THE BENNETTS' CHRISTMAS (The Bennett Family and the Masters Family Book 6)

by Brenda Jackson

  “Oh. I didn’t know that.”

  He held back from asking her why she’d think she’d know anything about his schedule but instead, said, “If you don’t mind, Sebrina and I are going out for breakfast, then we’re headed home.”

  “Oh,” she said the word again, looking at Sebrina then back at him. “You said that as if the two of you are going home together.”

  “We are,” Parker said.

  The brazen woman actually seemed shocked. “You are?”

  “Yes.”

  “But how? Why?” she asked, like she had every right to know.

  “Because we share the same address. Sebrina is my housemate.”

  “Your housemate?”

  “Yes. Now if you’ll excuse us, it was a long night and I’m starving.” Then he and Sebrina walked off, leaving an open-mouthed Rosemary staring after them.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  “I HOPE I WASN’T out of line when I mentioned to Rosemary that we’re housemates.”

  Sebrina shook her head. She and Parker were now seated at a table in the café and were waiting for the waitress to take their order. “It was bound to get out. I assumed Rosemary knew since the two of you are dating. She hadn’t said anything about it to others, so I figured you preferred keeping it a secret that we’re housemates.”

  “Rosemary and I aren’t dating. And there’s no reason to keep the fact that we’re housemates a secret. Why should we? We’re adults, Sebrina.”

  “I agree,” she said.

  What she decided not to point out was that Dr. Nestor could be a problem, regardless of whether she and Parker were an item or not. Although Rosemary was a colleague, Sebrina had never worked closely with the woman. However, she’d heard from others that Rosemary thought a lot of herself and had a bit of an entitlement complex. Whatever, or whoever, she felt she deserved, she expected to get. And apparently, she’d set her sights on Parker.

  “So, you’re having the pancakes,” she said, deciding to change the subject.

  “Only because you’ve convinced me how good they are.”

  “You won’t be disappointed, trust me.”

  “I believe you.”

  As they waited on their meal in silence, she tried to think of something else to say, something to break the web of lust winding around them. She could feel the sexual energy flowing between them, even more powerful now than the day they’d met. That was not good.

  Gossip flew through the hospital faster than any virus. And now that Rosemary knew she and Parker were housemates, everyone else would know as well.

  Sebrina could just imagine the scrutiny they’d receive, with everybody watching to see if anything romantic developed between them. And if someone picked up on the sexual chemistry they seemed to generate, they’d never get any work done. Ravene had already noticed and had called her on it.

  “Have you heard from your sister since she left?”

  Sebrina appreciated him bringing an end to the awkward silence. “I’ve spoken with her a couple of times.”

  “Is she enjoying the cruise?”

  “Yes, even though, for her, it isn’t a pleasure cruise. She’s working, putting together a review on the ship, and the trip in general, for the newspaper she works for. But I’m sure Monica is finding time to have some fun as well.”

  “Australia is a great place.”

  “You’ve been there?”

  “My parents and I lived in Sydney for a year while I was in elementary school. Then we moved to Spain for a few years before finally landing in Paris.”

  “Sounds like you and your family moved around a lot.”

  “We did. Dad’s family owns a technology corporation and he was in charge of international sales. Now he’s the CEO of that same company.”

  The waitress came over to take their order, and because Sebrina was a regular, the woman engaged in conversation with her for a moment or two. Then she walked over to the kitchen and dropped off their order.

  “You’re good at that,” Parker said.

  Sebrina glanced over at him. “Good at what?”

  “Knowing how to talk to people.”

  “It’s just about giving a person respect, Parker. Everyone deserves it. My first job at sixteen was as a waitress at a restaurant not far from where I lived. My father didn’t want me to work while I was in school, but my mother felt I should.”

  “Your stepfather thought that you should not work?”

  “My stepfather was fine with it. It was my biological father in New Jersey who wasn’t. He didn’t see any reason for me to work. He’s always been a part of my life and has always taken care of my needs. The Stevens family is pretty well off, so I never wanted for anything. And he felt that if I needed something, he should be the one to get it for me.”

  She paused a moment. “Mom thought a job would teach me how to balance my time and would build character by putting me around different people. Although I love my dad, I’m glad Mom had the final say.”

  “Are you your father’s only child?”

  “Yes. Dad got married several years ago, but it didn’t last more than a couple of years. I liked Donna and I’m not sure what happened to end their marriage. Dad won’t say, but he claims he won’t try marriage again.”

  Parker nodded. “Are you close to your parents? Both sets.”

  She smiled. “Yes. I’m not sure if Rae’jean told you the story of my mother and stepfather. They were cousins who married.”

  “Yes, she told me. I found it remarkable.”

  Sebrina grinned. “I find it remarkable, too. Mom deserved to be happy, and Michael has definitely delivered.”

  They paused in their conversation when the waitress brought over their drinks—coffee for him, tea for her. “I noticed you don’t have your father’s last name,” Parker said.

