“What?”

  “Pick the right man, is all.”

  Zoe’s butterflies took flight again. “Like you just said, Darce, it’s just a date.”

  “Well, that’s how I’d look at it, but you’re not wired like I am. Follow your heart, Zoe.”

  The doorbell rang. Zoe stilled. “My heart’s confused,” she whispered.

  “No, your heart is never confused. It’s just rusty from lack of use.”

  “Dammit,” Zoe said. “When did you become the smarter sister?”

  “Always have been,” Darcy said smugly. “But it’s good to finally be recognized.”

  Zoe disconnected and ran down the stairs. Or, more accurately, did her best to hustle down the stairs without breaking her ankles in her heels. She crossed the empty living room—so much for the showstopping entrance she’d imagined—and stood there, heart pounding.

  She didn’t want to do this, not with Kel . . . “What is wrong with me?” she asked the door.

  “You going to open it, or just talk to it?” Parker asked from just behind her.

  She froze. Did he like the view? Not sure she wanted to know, she turned and faced him, expecting to see a smug, wry smile on his face.

  No smile. And his eyes . . . She swallowed. They were dark, nearly black, and so hot she nearly caught on fire.

  Yeah, he liked the view.

  He was in a pair of cargo pants and a faded T-shirt that fit him like a second skin.

  She liked her view, too.

  “You look . . .” He shook his head. “Amazing.”

  “So not like I’m going to bingo, right?”

  Eyes still flaming, he gave a slow head shake. “Amazing,” he repeated.

  She liked that he didn’t sound surprised. She also liked the low, husky quality in his voice, as if he couldn’t help but be bowled over by her. “Thanks,” she whispered.

  And then because they were just staring stupidly at each other, she turned back to the door, drew a deep breath, and whispered to the wood, “Iwanttocancel.”

  “What?”

  She dropped her head to the door and thunked it a few times. She wanted to cancel. She should’ve cancelled—

  The bell rang again and she straightened up and shook her head, trying to clear her mind. No. This was what she wanted. And maybe some of that had become cloudy in her mind because of the very hot, very annoying man behind her, but since when did she plan her life around a man? She’d wanted this date. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t going to be the hot, annoying guy. He’d had his chance.

  Now this was hers.

  Nineteen

  Holding her breath, determined to make the best of the evening, Zoe pasted a smile on her face and opened the door to . . .

  Kaylie.

  The little girl stood there looking up at Zoe with her huge eyes. “Can I play with the kitties?” she asked hopefully. “My mama said if it’s okay with you, I could bring them back to my house for one hour on accounta I cleaned my room real good. So can I?”

  Parker went up the stairs and reappeared with the two kittens, riding shotgun on each of his shoulders.

  Kaylie laughed and clapped with delight.

  Parker carefully handed them over, and then he and Zoe watched as she carried her precious cargo to her house and vanished inside.

  Zoe looked at her empty driveway. “Parker?”

  “Yeah?”

  She heard the huskiness in his voice and would bet her last dollar he was staring at her ass. Good. “What time is it?”

  “Quarter after seven.”

  “What the hell?” she said. “Am I wearing a sign that says Hi, stand me up?”

  “Maybe he called or texted you,” Parker said.

  “No, I have my phone right here . . .” She pulled the phone from the small cross-body bag she’d thrown on before coming downstairs and stared at the missed call and unread text from Kel. “Well, crap.” She accessed the text.

  Zoe, I’m sorry, one of my deputies called in sick and I have to go out on a call. I tried to catch you on your cell. I’ll try again later. Rain check?

  It must have come in when she’d been on the phone with Darcy and hadn’t noticed it. She blew out a sigh, pivoted on her heels, and headed straight for the kitchen. Her laptop wasn’t there, but Parker’s was and she flipped it open.

  Of course, he followed.

  “By all means,” he said. “Go ahead and help yourself.”

