Dare Me Not | 18+ ✔

31. Deeper (Xander)

I want to slap Tim across his face for putting his daughter in an uncomfortable situation in front of everyone. I'm sad and scared to see Parker's eyes flick with anger when her dad calls her mom's names, but she's smart enough not to pick a fight. Tim wouldn't like it for sure, especially when he's intoxicated like now.

For once, I have this urge to protect this girl from her asshole father. But what can I do? We're supposed to act as if we're no one around these people.

Still, I don't like the feeling of her ignoring me completely like this. Everyone knows we work together, and I'm hoping she, at least, behaves as though I exist. It's not that I want to be treated as her superior, who is hungry for validation. She just feels distant. It gives me an unsettling feeling.

I sigh at the thought and force myself to watch the father and daughter duet. They're singing their so-called special song titled Something Stupid by Frank Sinatra. Tim once mentioned that he listened to this song growing up. It might trigger a splendid memory from his past., but I don't think Parker feels the same way. She must remember the lyrics by heart now, yet she fixes her eyes on the screen to read the text, probably to avoid having eye contact with anyone in the room.

The girl stands rigidly in a blue wrap dress that hugs her toned body perfectly. Her V-neckline cuts quite low, which shows a part of her cleavage and the silky skin of her bosom; the new spot I love to bury my face. Her skirt falls at the knee level, nothing daring, but it shows her luscious legs. I still can hear her moan when I trailed kisses along her calves while I fucked her.

"I didn't know she could sing," Emma says, leaning to my ear. Her familiar sweet perfume mixed with a liqueur scent invades my nostrils.

Shit. For a moment, I forgot she was here with me. Tim invited her directly, to make sure she had no excuses since she missed his birthday a few weeks back. I'm not happy with the arrangement. Tim should have asked me, and for whatever reason, he should have let me decide whether I wanted to bring a plus one. What bothers me the most is Emma‌ acting content and elegant — her usual persona, as if we're a happy couple, but deep down, I know she's still pissed.

"You don't know about her at all," I reply in a low tone, "except for her wild maneuvers on the media."

Emma chuckles, but she sounds cynical in my ears. I never understand what her problem is with Parker. "Your opinion about media is always negative. Not all of them tell lies, though."

"Only a few tell the truth, and we don't know which one."

"So," she mumbles as she picks up her cocktail glass, "you now know about that girl more than everyone else on earth, huh? You've only been working with her for months, Xander, and you're already under her spell. That's" — she giggles — "disappointing."

"Not here, Emma," I said, partly growling. We've never argued in public, but with the amount of alcohol she's been drinking, I won't be too sure what she's going to do.

If Emma catches my annoyance, she doesn't show she gives it a damn. Instead, she sings along. "The time is right, your perfume fills my head, the stars get red, and oh, the night's so blue. And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like I love you."

I avert my eyes back to the stage, and it's when I realize Parker's gaze is on me, piercing me with an intense look. Finally, she notices me, but I'm not sure if I feel relieved or concerned. Her coldness has been making me nervous, for some reason. I want to know what she's thinking now. I need to connect with her.

My stomach flutters when Parker repeats the last line, even though she clearly doesn't sing it for me. Yet, her scrutinizing eyes make my breath hitch in my throat, causing me to forget to breathe for a few seconds. Am I imagining it? Does she sing the L line while locking her eyes with me to mess with my head?