Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
B y the time the state troopers had come and arrested their would-be thieves, it was late when Jenna and Parker reached the Drifter Lake Lodge.
Lieutenant Dunford had called Jenna and asked her to quit finding trouble. The three assholes they’d arrested apparently had rap sheets, and had been preying on tourists on remote roads for several weeks. They wouldn’t be attacking anyone else for a long time.
Park pulled to a stop in front of the lodge. The main lodge was a low, wooden building, with large, potted plants flanking the front entry. In the growing darkness, he catalogued a number of cute, redwood cabins dotted among the trees by the lake.
“This is nice.” Jenna grabbed her bag out of the back of the Tahoe.
Park took it from her and lifted his own bag, as well.
“I can carry my bag, Conroy.”
“I know.” He turned and headed up the steps.
He was pretty sure there was nothing that Jenna Sheridan couldn’t do. She was the most competent, self-sufficient woman he’d met.
The way she’d handled the guys today… It had turned him on. They’d worked together like they’d been doing it for years. The only people he’d shared something like that with were his Ghost Ops teammates.
He stepped inside and the piney scent of a candle hit him. The place looked warm and welcoming, with lots of wood and a vase of wildflowers on the front desk.
“You must be our newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Parker.” An older woman hurried forward. She was round with a happy smile, her brown hair curling around her face.
Newlyweds? Park hid his jolt.
“That’s right.” Jenna grabbed his hand. “I’m Jen, and this is Con.”
“Welcome to the Drifter Lake Lodge. Now, you’re in luck. We’ve upgraded you to our honeymoon cabin.” The woman clapped her hands together. “It’s right on the lake and very romantic.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful,” Jenna said.
Shit . It sounded like torture to him.
“Come and let’s get the registration complete.” The woman moved behind the wooden counter. “Oh, I almost forgot, I’m Velma.”
“It’s beautiful here, Velma.” Jenna smiled. “I’m sorry we’re a bit late. We had car trouble.”
Velma’s homey face creased. “Oh, no. My Ross can help you. He’s good with engines.”
“Oh, we got it sorted. But thank you.”
“Ross is a jack of all trades.” Pride oozed from her. “Out here, we have to be able to do a little bit of everything.”
“Do you have many other guests right now?” Jenna asked.
Jenna was good. She sounded friendly and casual, and Velma was completely unaware that she was being interrogated.
“Not many. More are arriving in a few weeks as the weather warms up. We have a lovely young couple from Canada who are celebrating their first wedding anniversary. We have a man from Australia. Handsome fellow. He’s a bit of an adventurer who’s traveling around the world. And an older couple from Norway.” Velma whipped out a map. “Are you planning some fishing or hiking?”
“Absolutely,” Jenna said. “Con and I love to hike.”
“We have a few marked trails around the lake, otherwise it’s all on you to hike where you want. This map has our trails.” She set it on the counter. “Most people stick close to the lake. You’ll need to keep an eye out for bears and other wildlife. Do you have bear spray?”
“We do,” Park said.
“Excellent. The scenery here is so beautiful. Once Ross and I saw it, we fell in love and never left. I’m sure you’ll love it too.”
“Do many other people live close by?” Park asked.
“Not too close. There are a few people with cabins in the area. Don’t worry, they keep to themselves, so you’ll have your privacy.” Velma winked. “I know how important that is to newlyweds.”
Jenna studied the map. “What’s this?” She pointed at a spot.
“Oh, that’s an old hunting cabin. Hunters use it occasionally, otherwise it’s empty. It’s very basic and a little far out for our guests. The trail gets a bit tricky leading up to it.”
Jenna nodded, but shot Park a glance.
It was a good place for Olson to hide.
“Your husband is a man of few words,” Velma said to Jenna. “Just like my Ross.” She circled the counter again, holding an old-fashioned key with a large wooden tag attached to it. “Come, I’ll point out your cabin. Oh, we have Wi-Fi, and decent cell reception here at the lodge, but once you head out, it gets spotty. Breakfast and dinner are served here in the lodge, in our dining room. I do love to cook.”
Velma chatted on as they followed her outside.
“Just follow that path and go past the smaller cabins.” She smiled. “You’ve missed dinner, but I’ve put a tray of snacks and cold-cuts in your cabin.”
“Thank you, Velma.” Jenna smiled.
“Don’t leave any food out on the deck, or it’ll attract the bears.”
