Chapter Twenty-Four
Audrey
I spot Heather the second I step into Whiskey Joe’s. I grab her arm and pull her into the break room, shutting the door behind us.
“It backfired,” I say.
“Backfired? What backfired?” she asks as she drops into one of the seats at the table.
“Your whole sleep with him, show him how good you’ve gotten at it, and then walk away plan,” I say as I pace.
It takes her a moment, but her eyes go wide the instant she catches on.
“You slept with Parker? When?”
“Last night.”
“Last night? I thought you were on a date with Warner last night?”
“I was.”
“So, how did you end up with Parker?” she asks, confused.
“Warner and I were at dinner, and all I could think about was Parker and that kiss,” I begin to explain.
“Kiss? What kiss?”
“The kiss isn’t important. The important thing is, Parker did it on purpose just to ruin my date. Then, he told me that all I was going to be able to think about was his mouth, and of course, that was all I could think about.”
“So, the kiss was hot?” she asks.
“Still not the point. Focus,” I command.
She nods her head. “Okay, you were at dinner, thinking about Parker’s mouth.”
“Yes, because he used some kind of sexy voodoo on me.”
“Sexy voodoo?”
“Yeah, sexy voodoo, and it ruined dinner. Although, if I’m being honest, I was bored. Warner’s nice. He’s good-looking. He has a good job. He’s stable. But he just doesn’t do it for me. It wasn’t going to go anywhere. You know what I mean?”
“Sure. Boring is bad,” she agrees.
“It really is. Anyway, I ended the date early and went home to curl up with a book. Then, guess who texted me.” I stop my pacing and look at her. “Go ahead and guess.”
“Parker?”
“Yes! Parker. He just casually texted to ask how my date was going. Unbelievable, right?”
“Totally,” she agrees.
I plop down beside her and sink my head into my hands.
After a few minutes, Heather leans over and bumps my shoulder with hers.
“How was it?” she whispers.
I peek at her through my fingers.
“Amazing,” I mumble.
“Really?”
“I came four times, and I swear I blacked out once,” I confess.
Her mouth drops open. “You’re kidding?”
“I wish I were. I had gone over there, intent on rocking his world and walking out, leaving him wanting; instead, I was the one whose world was knocked off its axis. I’m sore and exhausted, and the worst part is that I want to do it again and again.”
She blows out a long breath. “Okay, there’s a lot to unpack here and not much time. First of all, congratulations on all the orgasms. I mean, there’s good, and then there’s gooood . Second, who’s to say you didn’t rock his world? A man doesn’t just get it up four times for a dead fish in the bed. He obviously enjoyed himself. And let’s be honest; I bet he’s walking around a little sore himself after running that marathon. And last, if you want to do it again … and again … then do it.”
“That wasn’t the plan,” I screech.
“Screw the plan,” she shouts. “Literally and figuratively.”
“No, no, no. I cannot fall for Parker Alston.”
“So, don’t fall for him. Just fall on him. Repeatedly. Until you’ve had your fill. You’re both adults.”
I shake my head. “It’s so much more complicated than that. Plus, we work together,” I say.
“Pfffft. Don’t use that fraternization excuse. He’s a temp, not an employee. Besides, none of us adhere to that rule anyway.”
“You don’t?”
“God, no. We all fuck like rabbits. We just do it behind your back.”
“Heather!”
She waves off my scolding. “Let’s not get distracted. We have five more minutes, and you have to pull it together and steer this ship. Are you good?”
“No,” I grumble.
She stands and reaches for my hand to tug me up. “Then, you’ll just have to fake it,” she says as she drags me toward the door. Then, she stops and looks back at me. “Unlike last night.”
It’s a slow Sunday. I’m usually off, but I took the lunch and dinner shifts so Leonard could attend his parents’ anniversary party. It was the least I could do since I’d cut out early yesterday. He and Leena will be coming in to relieve me at five.
I calmed down halfway through the first shift. I realized that Heather was right about one thing: Parker and I are both adults, so we should be able to handle working together after a one-night stand, and that is exactly what last night was —an incredible night of sex, just a physical release. So, I practiced what I would say the next time see him.
Heather and I are eating a snack at the bar while reviewing my carefully crafted speech when Parker saunters in.
“I’ll just be over there,” Heather says, pointing toward the empty dance floor. She gives me a look that says, Eek , then scurries off.
Parker grabs a chili cheese fry from the plate we were sharing and throws it into his mouth as he sits on the stool she just vacated.
“What are you doing here? You’re not on the schedule today,” I ask as I swipe my mouth with a napkin.
“I came to see you,” he says as he continues to steal my fries.
I smack his hand away. “Hey, that’s my lunch.”
“Sorry. I worked up an appetite last night, and I’ve been starving all day,” he says as he tosses another fry into his mouth.
I roll my eyes. “Do you want a drink?”
“Nah. I just came to ask you if you had plans tonight.”
“Parker, we agreed that last night was a one-time thing.” I start reciting the words I rehearsed all afternoon. “I’m not going to spend the night with you every night. We aren’t dating. We aren’t anything.”
“You done?” he asks.
I blink at him. I expected him to be upset and argue with me, but instead, he just grins.
“First, it was a three-time thing, four if you count the shower this morning. And I’m not here to ask you to spend the night again,” he says before adding, “Who’s the conceited one now?”
I can feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment.
“Then, why do you want to know if I have plans?”
“The fall carnival is at the wharf today. We’ve all been hanging out there, and Amiya, Avie, and Leia want to see you. They sent me to see if you’ll join us when you get off. There’s gonna be fireworks at eight.”
“That sounds an awful lot like a date to me,” I say.
“It’s just friends spending time together, eating kettle corn and funnel cake while watching the kids play games and collect candy in their costumes.”
“I don’t know. I’ve been on my feet since noon, and as you know, I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
His eyes flicker with heat. “You have a couple of hours left in you. Don’t make me give Amiya your phone number,” he threatens.
“Fine,” I relent. “I’ll be home around six, and I’ll walk down and find you guys.”
He smiles triumphantly.
“Only because I want to see Leia in her costume,” I add.
He raps his knuckles on the bar as he stands. “I’ll take it. See you at six.”
He grabs one last fry, pops it into his mouth, and leaves through the employee door.
Heather races back to me. “So, how’d it go? Did you give him the speech?”
“Yeah, and terrible.”
“He didn’t take it well?”
“He took it fine,” I say.
“Then, what’s the problem?” she asks.
“I’m going to the carnival with him after work.”
Her mouth drops open. “Are you sure he heard the speech?”
“Oh, he heard it.”
“What’s your next move?” she asks.
“I’m going to go to the carnival, eat kettle corn and funnel cake, watch the kids in their costumes, and act like last night never happened.”
“That’ll never work,” she says. “You’ll be on orgasm five before the sun sets.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence. I think I’m strong enough to resist.”
She shrugs. “You can try, but, hey, losing doesn’t sound that bad if you ask me.”