Parker’s Price

by Ann Bruce

  Parker’s mind flashed back to the afternoon Dean had found her front door unlocked and the cold feeling that had skittered down her spine.

  “You made copies of my keys,” she said calmly, making it a statement and not a question.

  He froze, then nodded.

  “Where are they now?”

  “I believe the police took them as evidence.” He braced his elbows on his knees and dropped his head into his hands. “Even after I discovered they were missing, I didn’t question Renata.”

  “She made you happy,” Parker heard herself say. “You didn’t want to think she was capable of being so unstable, so dangerous.”

  “No,” he agreed. He blew out a breath and finally turned to her. “You and I…we can’t be friends, can we?”

  Without hesitation, she shook her head. Her gaze moved across and down the street to Dean’s apartment building. Fifteen days ago, Renata had tried to kill Dean while he’d stood under the front canopy and waited for Parker. Tyler had been the unwitting catalyst that had set Renata off. Parker could forgive him, but she couldn’t forget.

  “She tried to kill Dean,” Parker said simply.

  “He paid me a visit, I let my mouth run off, and he ended up breaking my nose.”

  “So she tried to kill him. Had he not acted so quickly…” Parker swallowed and her laced fingers tightened and twisted. She’d come so close to losing him.

  A sudden, urgent need propelled her to her feet. “I have to go.”

  Despite being a car’s width from the curb, the yellow taxi came to a stop. Parker glanced at the meter, pulled out some bills from her wallet, handed them over and got out. She hurried up the stone steps and pushed through the rotating door. After a quick exchange with the uniformed man at the information desk, she stepped inside the glass elevator and waited impatiently for it to shoot up thirty-nine floors. When the elevator stopped and the doors slid open, she stepped out onto a marble floor. Quickly spotting the reception desk, she went over to ask for further directions. The immaculate twenty-something sitting behind the desk broke off her conversation with a handsome woman whose grey hair was short and stylish and smiled as Parker approached.

  “I’m here to see Dean Maxwell, please.”

  “Do you have an appointment?”

  “No, but I’m sure he’ll see me.”

  The smile dimmed. “I’m sorry, but he’s quite busy this afternoon.”

  Parker bared her teeth in a poor imitation of a smile. “Will you call him and tell him Parker is here to see him.”

  “Parker Quinn?”

  Bemused, Parker glanced at the grey-haired woman. “Yes, that’s me.”

  The other woman stuck out her hand. “I’m Katie Takahashi, Dean’s admin assistant. We spoke on the phone.”

  “Oh!” Parker shook the proffered hand. “It’s so nice to finally meet you in person. I’ve been meaning to thank you for taking care of everything for me since I got back to New York. I don’t think I could’ve handled things quite as smoothly as you did.”

  “It wasn’t a big deal.”

  “You have to let me take you out for lunch to properly thank you.”

  Katie waved a dismissive hand. “No worries. I’ll remind Dean when it’s time to write out the Christmas bonus checks. Now, why don’t you come with me and I’ll take you to Dean’s office.”

  Parker followed Katie to an office that served as a waiting area for an inner office, whose door was open. Parker stopped in her tracks, feeling as if someone had just socked her in the stomach, knocking all the air out of her. Two people, a man who was unmistakably Dean and a voluptuous redhead, were embracing. The redhead stretched up on her tiptoes, clearly moving in for a kiss, and Parker whipped her head to the side.

  God, she was so stupid. Good thing she saw that touching scene before making the irrevocable mistake of declaring her love for Dean Maxwell.

  “I came at a bad time,” Parker said tonelessly, and swiveled on her heel and started walking away.

  Katie went after her and grabbed at her arm, but, without looking back, Parker shrugged her off, not quite sure where she was going, but knowing she couldn’t stay there. She had to get away before the numbness wore off.

  Somehow, she reached the bank of elevators. Her fingers found the recall button but did no more than brush over the metal surface before a hand encircled her upper arm and pulled her around.

