Chapter Twenty-Five
Parker
I try my best not to look toward Audrey’s apartment while Sebastian and I toss rings at bottles, trying to win Leia a stuffed unicorn. We’ve spent thirty dollars each so far, and still no luck. We could have bought six unicorns by now, but we all know that stuffed animals mean more to a girl when you win them. That’s just how it is.
Girl logic.
I pitch my last ring and throw my hands in the air as it bounces off a green bottle and falls to the ground. “Your turn, Lennon,” I say, stepping away from the booth.
“No way. That game is rigged,” he gripes.
“You can do it, Uncle Lennon,” Leia cries.
He looks down at her, and his eyes soften. She is dressed in a long-sleeved purple leotard, pink leggings, and a rainbow tutu. Her ringlet curls are gathered on top of her head, and an artist painted a gold mask on her face, outlined in white glitter. Her lips are bright red from eating cotton candy, and she is wearing a pair of iridescent wings.
“All right, munchkin, I’ll give it a try.”
Amiya and Avie approach, each holding red-and-white checkered paper trays filled with chicken fingers and corn dogs. “Look who we found!” Amiya exclaims as Audrey steps up beside them.
She’s wearing black leggings and a loose Hocus Pocus sweatshirt with her hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“You came!” Leia shouts as she jumps up and down.
Audrey drops to one knee. “I did just to see the little pixie fairy I heard was flitting around.”
“That’s me,” Leia squeals.
“I see that. You look adorable, kiddo,” she says, tapping the tip of Leia’s nose.
“Uncle Lennon is gonna win me a unicorn,” she tells her.
“Hey, what about Daddy?” Sebastian calls over his shoulder as he lays another twenty on the table.
“He’s trying, but he’s not very good,” Leia whispers to Audrey, and we all burst into laughter.
“Come on. Let the men lose their money and come eat,” Avie says, taking Leia’s hand and leading her to a picnic table.
Amiya follows, but Audrey stands and looks at me.
“You made it,” I say.
“I made it,” she repeats. We stand there, staring at each other for a few beats before she speaks. “I was promised there would be funnel cake. And someone did eat half my lunch, so …”
I chuckle. “Let’s get you a funnel cake,” I say.
We are standing outside the food truck’s window, waiting for her cake, when I hear my name being called. Turning, I see Anson approaching with two girls.
“Hi, Audrey. I didn’t know you were here,” Anson says as one of the girls skips over, throws her arms around my neck, and kisses my cheek.
“Hey, Parker.”
“Chelcie,” I say, unraveling from her hold and stepping back. “I didn’t know you were in town.”
“We weren’t supposed to be, but Amy got a wild hair last night and talked me into a quick trip,” Chelcie says.
“I ran into them in the beer line, and they insisted they join me in finding you,” Anson says as he hands me one of the cans he’s holding, his tone apologetic.
“Yep. We were hoping to run into you guys, and there he was,” Chelcie says as she beams up at me.
I look over my shoulder, and Audrey quirks an eyebrow.
“Um, girls, this is my … this is Audrey. Audrey, this is Amy and Chelcie. Amy’s parents own the beach house beside our condo.”
Chelcie’s gaze flits to Audrey. “Oh, hi. Nice to meet you,” she says as if she didn’t notice Audrey until now.
“You too.”
“Parker,” the man at the window calls out.
I reach over and clasp Audrey’s hand, then turn to Chelcie. “Our funnel cake is ready. It was good to see you again.”
Chelcie glances down at our entwined fingers and backs up. “Good to see you again too.”
Anson tosses his arm around Amy’s neck. “Why don’t I buy you girls a drink?”
Audrey tugs her hand loose from me as he leads them away.
She stomps to the window, claims the confection, and moves to the counter to drown it in powdered sugar. Then, I follow as she makes her way into the crowd.
“Yes, Chelcie is someone I used to spend time with occasionally, but not recently,” I say into her ear.
“I didn’t ask,” she quips.
