The Risks

September: Chapter 31

"You sure you're okay?" Parker asked when we got back to the room.

"Yeah," I answered as I pulled my arms from the sleeves of my coat. Then after taking off my shoes and socks, I continued. "How come I've never heard you sing before?"

He sat on the foot of the bed and began untying his shoes. "I used to sing to Oakley."

"What?"

"Yeah, um... just not while you were around."

"Why not?"

He shrugged, tossing his shoes aside. "I thought it'd make you mad I guess."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he answered, giving me a teasing smile. "You can be so testy sometimes."

I raised an eyebrow. "You better watch it."

"Exactly."

I grinned and collected some clothes to sleep in. "I'm just going to change real quick."

"Okay."

I exited the room and stood with my back to the door for a moment. My heart thumped painfully in my chest. Had it been doing that all along or was it because I finally had a moment to myself to think about what I was about to attempt -what was maybe about to happen.

Don't think about it, just do it.

I took a deep breath in and slowly let it out through my nose. Then before I could talk myself out of it, I turned back toward the door.

I looked over my shoulder. The hallway was empty and quiet, as it usually was. I hadn't seen anyone else up here at all actually. I'd begun to wonder if we were the only people who were staying up here.

Confident that the coast was clear, I shimmied out of my jeans and added them to the pile of clothes I'd brought out here with me. The shirt I was wearing was long and covered the panties I was wearing. I unbuttoned the first few buttons of the shirt, exposing some of my chest, then pushed the door open and dropped the pile of clothes on the floor.

Parker was sitting on the foot of the bed still, only now, all he was wearing were his briefs and his left sock in which he was in the process of taking off. He looked up and froze, the sock halfway off his foot. His eyebrows were raised and his lips were slightly parted in surprise.

"What are you...?" he started, but the words faded quickly on his lips.

I flipped off the main light and the room was suddenly plunged into near darkness. There was only the warm light of the bedside lamp, but it was enough. I padded softly to the windows and glanced to the courtyard where I could see shadows dancing in the glow of the fire, then I closed all the blinds. I turned and walked to him slowly, enjoying his lingering gaze.

Once I reached him, I was expecting him to pull me to him or at least for him to touch me, but he only sat there. Careful eyes under dark lashes. If he needed a little more incentive, I think I could manage. I lifted my hands to the blouse and started to unbutton the remaining buttons. His eyes didn't leave mine. After the last button, I slipped the top from my shoulders and let it fall to the floor at my feet. Now it was just me standing there in front of him -more exposed than I'd ever been in my entire life- in just my lavender bra and grey panties combo.

"Claire," he whispered.

Then I was on him, pushing him into the mattress, straddling his waist.

He reacted like I'd hoped. Willing. Hungry.

His hands found their way to my face and his tongue traced my lips. His skin was warm and alive against mine. My breathing sped, my heart hammered. Parker sat up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. His hands moved to my back, where one of them lingered over the clasp of my bra and a light whimper escaped my lips. How badly I wanted him to touch me, but his hands continued to my hips were he used them to pull me closer to him. I could feel him against me. Evidence that he wanted this as much as I did. I rocked my hips, moving along his length and I heard him let out a strangled curse. His head was tilted back, his eyes screwed shut. My hands moved to my back where my shaking fingers fumbled with the clasp.