by Claire Adams
“I wasn’t annoyed. I don’t like talking about it, is all,” I said.
Parker nodded. “I understand. But you have to realize that people are concerned—”
“Concerned about me?” I asked. “There’s no reason for people to be in my business like that.”
“Sienna,” he said in a calming voice.
I looked around and a few people were looking at me with wide-eyes. I didn’t realize I’d raised my voice.
“Not concerned about you. We all know you can handle yourself,” he said with a quick smile. “We all love you. We just want to make sure that you’re still you, even without the diner. And if you aren’t, that’s okay too.”
“I’m still me,” I said. “Just without a part of me. And at this point in time, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
“I understand.”
“Harriet can talk all she wants, but I would prefer that you and Tony back off.”
“Okay, but can I ask one more question?”
“Sure.” If he brought it up again, I’d remind him that he said ‘one more.’
“If you had all the money in the world to have Sunny’s again, would you want it?”
“If I had the resources and money, yes, I would want the diner back.”
Parker took my hand in his. “Good, that’s all I wanted to hear.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Parker
Two Months Later
Even though I’d been retired for two months, my internal alarm clock still woke me around five. This was the first day in that time that I was grateful for that. I could barely get to sleep last night, but I felt wide awake and ready for the day.
Sienna was still sound asleep. She’d been the opposite of me, sleeping in until at least six-thirty to seven in the morning. It was late for her, but early for the rest of the world. We’d fallen into a routine that I was going to soon break. I hoped she wouldn’t be too upset with me when she realized what I was giving her.
I moved my hands slowly up her back, attempting to gently wake her.
“No,” she moaned. “It’s Saturday. Just a little while longer, please.”
I kissed her shoulder. “We have a big day today.” And I had a big surprise for her.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“Time to get up?”
She sat up and looked at the clock. “Five in the morning? Parker, are you serious?”
I kissed her cheek. I desperately wanted to tell her the surprise, but the payoff would be so much greater if I showed her. I’d take a little verbal beating from her if it meant I’d be able to see the shock on her face when we arrived at our destination.
“Come on, babe,” I said. “This will only take an hour of your time. Possibly more, but that will entirely depend on you.”
She groaned and I had to help her sit up. She was dead weight against my hand. I pressed my lips together to prevent myself from laughing.
“Do I need to shower for this surprise?”
“Not if you don’t want to.”
“I don’t want to. I plan on getting back in bed when this is over.” She shuffled off to the closet.
In the months that we’d been together, Sienna had spent ninety percent of that time staying with me. More than half of her possessions were in my house, yet she still wasn’t ready to move in yet. At least that’s what she told me. I had a feeling she wanted to take the next step but was going on my cue. I wondered when would be an appropriate time to ask her to move in for good.
I sent a quick text to Tony, telling him to get ready and that I was going to pick him up soon. He sent back a question mark and sleeping emoji, but I ignored it. His question would be answered soon enough.
Sienna came out of the closet wearing leggings and a tank top. “Do we have time for coffee?”
I kissed her cheek and went with her into the bathroom. “We always have time for coffee.”
I took a quick shower while she brushed her teeth. When I got out, she wasn’t in the bathroom anymore. I went back into the bedroom and she was curled up on the bed again.
Hm. These black-out curtains weren’t helping me out today. I flicked on the lights and she jumped up. “I’m up!”
“If you can stay awake for two more minutes, I’ll be ready. Or else I’m carrying you to the car.”
“I’m fine,” she said, still shading her eyes with her hands.
When I was finished getting dressed, Sienna stayed true to her word and was sitting up waiting for me.
Even without coffee, she was more awake than she had been before. That was a good sign. I expected more of a fight from her, but she was being a trooper. I knew she wouldn’t be disappointed once we made it to our destination.
Her text tone pinged and she reached over to the side table. Her eyes narrowed at her phone. “Why is Tony expecting a ride from us?”
“Because the surprise is for the both of you,” I said. “Get his coffee order and we’ll be on our way.” I knew Sienna hated surprises, but I had to do this one in secret. She would have fought me the whole way, and I knew deep down this is what she wanted and needed.
There was a distinct difference in our relationship now. I had the basic need to provide and protect her. This was my way of providing a happy and fulfilled life for her while protecting her heart. The consequences be damned.
After getting coffee, we swung by Tony’s place and picked him up. He hadn’t bothered to shower, either.
“You two have certainly become slackers since you became unemployed,” I said, pulling out of his driveway.
“Shut up,” Sienna said at the same time Tony said, “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
So, this is what it felt like to have teenagers.
Their mood didn’t get me down. I could barely contain my excitement on the way over.
When Sienna and Tony started to get their caffeine fix, they started to ask questions.
“Can you tell us now?” Tony said.
“This is starting to get annoying,” Sienna whined.
I took her hand and kissed it. “Patience, Sienna. I promise it will be worth it.”
She smiled over at me. “It better be.”
