The Anchor

by B. N. Toler

  “How about a dance with your friend?” Parker murmurs in my ear. My body tenses as my heart races. I’ve been avoiding him all evening, afraid if we made eye contact he’d somehow know my secret. That’s silly, I know, but I didn’t want to take any chances. Turning to him, I glance up to find his dark eyes fixed on me, his mouth curved in a sexy half smile. Something in my belly flutters. He’s dressed in a black suit, the tie he wore earlier gone, and the top buttons of his white dress shirt are undone. He is a walking, talking sex on a stick. Pure sex in a suit.

  “I would, but my feet are killing me.” Not a complete lie. My feet hurt like hell, but I need to get away from him. Just looking at him makes me feel weak. Parker drops to the floor in front of me, one firm hand gently seizing my left calf and pulling my leg toward him.

  “What are you doing?” I hiss as I dart my eyes around frantically, looking to see if anyone is watching us. And of course, they are. “People are staring,” I whisper-yell to him. But he ignores me and slips off my strappy heel. Then he tenderly proceeds to pull at my other leg and removes that shoe as well. Tossing my shoes to the side, he stands and takes my hand and tries to lead me to the dance floor, but I resist.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  He gives me a smile that says, It’s cute you’re trying to resist me, but you should stop now, then yanks me a little harder, causing me to almost trip as the gaining momentum pulls me forward. I slam into him and his arms wrap around me, lifting me until my feet are off the floor and he carries me to the center. Placing me on the ground, he smirks. “Step on my feet.”

  I look at him like he’s gone mad. “What?”

  “Step. On. My. Feet.”

  I’m looking around again, just knowing people are staring. “Do you really give a fuck what these people think?”

  “Actually, I do,” I snap, my lethal glare meeting his eyes. He’s grinning now.

  “Good. Then step on my feet and dance with me or I’ll go grab that mic from the singer and really embarrass the shit out of you.”

  I snort and roll my eyes as I cross my arms. I don’t believe him for a second, and if he thinks I’ll fall victim to this little . . . oh, shit! He’s heading toward the stage. I nearly fly to catch him and stop him. “Okay! I’ll dance with you,” I say, through gritted teeth. God only knows what he’d say to this group of people.

  “Thought you’d see it my way,” he grins cockily as he takes me in his arms again. It takes all of my strength to keep my eyelids from fluttering as I take in the scent of his cologne. Damn, he smells good.

  Pulling my shoulders back, indicating my defiance, I ask, “Is this how you get all of your women? Manipulation?”

  “Manipulation?” he chuckles. “I wouldn’t call it that.”

  “What would you call it then?” I ask dryly.

  “Coercion.” He shrugs and winks at me. I hate him and his stupid sexy wink. “Now, put your tiny feet on mine,” he orders again.

  “I’m not a toddler,” I point out. His eyes flex a fraction with humor, almost like he wants to say, “You’re acting like one,” but the ball-shriveling glare I give him seems to stop him.

  His lips are tight as if he’s fighting the urge to laugh. “No, but your feet hurt. I’m trying to make this as pain-free and effortless as possible for you.”

  With a huff, I place my bare feet on each of his shiny dress shoes and wrap my arms limply around his neck. The band starts playing some jazzy slow song and Parker moves us slowly, the weight of me standing on his feet not seeming to bother him. My head hangs down as I avoid making eye contact with him. I can’t look at him. He’s too beautiful and scary, all at once.

  “Am I that ugly?” he jests, squeezing me tighter.

  I roll my eyes, again. “No. I think you know you’re not ugly, Parker.” I lift my head and meet his gaze straight on, doing my best to hide the mixed emotions I’m feeling. He’s smiling cockily. He knows he’s good-looking. He doesn’t need me to tell him that, but he loves making me say it anyway.

  “You look beautiful tonight,” he whispers.

  “Thank you. So do you.” I shake my head. “I mean, you look handsome,” I correct myself.

  “You seem a little off. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” I snap, not meaning to. Ugh, why can’t I keep my shit together? “Sorry. I’m just tired, is all.”

  “I know . . .” He lifts his head as if searching for his next words before dropping it and meeting my gaze again. “I know this could be weird, but . . . I think a lot of you. And even if you don’t want to date me . . . I’m your friend. If you need someone to talk to, about anything, I’m available.”

