“Yea.” Now Parker was a little astonished. “How did you know?”
“That rumor’s old. Giselle started it two years ago. It’s why she got fired, among other things. But mostly because she was putting words into my mouth, saying I said things I never said.”
“Yea, well, apparently that rumor is still circulating.”
“Listen, Parker. This is business. It’s competitive, not just in the market, but in the office as well. Four other people wanted the job I gave you, Jack included. Hospitals are for old folks; Jack identifies with those people. IT is for younger people, they will better identify with you. The last three contracts you closed are evidence of that. That’s why you got promoted. You’re better than Jack is within this segment. Plain and simple.”
Parker nodded. “What about the rumors?”
“I don’t have time for rumors. People will talk no matter what. But if you really want to kill those rumors, start closing contracts on your own. That will shut people up, well, most of them anyway.”
“I already have some really good leads.”
“See?” Mauri sipped from her cup with a smile.
“Thanks, Mauri.”
“I think this little holiday excursion will be good for you, Parker. It will take your mind off things over Christmas.”
“I think it will too.”
“I don’t want to drag you into anything, but half my family with be there. I want you to feel welcome to join us. Or not. It’s up to you. Besides, we have a few eligible women who will be there.” A devious smile crossed her lips as she sipped her latte.
“Ah, don’t even tell me that.” Parker gave her an incredulous grin. “Is this the ‘set me up with my little sister cruise’?”
Mauri chuckled. “She’s not going to be the only single woman on the ship, Parker. I didn’t tell anyone you were even coming. I want you to relax and have fun. No pressure.”
“I thought Christie was still in school?”
“She graduates this summer. I offered her an internship. She’ll be working with you, most likely.”
“Oh,” Parker frowned, his sarcasm thick. “No pressure, huh?”
“Christie’s beautiful, Parker. And she’s nothing like me.” Mauri smiled.
“You are a sneaky person, Mauri, you know that?” He grinned.
“I have my moments,” she admitted, a smile teasing her lips. “But, seriously, Parker. This cruise is for you. I want you to relax and have fun. Don’t worry about my family. I want you to take time for you.”
3
T he morning air hung still and chilly. It was not exactly heavy jacket weather as the huge ship sailed out of Seattle and up into Puget Sound. Already checked in with his luggage put away, Parker mulled about along the outside of the upper decks, watching the shoreline drift by as Seattle was left in the distance.
The overcast weather didn’t dampen Parker’s spirits as he found Mauri and the rest of her family gathered by the upper deck railing sightseeing the driftwood and tree-lined shores in the distance. He recognized all of them from pictures he’d seen in Mauri’s office, although he’d never actually met any of them.
“Oh, Parker,” Mauri began, calling attention to him as the rest of her family stood by. “Jeff, Christie, everyone, this is Winter Parker, my new VP.”
“Hey, Parker,” Mauri’s brother was the first to shake his hand. “My sister’s told me all about you.”
Parker smiled. “Hopefully not too much.”
“It’s all good. Glad you could come along.”
“I’m Christie,” the tall blonde shook his bare hand with her smoothly gloved one. Parker definitely took notice. She had all of their family resemblance but was taller than Mauri and much more cute in person than the pictures he’d seen of her.
“Nice to meet you.”
Then someone very short tugged on his coat sleeve. “Is your name really Winter?” the little girl who could not have been more than four asked. She lifted both of her arms straight up to him. Parker raised his brow and then lifted the inquisitive little girl into his arms until her face was even with his.
“This is Inspector Britney,” Jeff informed Parker with a grin. “She’s our youngest.”
“You look more like a Summer to me,” the tyke declared.
“And why is that?”
“You have brown hair. Winter’s have black hair. That’s what my teacher says.”
“I think your teacher is right.”
“Why do they call you Parker instead of Winter?” she asked.
“I like Parker,” he smiled.
“Mommy says you’re very handsome. Do you think Auntie Christie—”
“Alright, Inspector,” Jeff took his daughter before she could finish asking any more questions that might actually get embarrassing.
“All settled in, Parker?” Mauri entered the conversation.
“Yea. The concierge even unpacked for me. I didn’t realize I was traveling first-class.”
“Call it an end-of-year bonus,” Mauri grinned. “We’ll need to talk about business at some point during the cruise so I can expense it.”
“Nice.” Parker enjoyed the warmth of Mauri’s family. It was enjoyable to be feeling part of something again.
“The kids and I are going to head inside,” Jeff informed. “Mauri, do you want me to take your troop too?”
“No, I’ll follow you. See you around, Parker.”
He watched as all of them left with six bundled kids. Only Christie stayed, still leaning back against the railing watching them.
“That’s quite a handful,” Parker smirked, watching them head indoors.
“Yea,” she smiled beautifully, her perfect teeth gleaming behind full pouting lips. “It’s nice when they’re around—”
“And nice when they leave?” he added.
She giggled. “You read my mind.”
“So, Mauri tells me you’re about to graduate?”
“One more semester.”
“What’s your major?”
“Art History with a minor in Feminist Counterculture.”
