But there’s no emotions involved. If we were dating, there’d be feelings, but with sex only, it’s just fun.”
Cora shook her head with a small laugh. “That’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said.”
“Hey!”
“Sex doesn’t always lead to feelings,” her roommate continued. “But it always has the possibility to. And if one of you develops feelings while the other doesn’t…all I’m saying is be careful. Have your fun, but keep your wits about you. And at the first sign of something deeper, for either of you, if it’s not what you want, cut it off. Right away. For everyone’s sake.”
Somebody sure was a cautious Cora today.
“Sweetie, I love you, but I promise I know what I’m doing. Everything will be fine.”
She’d just ignore the slight nosedive her stomach took as she spoke those words and the tiny sense of doom that filled her. Everything would be fine. They were just having fun. Tamsen had had a few flings, and they all ended well. Sure, things with Parker felt…more. He made her feel comfortable; even at her most accident-prone and embarrassed moments, he managed to set her at ease, as if those things weren’t a failing, but an asset. And yes, maybe he made her heart flutter. A little. But it was only because she wasn’t used to people finding her disasters delightful.
Nothing more.
Cora finished her coffee and headed off to work while Tamsen made her way to her bedroom. She grabbed her sketchpad and charcoal pencil from the small desk by the window and tossed them on the bed. She grabbed her PJs, untying her dress and dropping it to the floor. That’s when she remembered she hadn’t put her underwear back on. Bra, yes, but her panties had gone missing. Well, not so much missing as she had tucked them into Parker�
��s back pocket while he was still drying off from their shower.
She giggled as she thought of him discovering them later today. What would he do with them? Yes, it had been a bit naughty of her, but the man made her do things she never imagined she ever would. She’d had sex beyond the bedroom before, but no one made her step out of her comfort zone like Parker. A parked car her senior year after the prom was as risky as she’d ever gotten.
Once she had her soft, cotton sleep shorts and tank on, she settled in the middle of her bed with her sketchpad and pencil. An hour later, dozens of papers surrounded her on the bed, each one filled with bits and pieces of Parker. His warm eyes, powerful forearms, the thick muscles of his upper thigh, the sexy curl of his smile, that yummy V shape where his hip met his groin. All the imagery made heat coil low in her belly. She should be full up on orgasms considering how many she’d had last night, but apparently all it took was simply remembering Parker, and drawing him, to make her crave another.
Her fingers cramped. Setting down her pencil, she stretched them, doing the hand exercises she’d learned from Jade’s last boyfriend who happened to be a physical therapist. Just as she was about to call it and catch a few hours of sleep, her phone chimed. She checked the text and smiled. Speak of the devil.
Jade: OMG you slept with Parker?!?!!!
Jade: Deets. Now!
She typed back.
Tamsen: How did you find out?
Jade: Cora texted me.
Oh, course she had. The problem with having close friends was that there were no secrets.
Tamsen: What are you doing up at…
She glanced at the time on her phone.
Tamsen: 6 am?
Jade: Derby team workout is at six thirty. Now quit stalling. Details, woman!!!
Tamsen laughed, her thumbs flying across the screen as she typed.
Tamsen: We made a passion painting and that’s all I’m telling you, perv. If you need to get your rocks off watch porn like everyone else.
Jade: 1: I’m insulted you think I don’t watch porn already. 2: Ew, I don’t want to know for jolly’s I just want to know if it was good.
Tamsen: It was…
Instead of words, she sent Jade two rows of the fire emoji.
Jade: Hell yeah! Get it girl!
She laughed when Jade sent back a gif of a dancing cat with exploding champagne behind it.
Jade: You seeing him again?
Biting her lip, she debated how much to reveal, but if Cora already texted her, there was no telling what Jade knew. Everything, probably.
Tamsen: Hopefully. We’re keeping it casual.
Jade: I’d lock the sexy fireman down if it was me, but you do you.
So Jade wasn’t going to give her the “be careful with your heart” speech like Cora. At least, not yet. She knew Jade was just waiting for the right moment to get into the talky feely portion of the discussion. Cora was always direct whereas Jade liked to bide her time and pounce when the timing was perfect. She knew her friends were just looking out for her, but she had this. They didn’t have to worry.
Jade: I gotta hit the gym, but I’m on lunch shift. You?
Tamsen: Dinner.
Which was good because she’d need a few hours of sleep to account for the lack of sleep last night. Totally worth it.
Jade: Then I’ll high-five you as I leave.
Tamsen: See ya.
She placed her phone in the charger base on her nightstand and put all the loose paper and sketchpad on the floor to deal with later. She slipped under the covers and settled her head against the pillow with a sigh. Sweet slumber, here she came.
Ding. Ding.
Or not.
Slapping her hand against her phone, she pulled it from the cradle and went to turn it on silent, until she saw the message.
Parker: Found your underwear in my pocket
Grinning to herself, she typed back.
Tamsen: Oh my, is that where they went?
She sent the kissing wink face emoji.
Parker: I hope you know these are mine now
Tamsen: Have an underwear fetish?