  She took a sip of her tea and met his inquiring gaze. “That’s right. Mom got pregnant with me while in college. Dad didn’t deny I was his, but he wasn’t ready to get married and his parents didn’t think Mom was a suitable wife for him. He wanted to give me his last name, but Mom refused. She figured if her last name was going to remain Bennett, so was mine. For years, it was a sore spot with Dad, but eventually he got over it.”

  “How did you feel about it?”

  “When I got older, Dad brought the subject up again. Mom told me it was my decision. I think I might have considered it, if Monica’s father hadn’t been such an asshole. It was bad enough that I had a good father who sent for me every summer, and who gave me anything I wanted. Monica had one who wouldn’t even acknowledge her existence.”

  Sebrina took a sip of her tea, then finished connecting the dots for him. “Had I changed my last name to Stevens, I would have been the only one in the household with a different last name. I didn’t want to do that to Monica. It would have made it too obvious that my father proudly claimed me as his daughter, when hers did not.”

  She didn’t say anything for a minute, then added, “You know what I think is remarkable?”

  He lifted a brow. “No, what?”

  “Your relationship to Rae’jean and Ryan, and Rae’jean’s relationship to your uncle Grady and his wife, Lynn. Especially considering Grady and Rae’jean were once engaged to be married.”

  Parker picked up his coffee cup to take a sip, and she tried not to notice his hands. They were beautiful hands for a man. Masculine, yet beautiful. They were big, with long fingers and clean nails. And no rings. “That was over fifteen years ago. And it proves what can happen when there are adults in the room,” he said.

  He then leaned back in his chair. “I recall when I met Raejean. I was in high school and thought she was absolutely beautiful. And when I saw her and Grady together, they seemed like the perfect couple.”

  He put down his cup. “I was crushed when they ended their engagement. It took both Rae’jean and Grady to finally make me understand that although they loved each other, they weren’t in love. They got me to see that there was a dif
ference.”

  “I understand they didn’t realize the difference themselves for a while, either,” Sebrina said.

  “Not until Lynn got shot. That brought things out in the forefront for the both of them.”

  “And now, even though they are blissfully happy with the people they married, they are still very good friends,” she said. “And neither Ryan nor Lynn have a problem with it.”

  “Yes. I guess some people can accept things that others can’t. Have you ever been in love, Sebrina?”

  Whoa! Where had that question come from? Everyone in the family knew about Wade and the heartbreak he’d left behind. Had Rae’jean not told him?

  Now that she thought about it, she doubted Rae’jean would have told him about that. Why would she? It was water under the bridge.

  “Yes, but it was a long time ago, back when I was in high school. The guy was my father’s neighbor in New Jersey, and I would see him every summer.”

  “What happened?”

  She could easily say it was none of his business, but she really didn’t want to. She discovered that she enjoyed talking with Parker. She didn’t have any older brothers or male cousins she could confide in and she found conversing with him refreshing.

  “Wade sent me a ‘Dear John’ letter just before he left for college. No biggie.” That wasn’t true—it had been huge for her. But rather than get into it, she turned the conversation over to him. “What about you, Parker? You ever been in love?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  Sebrina lifted a brow. “Don’t you know?”

  He shrugged. “There were women that I liked a lot, but no one I would say that I truly loved. Early on, I made my career my first love and have been satisfied with that. I figure that one day, I’ll meet someone and fall in love, then settle down and have children. But I’m in no hurry.”

  Sebrina was glad the waitress chose that moment to return with their food.

  “You were right. These pancakes are fantastic, Sebrina.”

  She smiled over at him and Parker’s breath caught, and a burst of need flooded his stomach. But then, it had been that way with them since that first day. Even last night at the hospital, there seemed to be a sexual charge bouncing between them. He was sure she’d noticed it, too.

  “I told you you’d like them,” she said smiling. “They’re my favorite breakfast.”

  He looked at her plate. “So why are you eating yogurt with berries?”

  She chuckled and the sound, like the smile, made his heart skip a beat. “I have a good reason.”

  “Which is?”

  “The holidays are coming up. Don’t you know you’re supposed to lose weight before the holidays, so you won’t feel so bad when you gain it all back before the new year?”

  Parker laughed. “Is that right?”

  When she nodded, he said, “Sorry, but I didn’t get that memo. I don’t think I’ve ever taken a pause when it came to food. But just for the record, I think you look beautiful, and seem to be in great shape.” Even her medical attire couldn’t detract from her good looks. She came off as professional yet gorgeous.

  “Thanks, but you’re just being kind.”

  He met her gaze over the rim of his coffee cup. “No, Sebrina, I’m being honest.”

  His words seemed to make her go still, her meal all but forgotten.

  The moment seemed to stand still. He sat, waiting for a response to his statement, but she said nothing, she just sat there, looking at him. The sexual tension was almost tangible.

  Her eyes were so dark, they appeared to be like black velvet. And as he looked deeper into them, he swore he saw a tempest in her pupils that stirred every male instinct inside of him.

  Then his gaze shifted to her lips. He’d never known a woman with a more delectable looking pair. They were full with a sensual dip in the center, which tempted him to lean across the table for a lick. He couldn’t help wondering how her mouth would feel against his, how it would taste. He would just love to find out.

  “Parker?”