“Oh. Ah—nice.” He faux smiled.
“I’m joking, Parker; lightening up. It’s an economics degree with a minor in politics.” She smirked. “Relax. I don’t bite. Hard.”
He flashed her coy, handsome, and dimpled smile.
“Mauri’s always playing matchmaker. First she hitches Jeff to her college roommate; and now she’s dragging me along to meet her new VP.”
“She warned me,” he chuckled. “I mean, not about you, but about what she was doing. Introducing me to you and someone else in your family.”
“That’s my sister. Never a dull moment when someone single is around.”
“You don’t sound like you’re happy about being here.”
“No. Don’t take it personally, Parker. I dated a guy for two years in school. A supermodel, actually.”
“A supermodel? Really?”
“If I told you his name you’d know it.”
“It didn’t work out?” Both began walking down the outside edge of the deck. A slight wind had picked up now and the chill was sending most people indoors.
“No. He ended up leaving me—for another guy.”
“Oh. I’m—”
“Stop. Don’t even say it. The truth is, I deserved it. Young and stupid. But I found out I’m really not ready to settle down yet.”
“Oh? A party girl still, are we?” he kidded nudging his arm against hers.
“No. More like a nice Catholic girl. Just seeing what the world has to offer.”
“Hmmm,” he nodded.
“What about you? Looking to settle down?”
“I—wouldn’t exactly say that. Maybe in a few years.”
“You’re a lot better looking that what I expected.”
“Ah—thanks?”
“I’m a little type-A, Parker. It runs with the women in our family. Get used to it.”
“And I thought Mauri was type
-A.” He smirked.
“I can take a little getting used to. I tend to shoot from the hip and apologize later. A lot.”
“No worries. I work for your sister.”
“She’s ten years older and a little more polished than I am. We’re both still apples from the same tree.”
“I can see that.”
“How about dinner later?” she smiled, stopping by the railing.
“I thought Mauri had made plans for everyone tonight already.”
“Oooh, good exit. No worries, Parker. It’s a seven-day cruise. I’ll catch up with you later.”
Parker watched her walk off down the deck, her short jacket riding high around her thin waist just above a really sung pair of Seattle denim’s that fit her ass like a thong swimsuit. He shook his head. The cute co-ed had ‘danger’ written all over her. Parker shook his head, still watching her jeans. This cruise could easily become something very interesting.
4
N ight had fallen hours ago, but Parker was still up. Ever the night owl, he’d often roll into work at eleven instead of eight, but he still put in more hours than Jack ever did.
At this hour most people were either in one of the ship’s private lounges or already tucked away in bed. He wandered the public corridors; window-shopping at the tiny now closed stores along the interior mall. The tall corridor ended at the aft of the ship in a kind of windowed observation lounge where several gas-flamed fireplaces still burned, surrounded by comfy seating arrangements. Only two other people were in the huge room this late and neither of them noticed him as they were amorously lip-locked.
He found one of the more private seating groups well away from the couple making out, and sat by the fire looking out the window at some shore lights in the distance moving slowly by.
He’d traded in his casual jeans and button down for a pair of dark-grey yoga pants, a snug long-sleeved Adidas t-shirt and cross trainers. A paperback in his hand, he opened the half-read sci-fi story and immersed himself in its worlds, reading by firelight.
Parker wasn’t exactly sure how long he’d been reading, but several chapters had gone by when firm fingers began gently working over his shoulders. It wasn’t so much startling, but his mind now drifted out of the book and focused on the fine sensations someone was pushing into his traps.
“You didn’t answer your door. I thought I’d find the night owl out here, somewhere.”
He recognized Christie’s voice.
“Couldn’t sleep. Way too early to go to bed.”
“So I’ve heard. Sis says you work till midnight sometimes.”
He breathed a soft groan at the nice backrub she had delivered. “Sometimes.”
He felt her hands lift away and then watched her walk around the side of the couch to sit beside him. Christie wasn’t exactly dressed for the cold weather outside; then again, neither was he. She’d traded in her jeans for some smooth cotton leggings and an oversized deep V-neck light pink fleece with very long sleeves that half covered her hands.
“Your company isn’t very talkative,” she said softly while nodding toward the amorous couple on the other side of the room who hadn’t stopped kissing the whole time he’d been reading.
Parker set the book aside. “I don’t think they’re interested in talking,” he offered quietly, watching them briefly.
“It looks fun.”
He nodded while still watching the couple before tearing his eyes from them. “They were doing the same thing when I got here an hour ago,” he grinned.
“Do you kiss?”
“Ah—” the question totally caught him off guard.
“Tell me you’ve made out with someone before.”
“Of course,” he grimaced.
“Just checking.”
“You stopped by my cabin?” he raised a brow.
“You said you liked to stay up late. I was up. I thought you might want to talk—or make out. Evidently this is the place to do that, not your cabin.”
He grinned. “I don’t think I’ve made out with a girl just to make out since high school.”
“Oh, so once you hit thirty you’re too old now?”
“I didn’t exactly say that.”
