Right up until the end. When Parker had entered her and driven her even higher, she hadn't been able to keep her emotions from her eyes. And she could have sworn she'd seen answering emotions in Parker's.
They'd held each other for a few minutes, then Parker had sighed against her neck. "We didn't use anything."
"I did."
He leaned back to look at her. "What?"
She squirmed and looked at his shoulder. "I use a diaphragm. I, uh, got ready at the restaurant. Before we left."
"That protects us from pregnancy, but what about the rest?"
She liked the way he said "us" when talking about pregnancy. Not that she doubted he'd stand by her if she did get pregnant, but the affirmation was nice anyway.
"Are you afraid of catching something?" she asked. He grinned.
"Not hardly."
"Hey!" She slapped his shoulder. "That wasn't nice."
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"I didn't mean what you think." He stroked his hand over her shoulder and down her arm. "I meant that you're smart.
And careful."
"Usually."
"Are you afraid of catching something?"
Given Parker's reputation, she probably should have been.
She looked up at him. "Have you ever slept with another woman without using a condom?"
He shook his head. "Never. Not even my first time. I've never forgotten before." He smiled. "I should say, I've never been so overwhelmed by a woman that I forgot or even considered not using one."
That heated Sophie's blood again and she kissed him.
"Mmmmmmm. We didn't do enough of that yet." She pulled his head to hers and kissed him again. He had that warm, pliant, contented taste of the aftermath. It inflamed her and she kissed him harder, pressing her body against his and clutching his shoulders.
Parker pulled back. "Again?" He looked amused.
Sophie frowned in concern. "Can you?"
He laughed and hugged her. "For you? Anything!" They stroked and kissed for several minutes, then he paused again.
"Isn't there something you have to do?" He pressed the heel of his hand to her pubic bone. She nodded toward the nightstand.
"There are some pre-filled applicators in the drawer."
Parker sat up and opened the drawer, removed a long tube, and unwrapped it. He leaned back over her and nudged her thigh.
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"Open for me."
Sophie did, and the act was more erotic than anything he'd yet done to her. She moaned when he pulled away to toss the empty applicator in the trash.
They tried for tender this time, but when they got to the point of no return they rolled back into fast and hard. This time Sophie was on top, and Parker held her breasts in his hands, teasing her while she rode him. Dying with the pleasure of it she squeezed his nipples, too, and bent to bite his lip and nip at his neck and ear. They came together in an explosion undiminished by the previous release.
Sophie fell asleep on top of Parker.
He'd been gone by the time she woke this morning and she vaguely remembered a soft kiss and morning twilight.
She had no idea what to expect today, but nothing could pierce her bubble of happiness. It was made of Mylar.
The team was meeting mid-morning to go over their dinner of the night before and script their comments. Sophie hoped Parker showed up a little early. She wanted a kiss.
She didn't get it. To her disappointment, Parker actually arrived half an hour late for the meeting. Sophie and Melina had already blocked the time and written her opening comments. She tried not to glare when Parker came in, looking delectable in a navy suit and red brush-patterned tie.
"Crisis at the office," he apologized, settling on the couch next to Melina. "What have we got so far?"
Sophie struggled to keep her attention on what they were doing. They pulled Stevie in for his input.
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"The hamburger was fine. Juicy, done the way I wanted it, cheese melted perfectly. The fries weren't too soggy. What more can I say?"
Sophie let Melina coax a few more comments out of him.
She was too busy watching Parker watch her. She'd worn an ultra-feminine sundress that hugged her to the waist, then flared into a full skirt. It covered her legs, but his gaze went to them every time she crossed or uncrossed them.
"Hey, Sophie, what's with the dress?"
"What?" She looked at Stevie, who was somewhat out of focus. She was remembering undressing for Parker the night before. She barely noticed Stevie frowning at her, or exchanging knowing looks with Melina. She was too busy sending signals to Parker via telepathy.
When Melina said, "I think we've got it," Sophie jumped up and looked at her watch, relieved to see it was lunchtime.
"Anyone want to join me for lunch?" She dusted her hands as if she'd been working hard. Melina had done all the writing, Parker most of the brainstorming. Sophie had contributed by daydreaming. She didn't feel guilty yet. Maybe later she would.
Maybe later, too, she'd feel guilty for being glad that Melina had an appointment, especially now that she knew what kind of appointment. Right now, though, all she had room to care about was being with Parker.
"I'll join you for lunch, Sophie."
He sounded so calm it made her excitement jump ten points. They exited and paused on the front steps.
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"How about my office?" Parker murmured in her ear. "It has a lock."
Sophie shivered. "Perfect."
She felt like a nymphomaniac, but didn't care. She climbed into Parker's Porsche and waited until they were halfway to his office, pulling away from a red light, before telling him exactly what was on her mind.
"I'm not wearing any underwear."
Parker ground the gears.
"My God, Sophie." He stared at her, appalled. "Don't do that to me! You're going to make me ruin my transmission."