  “Oh, no, you don’t.” Dean reached for her other arm and she tried to jump back. She didn’t get too far since he still had a hold on her.

  “Let me go, Dean.”

  “You came to see me.”

  “Only to tell you I’ll be out of your place by tonight.”

  His lips became grim. “Like hell.” He looked around at the people who were making an effort to not seem like they were eavesdropping. “My office. Now.”

  Not wanting to create even more of a scene, Parker let him propel her into his office via Katie’s office, where she and the redhead stood, wearing identical amused looks. Parker blinked, not quite sure when she’d stepped through the looking glass. The redhead wiggled her manicured fingers at them, but Dean didn’t stop. He thrust her into an office large enough to have a separate casual seating area. Floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides offered views of the Hudson and the Jersey skyline Parker was too agitated to appreciate.

  The door shut. She whirled around. And heard the snick of the lock before Dean faced her. In his dark suit, blue shirt and striped tie and with his arms folded across his chest, he looked menacing, but her mind was still on the redhead who didn’t seem to mind being pushed aside while Dean went after another woman. Parker rubbed her left temple.

  “First of all, where’s Gordon? Why didn’t he call to tell me you were coming?”

  Her fingers stilled, then swept down to grasp her opposite elbow. “I guess giving you advance warning would be part of his job description.”

  He scowled at her. “No,” he said through clenched teeth, “but staying with you is.”

  “I’m a grown woman,” she said through clenched teeth of her own, anger warming her tone. “I do not need a babysitter. Yes, I probably lost a few years off my life when Renata pointed her gun in my face, but I’m not suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. I was shaken, but I’m not so fragile that something like that would break me.”

  His eyes glittered, and Parker shuffled back half a step before she realized it. Dean’s smile was little more than the baring of gleaming teeth. Before she could retreat farther, he took hold of both her arms and dragged her up against him.

  “Good,” he said roughly, and kissed her. It was hard, deep and over before she could react. He broke off the kiss and thrust her back at arm’s length. He pulled off her scarf and pushed her coat off her shoulders, letting it fall and pile at her feet. She blinked at him, brains too scrambled to focus on anything except her quickened pulse and tingling lips and the wild thrill left in the wake of his touch. Her breathing was shallow and audible. His smile took on an edge of grim satisfaction. “I’ve been going insane the last two weeks.”

  Parker continued to stare at him as the surge of desire fired her bloodstream. Slowly, comprehension dawned. Her brows drew together. “You’re the one who decided to switch back to being platonic.”

  “I. Was. Being. Considerate.” His expression was tense and grim as he gathered the hem of her pullover sweater and whipped it over her head. Cool air, then the heat of his callused palm ran over her breasts. Parker sucked in a breath. Her fingers found his shoulders and dug in. “I didn’t…ask you…to…be considerate,” she whispered brokenly.

  With an incoherent sound, he yanked her to him, banding an arm across the small of her back, flattening her breasts against his covered chest and letting his belt buckle dig into her tummy. He ran a hard, trembling hand down her naked spine, pushing her closer as if she couldn’t already feel the buttons marching down his shirt. His hand reached the jeans-clad curve of her buttocks, cupped, then squee
zed. Parker gasped and went on her tiptoes, wanting to better align her body with his.

  “Next time,” he growled as he lifted her a little and rubbed himself against her, “wear a dress.”

  Oh, God.

  Parker’s eyes drifted closed. She’d been missing this for two weeks. It had felt like an eternity. Her body felt heavy and warm and ready to melt all over him. She could hear his breathing, as shallow as hers. She could feel his heart pound, as fast as hers. But where he was hard with desire, she was oh, so soft.

  He tightened his arm and lifted her clear off her feet. She expected to feel the hard, cool surface of his desk beneath her back, but he set her back on her feet and dropped himself into his own chair. He reached for the fastenings of her jeans. Parker braced her hands on the desk behind her as he stripped her of her remaining garments, jeans and thong, shoes and socks.