“So who was the first girl you ever kissed?” Her eyes met his with an inquisitive stare.
“You’re not going to know her.”
“I don’t need to. What was her name?”
“Jennifer Prima.”
“A Latina girl?”
“Yea.”
“Was it fun?”
“I was terrified.”
“So was the first guy I kissed. Brandon Newell.”
“You would terrify me too,” he grinned.
“You’re too old to be terrified. Chicken maybe, but not terrified.”
“Is that a dare?”
“It’s a dare, Parker.” Christy smiled.
“You’re not so scary.” Parker moved himself closer to her. If he was going to take a dare from a girl to kiss her, planting his lips on Christie’s wasn’t going to be hard. The woman was beautiful. Her long almost blonde hair flowed over her shoulders. She said she’d dated a male supermodel before, but she was easily built for the same line of work and definitely looked the part. His lips hovered an inch from hers.
“What are you waiting for?” Her eyes were already closed.
“I took your dare. Tell me the truth.”
“You’re on,” she breathed feeling his lips caress hers so lightly it sent tingles down her spine and into her leggings.
“Are you wearing underwear?” he kissed her lightly, folding his lips into hers.
She returned his nice lip play with some of her own, including a sweet, quiet, breathy answer. “No.”
Her hand already rested on his chest while her lips led his deeper into hers. The co-ed could kiss.
“Are you?” she asked.
She tasted his tongue gently as he opened her mouth with his own. Damn. Parker kissed well. Their lip play went from warm to heated in the span of a moment. Both drew closer to each other on the cushions by the firelight. There was some talent between the two of them making out. Parker wouldn’t exactly call it chemistry, but Christie knew her way around a guy. Her touch, her lips. Both were completely immersed in the rising warmth of the moment.
Parker drew back to catch some breath. Christie’s lips were not just enticing, but magical. If they kept this up the front of his yoga pants were going to get indecent. They were already getting there.
“You didn’t answer my question.” Her forehead rested on his while her lips stole a brief kiss between his breaths.
“Maybe.” He smiled stealing his own kiss from her.
She withdrew her lips from his to look at him, one leg folded beneath him so they could face each other in their embrace. Parker looked down as well. Never mind getting to indecent. He was already there. Even dark grey, the thin material of the workout pants didn’t hide anything beneath them.
“My guess would be ‘no’,” she stole another kiss then drew him into her lips again. Her hand was already resting on his thigh. He wasn’t all that surprised when her fingers began lightly exploring the thick bulge pushing out from the front of his pants. He wasn’t exactly wanting to go there with her but her light touch was subtle. Between her lips and her lightly teasing fingers, Christie had his pulse racing and his cock so hard he was throbbing.
His own fingers slipped to the front of her leggings in his own version of light teases that had her raising one of her knees and rocking her hips softly on the cushions while their lips and tongues played a new round of makeout.
5
P arker woke to morning sunlight streaming into his cabin through half open drapes. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was almost 10:30. Way too early to get up. The room was chilly and the thick bedding tangled up all around him. At least he was covered and warm. He pushed himself up onto his elbows to look around. He was alone in his bed and the room. He found a folded piece of
paper next to his pillow written on the cruise line’s stationary.
‘Great kiss, Parker,’ was all it said.
He groaned and fell facedown into the soft bedding. “God.” This wasn’t exactly what he’d had in mind when the two of them had started making out last night by the fire. Maybe it was the underwear question? Probably. He’d discovered rather quickly that not only did Christie know how to kiss, but she didn’t like wearing panties either. He didn’t really fault her for that. He’d gone commando in his yoga pants as well. But by 2:00 AM neither of them were wearing anything in his cabin. The woman was practically acrobatic the way she’d made love. One thing was for sure. He wasn’t the only one doing the fucking last night.
She’d taken charge several times and now Parker was wondering if he needed to turn in his guy card.
He was totally sore between his thighs. If his glands were any more empty—hmmm, he winced reaching his hand around his sore male. Thank God he was flaccid. If he got hard again now it would really hurt.
What was he going to say to his boss? ‘Sorry, Mauri, I just fucked—‘ no, scratch that, ‘your sister just fucked me into oblivion last night.’
He was pretty sure Mauri already knew her own sister. But it was himself that Parker now wondered about. It had been years since he’d been with anyone. Years since he’d wanted to be with anyone. So what was last night? A college tryst? He wasn’t exactly sure what to think about it. But getting naked with Christie last night wasn’t altogether terrible—it was pretty mind-blowing in fact. It was a little different having a woman all over him. “Hmmm,” his cock throbbed slightly just thinking about her. No. He had to keep himself from even going there, thinking about her riding him last night. He was still too sore. Parker relaxed back into the sheets and his pillow with another soft groan. It would be afternoon before he’d wake up again.
* * * * *
“Where’ve you been? I haven’t seen you all morning?” Mauri found him eating a late lunch in one of the ship’s dining rooms. She helped herself to a chair and sat down.
“Late night.”
Prism (Awakened Chronicles Book 3) Page 2