As we turned the corner toward where the diner had been, Sienna took in a sharp breath. Since it burned down, Sienna would take detours to avoid that area. It was too painful of a memory for her.
And that’s what I counted on.
Once the plot for the diner came into view, Sienna and Tony sat up in their seats.
“Parker!” Sienna gasped.
“Holy, shit,” Tony said.
I smirked. If I weren’t driving, I would have taken a picture of the looks on their faces.
I parked the car and Sienna barely waited until we came to a complete stop. She stumbled out of the car stared at the brand new diner in the same place the old one had once stood.
“How—when—how—?” she stammered.
Tony and I got out of the car and went to her side.
“Parker, man, this is uh—” Tony said, now speechless too.
“You told me to get a hobby….” I said to Sienna.
She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. “I could kill you right now.”
I put my arm around her. “I know.”
She squeezed me tight against her. For such a lithe woman, she was very strong.
I’d had the architect update the diner with better materials and equipment. The outside wouldn’t need to be painted as often, and I’d installed several fire safety features as well as increasing the amount of insurance on the place. If Sienna ever lost the diner again, she’d have more than enough to rebuild on her own.
“I know you hate when people help you, so I wanted to propose me being an investor in your company. I expect my rent money to be in by the beginning of each month.”
Sienna raised her eyebrow. “And how much rent are you expecting?”
I took a deep breath for dramatic effect. “I think a dollar sounds sufficient.”
“Fifty cents?” Sienna laughed. “Is that all I’m worth?”
“Speaking of sexual favors,” I said. “Tony, you can stop being a prostitute now. You weren’t making much money anyway.”
Tony laughed and offered his hand to me. “You’re a good man, Parker. Now how about we go inside? I want to see what you’ve done with the place.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Sienna twined her fingers with mine as we walked up the steps to the diner. I handed her the key and stepped back. I wanted her to experience walking through the front door this first time on her own.
She opened the door and I held it for her and Tony. She walked through, tentatively at first, but with a big grin on her face.
“I wanted to recreate the interior as I remembered it,” I said to Sienna. “But I left it undecorated so you could put your own spin on it.”
She nodded, wide-eyed and her gaze scanned the dining area. “It’s absolutely perfect,” she said.
“Can we look at the kitchen next?” Tony asked. He was buzzing like a little kid on Christmas.
Both of them raced for the kitchen. I went over to the pass-through and leaned in.
I’d had the most fun with the kitchen. I’d had the architect fill it with the highest-end appliances and with the best safety ratings.
Sienna dragged her hand over the shiny surfaces. “Parker, these are really expensive—”
“Only the best for you,” I said.
The corner of her mouth twitched. “Thank you.”
I nodded. How had I ever thought I belonged with anyone else? Sienna was the most selfless and modest woman I’d ever met. She liked to earn her own living. I wasn’t used to that with my other girlfriends. Proving once again that Sienna was one-of-a-kind and I was the luckiest man alive to have her by my side.
Later that morning, I dropped Tony off at his house and Sienna and I went back to my place. Sienna was as giddy as she had been when she first saw the diner.
“Still want to go back to bed?” I asked, walking into the kitchen. I’d been so nervous about the surprise, I hadn’t eaten anything that morning. I hoped Sienna would be up for making some breakfast for us.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep for days. My mind is going crazy with things to do with the diner. Would you want to head to some stores with me later? I want to pick up some decorations. I was thinking pictures and little trinkets to make the place feel like it used to.”
“Absolutely.”
“But I’m paying for everything,” she insisted.
“If that’s what you want.”
She quirked her lips. She came to my side and circled her arms around my waist.
I moved my hands up and down her arms.
“Thank you so much for this, Parker.”
“You’re welcome. I just wanted to see you happy again.”
She shook her head. “I was always happy. Ever since we got together. The diner burning down sucked, but I was still happy.”
“Not this happy, though.”
“True,” she said. “I don’t think I could every repay you fully for what you did for me.”
I shrugged. “Sienna, I have a lot of money. I can give you anything you want. Don’t ever think that you have to repay me.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, considering what I said. She reached her hands up and clasped them around my neck, pulling me to her.
She kissed me slowly. “I don’t have a lot of money.” She tugged at the hem of my shirt and her hands disappeared underneath it. Her soft fingers stroked my skin. “But I can think of something you might like in return.”
“I’m feeling up to negotiating right now,” I said. Up being the operative word.
She lifted the bottom of my shirt and I helped her with the rest. She reached up to me and I wrapped my arms around her, kissing her slowly and purposefully. There was a distinct shift in how we were both feeling at the moment. Normally when we fucked, it was a passionate and quick encounter. But this time, I wanted to take it slow. I wanted to show her how much she meant to me by kissing every inch of her body. Exploring each nook and cranny and claiming her for myself. No one would ever have her again if I had anything to say about it.
