…
Shit. Nothing good ever came after the “we need to talk” declaration. An icy block settled in his stomach when he noticed her pinched lips and her furrowed brow. “Okay,” he said slowly. “Do you want to sit down?”
“I’m fine standing.” She folded her arms across her chest and somehow managed to shrink her slender shoulders into nothingness. The position screamed fear and vulnerability.
“Spit it out.”
She sucked in a deep breath. “Did you send Mark on some assignment to keep him away from me?”
How the hell had she found out about that? He’d made himself crystal fucking clear to Linda that she was not to say anything to Mark. Fuck.
Either way, he was screwed. If he said yes, she’d see him as some control freak like her ex-husband. If he said no, would she even believe him? The truth was somewhere in the middle, and that wasn’t Parker’s area of expertise. He was a black-and-white kind of guy—things were either good or bad. Decisions were right or wrong. But this was part of the messy, fraught middle.
“That’s a loaded question,” he said.
“I happen to think it’s a simple one.” Her eyes glimmered with hope. They begged him to be the man she wanted him to be. The man she deserved.
But the truth, again, was somewhere in the middle.
“Mark was on a list of top-performing staff that Linda brought to me as part of the discussions for this assignment. She and I both agreed the work you were doing with our employee engagement report was far too valuable to stop. I stand by that decision.” He took a step closer, and she allowed him to close the space between them. “We’re already getting a good response from management based on your initial suggestions, and I know that will continue if we keep working on this, together. Plus, there was the issue of the ASTAR application. If you win, you’ll need to be based here to take advantage of the program.”
“I’m not a child,” she said, shaking her head. “This isn’t about who got chosen and who didn’t. In fact, I’ve withdrawn my ASTAR application.”
“You what?” He blinked. “Why the hell would you do that?”
“Mark figured out that we were sleeping together and said that if people knew about it, there’d be questions. Especially if I won.” She bit down on her lip. “I can’t risk it.”
He wanted to find that jealous little shit, Mark, and set him straight. Then he wanted to fire him for being an asshole.
“You know he’s saying that because he’s pissed you’re not dating him.”
“Technically I’m not dating you, either.” Her baby blue eyes were guarded, unreadable.
Christ, it made him want to hurl something at the wall. This whole situation was messed up, and Mark had made it worse by filling Emmaline’s head with bullshit. What did it matter if they were sleeping together? It wasn’t some sleazy casting couch kind of thing.
You know what people are like. Gossip is king.
“He’s manipulating you.” Parker raked a hand through his hair and swallowed back the curse hovering on his tongue. “Can’t you see that? You shouldn’t have withdrawn your application.”
Emmaline’s eyes flashed. “That is up to me and me only. I have chosen not to go ahead, because the damage is already done.”
“What damage?” He took a moment to control his reaction. But it was hard to stay calm when Emmaline was sacrificing something so unfairly. “The applicants are chosen by a panel of people.”
“Yes, but you were the one who said that the CEO has final say.” She attempted a smile but it petered out. “And last time I checked the company website, that person was you.”
“Do you think I’d compromise my values like that?” The insinuation stung. And, while it wasn’t as bad as what his father had done, it was still in the same camp—dishonesty for personal gain. For a sexual relationship.
“You said to me last time if I wanted it, it was mine.” Her eyes tracked across his face, her brows knitting closer together.
“Because you deserve it.” Lord, how did she not see that?
“That’s not what people will say.” She placed a palm against his chest. “And it isn’t open for negotiation. I’ve withdrawn, end of story.”
What a fucking mess. While he wasn’t exactly about to advertise the fact that he was sleeping with a staff member, he didn’t care anymore if people found out. What he did on his own time was his goddamn business. Neither he nor Emmaline were attached, it was consensual, and they weren’t hurting anyone. So why the hell should she be punished for that?
“I think you’re making the wrong decision,” he said.
“You’re welcome to think that, Parker. But I’m not looking for your guidance here.”
Shot. Down. “Then why are you telling me?” he asked.
“I…” She rested her head against his chest. “I don’t know. I guess because I’d prefer you found out from me rather than noticing that I was missing when you had to go through all the submissions.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “I appreciate that.”
“So you didn’t send Mark away because of me?” Her face was pressed against his shirt, her breath warm puffs through the cotton.
“Look, I can’t lie and say I’m not happy he’s going. Especially after what you’ve told me now.” He sighed. “And I did think about that when I was making that choice. But Linda came to me, and his name was at the top of the pile right next to yours. Maybe that’s not the cut-and-dry answer you wanted, but it’s the truth.”
“Do you feel bad about it?”
He toyed with a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail, wrapping it around his finger while he tried to sift through the crap in his head. “I did.”
“But you don’t now?”
“Someone who was a real friend wouldn’t have tried to make you doubt yourself like that.”
“But he has a point, don’t you think?”
“Em, if you believe he said it because he was trying to save you from getting hurt, then you’ve got every right to walk out that door now.” He gritted his teeth thinking about how upset she must have been. “I might be selfish, but I stand by what I said. If he hurt you, then I’m glad he’s gone.”