She laughed, delighted with her affect on him. She squeezed his thigh and left her hand there, slowly stroking down toward his knee, then up toward his hip, then dipping slowly inward.
Parker's leg jerked and the car lurched. He swore and moved her hand back to her own lap. "Behave before I crash this car."
They pretended to be in deep discussion about the show as they crossed the lobby and rode the elevator. Six people crowded it so Sophie had to stand very close to Parker. She was in front of him and had to suppress a giggle when she felt his hand delve between the folds of her full skirt to stroke her backside.
"Damn," he whispered. "Can't this elevator move any faster?"
Sophie just grinned.
She nodded professionally at Parker's secretary and preceded him through the doors to his office. She paused, 195
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waiting, while she heard the door close and the soft snick of the lock. Then she whirled and attacked.
Their kiss was like one ending a months-long separation.
Parker's arms around her waist and back held her so tightly to him she could barely breathe. His mouth consumed hers, his tongue brutally demanding, his arousal hard against her pelvis.
She loved it.
"The couch," Parker panted, trying to get her across the room.
"No." She pulled him to his chair and shoved him into it.
"Here. Where you're most powerful. Where you exert that power." She tugged at the elegant tie and unbuttoned his shirt with frantic fingers. "God, I love your chest." She kissed the center of it, then moved her hands down to his pants.
Despite her shuddering her hands were quick, pulling apart the buckle, unfastening the button and hook, yanking down the zipper and pulling him out of his briefs.
"Oh, yeah."
She gathered her skirt and straddled him, sinking onto him in one smooth move. Then, having gotten what she wanted, she let her head lay on his shoulder and sat still, loving being this close, this intimate. Loving him.
"Oh, Parker." She sighed. "If this was all there was, I'd be satisfied."
Parker gripped her hips and gave her a quick but thorough kiss. "Lucky for both of us, it's not all there is."
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He lifted her almost completely off him, then lowered her until she'd taken him fully. She groaned and began to move of her own accord. "I can't believe we're doing this again."
"Me, neither."
He was close. She could see it in his clenched features, feel it in the tightness of his fingers on her hips. She tried to slow the pace just to torment him, but he wouldn't let her.
She had absolutely no control. The realization sent her immediately over the edge. Parker followed an instant later.
"Sophie, I think you're going to kill me." He sighed and hugged her, then let his arms drop.
Sophie sat up and grinned. "But you'll die happy."
"Oh, yeah." He smiled back and Sophie caught her breath at the look on his face. She'd never seen it before. For the first time, she really dared to hope they had a chance.
* * * *
Parker saw Sophie's smile fade and hope come into her eyes. Panic replaced the burning happiness he'd been feeling when he realized what that feeling meant.
He'd been afraid he had the potential to hurt Sophie. But it was worse than that. Now he knew she had the potential to hurt him, too.
He levered her to her feet and stood, fixing his clothing and searching desperately for something on his desk to distract him from what had just happened. He could feel Sophie's confusion and, yes, her pain, like a thousand hypodermic needles in his heart.
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He looked at the grandfather clock in the corner. "We should get back to the station," he said. Please, don't push me now, Sophie.
"Parker?"
He couldn't bear the tiny voice, so different from her usual confident tone. He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. "I know, Soph. We need to talk about it." She relaxed and the agony in his chest began to abate. "Just give me a little time, okay?"
She stretched up and kissed his cheek. "Take all the time you need."
Betty winked at him when they walked by, still holding hands. As they drove back to the station, Sophie sat quietly with a half smile on her face and her hand on his thigh, and the needles began sticking him again.
He was as bad as his father. It didn't matter that he'd done everything he could to avoid hurting the people in his life. It didn't matter that he'd thought that as long as it never went too deep, no one would get hurt. None of it mattered.
Because Sophie was important. He'd never had someone important in his life before. Not like Mare, and Fawn, and the new baby. Not like his mother and father. They'd mattered to him, and their pain hurt him. But he'd never let a relationship with a woman become important. Had tried never to be important to a woman.
It wasn't too late, he told himself. But it was. He knew what he had to do, and it would kill him to do it.
* * * *
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Sophie wasn't stupid. She knew what they'd done in Parker's office didn't tie them for life. She knew it wasn't a commitment, something Parker seemed deathly afraid of. She knew that what she saw in his eyes when he looked at her was as likely to send him running as it was to set him to proposing.
But God, she wanted him. And, she determined, looking at the grim line of his mouth, she'd have all of him, or nothing.
That's what they both deserved.
They arrived at the station and gathered their notes for the show in silence. They'd decided the theme of the day would be romance, which would allow them to naturally segue into their ad for Morgan's.
Sophie had a feeling they'd be a bit flat on that subject today.
She couldn't be more wrong. Halfway into the first hour they'd heard all the usual rants about what men and women wanted and didn't get in romance. Both Sophie and Parker had interacted minimally with the callers, letting them dictate the show. Just before the break, though, a caller named Karl stirred the pot a little.
