Chapter 19
Jenna spun on the couch, laughing. “ No .”
Behind her, Park sank his teeth into her bare buttock. Her laughter increased, as did the electric sensations skating through her body.
He just finished fucking her brains out on the couch, so she shouldn’t feel desire like this again so soon.
They’d been watching a movie, but things had escalated.
He reached down and tickled behind her knee. Her secret ticklish spot that he’d recently discovered. He’d spent the last week learning and memorizing every part of her body.
“No,” she cried again. She rolled, and they overbalanced. They both tipped off the couch and landed on the floor. Of course, Park being Park, moved fast and landed first, breaking her fall.
“Your ribs?—”
“Are fine,” he assured her.
They’d been at his cabin for a week. He’d healed fast and was moving better. He’d proven that by fucking her in every room of the cabin, on just about every surface. Meanwhile, her bruises were a lovely puce color.
One day, they’d driven to Drifter Lake Lodge. They’d collected the rest of their things, and explained to Velma and Ross who they really were. When they’d talked about the Hoskins, Velma had cried on Jenna’s shoulder, and thanked her for getting justice for their friends. The couple had invited them back anytime.
Park kissed her, cupping the back of her head. The kiss was fierce, possessive, and filled with love.
Saying the words was hard for him, but he’d showed her every day what he felt for her. He worshiped her, took care of her. This man held her heart.
But worry niggled at her. He’d come to Alaska for peace and solitude…but her life was back in Virginia. She loved her job and her work was important to her.
She couldn’t stay in this cabin, isolated from the world, no matter how much she loved him.
“Hungry?” He rose, so at ease with his nakedness.
“I could eat.”
Park helped her to her feet, then pressed a quick kiss to the healing graze on her head. He pulled on his jeans, and she nabbed his T-shirt and slipped it over her head. She watched him putter around the kitchen, shirtless.
Mmm . She could watch him all day.
When he put some food on a small plate, she hid her smile. She followed him onto the deck and watched as he set the plate down by the steps. A ritual she’d seen him do every day.
Turned out that her man was a softy underneath the intense, grouchy badass.
He saw her face and she couldn’t hide her smile anymore.
“He might get hungry if I don’t feed him,” Park said defensively.
The squirrel appeared, skittering along the railing, then attacking the plate of food.
“He’s a squirrel, Park.”
“Yeah, but you never know.” He glanced down. “Red, have some manners.”
The animal had scattered food everywhere.
She walked over and leaned against Park’s back, enjoying his warm skin.
He reached back and touched her. “Something’s bothering you.” He turned to face her.
“No. I love it here. You picked a great spot.”
He cupped the uninjured side of her face. “I’ve become an expert in all your facial expressions. When you’re happy, aroused, calm, stressed… And worried.”
She blew out a breath. Damn him for reading her so easily. “I love being with you. This week… It’s been perfect.”
She felt the tension fill his body. “But?”
“There is no but.”
“There is. Jenna?—”
She met his gold-brown gaze head on. “I love you, Parker.”
A muscle in his jaw ticked. “I love you too. More than I ever thought possible.”
“I also love my job.”
“And you’re damn good at it. You put people like Olson away. The world needs you.”
“I can’t do it here,” she whispered, her fingers digging into his skin.
His lips quirked. “I know.”
“I want to be with you. And not just sometimes, or on the odd vacation. I want to be with you every day. I want to know I’m coming home to you.”
“I want that as well.” He pulled her closer. “That’s why I’m coming with you.”
She blinked. “What?”
“I want you to come home to me every day. I want you to sleep in my arms every night. I…came here to hide. I thought this place would give me peace. The only real peace I’ve found is when I’m with you.”
Warmth wrapped around her heart. “Park?—”
“I’m coming with you. We’ll make a life together, our way. I don’t need to hide in the dark anymore.”
She grinned, unable to hold her happiness in. “We’re doing this?”
“Yes.”
She squealed, then jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. His hand slid under her ass.
“Have I mentioned how much I love you?” She attacked his neck with her mouth. She barely registered his scars under her lips. They were a part of him. A part of the man she loved.
He arched his head. “I’m not going to stop from you telling me over and over again.” He carried her toward the door. Then he stumbled and cursed.
She tightened her hold on him. “Park?”
“Damn you, Red.” Park lifted his foot. “He moved the plate right where I would step on it. I swear that squirrel is trying to kill me.”
“We’ll keep the cabin,” she said. “We’ll come here for our vacations and visit Red.”
Park smiled. “Yeah. And so I have a place where I can keep my beautiful marshal naked all the time.” His mouth devoured hers.
She nipped his bottom lip. “I like the sound of that.”
“Good.” He headed for the bedroom. “Because I plan to get you naked now.”
A few months later
“Reservation for Conroy.”
The hostess at the Waterbar Restaurant in San Franciso smiled and nodded. “This way, sir.”
She led Park to a table by the windows and he ordered a bourbon. Then he looked out the glass at the stellar view of the Bay Bridge. The lights on it sparkled in the night sky.
He and Jenna lived in San Francisco now. Jenna had gotten a transfer with the Marshal Service to the San Francisco office. And Parker had taken a job at Norcross Security.
He loved it. The job had variety and was generally safe. He got to help people without the work stealing his soul.
He got to see Vander every day and he’d made friends with the other Norcross employees.
And he was close to his woman if she needed him.
He and Jenna had pooled their resources and bought a house that backed onto the Presidio. She’d told him that she didn’t want him to feel hemmed in by the city. At their home, he could look out the window and see trees. When he needed space, he could run in the park.