Parker: Never used to think so, but you’re opening me up to all kinds of new experiences, sweetheart
She could say the same about him.
Parker: Are you free tonight?
He was already ready for another round?
Tamsen: Got the dinner shift. Won’t be off until eleven.
Parker: Pick you up after work?
She usually walked home if it was early enough or drove if she had the night shift. But the idea of Parker picking her up and taking her back here where she had a nice, soft bed…if she wasn’t as exhausted as she was, she might consider asking him to drive over here right now. When had a man ever made her crave this much? She couldn’t remember.
Tamsen: Such a gentleman
Parker: If I promise to not be a gentleman in your bedroom does that mean I can pick you up after work?
She barked out a half laugh, half needy moan into the silent bedroom.
Tamsen: You better!
Parker: See you tonight
Tamsen: Tonight
She replaced her phone in the base, rolling over to snuggle down deep into her bed, a large smile curling her lips as she closed her eyes. She knew Cora and Jade might argue that she was moving too fast with Parker, but this was just sex. Just fun.
But as she drifted off to sleep, a voice inside warned her she was getting in over her head. That her friends were right and fun would lead to feelings and falling. And everyone knew when you fell, things could break.
She’d just have to be sure if that happened, the thing that broke wouldn’t be her heart.
Chapter Sixteen
“Parker, darling,” his mother called, waving from the table.
Parker nodded to the maître d’ who escorted him to where his mother sat. They tried to meet for weekly lunch. Lately her schedule had been a bit more occupied by her fiancé. Parker told his mother he didn’t mind extending the offer of lunch to Thomas—spending more time with the man might give him a better read on the guy—but Thomas hadn’t been able to attend today’s lunch. Which was probably a good thing considering he wanted to talk to his mother about this whole wedding thing anyway.
“Hello, Mother.” He bent down to place a kiss on her cheek before taking the seat across from her.
“Coffee?” She motioned to the silver decanter on the table.
“Yes, please.”
He needed about a gallon and a half today. It was a good thing he was used to running on little to no sleep because he only caught a few hours before his alarm blared, reminding him of meeting his mother. A secret smile curled his lips as he remembered why he’d stayed up until the pre-dawn hours and with who.
Tamsen.
Just thinking her name had all kinds of memories flooding his brain. Delicious, wild memories that he should probably stop thinking about while with his mom.
He smiled at his mother, noting that there wasn’t a menu on the table. Not a surprise, since most of the staff knew they didn’t need one. He and his mother had been meeting at Café Altier for lunch for five years now, ever since his mother helped the owner with the start-up money she needed to open. Jeanne Alterier, owner and head chef, always cooked up something special every time they dined.
“How is work going, dear?” His mother took a dainty sip from her cup. “Staying safe?”
He smiled, answering the question she always asked him. “As safe as I can.”
“I know, I know.” She waved a hand in the air. “And I’m very proud of you for choosing a career that’s so selfless, but I’m your mother. I’d be worried if you were sitting at a desk all day. It’s just what parents do.”
He would die of boredom if he had to work a nine-to-f
ive office gig. He loved the thrill of rushing head-first into danger, the high from saving someone. He supposed that wasn’t a very selfless motive. Of course, the lows of his job were worse than others. The people he couldn’t save still haunted him some nights.
He didn’t consider himself a hero, but his mother probably would have called him that even if he was working as an accountant. She’d always been so supportive and proud of him. Like the time in third grade when he won the spelling bee. She acted like he solved world hunger when he’d really just given the proper spelling for hatchling.
“How’d the event go last night?” he asked his mother. “Did you receive enough donations?”
He had been invited to another one of his mother’s charity events last night. He gladly sent money their way, but he hated going to those stuffy parties. He always felt out of place. Yes, he had his own money, but he wasn’t some big CEO or investor. He never had anything to talk about with the people at those parties. It wasn’t like he could hang out with his mom all night.
“It was successful. We reached our goal with an extra five thousand on top. I do wish you could have come, dear. Margaret Burns was there.”
He barely held back a sneer. Now he was doubly glad he didn’t go. His mother had been trying to pair him up with every single daughter of her socialite friends for years now. Some of them were okay, but Margaret Burns was a blue-blooded bully who looked down her nose at anyone she felt was beneath her. And according to Margaret, that meant everyone. She played the sweet face to his mother, but he’d seen the way she treated the service workers at events.
Rule of thumb: never date anyone who was a jerk to servers.
It wasn’t like Margaret was interested in him anyway. He’d heard the whispers about what she thought of his chosen profession. Not that he gave a rat’s ass. He much preferred the company of the woman he spent last night with to anyone who would have been at the charity event.
“I hear you’ve been spending time with Tamsen?”
He choked on the sip of coffee he’d just drank. Had he said that out loud? Did someone see them and report back to her? Were last night’s activities written all over his face? He glanced down at his hand and arms to see if he’d missed any paint. Nope. Not a sexy paint swipe in sight.
The Wedding Dilemma (Mile High Firefighters) Page 14