  She tried to access the browser but was thwarted by a pop-up window asking for the password. “This night sucks,” she said.

  She felt more than saw Parker lean over her. His scent came to her: warm, sexy man. The inside of both his arms brushed the outside of hers as he reached around her and entered in his password.

  “Thanks,” she whispered, determined to keep her shit together. Because if she let out one single tear she would—

  “What happened to Kel?”

  “Got a call,” she said. “One that was far more interesting than a date with me.”

  “Zoe,” he said quietly. “You know if he’s on call and something comes in, he has to take it.”

  She craned her neck and sent him her best bitch look. “You’re defending him?”

  “Yes. No,” he quickly corrected.

  She started typing.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “I wore my best undies tonight in the hopes of finally getting . . .” She paused. “You know.”

  A sound that might have been a groan escaped him. “Shit, Zoe, you turn me upside down when it comes to this shit.”

  She turned him upside down? That was rich coming from him. “What, you don’t think I should be trying to get a life for myself?” she asked.

  “Babe, you have a life. You have a brother and sister you love, you’ve got a job that you’re amazing at, you have Oreo who thinks the sun rises and sets at your feet, and you have—”

  “What?” she whispered, turning to look at him.

  His green fathomless eyes leveled her. “And you have a roommate who thinks you’re the smartest and sexiest woman he’s ever met.”

  Because that made her heart scrunch in on itself, she broke eye contact and turned back to his computer. “You mean a roommate who has an annoying habit of giving a running commentary on my attempts at dating?”

  “Just trying to help.”

  “I don’t need your help.”

  “What are you looking for?” he asked as she typed.

  “A hookup site. I heard about one. Grounder or Gander or something . . .”

  Parker choked. “Grindr?”

  “That’s the one,” she said, and stood up. “But I need wine first.”

  “You’ll need something stronger than wine for Grindr,” he said, and something in his voice—barely repressed humor—made her look at him.

  “It’s a site for men,” he said.

  “Yeah,” she said in her best duh tone. “And I’m looking for one.”

  He took the bottle of wine from her hand, poured her a glass, and handed it back to her, waiting until she took a sip to say, “Grindr is a site just for men; gay, bi, curious . . . the only requirement is a body part you don’t have.”

  Now it was her turn to choke. “Dammit.”

  He grinned and took the wine from her before she could drop it.

  She forced her nose into the air and strode back to the computer. “Fine. I’ll find a site more . . . suited to my needs.”

  Reaching around her, he shut the laptop. “No, you won’t.”

  She arched a brow at him. “Excuse me? No?”

  “No. Hell no. If you want a connection,” he said, “then I’ll damn well be the one to give it to you.”

  “I don’t want a . . . connection,” she said, and snatched the glass of wine back. She downed it and held out her hand for the bottle.

  He held it out of her reach. “Then what the hell do you want?”

  “An orgasm,” she said. “And that’s it.”

  He didn’t blink an eye. “I think we can do better than a single orgasm for you.”

  “Uh . . .” Her heart skipped a beat, confused in its abrupt switch from temper to arousal as it kicked into high gear. Maybe her brain wasn’t so quick on the uptake, but her body sure was and it wanted him. She took a step toward him, but then her knees knocked together as her nerves got the best of her and she stopped.

  Parker just stood there, eyes hot, mouth curved in a warm smile as he waited with his characteristic patience for her to get herself together and decide.

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  Unfolding his arms, he reached for her, pulling her in. “Your heart’s pounding.”

  “I think it was the orgasm comment.”

  He smiled, his jaw pressed to hers, his rough palm stroking up her back while his other hand pushed the hair from her face. “You sure about this?”

  She pulled back. “Yes. Are you?”

  He laughed and nibbled at her ear, this time his lips lingering, his warm breath caressing her skin. “Zoe, I want you bad, and have since that first kiss on your porch.”

  “But you said—”

  “Never said I didn’t want you. Don’t ever doubt that I do.”