  I let my head fall again, my eyes tearing up. I can’t let him see me like this. If only he knew what I’m going through . . . well, he will know soon enough. He’s promising me a friendship when our lives will be forever tied together by another human being he doesn’t even know about yet. I blink a few times and clear the blur from my eyes.

  We don’t speak again until the song is finished. I step off of his feet and he leads me to the side of the dance floor where he collects my shoes for me. My feet are feeling a bit better after the brief reprieve from my heels and I take them and slip them back on.

  “Thank you for the dance.” Parker smiles and gives me a curt nod, then walks away. I want to grab him, stop him, but I’m not ready. It’s like every time I think about telling him I’m pregnant with his child, my throat constricts. Damn it.

  “You okay?” I jump at the sound of Joey’s voice.

  “Shit, you scared me.” I breathe heavily as I place a hand on my chest.

  Joey stands beside me, one hand slipped in the pocket of his slacks and the other holding a cold bottled beer. “I think he likes you,” he notes, lifting his hand with the beer to indicate he’s talking about Parker, who is now talking with John and Edie. Parker is slipping on his neck tie again as the photographer waits to capture a shot of the three of them.

  I haven’t told Joey about the baby. Literally, Edie is the only one that knows. “Yeah, just a crush.” I try to play it off, act nonchalant, but Joey’s brown eyes cut to me and his mouth twists. “Mmm-hmm,” he mumbles before sipping his beer.

  “You guys have been checking each other out all night. But hey, it’s just a crush.” With that, he kisses my cheek and steps away. But he turns and gives me a soft smile. “Make him work for it, girl. Girls like you are worth it.” Then he walks away, leaving me with a huge smile on my face and tears in my eyes.

  Fucking Joey.

  The evening moves on, filled with laughter, drinks, and great music. When Edie hasn’t been at John’s side, I have, leading him through the mass of people and making introductions. I’m impressed at how easily John can make conversation . . . then I remember he’s kind of a jack-of-all-trades being raised on a horse farm himself and being a lawyer.

  When Edie takes over again, I head to the bar and order water from Jenn, who gives me a fake smile. Ever since I told her that her boyfriend, Duke, had been asking me to let him screw me, she hasn’t been my biggest fan. Perhaps I could’ve said it more delicately to her, but she’s a bitch and she was trying to joke on Edie. No body messes with my best friend. As I watch her pour my water, I pout. I’d kill for a beer right now. “No drinking tonight?” A deep voice asks and my head snaps up. Parker is smiling down at me, his eyes shimmering. It’s not hard to tell he’s buzzed. That happened fast.

  “No . . . not in the mood tonight.”

  “Or any other night for the last couple of weeks. What’s the matter, Nik? Putting on a few pounds and trying to cut back?” Jen asks snidely as she slides me my glass of water.

  Cutting her a lethal glare, I say, “Not at all. You know, Duke was just telling me yesterday how awesome my ass looks.” Jenn glares back. I’m not lying either. Her overweight, jackass boyfriend yelled it to me from across the street when I was coming out of the grocery store.

  Jenn snorts and shakes he
r head in disdain. “For your information, we’re not together anymore.”

  “Aw . . .” I pout my lips. “What poor bastard will you move on to next?”

  She rolls her eyes, then moves her gaze to Parker. “Can I get you something, sugar?” I almost gag at her term of endearment.

  “I’ll take a glass of water, too.”

  “You’re the best man, right?” Jenn asks.

  “Yeah, that’s me.” Parker laughs as Jenn slides a glass of water across the tiny bar. Then she leans over it, smushing her boobs together and practically sticking them in Parker’s face.

  “You need a date to the wedding?”

  “Uh . . .” Parker’s brows rise in surprise and the eye roll I make is painful.

  “You know . . . I’ll be done here by ten. We could . . . hang out if you’re free,” Jenn purrs.

  Parker’s mouth slightly curves on one side. He glances at me, then turns his body toward the bar. “What’d you have in mind?”

  It takes a moment for me to realize my mouth is hanging open and my eyes are wide. What the fuck is happening here? I cannot be seeing or hearing this.