He waited for her to pull away, but she didn’t. They stood like that—arms around one another for a long moment before either one of them moved. When she looked up at him, her eyes were sultry and dark.
“Can we get out of here?” she whispered.
“I thought we were supposed to be talking about work?” His hands cupped the back of her head, his lips lowering slowly to hover above hers.
“I don’t want to talk about work.” Her eyes fluttered shut. “I don’t want to talk full stop.”
Chapter Sixteen
Parker leaned back in his office chair and interlaced his fingers behind his head. Earlier that morning he’d left Emmaline asleep in his bed, her blond hair fanned out like ribbons of gold across his pillow. When they’d left the office on Friday night, they’d swung past her place so she could pack a bag, and then they’d holed up in his apartment for the entire weekend.
It’d been a blur of sex, showers, drinks, and the occasional bite to eat.
His stomach grumbled in protest. It had to be the only part of him that wasn’t satiated right now. Because lord knew his hands and his mouth and his cock had put in some solid hours the last two days. It wasn’t possible to feel any more content than he did right now. Parker had once laughed at a chick flick when the male character had walked around with a goofy grin on his face after a successful date with the female romantic lead. Ridiculous, he’d proclaimed to the date who cajoled him into watching it. Totally unrealistic. No man would ever act like that.
Apart from the sappy, manufactured happy ending feeling like nails against a chalkboard, he couldn’t believe that the man in the movie—a powerful businessman, no less—would walk around with his heart on his sleeve like that.
But now he was that guy wearing the goofy grin, s
taring into space because he couldn’t seem to get his head screwed on properly. Emmaline had stolen his affection and his ability to concentrate.
“Knock, knock.” A singsong voice floated into his office as the door was pushed open without warning. “I thought I’d sneak in while Mercy was at the photocopier.”
“What if I was in the middle of a meeting, Syd?” He shook his head at his little sister, the annoyance dissolving the second she produced a large coffee cup.
“Good thing you aren’t.” She lifted one shoulder into a carefree shrug. “Not that anyone would dare say anything to the sister of the CEO.”
He stifled a chuckle. Typical Syd. As the baby of the family and the only girl, no one said no to her for any reason.
“So.” She sipped her coffee and took a seat. “How are you?”
“I’m good.”
“That’s great…just great.”
An awkward pause stretched on, and he was tempted to ask her the purpose of her surprise visit. But he knew from past experience that she would take it as a “you’re wasting my time” comment. And since they were on shaky terms at the moment…
He cleared his throat. “I hope you’re good, too.”
“Jeez, Parker. When did we get to this point?” Her voice cracked. “We sound like two strangers making small talk at a party. It’s not good enough.”
“I know.” He rubbed at the back of his neck, his fingers kneading the muscle there. “I don’t want to keep fighting.”
“Me, neither. I miss you, Sir Park-a-lot.”
The use of his childhood nickname—albeit one he’d loathed at the time—made him smile. “I miss you, too, Sydtastic.”
She paused. “Don’t hate me for saying this, okay?”
God, she was going to lecture him about the dinner again before he’d even had the chance to tell her he’d changed his mind. He pressed the heel of his palm to the spot between his eyes.
“I know you’re angry with Dad, and I understand it. I really do. But I miss us all being a family.”
“And by forcing me to go to dinner we’ll suddenly be a family again?” He shook his head. “You know it doesn’t work like that.”
“It won’t work at all unless someone takes the first step…and Dad’s tried. The only way we’ll resolve this is if you agree to at least hear him out.”
He was tempted to blurt out that he had already decided to come, but he wanted to say his piece first. “Nothing he can say will excuse what he did.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t forgive him. Letting bygones be bygones doesn’t have to mean forgetting the past…or giving up on what you believe is right.”
“I’m guessing she’ll be there.” His lip twisted.
“Irene is his wife.” Sydney sighed. “God, Parker. Grow up, she’s not going to disappear because you don’t call her by name.”
None of the Wentworth kids shied away from calling it like it was, least of all Sydney. He’d missed her and Ian while he was in Boston. “Fine,” he grunted.
“Fine, I’m right about you being a child? Or fine, you’ll come to dinner?”
“Fine, I’ll come to dinner. I had already decided that before you laid it on thick, I might add.”
“Really?” The squeal that followed could have shattered an eardrum.
“Yes. Don’t get too excited. It’s just a meal.” He narrowed his eyes. “I’m not making any promises beyond that.”
“No, it’s more than a meal, Parker. It’s you being a good brother.”
He grunted. “Maybe you should be the one running the company, Syd. You’re a master manipulator.”
“I prefer influencer but you know, potato po-tah-to.” She toyed with her coffee cup, which had a perfect imprint of her bright pink lipstick on the rim. “So, if it wasn’t my dogged persistence that made you change your mind, then what was it?”
“Does it matter?” He wasn’t sure how much he wanted Syd to know about his relationship with Emmaline, especially while he himself couldn’t even classify it.
“I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but this is kind of a big deal for me,” she replied. For once, Sydney’s usually singsong tone was missing. Instead she looked like the young girl he remembered clinging to her father’s arm as he tried to leave the family home, suitcase in hand, for the last time. “If someone else managed to sway you, then I owe them. They’re helping to give me my family back.”
