Leave the Lights On (23 page)

Parker stared at her for a second then shook his head. “Kind of kissed you?”

Sophie tightened her hold on his hand and nodded. “Just for a second. I pulled away, and he said it was a mistake.”

Parker stood up and paced across the room, a hand firmly anchored in his hair. “A mistake? What… How do…”

Sophie could see him trying to visualize exactly what had happened and she hated it. How many times had she sat imagining what Nate looked like when he was having his affair?

Her throat burned. “I think he realized he shouldn’t have done it as soon as it happened.” She wasn’t entirely sure that was true but she wanted to say anything to get that look off Parker’s face. Hurt mixed with anger. It made her physically ill.

“So typical,” Parker muttered. She couldn’t tell if he was talking to her or himself. “Good old Joey. Going after whatever he wants. Don’t kid yourself, Soph—this wasn’t a mistake. He’s always wanted you. I knew that since we were kids. But now that you and I are together. Jesus. I’d have thought that would have made a difference. Shows what I know.”

“You knew? Because I didn’t have a clue.” Sophie flopped back against the couch cushion. “I’m such an idiot.”

“What? No.” Parker sat down next to her. “There’s only one idiot in this scenario, and it’s Joey. Okay, maybe two idiots, because I didn’t see this coming, and that certainly doesn’t make me a genius.”

“I’m sorry,” Sophie said.

Parker’s stomach dropped. He searched her eyes. “For what?”

“I don’t want to be responsible for you two fighting. I was so happy about how well you were getting along. I love how you guys are together.”

His knee bobbed and he couldn’t make it stop. “This isn’t your doing. I mean…unless… Did you want him to kiss you?”

Sophie’s mouth fell open, and she looked him straight in the eyes. “No. Of course not. I love you.”

Relief washed over him as he realized she was telling the truth.
Thank God.
Goose bumps ran down his arms. He hadn’t noticed how tense he’d gotten until his body started to relax. Sophie hadn’t wanted this. It was all Joey. “I’m sorry. I had to ask.”

“I know you did. But I don’t want you to think that for even a second. You and Joey are two of my favorite guys on the planet, but you’re the one I want to be with.”

The need to kiss her overwhelmed him. He drew her down on the couch, feeling her warmth as she stretched out alongside him. Kissing her, letting her sweet taste fill his senses, he forgot about everything else. All he wanted was Sophie. Now. Always.

Her fingers tugged his shirt out of his pants as he slipped her shorts and panties down her legs. Wiggling her hand between them, she undid his jeans and began pushing them off. Parker lifted his hips and shoved them down, kicking them off. Sophie curled her fingers around him, stroking as he returned to kissing her.

His fingers slid inside her. It didn’t matter how many times he did it, the feel of her—warm, wet, inviting—drove him wild. Curling his fingertips, he felt along the swells and curves, pressing gently, stroking until he heard her gasp. Every sharp intake of breath sent a surge of electricity through him. He loved knowing that he was bringing her pleasure.

Sophie cried out, her breath rasping in his ear. He kissed her neck, feeling her pulse against his lips, waiting until her breathing slowed.

“Make love to me,” she whispered. “I need you inside me.”

Eager to oblige, he slid on top of her, but as he braced his right arm against the sofa for leverage a sharp pain shot through his shoulder. He forced himself back against the couch so his weight wouldn’t fall on top of her.

“Fuck.” The stabbing sensation turned to a deep ache as he tried to move again.

“Are you okay?” Sophie’s eyes were dark with worry.

“Shit.” His eyelids slammed shut as he tried to will himself to ignore the pain. He knew he’d pulled something when he’d punched Nate, and tonight when he’d been helping Tyler in and out of the car he’d felt it give again. Paired with the tension from the evening, it was no wonder he was having spasms.

He could hear Tanya’s voice in his head. “Stress makes it all worse.” He didn’t give a shit what the cause was. All he cared about was that at the moment he didn’t even have the strength to hold up his own body weight.
Jesus Christ.