  “Well, we could go to my place.” Then she whips her head to me. “Excuse me, Nikki. We’re having a private conversation here.” Oh . . . what a dig. I said something very similar to her when she was eavesdropping on Edie and me at the bar one night a few months ago. I bet she’s been dying to take that stab at me. How unoriginal of her. My gaze moves to Parker, whose brows are still raised. Fuck him. If he wants to screw Jenn, some white-trash whore, he can have her. And I’m prepared to walk away.

  “Jenn . . . fuck off,” I lash out before I even have a moment to think about it. Just the thought of her near Parker makes me want to jump over the bar and tackle her. Self-control just went out the window.

  “Nikki,” Parker snorts.

  “Are you two together?” Jenn asks, as if it’s the most ridiculous thing she’s ever imagined.

  “No, we’re not,” I clarify as I stand and glare at her and Parker. “I don’t date men who fuck trash.” Oh my God, I’m losing it, but I can’t stop myself. I have no filter tonight. It’s like I’m floating above my body, watching in horror as I lose my shit.

  “Nikki,” Parker takes my arm, but I jerk it away. I feel like my head is going to explode. My hormones, the stress of the day, and the sexy-as-hell Parker Hayes being within close proximity have finally gotten to me. “You’re being rude,” he says, quietly.

  My head rears back as if he’s slapped me. Rude? Is he serious? “Oh, well, forgive me,” I say, in an obnoxious Southern accent. “By all means . . .” I make a gesture toward Jenn. “Enjoy the evening with your new friend.” With that, I rush off and head toward the house. I know Edie will understand me leaving, but I need to get my purse and get the fuck out of here.

  “Nikki!” Parker yells from behind me, but I pull my heels off and sprint. Running has always been my choice in cardio and the doctor said since I already did it regularly I could continue even though I’m pregnant. I’ve made it to the back porch and up the steps when a steel arm wraps around me and pulls me back.

  “Goddamn, you’re fast,” Parker breathes heavily in my ear. “What are you, a fucking Olympic runner?”

  “Let go of me,” I hiss as I struggle to escape his hold.

  He doesn’t listen, instead he scoops my legs up and carries me into the house, all while I’m fighting him tooth and nail. The catering servers stare at us as he heads through the kitchen on his way to the bedrooms.

  “I’m going to kill you!” I shout as I punch the sides of my fists into his ass.

  “She likes rough sex, guys, no worries,” Parker shouts as we make our way down the hall.

  “I’m going to kick your ass,” I seethe as I claw at his back. This is humiliating.

  “Oh yeah, baby. I love it when you threaten me,” Parker shouts so the servers can hear.

  Seconds later, we’re in the guest room and he tosses me on the bed, before climbing on top of me and pinning my arms to the bed. “Now, what the fuck is going on with you? And don’t fucking lie, Nicole.”

  I pinch my lips together and turn my face away from him. First, I hate that he used that name because even as pissed as I am, it affects me. I’m getting turned on being pinned beneath him and he calling me Nicole just makes it worse. Secondly, what kind of cologne is he wearing? Make her panties wet by Calvin Klein? And lastly, why is he hard? His erection is pressing against me where he’s straddling me. He barely has any weight on me, but his position keeps me from being able to turn my body.

  “Why are you acting like a lunatic?”

  “I’m not,” I spat, meeting his gaze, my own stare seething. “Excuse me if I don’t want to watch you hit on Jenn, the town bitch.”

  “I wasn’t hitting on her,” he clarifies. “She was hitting on me.”

  “Oh . . . and you were eating that shit up.”

  “That’s not what I was eating up,” he chuckles.

  “What?”

  His mouth curves into a devastatingly beautiful grin that makes me want to punch him in the throat. “I was enjoying your reaction.”

  I snort. “My reaction?”

  “You didn’t like it when she hit on me. And I fucking love that you didn’t like it.”

  I groan. “Oh, please. I couldn’t care less.”

  “Oh really?” Parker asks. Still holding my arms to the bed, he bends down and kisses my neck softly. The feel of his warm lips against my skin causes my back to arch and I whimper. Fuck.

  “You don’t want me, Nicole?”

  “No,” I gasp as he nibbles at the flesh of my shoulder.

