Chapter 40
LINCOLN
Isit in the living room with my knee bouncing. I’ve been awake hours despite having the day off. I’ve hit the gym, although I took it slow, in the hope of burning off some of the adrenaline that was pumping through my veins when I woke up. But it wasn’t nearly enough.
I check the time again.
Forty-five minutes to her class, but still, no movement from her room.
I get it. She’s exhausted from traveling and her two orgasms last night.
God.
I drag my hand down my face as the sounds she makes as she comes play back in my mind.
So fucking sexy.
Did I plant my ass on the couch and force myself to watch whatever movie was playing on the screen after she left?
I tried. I really did.
But the possibility of listening to her again was too much to ignore.
I was turned the hell on after our little exchange earlier, and from the darkness in her eyes as she stared up at me, I was tempted to say she was, too.
I wanted to kiss her so fucking badly. I wanted to run my hands all over her. Bury my face between her thighs and prove that the words I said to her were true.
She’s the only one for me.
The only girl I’ve ever wanted more from.
The only woman I picture my life with.
But she’s also the only one who’s turned me away.
For a few years, I figured that was the reason I wanted her.
I wanted something I couldn’t have.
But that’s not true. It has nothing to do with what happened six years ago and everything to do with having her in my life.
I knew it before, but with her off doing her thing and me doing mine, it was easy to put it all to one side. But now she’s here, living under my roof, working at the arena, traveling with us…it’s all coming back to me.
And I want it.
I really fucking want her.
And not just for the night.
Forever.
When the clock hits thirty minutes, I can’t stop myself any longer. I push from the couch and stalk toward her room.
It’s completely silent, and when I press my palm against the ajar door, I find it’s completely dark, too.
She’s overslept.
“Parker,” I whisper.
Nothing.
“Parker,” I say a little louder.
Still nothing.
Pushing the door wider, I poke my head around and smile when I find her curled up under the sheets.
A few years have passed since I got to watch her curled up in my bed, and this might technically only be my guest bed, but the sight of her still affects me in the same way.
“Parker.” My voice cuts through the room, and she finally stirs. Although she doesn’t wake up.
Walking toward the bed, I focus on the mass of red hair that covers the stark white pillow.
“Parker.”
She groans and tugs the sheets up higher, making me chuckle.
She’s never really been a morning person. Rett and I would regularly get up early to skate before school started. She used to say that she’d join us, but if she did, she was still half asleep.
A laugh bursts out of me as I think about the pillow crease that used to be on her cheeks, her bleary eyes and her messy hair.
She was unashamedly Parker on those mornings, and I loved it.
She was also grumpy as hell, which I found cute as fuck.
I could never tell Rett that when he was moaning about her making us late.
“Don’t laugh at me,” she mutters.
“Sorry. You’re just too cute,” I confess, feeling lighter having said the words all these years on.
“I am not. I’m sleeping.”
“Not for much longer. You’re late.”
“For what?” she asks, stretching out her legs under the sheets.
“Pilates.”
She freezes. “I’m not going.”
“But I’m ready.”
Finally, she cracks an eye open and looks at me.
“You’re…you’re going to Pilates?”
“Yeah. You invited me, remember?”
She blinks, her head fogged with sleep.
“Okay. Let me know how you get on.”
She attempts to turn her back on me so she can go back to sleep, but like hell is that happening.
“Lincoln, what the fuck are you doing?” she shrieks when I flip the covers back.
I smirk, but the second my eyes land on her body, it falls.
Holy fuck, I forgot about her outfit.
She flips over and gets to her knees, her hands defiantly on her hips. Her lace bralette is twisted from her sleep, showing even more than it was last night. Although it’s still not quite enough.
“What the hell?” she seethes, her chest heaving.
“We’re…uh…we’re going to your class,” I say, my eyes fighting to stay locked on hers.
“I’m not going,” she repeats.
“Yes. You are. We’re going together.”
Finally, I lose my fight, and my eyes drop to her tits.
Christ, she’s got good tits.
The perfect size. Not too big, not too small. Just right to slide my dick—
“Storm,” she growls, quickly adjusting the fabric. “My eyes are up here.”
“I know. But your tits are down here, and they’re looking fine this morning.”
“Fuck’s sake,” she complains as she climbs from the bed, giving me a shot of her ass in the tiny silk shorts she’s wearing.
I bite down on my bottom lip and curl my fists as she stomps toward the bathroom.
The need to punish her for being a brat burns through me.
God, how I want to tie her to her bed and tease her until she’s begging for relief.
“Get dressed, Donnelly. Your class starts in twenty minutes.”
“I said, I’m not going,” she repeats.