  Two fingers plunged inside her. Parker cried out, her back arching.

  “You’re ready for me.” His voice was low and raw, filled with harsh satisfaction. Parker could only nod, and that was enough.

  He quickly freed himself, pulled her to him, making her straddle him, and sheathed himself in her in one powerful stroke.

  Their ragged groans of relief mingled. He buried his lips in her throat, whispered an apology and began to move. It was wild and just a little violent, but not painful. He burned her, consumed her, but he didn’t hurt her. Parker wrapped her arms around his neck and held on, her frantic pace matching his.

  It didn’t last, couldn’t last. They came together, their passion exploding brilliantly, leaving them weak in the aftermath. Parker desperately clung to him as he did the same.

  Parker opened her eyes and lifted her head. And blinked at the dizzying scenery on the other side of the window. Oh, God. They were in his office. She gasped, her wild eyes darting around the room. They stopped at the door. And there were still people working on the other side of that door. There were people directly outside the door.

  Parker quickly unwound her arms, started to push up on her knees and froze. Hot wetness trickled down her thighs. She told herself to breathe, reminded herself she was on the pill.

  The male arms around her tightened. “Don’t move,” he murmured. “I told Katie to leave and to take my sister with her.”

  She drew a blank and stopped, confusion overtaking the need to escape and hide. “Sister?”

  He lifted his head from her neck. “The redhead who made you jealous. That was Lisa, my other sister.”

  “I wasn’t jealous,” she denied hotly, even as she was betrayed by the heat in her cheeks.

  He gently brushed her damp hair from her face. “Liar,” he chided softly.

  She planted her hands on his shoulders and pushed until there was a foot of space between them. Dean merely lowered his head to her chest and tugged at her nipple with his lips. Of their own volition, her fingers tunneled into his hair and curled into fists. Fresh desire kindled, and she had to bite down on her lower lip to keep from making a sound. He took her deeper into his mouth.

  “Stop it,” she gasped, even as her hands drew him closer. “I…I can’t think.”

  He teased her with the smooth edges of his teeth, then released her nipple only to press a trail of kisses up her chest and neck. “Good. I don’t want you to think,” he murmured between kisses. “You come up with stupid notions when you do.” He nipped the tender skin on the underside of her jaw. “Like moving out.”

  “It’s not stupid,” she managed to say as she tried to arch away from him.

  He caught her hair and used it to force her to meet his glittering eyes. “Like hell it’s not.”

  “Staying with you was only temporary. The authorities have Renata behind bars and Katie has my place back in order. There’s no reason for me to continue staying with you.”

  “There’s every reason.” He slowly released her hair. His hand trembled as he cupped her shoulder, ran down her back. His voice lowered, roughened. “I want you to stay.”

  Knowing she’d be unable to deny him while his eyes compelled her to give in, she closed her eyes and shook her head.

  “Why?” he asked hoarsely.

  She shook her head again, but added, “I’m done taking advantage of you. We were put in extraordinary circumstances, but now that’s over. I have to leave.” She took a breath and tried to ignore the odd sense of panic. “If you still want to…date me after today, we can do that.”

  “Date,” he echoed tightly, his face going grim. “Dinner and a movie once or twice a week? And if I’m a good boy, you’ll let me spend the night?”

  Her stomach knotted. “Don’t do this.”

  His hands tightened on her waist. “Don’t do what? Don’t get pissed because you want to take three steps back? Because you want to run away again?”

  She laid a hand against the side of his face, wanting to soothe him and failing. “I’m not running away,” she whispered.

  “Then what the hell do you call it?”

  “Caution.” The word popped out before she could stop herself, but she didn’t take it back. It was the truth. She was already too involved with him. If she stayed with him any longer, she wasn’t sure if she would be able to leave once he ended things. And it would be he who would end things, not her. She knew that now and accepted it, even as the mere thought of it made her ache inside.

  His features softened and he brushed her lips with his. “Cowardice.”