“I’m sorry. I can’t.” He sat up, feeling humiliated.

“Is it your shoulder?” Sophie asked, tucking her legs under her.

“Yeah.” He tried to massage the knot out, but it was no use. It spasmed again so hard he cringed.

Sophie leaned forward and kissed his cheek, her warm hand moving his out of the way as her fingers smoothed over his shoulder. “Let me do it.”

As she continued to massage, she kissed him. Slowly, then with more intensity. She shifted, swinging a leg across his lap so she sat straddling him. Pressing harder against his shoulder, she found the knotted muscles, kneading them as her tongue distracted him, flicking against his lower lip, swirling its way into his mouth.

She rocked her hips against his erection, her wetness coating him. “You don’t always have to do all the work, you know.”

“I don’t consider it work,” he said, clutching her ass, drawing her tighter against him.

Sophie undid the buttons of his shirt, pushing the fabric off his shoulders as she kissed her way down his neck, across his chest. Her lips traced over his scars, kissing them. Her warm tongue erased the remaining tension. Reaching between them, she curled her fingers around him, raising up on her knees then slowly sinking down, easing him inside her.

Parker groaned. Her body was always the perfect fit with his, but from this angle, she felt even tighter than usual. He pushed her shirt over her breasts, leaning forward to take one nipple in his mouth as his hand pressed into the soft skin of her lower back. Sophie raised and lowered herself, swiveling her hips, grinding herself against him.
So fucking sexy.

Her hair caressed his face as she kissed him. He tugged her hips down harder, lifting off the couch to thrust into her. Easing one hand between them, he stroked her, feeling her wetness coat his thumb. Sophie’s breath rushed against his neck in short, hot bursts as she braced her arm against the back of the couch.

Her internal muscles clenched around him so tightly that for a second neither of them could move. Frozen in that instant, he felt as if his entire body might burst. Everything felt taut—his chest, his throat, his stomach. His balls drew up tight against his body, aching for release. As Sophie contracted around him, he reached the point of no return. Clutching her to him, he called out as he pulsated inside her.

When they’d both caught their breath, Sophie eased off his lap. “I’ll be right back.”

He watched as she scooted down the hall toward the bathroom. Parker’s brain was still mush but as soon as he started thinking, his first thought was of Joey. He slipped his boxers and jeans back on.

“You want some water?” Sophie asked. He turned to see her reaching into the cupboard for a glass. She still wore just her T-shirt and when she reached, it pulled up high enough to reveal the rounded curves of her beautiful ass.

“Sure.” He didn’t care about the water. He just wanted to see her get another glass down.

She returned to the couch and curled up next to him, taking a sip of water before setting it on the coffee table. “You okay?” she asked.

“I’m fine. You’re amazing.” He leaned in and gave her a kiss.

“Do you want to watch a movie?”

“Okay.” He placed his glass on the table next to hers and picked up the remote. Sophie curled up with her head on his lap.

Stroking her hair as they watched the television, Parker wondered how the hell he’d managed to get so lucky. Sophie was, without question, the best thing that had ever happened to him and the most important person in his life.

He noticed that her breathing had slowed, her body resting heavier against him. She was sound asleep. Moving as slowly as he could, he eased her off his lap and onto a pillow. He grabbed the throw from the back of the chair and gently covered her. She looked so serene and peaceful. The opposite of how he felt.

It was past midnight, but he knew he wouldn’t get any sleep until he’d taken care of things. He scrawled a note on Sophie’s kitchen notepad and placed it on the coffee table then quietly sneaked out the back door. He watched from the porch, making sure she hadn’t woken up. She remained still.
Good. No sense in her worrying
.

Parker arrived at Joey’s address glad to see that there were no other cars there. He’d been fairly certain that he’d have gone ahead and confronted Joey even if there’d still been a dozen people present but he realized it was better that this stay where it belonged, between the two of them.