“Got it,” Jenna said. “You have a beautiful place here.”
The older woman beamed. “Enjoy. And don’t forget to leave a review online.”
Park followed Jenna, carrying their bags. Enchanting redwood cabins faced the lake, and they continued past them. The faint strains of country music came from one of them.
The honeymoon cabin was made of logs, had a large deck out front and was bigger than the other cabins. As they walked onto the deck, he spotted two chairs and a table facing the lake. He turned, and for a second, his brain just went empty.
Beside him, Jenna stilled. “Wow.”
The view of the lake was breathtaking. Smooth, still water was framed by pristine mountains. Trees surrounded the lake and went part way up the mountains, stopping at the timberline. The tops of the mountains were bare—where trees couldn’t grow and the alpine plants took over.
“Nice little spot,” he said.
“It sure is. Except I’m guessing winter must be a different story.” Jenna took a deep breath of fresh air, then turned and unlocked the front door.
The interior of the cabin was what he’d call rustic luxury. The walls were wood, and there was a small living area with a table, comfy couch, and a small TV. He guessed no one came to Drifter Lake Lodge to sit in their cabin and watch television. He walked through to the bedroom and jerked to a halt.
There was only one bed.
It was huge and made from hewn logs, and covered with white covers and a mound of pillows. There was a fluffy, brown blanket across the bottom.
He’d be sharing a bed with Jenna.
The bags slipped from his hands and hit the floor.
She stepped up beside him. “There’s a tray of food in the living area and a coffee machine. Let’s eat.” She eyed the bed, then him. “It’s a big bed, Conroy. We’ll manage just fine.”
She turned and looked out the picture window.
From the look on her face, he didn’t think she was taking in the pristine lake.
“Tomorrow, we’ll hike to the hunting cabin and find Olson.”
Park nodded. “We will.”
Jenna woke up feeling great. She was warm and snug, and she’d slept like a rock.
Then she froze.
She was in a big, comfy bed, with a hard arm locked around her middle, and a hard, male body curved around hers.
Oh, God.
She and Parker had gone to sleep last night on opposite sides of the large king-size bed, but during the night, they’d obviously met in the middle.
He was big and hot behind her and—she swallowed—there was hard cock digging into her ass.
Tingles zinged down her body. He shifted and she realized his face was buried in her hair, and his big hand splayed on her belly, under the pajama shirt. Her tiny pajama shorts were riding low.
Desire, hot and urgent, pooled between her thighs.
She should extricate herself, even if a part of her didn’t want to. She shifted a tiny bit, and his arm tightened. He hauled her even closer. As he shifted, his erection rubbed against her, and she swallowed a moan.
Then she felt him wake up. His body went taut and his fingers flexed on her skin.
Her heart drummed, and when he moved again, his cock pressed even harder against her.
“ Shit ,” he muttered.
“That about covers it,” she murmured.
They stayed there, locked in a little cocoon. Neither one of them moved.
Then he pulled in a breath and started to move his hand away.
Jenna grabbed his thick wrist, and he froze. Her heartbeat echoed in her head. Thump. Thump. Thump . It beat in time with the pulse of desire between her legs.
She wasn’t going to lie to herself. She was attracted to Parker Conroy. Big time.
They were hunting a dangerous fugitive. She knew they could get hurt, or worse. Every day, she gave her all for sometimes what felt like very little in return. Her job was rewarding, but also demanding. She did it for a lot of reasons, some of which were tangled up with her father.
Why not finally have something she wanted? Just for a little while.
Something they both wanted.
She pushed his hand lower.
Parker didn’t miss a beat. His hand slid into her pajama shorts and panties. Then his fingers were parting her.
“You sure?” his voice was low.
“Yes. Very sure. Touch me, Park.”
He stroked her folds and made a low, hungry sound. With a gasp, she arched into him, and let her thighs fall apart.
“So damn soft and slick,” he whispered in her ear.
She should be embarrassed about how wet she was, but she wasn’t. It felt too good. He found her clit and she moaned.
God.
He took his time, playing with her, stroking her. It was like he was memorizing every inch of her. Then one thick finger pushed inside her. She writhed on his clever fingers and moaned. Her fingers dug into his arm. “ Park .”
“You feel so good, Jenna.” He pressed his face to her hair, his breathing uneven, his breath hot on her neck. “Haven’t touched something so pretty, so good, in a long time.” He worked his finger in and out of her until all she could feel was pleasure. She couldn’t think at all.