Our lips never came apart as we made our way to the bedroom. When I had Sienna in front of my bed, I stepped back and drank her in. Her eyes were half-lidded and she licked her lips, ready for me.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Sienna
I couldn’t resist Parker’s kisses as our faces collided. I didn’t want to resist him. His eager lips brought back the memory of when we’d first made love. It had been a brief, intense, and ultimately arousing affair, but one that made me smile whenever I thought about it.
This time we didn’t strip off. Parker took his time and undressed me slowly, his lips following behind his gentle hands as he opened buttons and peeled away my outer clothing, one square inch at a time. And when my body was bared—aside from my bra and lace panties—he undressed down to his boxer briefs.
I relished the opportunity to run my hands over his bare skin, stroking him as he moved his head to kiss my shoulders, my chest, and my stomach. His muscles shifted beneath my fingers.
He knelt down in front of me. “You smell so good,” he murmured against my stomach.
“Shh. Don’t stop.” Still stroking his muscular shoulders, I used my other hand to pull his head against my stomach, pressing his lips against my skin. The anticipation of where he might go next sent wonderful thrills through my body. His lips trailed kisses downward and onto soft, sensitive skin.
His fingers curled around the clasp of my bra and popped it open. He glanced up and met my gaze as he took in my breasts. He reached up and cupped one in his hand, rolling the nipple gently between his fingers. I used his shoulder to steady myself as I stepped clear of the crumpled material at my feet. I had little time to wonder what he planned to do next when he pressed his lips to the material of my panties.
It was better than I’d imagined. Normally after we stripped down, we kissed briefly, and then I lost control, begging him to make love to me. I hadn’t wanted to wait another second. But since I’d scratched that particular itch, I was content to let him explore my body, especially down there.
His lips plucked at the thin fabric, and his hot breath teased my skin. I stroked his hair, drawing it through my fingers as he kissed lower and lower.
“Oh, wow….” I squeaked as he found my lips. My entire lower body shivered with pleasure.
“Uh-huh?” he asked.
“Yes. Definitely, yes. Please don’t stop.”
He didn’t stop, but things got so much better when he drew down my underwear, sliding the fabric over my tensed cheeks. Cool air touched moist skin and I squeaked again as I was exposed to his hungry gaze. I wiggled my knees as the material fell, sending my only protection against his tongue all the way to my ankles.
As I stepped out of my panties, I made sure my feet ended up further apart than they’d started, inviting him to explore me with his mouth. His touch was exquisite. He began with soft kisses to my outer lips and then slipped his tongue between them, exploring the soft, moist skin beneath. The moment his tongue started stroking me, my knees gave way. I cried out, forced to use his shoulder and head to keep my balance.
He glanced up, smiling. “Would you like to lie down?”
“No, no, no…” I pouted. “I don’t want you to stop.”
“I won’t, I promise. But if I do what I want to do to you, I’m afraid you’ll fall.”
“Right.” I shuffled back toward the bed and sat down, all the time wondering what he was planning to do to me. Still on his knees, he followed me to the bed, a delicious, muscular sex god. How did I ever survive without Parker as my boyfriend? I had clearly been delusional and a born-again virgin. I shuffled back from the edge and let my knees fall outward, inviting
him to do his worst. Or his best.
He did. Parker lay on the bed and pressed his mouth to me, sucking gently. His tongue emerged and stroked my super-sensitive skin, teasing me with gentle swirling movements. I groaned and let my head fall back, closing my eyes to everything so I could focus on the way he made me feel.
“Please, don’t ever stop doing that.” I reached down and ran my fingers through his hair, subtly applying pressure to his scalp so he couldn’t escape. His chuckle was muffled because his face was pressed against my body, but I was heartened by the fact he was enjoying me.
His licking took him lower, and his tongue slid into me, probing me wetly as it circled and curled at the tip. My entire body lit up, sending waves of unbearable pleasure through my pelvis and up into my chest. I groaned and writhed on the bed, pulling Parker firmly against me, and rocked my hips for added effect.
He mumbled appreciative noises as I begged him for more, and pleaded once again for him to continue forever. But my body had other ideas. Heat spread outward, tensing my muscles until my body arched up from the bed. I cried out, whimpering broken words as I clutched at Parker’s hair. A series of muscle spasms exploded through me, hammering against my chest until my lungs were empty. My heels dug into the mattress, leaving my shoulders as the only other part of me touching the bed. My throat locked and I couldn’t breathe. Even then, Parker didn’t stop licking, pushing his tongue in as far as it would go.
Abruptly, I collapsed back onto the bed. My legs trembled so badly, I had to pedal them to stop them twitching uncontrollably. I made a conscious effort to release my grip on Parker’s hair, sure that I’d torn some out by the roots.
“Oh, fuck….” I managed.
Parker lifted his face for a moment to smile at my reaction. But when he lowered his head to continue, I grabbed him, shaking my head rapidly.
“No. No more.”
“Too much?” he asked.
“Not at all. Come up here so I can kiss you.”
“Maybe I should take these off first?” He glanced down. Aside from having no shirt, he was still in his boxers.