  For a second, she wondered if he and Gordon had compared notes. Then she simply shook her head and pushed at his chest. “I want to get dressed.”

  He ignored her demand and said gently, “I’m not your father. I’m not the guy who got your sister pregnant.” Another brush of his lips on hers. “I won’t leave you, Parker.”

  The ache in her chest intensified and she had to close her eyes to keep back the tears. His expression and his tone were so sincere, but she couldn’t allow herself to hope because it would only make it all the more painful later on.

  She smiled sadly. “You don’t know that.”

  “Yes, I do know that,” he countered with a quiet intensity. “I’ve known it since I first laid eyes on you.” A shadow of wry amusement touched his lips. “Do you think I make a habit of kidnapping women to make them spend time with me?”

  “You probably never had to before. Women probably throw themselves at you.” Parker’s throat constricted, but she forced herself to continue. “Months from now, weeks, maybe even days, you could get bored and change your mind. Then you’d be in the awkward position of trying to kick me out.”

  His face stiffened under her hand. He didn’t move, but she could feel the sudden distance between them as if a chasm had opened up between them.

  “You think I’m that shallow.”

  “No!” she cried out.

  “You don’t think too highly of men. Your mother and your sister are single parents because the men they got involved with left them, so I’ll probably leave you, too, because that’s what men do.” The hands at her waist dropped away and she suddenly felt adrift, lost. His lips twisted bitterly. “If you don’t trust me by now, I don’t know what else I can do.”

  His words sounded so remarkably final. Panic was a million tiny wings beating against her chest from within.

  “It’s not like that,” she whispered urgently. “I do trust you.”

  “Really?” Skepticism heavily laced that single word. “Tell me why you really came to see me.”

  Her lashes started to lower.

  “No, damn it,” he snapped harshly. “I want you to look at me while you say the words.”

  Her breath stopped in her lungs. He wanted more than the words, he wanted something she’d never given another man, and she wasn’t sure if she could give it to him. Earlier, she’d thought she was ready to take that leap. She’d pushed forward before reality could make her reconsider. But the scene she’d witnessed had been like a bucket of icy water. Mistake or not, she didn’t want to be so vulne
rable that seeing him with another woman would make her want to curl up in a dark room.

  She searched his face, but his expression remained inscrutable. Unable to bear it any longer, she separated their bodies and scrambled to her feet. Dean neither helped nor hindered.

  Dean strangled the arms of his chair as Parker snatched up her jeans and pulled them on. She was leaving him. He’d miscalculated and pushed her too far, too fast. He should’ve waited a little longer; he shouldn’t have been so greedy; he should’ve realized she wasn’t ready; he shouldn’t have panicked at the thought of her moving out. The self-recriminations pressed on his chest, making it difficult to draw breath, and twisted his gut.

  The lower half of her slim body clothed, she crossed her arms over her chest and frantically looked around.

  “Your sweater’s hanging off the plant in the corner,” he said tonelessly as he zipped himself up.

  At the sound of his voice, she went rigid for a brief moment. Hope burgeoned inside him, then died when she only hurried across the room to retrieve her garment. The dread inside him felt heavier than lead.

  Dean rose stiffly to his feet and turned to look out the window, knowing he couldn’t watch her leave. Even so, the muscles across his shoulders tensed and the hands he clasped behind his back gripped each other tightly. He listened to the soft sounds of Parker dressing and waited with a kind of masochistic anticipation for the sound of the door opening and closing behind her.

  Dean closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, bracing himself.

  A sob, quickly muffled, came from behind him.

  He froze for a split second. He spun around, saw her standing in front of the door, one hand curled around the door knob, the other pressed to her mouth, and was across the room in an instant. She whirled around just before he reached her and threw herself at him. His arms closed around her with stunning force, but she didn’t complain, only burrowed in deeper, as if she wanted to wrap herself with him. Her body shook in his arms and she mumbled incoherently as her hot tears dampened his shirt.