“ Park ,” she cried.
His hand moved, and she gripped his wrist.
“Don’t stop.” Her voice was breathless.
“No plans to stop. This sweet pussy is so wet for me.”
His voice was low and gritty. Her belly clenched. He pushed another finger inside her, and made her feel the stretch. Then, with a curse, he shoved her shorts and panties down her legs, and she felt his hard cock throb against her ass.
For a second, his hand slid up under her pajama top and cupped one of her breasts. He pinched her nipple, and she let out a husky cry. Then his hand was gone, delving back between her legs. His fingers were back inside her, thumb on her clit, working her hard.
Now she was making desperate little sounds, her legs restless.
“You’re getting close,” he murmured. “I can’t wait to watch you come, Jenna.” He stroked deeper, his thumb pressing on her clit. “Come on my fingers. Let me hear you.”
She couldn’t hold back. She arched, pleasure exploding inside her. Her climax burst—hot and bright. So good. So damn good.
When she came back to reality, pleasure was a low hum in her blood and she was still breathless.
Park was still tense behind her. His cock felt even bigger, still pressing hard against her ass. There was a voice in her head yelling that she shouldn’t have done this. Shouldn’t have crossed this line.
She ignored it.
She wasn’t going to leave him like this. If there was one thing Jenna valued, it was fairness. She spun, her hands pushing at his boxer shorts.
“Jenna—”
“I want to touch you.” She met his gaze. “Is that okay? Can I touch your cock, Park?’
He swallowed. “Yes. Fuck, yes.”
She took his cock in both hands and stroked. He was long, with a lot of girth.
“Is this okay?” she asked.
Something flashed in his eyes. “Yeah, it’s okay. More than okay.”
She ran a finger down a thick vein on one side of his cock, liking the way his muscles tensed. Then she pumped him, and his groan filled the room.
She kept working him, and pre-come beaded on the swollen head. She ran her fingers through it.
That earned her a tortured groan. She met his gaze and found it locked on her, unblinking. The muscles in his neck were taut. She stroked harder. God, she wanted him in her mouth.
On the next stroke, his body locked, and she heard his fierce growl. “Coming. Jenna, fuck .”
She didn’t let go. She squeezed, and his release spurted on her fingers and hit her bare belly. His groan was low and sexy.
Finally, he sagged back on the bed. His dark gaze was on her, his eyelids hooded, his chest rising and falling fast.
She swallowed. She suddenly felt stripped of her defenses, her rock-solid control soft and crumbling. This man affected her like no one had before, and she wasn’t sure she liked it.
“I think we both needed that.” She scooted to the edge of the bed. “It was good stress relief.”
“Stress relief?” He sat up.
He looked so big and male, and she had to drag her gaze off him. “Yes, stress relief.”
He gripped her chin. “It was more than that and you know it.” His head lowered.
“No kissing,” she said. “It’s too intimate.” She couldn’t risk getting any closer to this man.
Couldn’t risk making another mistake.
He arched a brow. “Me fingering you until you came wasn’t intimate?” His voice lowered. “Me coming all over you isn’t intimate?” His gaze dropped to her bare belly, looking at his come smeared on her skin.
“Look, we’re attracted to each other. And it’s running pretty hot. I think trying to avoid it will only make it worse. So why not enjoy things while we can? Think of this as colleagues with benefits. I won’t be here long, and this is a tough, stressful situation.” She rose. “That work for you?”
He was quiet for a beat. “Yeah, that works for me.”
Her belly did a funny flutter but she wasn’t going to analyze why. “Good.”
He made a sound, and when she glanced back, he was staring at her.
“Park?” She tried to dredge up some dignity even though she had no panties on and her legs felt like Jell-O.
His gaze flicked to hers and she swallowed her gasp. It was searing hot.
“I like seeing my come marking your skin.”
His words were like an arrow of lust to her core. She swallowed.
Find some control, Jenna. Keep things casual.
“I’m going to take a shower. You can have it after me. We need to get ready for our hike and to find Olson.”
She spun, but she felt his gaze on her as she walked into the bathroom.
She needed to keep her head in the game, but Parker made it hard. She closed the door and pressed her forehead against the cool wood.
You have a job to do. Don’t let anything get in the way. Her mind was onboard, but her body was a different story.