He loved their life here. The life they were making together.
Tonight, he had something else for her. He touched the small box resting in his pocket.
Shit, he felt exactly how he did before a dangerous mission.
Then he saw her.
She’d changed. When she’d left for work this morning, she’d been wearing dark jeans and a suede jacket. She was now wearing a killer little black dress that ended at her knees and had a neckline that plunged in a deep V. Her blonde hair was loose, and she looked gorgeous.
A man at a nearby table turned to watch her walk past, smiling with appreciation.
Park glared at the man, and sensing something, the man looked over. When he met Park’s gaze, the man quickly turned back to his food.
“Are you intimidating people?” Jenna stopped beside him. “You’ve got your badass face on.”
He rose and pulled her close. “I’m only intimidating men who are looking at what’s mine.”
His lips touched hers and she opened for him. He kissed her deeply, loving the husky sound she made.
“I only have eyes for you, Park,” she murmured, a little breathless.
“Good.” He held out a chair for her.
She sat. “I love the view.”
He kept his gaze on her. “Me too.”
Her lips twitched. “Look at you with the charm.”
“How was work?”
“Good. I caught some bad guys. You?”
“Same. Caught some bad guys.” He couldn’t wait any longer. He reached across the table and took her hand. “Jenna?”
Her brow creased, her fingers twining with his. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He swallowed. “Nothing at all. Everything’s right whenever I’m with you.” He slipped his hand into his pocket, then set the box in the middle of the table between them.
Her chest hitched and she stared at the box. “I know you’re a man of action, Park, but I need some words right now.”
There was a flush in her cheeks and her eyes were alight with love.
She loved him. It still amazed him.
He flicked the box open. “Jenna, I love you. You’re it for me, and every day, you make my world a better place. Will you marry me? Will you be mine? Always.”
She pressed her other hand over his. “Yes, because I’m already yours.” She wiggled her fingers. “Put it on.”
“I wanted to get you a ring that wouldn’t get in your way. That you can wear to work.” The ring was two bands of glittering diamonds twisted together. There was no large stone to snag on anything. He slid it onto her finger.
Shit, his hands were shaking.
“I love it. I love you.” She rose and Park pushed his chair back. He pulled her onto his lap. He didn’t care that they were in the middle of a restaurant.
“Mine,” he murmured.
“Yours.”
He was still kissing her when screams broke out, and glass shattered on the floor.
Jenna jerked.
Park looked up and saw two men wearing balaclavas storm into the restaurant. One was holding a shotgun and the other a handgun.
“We want everyone’s phones, wallets, and jewelry,” one man yelled, opening a black sack. “Put everything in here, and no one gets hurt.”
Jenna’s gaze narrowed. “These two picked the wrong place.”
Park hid a smile. “They sure did. I love watching my kickass marshal in action.”
She patted his jaw. “I love having my badass man as my backup.”
They waited until the men closed in on their table. Jenna morphed into a terrified woman. “Oh my God, please don’t hurt us!”
“Just hand over your stuff.” The man shook the sack. “Now!”
Jenna squeezed Park’s leg, indicating which guy she was going for. The one with the sack.
That left shotgun guy for him. Good .
Jenna rose. “Oh, God. Oh, God.”
Jeez, she was good. If he didn’t know her, he’d believe she was terrified.
“Put it all in the bag.” The man held the sack out.
Jenna stood. “I don’t think so.” She took a step, grabbed the bag, and twisted it, tangling it around the man’s arm.
His brows snapped together. “Hey?—”
She rammed her leg up, kneeing him between the legs. He let out a sound that made Park wince.
The other man started to move. Park attacked. He shot out of his chair and yanked the shotgun out of the man’s hands. He whirled it around and rammed the butt of the shotgun into the man’s gut. He doubled over with a loud oof , and Park gripped the back of his neck and slammed his face into the table. The plates and cutlery rattled.
The man let out a gurgle and dropped to the floor.
Jenna drove her guy to his knees.
“US Marshal, asshole. You’re under arrest.” She raised her head. “Someone call 911, please.”
“On it,” a man said, fumbling for his cellphone.
The restaurant broke out in cheers and applause.
A man in a suit, the restaurant manager, hurried over. “Thank you. Thank you so much!”
“I’m US Marshal Jenna Sheridan. And this is…my fiancé, Parker. We just got engaged, and I wasn’t planning to hand over my new engagement ring to these guys.” She held out her hand to show the man.
The manager smiled. “It’s a lovely ring. After the police have dealt with these men, your dinner and drinks are on the house.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
“Oh, and congratulations, to both of you,” the manager added.
Jenna stepped over one of the whimpering bad guys and kissed Park. He pulled her close.
“We’ll have to make dinner quick,” she said, “because I have the urge to get home and fuck my fiancé.”
A shot of heat punched into his gut. He couldn’t love her more. She was his perfect match. She was the perfect blend of beauty, smart, toughness, and sexiness.
“And I can’t wait to fuck my fiancée,” he replied.
She smiled at him with love on her face, and Park thanked whatever gods had sent her his way. A part of him was damn glad Olson had run off to Alaska and brought Jenna Sheridan knocking on Park’s door.
She’d pulled him out of the shadows, she’d given him peace, and now he’d spend every day of his life loving her.
I hope you enjoyed Parker and Jenna’s story! Thank you so much for loving these Unbroken Heroes as much as I have.