“No, we are. You have ten minutes. Your coffee will be ready,” I state before forcing myself to walk out of her room to allow her to get ready.
“And what if I’m not ready?”
“Then I’ll throw you over my shoulder dressed exactly as you are and enjoy every second of watching you work out.”
“Oh my god,” I pant, my legs trembling as our instructor brings the class to an end.
I’m sweating, my heart is racing, and my muscles are quivering.
That shit was hard.
I cringe, knowing exactly what Parker is going to say when we get out of here. I’m already regretting saying anything about how easy Pilates is; she really doesn’t need to rub it in.
Risking a glance over, I balk when I find she’s barely broken a sweat.
She looks…fuck, she looks really fucking hot.
Her leggings showcase her firm ass and muscular thighs. The sliver of skin between the waistband of her pants and the bottom of her sports bra is the ultimate tease. So is her cleavage. That top she’s wearing is a thing of wonders. What I wouldn’t give to lick—
“Everything okay?” she taunts, breaking through my filthy thoughts.
Her eyes crinkle with amusement, her lips twitching.
I sigh, unable to deny the truth.
“It was harder than I was expecting.”
“So…not just a bunch of weird sex positions?” she deadpans.
My own smirk grows. “I mean…there was a little of that,” I reason.
For the last hour, I’ve cursed the fact that she was on a reformer to the side of me and not in front of me.
I bet she looked fucking insane, bent over on that thing.
I had to settle for her reflection in the mirrors, which was still a damn sight to behold.
My teeth grind as desire rushes through my veins.
“You’re a nightmare,” she tosses over her shoulder as she walks toward the instructor to thank her.
After wiping down my equipment, I follow. The second I approach, the instructor turns to me, her eyes wide, her smile calculated.
When I first walked in here behind Parker, she gave me a double take. And since then, she’s spent most of the hour eye-fucking me.
Previously, I’d have been all over it. Right now, I’d probably be asking what time she gets off work later. But I have zero interest in doing so. My focus is solely on Parker and what her plans are for the rest of the day.
“It was so great of you to bring a friend today,” the instructor tells Parker without bothering to look at her. “And an athlete, too.” She steps a little closer, making her intentions more than clear. “I do hope the class was challenging enough for you.”
“More than enough, thank you,” I state dryly.
“I’m fascinated by athletes and their bodies. I’d love to—” Parker snorts beside me before attempting to cover it with a cough. “Talk to you more about your body. I-I mean, your muscles and strength.”
“Oh, Linc loves talking about muscles, don’t you?” Parker taunts.
“Fantastic,” the instructor sings. “I get off after this class. I’d love to grab a coffee or—”
“I’m sorry, I’m busy today. Maybe another time.”
The instructor instantly deflates. “Oh, of course. It was silly of me to assume…can I give you my number? Maybe we can find a time when we’re both free.”
“Maybe,” I mumble.
She spins around to pull something from a duffle bag behind her, and Parker shifts forward slightly.
Glancing over, I find her brow raised and a smirk playing at her lips.
Rolling my eyes, I politely take the business card offered to me.
“Thank you.” I let my eyes drop. “Clare.”
“Call me anytime.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” I turn to Parker. “Ready to head out, babe?”
Clare startles as the final word leaves my lips.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“Oh, I know,” I drawl as I throw my arm around Parker’s shoulders. “I saw. Shall we go and shower off?”
Tightening my grip on her, I tug her toward the exit, refusing to let up when she attempts to twist out of my hold.
“What the hell are you doing?” she hisses. “She was interested. And she’s hot.”
“Was she?” I ask, finally letting my arm drop as we approach the main exit. “Didn’t notice.”
“You’re such a liar,” she accuses as she playfully shoves me through the door.
The second I’m outside, I stop dead on the spot and spin around.
Parker doesn’t react fast enough and crashes right into me.
“The fuck?”
“I’m not lying,” I tell her, staring down into her golden eyes.
They’re even brighter than usual with the sun reflecting in them.
“I have no interest in her. And I didn’t notice if she was hot or not.
” Reaching out, I tuck a stray lock of hair behind Parker’s ear.
“I only saw one woman in that room, and she was mesmerizing.”
“Storm,” Parker warns, taking a step back.
“Just being honest,” I muse before taking my place at her side, ready to head to the parking lot. “Are you hungry?” I ask as we begin walking.
“Uh…”
“I know a great sandwich place a couple of blocks over, if you fancy it.”
I glance over and find a conflicted expression on her face. She wants to say yes, but she’s desperate to put some space between us.
I both love and hate that she feels that way.
“Come on, it’s a sandwich, not a marriage proposal,” I tease, playfully elbowing her.
“Fine,” she sighs. “But you’re buying.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”