A Dash of Love (Pride Oregon #1)

by Jill Sanders

  She didn’t have a lot of time to think about Parker or tonight. She caught Riley twice trying to play bartender. Her cousin skipped classes most weekdays and tried to work. Her father kicked her out time and time again.

  But since Iian was gone, Sara and Riley made an agreement that as long as she wasn’t serving alcoholic drinks, she could spend time on the weekend behind the bar, with Connie as chaperone.

  Besides, she could use the help. She had even called in her other cousins. Jacob was busing tables and Conner was waiting tables.

  She glimpsed Parker a few times going over measurements in the kitchen and in the dining area. She wanted to have more time with him but was too busy to spare a second.

  She did see Parker talking with Riley and watched their interaction for just a moment. Riley, for her part, was totally infatuated with Parker. Parker, however, looked at Riley like she was a younger sister.

  She didn’t see Parker leave since the dinner rush was in full swing. Once again, it seemed the entire town came out for what was to be the last Sunday dinner before the remodel began.

  She was a little disturbed to see Aiden and his parents arrive for dinner.

  Liz had come in just before the dinner rush to help out in the kitchen, so now Sara was on the floor, with no way to avoid them.

  “Evening, Sheriff Brogan, Mrs. Brogan.” She pasted a smile on her lips and tried to avoid eye contact with Aiden. “Does everyone know what they want?”

  “Sara,” Aiden said, trying to get her attention. She avoided him.

  “How about you, Mrs. Brogan? What would you like tonight?” She turned to Aiden’s mother.

  “I’ll have steak tonight.” She turned to her husband.

  “Same,” Robert added.

  “Sara,” Aiden tried again.

  “What would you like to order, Aiden.” She turned to him, all business.

  He sighed loudly, then placed his order.

  She took a moment before putting in their orders to be thankful Aiden wasn’t an ass. At least he wasn’t a stalker or an angry ex.

  The truth was, sex with him had never really… worked.

  Every time they’d moved past kissing, things became awkward. Almost as if they were both virgins, fumbling in the dark.

  It was one of the reasons being with Parker was important to her. She had to know she wasn’t the reason. That she could have good sex, hot sex. Sex like they have in the movies. And tonight she was going to prove to herself that she could.

  After the open sign was switched off there was prep work needed for tomorrow morning when Parker and his crew would start working. When she locked up, she was sweaty and getting low on energy. She grabbed a soda from behind the bar for the drive home.

  When she pulled up and parked in her spot, she had less than half an hour before Parker would arrive.

  Her first order of business was a shower. Washing the layer of workday grime off had never felt better.

  After the shower, she pulled her hair back in a long braid, dabbled on a little makeup, and pulled on the sexiest thing she could find, which included a sheer top over a camisole along with a pair of black leggings.

  She was just putting on the finishing touches with lip gloss when she heard a knock at her door. Double-checking the mirror before opening the door, she smiled at the face full of flowers she met on the other side.

  “They’re beautiful.” She inhaled their sweet scent, then smiled at the man behind them. The fact that Parker looked as nervous as she felt caused her to relax slightly.

  “Come on in.” She stood back as he entered. He set a small bag down just inside her door and glanced around the small one-room cabin.

  “So, this is what these cabins look like on the inside.”

  “Each one is different.” She walked over to the small kitchenette area and put the flowers into a vase, then pulled out a bottle of wine and held it up. “Want a glass?”

  “Sure.” He looked at the large painting hanging above the fireplace. “One of your aunt’s pieces?”

  She glanced over at the beautiful painting her aunt had done for this cottage.

  “Yes, my mother hired her initially to do pieces for each of the cabins. This is the blue cabin, so she used blue for the painting.” She smiled. “Each cabin has its own color.”

  “Is that why the doors are all different colors?”

  “Yes.” She handed him his glass. “My father helped remodel each cabin.” She motioned towards the sofa. Her feet were killing her, and she desperately wished to get horizontal soon. “They’ve made a few updates over the years but kept the color theme. It helps us know which cabins are rented and makes it easier for returning guests to request their favorite cabin.” She smiled and patted the spot directly next to her.

  “Are they all this size?” he asked, sitting beside her.

  “No, the next one over, the red one, is the largest.” She tucked her legs up under herself and rolled her shoulders as the wine started helping her relax. “It’s a two-bedroom place. We reserve that for families. There are two that size, three with one bedroom, and the rest are around this size, more like a studio apartment. They each have their own kitchenettes.” Her words began to slur slightly, and a few large yawns escaped her. “When guests are here, breakfast is delivered every morning by Sara’s Nook, and lunch by the Golden Oar. Dinner is usually at the main house, but guests can order from the restaurant if they want to stay in.”

  “Your family has thought of everything.” He set his wine glass down after taking a sip. Then he took her half-empty glass and set it down as well.

  “Sara.” He pulled her close. “I wanted to go slow.” The first kiss was soft and warm, and relaxed her even further.

  “Hmm,” she said against his lips. It felt so good to be in his arms.