  “You were trying to be a good guy,” she whispered, marveling over that.

  “I have my moments. But now isn’t one of them.”

  She let out a low laugh and buried her face in his chest, trying to get a bearing over this feeling of being out of control.

  His hand rubbed in slow circles on her back, giving comfort while spiking up her body temperature. And her need level.

  Which was at an all-time high.

  But she wanted him in the same state. So she placed her lips at the base of his throat, flicking her tongue out so that she could taste him.

  He tasted amazing.

  With a groan, he slid his hands down to cup her ass in his palms and pulled her in hard. She couldn’t help but rub up against him, smiling in satisfaction when he said her name in a low, gravelly voice.

  She lifted her head to gloat and his mouth came down on hers, stealing her breath and urging her on. Better yet, but he was still holding himself in careful control. Nipping his bottom lip, she sucked it in between hers, running her tongue along the edge. “So how about you?” she murmured teasingly. “You want an orgasm, too?”

  But he wasn’t feeling playful. His eyes stayed steady and intense on hers. “I told you what I want, Zoe. You.”

  There wasn’t enough air in the room, there just wasn’t. Don’t do this, the smart part of her said. You’ll fall for him, you know you will.

  Too late, another part of her said—her inner ho. Take what you can get of him.

  He must have seen it in her eyes because he flashed her a wolf grin and then spun her around, away from him, crowding her into the counter.

  It had been a damn long time, and maybe this was how it was done these days, but she could admit she’d been hoping for a face-to-face encounter—

  Her dress slithered off her and hit the floor, pooling around her heels.

  She let out a nervous laugh and gripped the counter with two fists, in a quandary now. She wanted to turn around, but she’d lied before about having her best lingerie on. A bra hadn’t been possible with the dress and her panties were so small as to be nonexistent. It had seemed like a great idea when she’d been dressing, but now—

  All of her thoughts scattered like the wind when Parker pressed up against her bare back, sliding his hands up the front of her thighs and then nudging them apart. His fingers glided uninhibited northbound until he touched the lace edge of her panties. She was already quivering when he ran a fingertip along that edging. She expected him to slip past the barrier, but instead his hand cupped her over the material, his other sliding to her stomach and then a breast. She arched her back, tilting her head to give him room, and his lips took full advantage, dancing along the column of her throat.

  “So soft. So wet,” he said in her ear, voice rough, fingers gentle as he tortured her, driving her up, holding her on the edge, his other hand gripping a hip to keep her in place as he teased her until she was panting.

  “Parker.” She placed a hand over his, grinding back into him.

  His hands pushed her legs farther apart, caressing as he did, until she was pushing back against his fingers, wiggling her hips in silent demand, and finally he slipped past the lace and touched her skin to skin.

  They both moaned at that. Unable to stop herself, she pushed back into him again and turned her face into his neck. As his fingers parted her, her lips latched onto him, alternating tongue and teeth as she threaded her hand through his hair so that she had an anchor.

  Every stroke of his fingers had her gripping a little bit harder, back arching, until she was so wet and ready she was begging him to take her.

  But he didn’t.

  Instead he yanked her around to face him, the motion and the rush of cold air puckering her nipples even tighter, needing his touch.

  He didn’t disappoint, lowering his head to a breast as his hand stretched the lace of her panties, making more room for himself so that his finger could slide in deep. He moved in slow stroking motions, his thumb brushing lazily back and forth in a rhythm designed to drive her right out of her ever-lovin’ mind. She struggled to get her hands between them to shove up his shirt and when it caught on his arms, he pulled free long enough to tear it over his head.

  He kicked off his shoes and undid his cargos. “Gotta make some room,” he growled, and then went back to the task of making her lose herself in him.

  It took less than two seconds and she was gone, coming hard. She’d have slid bonelessly to the floor if he hadn’t held her up. When she stopped shuddering and opened her eyes, she realized they were on the move. He was carrying her out of the kitchen, smile predatory and just a little smug.