The sincerity in her voice split Parker’s chest in two. His sister wasn’t the emotional type—well, not when it came to being vulnerable, anyway. She lived her life with confidence enough for three people and was used to having things handed to her. But maybe he’d underestimated how much the divorce and Parker’s leaving had shaken her.
“I’m seeing someone, and she gave me some unbiased advice,” he said carefully. “She asked me whether I was ready to close the door permanently on my family. It made me see that I don’t want to lose you or Ian. If that means attending a dinner, then so be it.”
“She sounds like a special lady.” Syd’s eyes sparkled as she leaned forward, curiosity painted all over her pixie face. “You know we can always adjust the menu to fit an extra—”
“No. She’s not coming.”
“Spoilsport,” she sulked. “When do we get to meet her?”
“I don’t know.” He held up a hand when it was clear Syd was going to continue firing the questions. “We haven’t talked about the future yet, so there won’t be any introductions until that happens.”
We haven’t talked about the future yet…
His mind had left space for the possibility that such a discussion would happen. That was new. But the more time he spent with Emmaline, the more he wanted to know her, to learn every little quirk of her personality, every inch of her body. He wanted to find out what her hobbies were, what countries she’d been to, what her goals were in life, what made her get out of bed in the morning. He wanted to see the gamut of her emotion, from the most searing of pleasures to the moments when she was stripped and raw and quaking with vulnerability.
He wanted it all. With her. Of her.
“Earth to Parker.” Syd waved a hand in front of him.
“Sorry, late night. What did you say?”
“Nothing, actually. I was enjoying that smile on your face.” She cocked her head. “It’s been a while.”
Sydney was right. It’d been so long since he’d felt excitement for anything but his work. Emmaline had given him a gift in stealth—she’d made him hungry for the world again. Not just for the confines of his office but for everything life had to offer—intimacy, emotional investment. Love.
But what had he given her? The potential judgment of her peers? A lost opportunity to chase advancement in her job?
His eyes flicked to his laptop screen, where the list of finalists for the ASTAR awards stared back at him with cruel eyes. It was his fault she wasn’t on that list, that she’d missed out. He hadn’t been able to keep his hands to himself once he’d found out her real identity—and now she was disadvantaged. He reached for his mouse and hovered over the list of withdrawn applicants. It was a short list with one name: Emmaline Jane Greene.
Sucking in a breath, he dragged her name over to the list of finalists. She’d done something for him by being honest in the face of his frustration, so now he would do something for her. This opportunity wasn’t going to pass her by, not on his watch.
…
Emmaline had been floating on a cloud all week long. Ever since she’d spent the weekend at Parker’s place, it felt as though she’d landed where she needed to be. Not that she usually put much stock in what her mother would call a “hippy dippy mentality,” but perhaps there was something to be said for not trying to fight the universe.
She sucked at casual sex, sure. But she and Parker had found a happy middle ground between that and commitment. It was clear he wasn’t seeing anyone else—and she had zero desire to play the field. Yet no real boundaries had been set. There
was no pressure, no expectation. Just living-in-the-moment bliss.
He was everything she’d wanted while she was married—someone who was attentive and loving, who took care of her needs in the bedroom. Who wasn’t controlling. Parker was opinionated, that was for damn sure. But after she’d informed him about her withdrawal from ASTAR program, he hadn’t pressed the issue.
Maybe it was fate that Mark made those comments. You were ready to throw away something with Parker for the sake of a gold star at work.
She drummed her fingertips against the top of her desk while she pondered what it meant. Was she at risk of giving up her own needs to be with a man, again? Maybe, maybe not. But it was different from when she’d given up her life to be with Conrad. This wasn’t about losing herself in a relationship. Nor was it about living in someone’s shadow. With Parker, she was learning about who she was, about what she liked and what she wanted. He, unlike her ex, wasn’t stifling her.
With Parker, she felt…enough.
He never judged her appearance, never got annoyed if she didn’t want to cook. He was invested in her career and, despite being the busiest person at the Wentworth Group, he always made time for her…even if it meant him dropping by her apartment at ten p.m. like he had last night after his meetings ran late. The fact that he’d turned up with news that he’d booked them a night in some fancy-pants hotel was gravy on top.
Her eyes strayed to the overnight bag sitting innocuously under her desk. It looked so innocent with its plain black shell and boring silver details. Nobody would know it was packed with a rather scandalous-looking lace teddy and a naughty vibrating butterfly that she’d picked up on her lunch break.
“Emmaline.” Linda approached her desk, a warm smile on her face.
She immediately sat up straighter and pulled her shoulders back. The HR Director was an important person to impress, and Emmaline had been secretly dreading the moment when she’d have to confront the withdrawal of her ASTAR application with the big boss. It had been hard enough seeing the confusion and disappointment on her line manager’s face…but Linda was another level entirely. The woman was on a mission to make her department a shining star in the CEO’s eyes, and Emmaline’s actions weren’t exactly helping that cause.
Taken by the CEO (The Scandalous Wentworths) Page 15