  “Sara?” he asked, his voice soft next to her skin. He ran his lips down her neck as his hands played over the material of her leggings, slowly traveling up her legs.

  “Hmm,” she said between yawns. She heard him chuckle and opened her eyes to look up at him when he pulled back.

  “You’re exhausted.” It was a statement not a question.

  “Is it that obvious?” She tried to pull him back to her.

  He leaned in and kissed her quickly, then stood up. She gasped slightly when he scooped her up into his arms, carried her across the room, and laid her gently on the bed.

  “Let’s try this.” He kicked off his shoes before lying beside her. “Ten-minute power nap.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

  She snuggled into his chest and after feeling his heart beat next to her ear, relaxed even more.

  “This isn’t what I planned,” she said between yawns.

  “Neither of us did. But sometimes you just need to go with it.” He yawned himself and she smiled.

  “So, we’re really going to snuggle first?”

  “Shh.” He ran his hand through her hair. “I’m enjoying myself.”

  She drifted off to sleep more easily than she had in a long time.

  Parker woke with a slight jolt. The dream hadn’t been anything new, but the feeling of a woman in his arms had.

  Then he smiled when he remembered who that woman was. Since the cabin was still dark, he tried to free an arm to check his watch and see how long they had clocked out.

  When he moved, she snuggled tighter against him, causing him to smile. He finally found his watch and groaned. They had less than an hour before his alarm was set to go off. He had been more tired than he’d known.

  Making a decision to let her sleep, he tried to disengage himself from her, but her eyes flew open and she sat straight up.

  “What?” she said, looking around the room.

  “Easy.” He chuckled. “I was just going to let you sleep some more.

  “What time is it?” she said once she relaxed back.

  “Quarter till five.”

  She groaned. “Ten-minute power nap?” She rolled over and wrapped
her arms around him. “You’re not going anywhere.” She pushed her body against his.

  “I’m not?” he asked playfully.

  Then her mouth was on his as her hands tugged on his shirt. He leaned up as she pulled the shirt over his head, then straddled his hips as their lips melted together again.

  His fingers dug into her hips, holding her to him as she moved over him. She brushed her fingertips over his bare skin, sending goosebumps over every spot she touched.

  When his hands moved up, taking her soft tank top with them, she arched. Sitting up, he tugged her shirt over her head, then leaned back and looked at her perfect skin.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he said under his breath as he took in every part of her. He wished for more light to see her better but didn’t want to interrupt the moment. Instead, he took what he could.

  “Parker,” she moaned, her fingers digging into his hair as he traveled down the column of her neck. She arched back, giving him more access.

  When his lips skimmed just above her silky bra, a moan escaped her lips, making his cock grow even harder.

  “Sara, I’m trying to go slow.”

  “Don’t go slow,” she said, moving over him and reaching for his jeans. Her fingers fumbled as she tugged the material off his hips.

  He bucked and tugged with her, laughing as her fingers brushed the tender spot of his hips.

  “Oh, a hidden surprise,” she said, doing it again.

  He gripped her fingers, stilling them. “Later,” he warned. “Paybacks.” He twisted, flipping over until she was underneath him, pulling her hands over her head.

  His eyes ran over her. Her hair was flowing around her face as she smiled up at him. She was a little breathless, and so was he.

  When he leaned in for the kiss this time, he allowed everything he’d dreamed of since laying eyes on her to surface.

  His hands yanked down her leggings until he found her skin underneath. Hot, wet, ready for him. When his fingers dipped in, she jolted under him and cried out with pleasure.

  “Yes,” he growled. “Beg for me.” He moved beside her, his mouth tugging down the rest of the lace that covered her skin until he was able to take the rosy peak into his mouth.

  Her fingers dug into his scalp as his hands continued to run over her. When he dipped lower and covered her pussy with his mouth, she cried out again.

  “God, you taste like honey,” he said against her skin. “Wrap your legs around me.”

  She did as he asked, and he took his fill of her, pushing her to the very edge.

  Then he moved up, quickly slid a condom on, and took her the rest of the way.

  This time he woke when the alarm beside the bed went off.

  Sara groaned and rolled away from him, but he quickly pulled her back, missing her warmth and softness.

  “Not yet,” he said into her hair. “Just another moment.” He placed a kiss on her lips.

  “I can’t be late. The new contractor might be a dick about it.”

  He laughed. “Tell me about it. I’m sure my client will have a few choice words if I’m late. But I just need one more moment.” He kissed her again, then rolled with her until they stood next to the bed. “Shower?” He started walking towards the bathroom.

  “Shower.” She tugged off the shirt she’d pulled on, then reached in and turned on the shower.

  “It takes a moment for the water to get…” She screamed when he pulled her under the cold spray as he laughed.

  “How do you expect to wake up if you don’t get your blood flowing?” He kissed her until her resolve turned into desire.

  9

  Sara watched Parker walk into the restaurant and sneered.

  “Is this how strong your work ethics is? Showing up late on the first day?” She leaned against the bar top.

  He smiled at her as his crew entered behind him, setting down equipment and tools.

  He stopped a foot from her, his eyes running over her face.