  Releasing one of my hands, his own hand drifts down and begins pulling at the layers of my dress. Then, that hand slides up my thigh leaving goose bumps in its wake. His skillful fingers slide the crotch of my silk panties aside and stroke my wet flesh.

  “Mmm,” he groans, the vibrations making me clench with want. “I think you’re lying, Nicole.”

  As his dark gaze meets mine, I lick my suddenly dry lips. His fingers slide smoothly over my clit, and my eyes flutter. “Look at me,” he orders. He’s not smiling anymore . . . in fact, I see no humor at all. What I see is desire. He wants me as badly as I want him. I know I need to tell him about the baby, but a part of me knows this may really and truly be the last time I see him. And if I do see him again after he finds out the truth, it may only be because of the baby. Right now, right here, he wants me. Jerking his mouth to mine, his body falls to mine and we get lost in a fit of want and need. A minute later, Parker gets lost under the frill of my dress, my panties are torn and tossed to the floor, and his mouth devours me.

  My hands fist the quilt of the bed as my back arches and I cry out in ecstasy. Parker doesn’t lick gently or lap me sweetly . . . he sucks and bites and at one point he raises his mouth for a moment and smacks my aching flesh with a strong hand. I shriek in shock, but clench when his mouth returns and sends me rolling into an orgasm. “Holy fucking shit,” I cry out.

  Suddenly, he stands and yanks my ankles so that my ass is at the edge of the bed. Pulling me up on wobbly legs, he spins me around and begins unzipping my dress. When it falls to the floor, a pool of fabric and lace at my feet, he quickly unsnaps my strapless bra and flings it away. Once again, I’m naked in front of Parker Hayes.

  “Turn around,” he orders, his voice almost a growl.

  I do as he asks, sucking in my belly as I turn. I’ve put on some weight, obviously, but luckily I’m not showing yet. But I don’t want to take any chances that he’ll notice. When I’m facing him, he shakes his head and smirks almost wickedly. “Goddamn, you’re beautiful,” he growls.

  I suck in one long breath as the heat of his gaze hits me. I don’t know what to do with all of the desire I feel right now; it’s a burning, twisting ache that feels like it may consume me at any moment, ruining me. “Undress me,” Parker orders, his tone indicating nothing. I remember how he did this the fir
st time we were together. How he seemed to turn off his features, appearing indifferent. It made me crazy. It made me willing to do anything to draw his want out of him.

  My hands move to his tie and begin loosening it, my gaze moving between his stare and the job at hand. When I finally remove it, I toss it aside and slowly walk around him, letting one hand brush across his chest. From behind, I pull at his jacket, taking it to the desk chair and hanging it. Then, as I move back, I take my time, letting him get his visual fill. As I undo the top button of his shirt, his lips gently brush my cheek and he leans slightly toward me. My legs tremble, but I straighten my knees and hold steady. His damn cologne smells delicious, making the ache that’s thrumming through my body intensify. I have got to get the name of that cologne. Maybe I can spray it all over my bed when he’s long gone.

  Finally, after what feels like forever, I’m slipping his shirt off. Unable to resist, I lean in and place a kiss against his hard chest, letting my lower lip drag against his warm flesh. I toss the shirt aside and move behind him. Pressing my breasts against his firm back, I bite back the whimper the contact makes me want to release. My breasts are full and heavy, my nipples hard; I’m sure if I just slipped my hand down and touched myself, I’d come. Reaching around him, I begin undoing his belt as I kiss and bite the flesh of his back. He lets out a deep and throaty groan and I smile, knowing he can’t hold back, that I can bring it out of him. As I slip his pants down and over his luscious ass—and for a guy, he certainly has a luscious ass—I can’t help biting his right cheek.

  He hisses as he whips around and pulls me up. Spinning me, he slams my back to his front and walks me toward the desk, kicking his pants and boxers away as we move. His hands squeeze my breasts as he bites my neck. Bending me over the desk, he slaps my ass, the sting making me moan in pleasure. “You have no fucking idea how many nights I’ve spent thinking about you, just like this, Nicole. Naked, wet, and ready for me to fuck you.”

  Getting my wits back, I jut my ass out, inviting him to . . .”Aww!” I cry out when he slaps my other cheek.