"The problem with romance, Sophie," he explained in a very reasonable voice, "is expectations. Women expect too much, and men don't expect enough. There's an assumption of entitlement on the part of a woman."
"That's quite a generalization," she responded. Parker didn't seem to be paying attention. "You don't think women should expect to be treated like they're important?"
"I think women shouldn't expect to be important."
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"Wow. Karl, you're not bitter or anything, are you?" She laughed, glad Parker didn't act like this guy did. "When it comes to romance, both men and women should expect to be important. If they're not, maybe the relationship isn't the right one."
Parker chimed in. "So you think a relationship is the right one when both partners think the other is important." His tone was much less laid back than it usually was.
Sophie let the fear that had been simmering in the bottom of her heart turn into annoyance. "You're twisting my words, Parker. There are other factors."
"Like what?" His eyes burned into hers. What was he looking for?
"I don't know, like respect and love and feeling like you never want to be without that person."
"Have you ever felt that way about someone?"
Sophie's blood ran cold. What was he doing? Why was he putting her on the spot like this? She wanted to say yes, she felt like this about him. But she knew it was a test and was terrified that whatever her answer was, she'd fail.
"Actually, Parker.... "She dragged out the silence just a beat too long. "It's time for a break. You'll have to wait to hear all my deep, dark secrets." She tried to sound teasing and heaved a sigh of relief when Melina gave her a thumbs up. Then she listened to the fading jingle and tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach with two deep breaths. Then she sounded almost normal when she asked, "Hey, Melina, didn't I see you at Morgan's last night?"
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Stevie had decided they should pretend they went separately, to preserve the very low-key appearance of romantic tension between Sophie and Parker. That meant last night had to have been a date, even though it was as far from a date as she'd ever had.
"Yes, I was there with our program manager, Steve."
Melina's voice was as soothing and reassuring as ever. Sophie allowed herself to relax and pick up the patter.
"It was the first time I'd ever eaten in there. Parker took me out for surf and turf. The big spender." He chuffed into the mike, and Sophie went on. "Actually, it wasn't that expensive. My steak was perfectly done, the lobster tail mmm, so succulent." She smacked her lips. "It's making me long for the leftovers in my fridge."
"You had leftovers?" Melina asked.
"Yeah, even Sophie couldn't finish her huge portion,"
Parker chimed in. Sophie frowned at him for ad libbing. And insulting her to boot.
"Oh yeah, Parker? I noticed you managed to clean your plate of all that chicken cordon bleu."
"And the rice and green beans amandine," he added.
"What did you think, Melina?"
"Well, Steve and I are on a bit smaller budget than you two. I had a veggie wrap that was fresher than anything I've had before. Steve had a hamburger and I swear," she laughed, "he never set it down until it was gone. He had juice running down his chin."
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"Hey, I resemble that remark!" Stevie had slipped into the booth and spoken into Parker's microphone. "Just 'cause a guy gets a little juice on his tie...."
They all laughed, then Sophie said, "I liked how the staff seats everyone so well, no one has to feel they shouldn't be there. Families with kids have one end of the restaurant, couples and adult groups the other end. It's not crowded or noisy. It was great!"
"No smoke, either," Parker added. "I dislike eating in a place that has cigarette smoke drifting everywhere. Very clean air in Morgan's."
Sophie noted the time and wrapped it up. "I think it's safe to say we'll all be returning!" Melina cued the rest of the commercials and they heaved a joint sigh.
"Well done, everyone!" Stevie waved his hands. "Parker and Sophie, good show, but you need to turn up the heat a little."
"What?" Sophie stared at him. "What are you talking about?"
He shrugged. "Just, you know, make some innuendoes.
Use the word date. Don't insult each other. You know," he said again, lifting one arm and shoulder, palm up. "Turn up the heat."
If he only knew how hot they could get. Sophie's face began to burn and she avoided Parker's gaze. She couldn't look at him right now. She couldn't look at him until she figured out where he was coming from.
She was all too afraid she knew where he was going.
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The next hour they hosted rants about smokers in restaurants, kids in restaurants, vegetarians, beef production, and clean silverware. They were so off topic Sophie didn't think they'd ever get back.
Until Desiree.
Melina's note on the computer said Desiree was a Cambridge college student who wanted to rant about lack of romance.
"Desiree, you're our next caller. Did you want to complain about the lack of romance in your life?"
"No, I want to complain about the lack of romance in yours."
Sophie cast a startled look at Melina, who grinned and nodded. "In my life?"
"Yeah. You and Parker are made for each other. You gotta stop arguing all the time and, like, hook up."
Sophie laughed. Parker stayed silent. "Desiree," Sophie said, "we only argue half the time. The Rant time. During Rave we often get along quite well."
"Yeah, she agrees with me much more often during Rave."
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