  “Sorry, boss, it took me a while to get… motivated this morning,” he said softly. His meaning sent her insides warming. “I can’t guarantee it won’t happen again.”

  “Is that a promise?” She wanted to reach out and touch him, but there were six other people in the room with them.

  “More like a warning,” he said, then he turned towards his crew. “You didn’t have to be here so early. Your uncle gave me a set of keys.”

  “I’m here to make sure everything goes smoothly.”

  “Suit yourself.” He smiled. “I’m sure my guys won’t mind being watched.” He winked at her and walked across the room to get to work.

  She sat behind the bar, watching them hang and tape plastic sheets along the back wall.

  Her team had removed all of her grandmother’s paintings and the rest of the decorations the night before and had put them in the storage container sitting in the parking lot.

  When the hammering and loud noises started, she retreated to her uncle’s office to save her sanity. Still, she made sure to check in every half hour.

  From what she could see, everything was going smoothly. It hurt a little, seeing the old stones around the fireplace lying on the floor in piles. Still, she’d seen Parker’s designs for what he had planned.

  Parker was one of the men using a sledgehammer to break the massive stones from the wall. He’d removed his long-sleeve shirt and wore only his T-shirt along with heavy leather gloves.

  With each of his swings, she watched the muscles in his arms and her excitement grew.

  Several of his men eyed her every time she checked on the work but left her alone. When lunch time came, she helped Valerie supply the workers with food.

  She sat with Parker in a booth, away from the others.

  “When will you start on the deck area?” she asked, looking out the window.

  “Once we get the inside done. Your uncle thinks it’s best to finish up in here before doing the add-on.”

  She nodded. “Good idea.” She glanced at the wall of plastic. So far, it was keeping the majority of the mess out of the main dining area that they would be using for customers over the course of the next few weeks. Still, the men hadn’t started hauling the stones outside to the industrial-sized dumpster that had been delivered. She knew once they did, there would be a trail of dust and grime through the front doorway.

  “How’s it going?” she asked as she finished up her soup and sandwich.

  “Whoever installed the stones around the fireplace must have used some of the hardest cement known to man.”

  She smiled. “My great-grandfather.”

  He glanced at her. “Oh?”

  Nodding, she glanced at the plastic. “He built this place, along with most of the other men in town. At that point, there were probably fewer than a hundred of them.” She leaned closer to him, placing her elbow on the table and her chin on her fist as she imagined what Pride was like back then. “I’m sure their wives all cooked for them while they worked. My great-grandmother was a painter, not a chef, so she probably only gave my grandfather sandwiches.” She chuckled. “The story goes that my great-grandfather had to build the first restaurant in Pride since he didn’t want to starve waiting for his wife to stop painting and start cooking.”

  Parker chuckled. “Sounds like you know a lot about them.”

  “Oh, everyone in Pride does.” She sat up. “You can read about them down at city hall or the local library. The library is named after my great-grandmother, who helped start up the art program there.”

  “It must be strange, and nice, to know so much about your family’s past.”

  She tilted her head and looked at him more closely. “What about you? Surely you have a little of your own family’s history.”

  He glanced around. “Only what I could squeeze out of my grandmother.” He sighed. “She wasn’t one for what she called gossiping about the past.”

  She could see sadness fill his eyes and decided to change the subject.

  “So,
it appears that Riley is infatuated with you.”

  She’d caught him as he’d been sipping his drink and he coughed and choked on the small swallow of water. She slapped him on the back as his face started to turn red.

  “Are you okay?” she asked after he settled down.

  “What is it with you Jordan women that makes me choke on water?”

  She didn’t mean to, but she giggled.

  “Yeah, laugh it up.” He rolled his eyes and took another drink of water. “Riley is a cute kid, but…”

  “Chill.” She laid a hand on his arm. “I was just teasing you. She’ll get over it. I’m sure by next week, she’ll have someone else to fantasize about.”

  He groaned. “That long?”

  “What? Can’t wait a week to get her off your back?” She moved to gather their empty plates.

  “Not when I have who I want already.” His hand covered hers and stopped her from moving. “When do you get off work?” he asked in a low tone so no one near them could hear.

  “Late, after midnight again.” She groaned.

  “I’ll be here to pick you up.”

  She almost shook her head and said no, but something stopped her. “Okay.” She smiled. “When do you pick up Toby?”

  “Tomorrow afternoon. The vet called this morning to tell me that the surgery went smoothly.”

  “Good.” She stood up and took the plates. “I’d better get back in there and start things for tonight.”

  “Sara.” He stopped her by touching her arm.

  She waited for him to speak, but he seemed to be debating telling her something. “Yes?” she finally said.

  “Nothing.” He shook his head and stood up suddenly. “I’ll see you at midnight.”

  She nodded and walked towards the back, her mind preoccupied with Parker.

  She almost bumped into Damion, whose hands were full of containers of tomatoes.

  “That would have been a mess,” she joked.

  He frowned slightly at her. “Get your head out of the clouds.” He glanced towards the door and rolled his eyes. “You’ve got a business to run.”