  He blinked when those luscious lips moved and answered without taking his eyes off them. “Yes, Sebrina?”

  “I think we need to talk.”

  That prompted him to switch his gaze from her lips to her eyes. There was a heated tint in them. If she’d been his patient, he would not have wasted any time taking her temperature. She looked hot and flustered. “About what?”

  “About this attraction that neither of us needs right now.”

  He held her gaze. “Needs, Sebrina? Or wants?”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  SEBRINA DREW IN A deep breath. She had to pull herself together. The huskiness of Parker’s voice held a sensuality that only made the situation worse. Twice she’d had to fight to control the increased rhythm of her heart, not to mention the deep throbbing between her legs.

  This wasn’t good. Nothing had ever happened to her like this before. She’d been attracted to other men, but not to this degree and definitely not of this magnitude. Joining him for breakfast had been a bad idea.

  He cleared his throat and she blinked, then took a quick sip of her tea. Although it wasn’t the wine she could have used right then, it bolstered her confidence level somewhat. Parker Stanhope— with his sandy brown hair, dreamy blue eyes and chiseled good looks—was just another man. A handsome man, but just a man. And she could handle him. She had to.

  Sitting her teacup down, she said, “It doesn’t matter whether I use the word need or want, Parker. Both are liabilities.”

  He smiled and she wished he hadn’t since he had such a sexy, make-your-panties-wet smile. “You think so?” he asked.

  “Yes, and maybe that’s a topic we need to discuss.”

  “What? The sexual tension we manage to generate?”

  Did he have to be so blunt? “Yes.”

  He signaled for a waitress to refill his coffee, then glanced back at her. “There’s really nothing to discuss. We can do one of two things—ignore it or act on it.”

  She frowned. He had to be kidding if he thought those were the only options. “What about putting an immediate stop to it.”

  He leaned back in his chair with an amused chuckled. “Good luck with that.”

  Sebrina’s frown deepened. “And why not?”

  “Because chemistry like ours doesn’t work that way. It’s not a faucet you can turn off when you feel like it, Sebrina.”

  She shouldn’t, but she liked the way he said her name with that New England accent. “I believe it depends on the individuals. They control the narrative,” she argued.

  The waitress came and poured more coffee into his cup. When she left, he said, “People might have the ability to control the narrative, but they can’t do a thing about nature. It is what it is. And haven’t you heard it’s best to let nature take its course.”

  Sebrina shook her head. That was the last thing they needed. “I don’t understand why you would think we can’t stop it.”

  “And I’m curious as to why you would think we can.”

  She released a frustrated breath. “You’re not the first guy I’ve been attracted to, Parker. But I managed to get over the others quickly enough when I set my mind to it.”

  He took a sip of his coffee. “That’s good to hear. And just for the record, you aren’t the first woman I’ve been attracted to, either. However, there is a difference between an attraction and the strong sexual chemistry you and I share. You can be attracted to a person’s uniqueness. You might even think they’re an exceptional individual and distinctive in their own way. But sexual chemistry is a whole other ball game and goes a lot deeper. It’s a feeling that stirs something to life within you. It can create energy where there isn’t any and it makes every pore in your body fill with awareness of that person. It’s even in the very air you breathe, causing a yearning so deep, it borders on pain.”

  Jesus. Sebrina’s breath caught in her throat at the dark heat she saw in his eyes. She wanted to make a comebac
k but couldn’t. All she could do was sit there, mesmerized by his gaze.

  “I felt it the moment you opened the door to me last week,” he then said, still holding her gaze. “And I picked up on the vibes passing between us, which let me know the feelings were mutual, Sebrina. It is magnetism we have no control over.”

  She wished she could deny what he said, but she couldn’t. She had felt all the things he described. However, she refused to accept they had no control over it. She’d always had control when it came to men. She shook her head. “Sorry, but I don’t agree.”

  “You have that right.”

  She had more than a right, she had a will. And at that moment, she willed that whatever this thing was between them, this thing he was convinced they had no control over, be over here and now. “Why are you being negative, Parker?”

  He placed his cup down and leaned over the table. “I’m just being realistic, Sebrina.”

  There was something about the look in his eyes, something in the tone of his voice that gave her pause. Then he broke eye contact with her and rubbed his hand down his face, clearly frustrated. “I’m only trying to be as honest as I can with you, Sebrina. I’m having a hard time dealing with all this strong energy between us as well. I wasn’t expecting it, any more than you were,” he said.

  “When Rae’jean found out I was transferring to St. Paul for a year, and she suggested I move in with you and Monica, I thought it would be great. However, I knew I was in trouble the moment you opened that door. Still, I figured we’re adults. We’re professionals. We are two levelheaded people. What you see as a problem, I see as fixable. So we’re back to square one. There are two options—ignore it, or act on it.”

  She frowned over at him. “We won’t be acting on it, Parker.”

  “Then we’re going to have to try to ignore it.”

  Sebrina took a sip of her tea. She had never been faced with anything like this before. But she should be able to ignore this connection if she put her mind to it. After all, they rarely saw each other anyway.

  “There is another option, which might be the best solution,” he said, breaking into her thoughts.