  “You liked that,” he said.

  “Yes.” She slid a hand into his opened cargos and wrapped her fingers around his impressive length, which jerked against her palm. “And you like this.”

  He hissed in a breath and dumped her on the couch. She bounced once before he was on her.

  “My shoes,” she said. “I’ve got to take off my shoes.”

  “Those aren’t shoes, those are evil devices designed to blow a man’s mind, and they’re staying on,” he said in a very sexy voice.

  She pulled back to look at him. “Yeah?”

  He took in the sight of her in the panties and those high-heeled booties and nothing else. “Oh yeah,” he said, and made a low, appreciative male sound that sent a shiver of anticipation racing through her. She desperately wanted him inside her, stretching her, filling her up. “Parker, please.”

  “Kiss me,” he demanded, and she lifted her head so that their eyes met for a beat before he met her halfway, claiming her mouth with the same ease with which he’d claimed her body.

  Oreo came bounding into the room, looking sleepy, like maybe they’d woken him up. When he saw them, he quickly turned playful, galloping over.

  “Oreo, sit,” Parker said in a deep, firm voice. “Sit and stay.”

  Oreo actually skidded to a halt and sat obediently.

  And stayed.

  Zoe understood exactly. Just listening to Parker’s commanding tone made her want to do whatever he said.

  Then he tugged her panties from her and tossed them over his shoulder. Lacing his fingers through hers, he used her as his guide down her own body, fingering her nipples, cupping their weight, then tracing her belly button and lower, to the V of her inner thighs.

  And between.

  At the touch, her hips bucked in response.

  “I can’t take my eyes off you,” he said, his lips following their joined hands.

  She could only moan in response as he tasted her, sucking her slowly into his mouth as she chased another orgasm. She was still gasping when he brought their joined hands up to his lips. Holding her gaze, he slipped one of her fingers into his mouth. He bit her lightly and she rocked up. Gripping him by the biceps, she tugged him closer and shoved his pants to his thighs, freeing him enough to once again wrap her fingers around his hard length. “Your turn.”

  “Not done with you yet,” he said, and made her tremble in anticipation.

  He pinned her hips with his. She reached for him but he eluded her, coming up with a condom to protect them both. He took his sweet-ass time about getting it on, too, pushing against her so that she could feel every solid inch of what waited for her.

  Finally he lifted her just enough that he could slide into her, inch by slow aching inch. Closing her eyes, she reveled in the sensation of him filling her. When he was as deep as he could go, he dipped his head, his hair falling over his forehead as he watched himself move inside her.

  He rode her slowly, letting it all build to an incredible height again. He had her desperate in moments and she ground her hips against his for more, harder, faster. When she whispered her plea, he groaned her name and gripped her hips, thrusting deep, giving her everything she wanted, and unbelievably she peaked again.

  This time he came with her, burying his face in the crook of her neck and shuddering hard in her arms. It was exquisite and absolutely the most erotic experience of her life.

  When they both fell back against the couch together, Parker shifted so she didn’t bear all his weight, turning them so that they lay on their sides facing each other.

  Stroking a stray strand of hair from her face, he brushed a kiss over her damp temple. Her jaw. Her lips. He lingered there, tasting her until he lifted his head and met her gaze.

  He smiled.

  “What?” she asked, her voice all raspy, reminding her that not only had she lost track of how many times she’d come for him, she hadn’t exactly been quiet about it, either.

  “Was going to ask if you were okay,” he said with a low laugh. “But your dazed expression says it all.”

  “Hey.” She poked him in the chest. “You look pretty sated yourself.”

  “Mm-hmmm.” And then his arms tightened possessively on her, the message being you’re not going anywhere . . .

  Which was nice since she didn’t want to. She wriggled to settle in comfortably and was surprised to feel him stir against her, going hard. “Already?” she asked in disbelief.