He rang the doorbell, taking in the outside of the house. With the lights shining up from strategic spots in the perfectly sculpted landscaping, the whole front of the house glowed. All white, angles and windows. The house screamed money. It was the kind of house that could easily have been on the cover of one of Sophie’s home-design magazines. She was always scouting for unique or luxurious places to rent for weddings.

This was exactly the kind of house she always chose.
Is this what she wants? I can’t give her this.
Joey obviously could. His stomach turned.

Joey answered the door, not looking at all surprised to see him standing there. Parker’s spine stiffened the second he saw him.

Joey stepped aside to let him in. Walking past him, Parker took a quick look around.
Holy shit.
His eyes swept over the enormous great room, which was already filled with every gadget imaginable. It looked like an electronics store and a Frontgate catalog had rented the room to display all their latest products. A mix of anger and jealousy percolated, and he turned, ready to tell Joey just what he thought of him.

“Look, man,” Joey said. “I’m sorry, I fucked up. You know I’ve always had a thing for Sophie and, I don’t know…she was here, she was right there in front of me and…I wasn’t thinking. I just acted. It was a dick move. I was totally out of line. I’m sorry.”

An apology was the last thing Parker had expected to hear. He remained, stunned, staring at him.

Joey scrubbed his hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the ground. “You know she shot me down, right?”

“Yeah, she mentioned that.”

“You know she’s the only woman who’s ever done that?”

Parker bristled. “You’re breaking my heart.”

“You don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what? That you’re used to having women fall at your feet? Yeah I get that. I’ve always gotten that.”

Joey snorted. “Not that. All those women? Not one was a real relationship. You know why?”

“Because you’re an asshole?”

Joey flinched and Parker felt a twinge of guilt. “Maybe. But the other reason is because I didn’t really like any of them. There’s not a single woman I’ve ever dated who I wanted to actually sit and talk to. And then there’s Sophie. God. I’d forgotten how much fun she is. I’d forgotten what it felt like to be around her. This whole summer hanging out with the two of you, it all came back.”

Parker knew exactly what he meant. The three of them had fallen into their old friendship and it had felt great. And Sophie was the easiest person to talk to that he’d ever known. It wasn’t hard to understand why Joey’s old feelings had come back. Just like Parker’s had.

“Why didn’t you say anything to me?”

Joey looked at him like he was an idiot. “I may be an asshole but I have some sense of etiquette. Even I know you don’t tell your buddy you’re thinking about his girl.”

“But you get her alone for ten minutes and you make a move on her? That’s okay with your delicate sense of proper etiquette?”

“Look, I said I fucked up. But this wasn’t the first time I was alone with her. I didn’t try anything any of the other times. I don’t know what happened tonight. Seeing her in my house, in the kitchen, just the two of us. I got a flash of what it would be like if we were a couple. And I kissed her. I swear to God I didn’t plan to do it. Shit, I thought you were coming with her tonight.”

That was true. And he knew they had hung out before without him. He’d had other opportunities and hadn’t done anything. Still. It didn’t change the facts. Parker paced, trying to decide what he even wanted to say. The farther he walked into the house, the more he found himself looking at all of Joey’s crap.

He’d moved in a week ago but it looked like he’d been living there forever. Every wall adorned with pictures, the patio set with furniture, the dining room cabinets filled with china.
It’s like a goddamned suite on a luxury cruise ship.

Joey followed him, looking around with him. “I still can’t believe I live here. I wake up and I think to myself, is this me? Is this who I am now? It’s fucking surreal.”

“I’ll bet.”

“I’m serious. I mean, you grew up in a nice house. I grew up with mismatched dishes sharing a room with two brothers.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty amazing what a big signing bonus can buy. I remember both of us planning what we’d do when we got them. Well, you got yours and did exactly what you wanted. You’ve got absolutely everything you and I both wanted.” Parker’s throat felt tight.
Every goddamned thing.