“I know, but I just wanted to make that clear. I had no idea they were here.”
She turns abruptly. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. We’re just friends. You can join them if you’d like. I came to see Amiya and Avie.”
Son of a bitch .
“I have no desire to join them,” I say.
“You sure? They’re staying next door. You might be passing on a good time tonight,” she snaps.
“Positive. And if you’re not comfortable with them staying next door, all you have to do is invite me to stay the night at your place,” I say as I step closer to her. “But I have to admit, your possessive side is kind of a turn-on.”
She huffs. “Me? Possessive of you? In your dreams!”
“True enough,” I reply. “Now, come on, Tiger. Let’s go see if Sebastian and Lennon need a loan yet.”
Lennon makes a backdoor deal with the teenager running the ring toss and walks away with a unicorn under his arm. Luckily, the girls had already wrangled Leia to find a spot to watch the fireworks, so the little princess would be none the wiser. We stop to order half a dozen cups of hot chocolate and go in search of the women.
We find them gathered together on the lawn that overlooks the water. They are seated on sand blankets with quilts pulled over them. Leia is curled up in Avie’s lap, her fairy wings crushed between them. Wade and Eden have joined them, and Eden and Amiya are sifting through Leia’s candy basket. Audrey is seated on a blanket by herself, her eyes trained on Anson, who has both Amy and Chelcie on a blanket across from the others.
Fucking Anson.
Sebastian and Lennon start handing out cups to their girls, and I take a seat behind Audrey.
She glances over her shoulder at me.
“Cocoa?” I ask as I set the cardboard tray aside. I settle in close, take the quilt she has in her lap, and tug it over the two of us.
“I’m fine,” she quips, obviously annoyed by Chelcie’s presence.
I don’t blame her. If Warner the douche were sitting in our circle right now, I’d be less than thrilled. But if I’m being honest, I’m enjoying her jealousy quite a bit.
I wrap an arm around her middle and tug her in close. “Relax,” I whisper in her ear as the show begins.
The first firework blooms; it starts as a slow whistle and then crescendoes into a sharp crack, exploding into glittering reds and golds that scatter across the night sky. The colors ripple over the water, causing it to shimmer like liquid fire.
“I am relaxed,” she retorts, even though she’s as tense as a fishing line with a catch on the hook.
After I glance around and notice that everyone’s attention is focused on the erupting sky, I let my hand glide down her stomach and slide it into the waistband of her leggings.
She stiffens.
“What are you doing?” she asks between gritted teeth.
“Helping you relax. Now, hush and enjoy the lights,” I say before casually leaning back on my free hand and taking her with me. The quilt completely hides my actions.
“Parker,” she gasps.
“Shh.” I kiss her temple.
She squirms as she looks around at the carnival revelers, but a moan escapes her lips, and her head falls against my chest when my fingers slide inside her panties to find her wet. I glide one through her slick folds and smile to myself as her knees fall open to give me better access.
That’s my girl.
Slipping a finger inside of her, I start to pump in and out slowly. My dick twitches as her muscles clench, sucking it deeper. I add another finger, and her legs begin to tremble slightly. My thumb presses against her tight little bundle of nerves.
We are surrounded by the music, the crowd, and the sounds of the fireworks exploding above, but it’s like the two of us are in our own little bubble as I coax out her pleasure.
“Parker,” she whispers, and it’s a plea as her hand covers mine beneath the blanket.
She’s about to come.
I slow my pace and lighten the pressure, and she whimpers. But before she can protest, a dozen rockets whirl around us as Sebby and Donnie Dale launch the last of the explosives into the sky for the grand finale. The crowd cheers, the booms scream, and the horizon explodes into an electric display of bursting colors. I lean up and start pumping my fingers into her at a maddening pace as my other hand joins in, circling her clit.
Her orgasm floods my hand just as the last explosion of colors rains down around us.
The crowd applauds, and I slip my hands from under the quilt. I bring my middle and pointer fingers to my mouth. She watches me with languid eyes as I lick them clean.