Leave the Lights On (6 page)

Tanya sighed. “I miss dating. Marriage really fucks that up.”

“You kill me.”

“Not yet. Roll over, we’ll see what I can do.”

Parker braced his arms on the narrow table and flipped onto his stomach. “Give it your best shot.”

“I intend to. Though I don’t want you too sore for date night.”

Parker’s breath caught in his chest.
Date night
. He hadn’t had anything remotely resembling a date in over two years. Not to mention that he’d never really dated anyone but Chrissie.
Jesus. What the fuck do I even do on a date?

“You have a favorite restaurant? Or, you know, one you’d like to go to if you ever dated anymore?” he asked.

“Depends what you mean by favorite. You want fun and casual? Or fancy favorite?”

I have no idea.
“How about telling me both?”

“Well, for casual I like Kelsey’s Pub. Good burgers, live music most nights, but it’s a little noisy—not great for talking. For fancy I like La Cippolina. Cozy little tables, candlelight, crazy-good food.”

What’s better for a first date?
He didn’t want to look like an idiot and ask
.
“If you could only go to one, which do you like better?”

“Are you trying to impress her?”

Tanya’s hand dug into a particularly sore spot on his hip, and he grunted, gritting his teeth against the pain. “I just want to have a good time.”
Understatement. I want this to be perfect.

“Why don’t you start with Kelsey’s. It’s nice and relaxed. If you get a second date out of her, then you can impress her with a night at La Cippolina.”

“Thanks.”
If?
He tried to breathe deeply and not tense as she pressed harder, kneading a knot.

“That’s why you pay me the big bucks. But since I’m helping with the plans, I’m gonna expect details on Monday.”

“You always expect details.”

“Good point.” She touched a spot that made Parker see stars. He clenched his eyes tightly, inhaling deeply through his nose, and attempted to let thoughts of Sophie carry him away.

“On your left side.” Tanya patted his hip and he rolled to the side, trying not to cringe from the intensified ache. “You nervous?”

Shit, is it that obvious?
“Not exactly.”

Tanya’s raised eyebrow spoke volumes as she stared right into his eyes.

Parker sighed. “Fine. A little. I haven’t been on a date in years.”

“I’m pretty sure they haven’t changed much.”

“Probably not. But I haven’t had a first date since high school.”

“Breathe deep.” Tanya positioned herself alongside him, and he knew she was getting ready to stretch the tightest muscles in his leg.

Drawing in a slow, steady breath, he realized how nervous he really was. Forget butterflies, it felt like he had bats circling in his stomach. Remembering the kiss they’d shared was the only thing keeping him from totally freaking.

Kisses
. More than one. It had felt so good to kiss someone.
No. Not just someone. To kiss her.
To have her in his arms.

“You’ll do great, Parker. What woman in her right mind wouldn’t want to be with you?”

Chrissie.

“Whoa, kid. What just happened? You knotted up from head to toe.” Tanya’s hand stilled. “Back on your stomach. We need you more relaxed before we work on the leg.”

Parker positioned himself on the table, his face nestled in the cutaway cushion. He closed his eyes and heard her step aside and pump more goop onto her hands.

“Talk to me,” she said. “We’re not gonna be able to finish this session until you can relax a little, so whatever it is, spit it out.”

Parker took a deep breath, flinching as she smoothed the icy gel over his skin. He opened his mouth, but the words that were choking him couldn’t come out. “It’s nothing,” he managed to say.

Tanya snorted. “You want me to guess?”

“Not really.”

“Let’s see if I can guess.” She worked her hands in a circular pattern across his back, pressing hard, forcing him to loosen up, even though he felt himself fighting her. “You’re friends already, so you must be sure she likes you. You care where you’re taking her, so obviously you like her. You worried about the sex?”

Parker’s face flooded with heat. He remained silent.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Don’t worry about that. It’s like riding a bicycle. You won’t have forgotten.”

Swallowing hard and squeezing his eyes shut, Parker braced himself against the pressure of Tanya’s hands as the icy sensation turned to heat. “You can’t forget something you never knew.”

Her hands froze for a second, and he knew she was processing what he said. His face burned hotter than the goop on his back. She started rubbing again, concentrating on a knot deep in his shoulder where he tended to carry the most tension. “Never?”

He shook his head from side to side, certain he was ironing the sheet beneath him with the heat radiating from his face.

“Weren’t you and that other girl engaged?”

Tanya dug her fingers into a spot so tight Parker grunted, but focusing on the pain made it easier to talk. “Yep. Minister’s daughter. Wanted to wait ’til we were married.”

“Jesus.”

“Yep, it’s Jesus’s fault.”

Tanya laughed. “Good one. How long were you two together?”

“Four years.” As painful as it was to discuss, Parker felt some of the tension draining out of him. Keeping a secret that big had weighed on him more than he realized. Humiliating as it was to admit, at least someone knew. And she hadn’t fallen over in a dead faint or anything.

“You’re a good guy. I know a lot who wouldn’t have agreed to wait.”

“I know. Like the one she cheated on me with.”
Might as well make the humiliation complete.

“Look, Park, this is all in the past. Focus on your life now. If Sophie’s as awesome as you’re telling me she is, she’s not going to care.”

“I just don’t want to be… I don’t want to screw up.” His heart pounded against the massage table hard enough he could count the beats.

“Screw up the sex? First off there are plenty of guys with tons of experience who screw up sex. Women are used to that, so right there—please—take some pressure off yourself. Are you worried you’re not gonna know what to do? I mean, without prying too much, did you and your ex do anything? Or not at all?”

Parker sighed, digging his forehead farther into the face cushion, beyond grateful that this had all come up during a facedown part of the treatment. “We did some stuff. Not a lot. And she was never really that into it.”

Tanya moved back down toward Parker’s thigh. He wasn’t sure if she thought he’d relaxed enough that she could work on it or if she sensed that he needed the distraction of more pain to keep up the conversation.

As she stretched the damaged muscle, she continued. “It doesn’t matter, really. Every woman is different. Any time you’re with someone new, you have to discover what works for her. That’s true for any guy. Trust me on that. Even the ones who think they’ve got it all figured out—half the time they don’t. They just think they do. Biggest mistake guys make is rushing. Don’t rush things. Go slow.”

“What do you mean?”

Tanya paused then went back to stretching his leg. “It’s kind of like massage. A good therapist doesn’t just go straight to work on the trouble spot, they get to know the person’s body. I always tell you I could do this job blind because I see with my hands. A good lover sees with his hands.”

That makes sense.
“Okay.”

“Take your time. Women like to be touched. All over, not just on the naughty bits.”

Parker breathed out a laugh then groaned as Tanya bent his leg at the knee then tugged it down, stretching the sore ligaments to their fullest reach.

“And ask her questions. Most guys don’t do that, but they should.”

“What kind of questions?”

“Simple things like ‘does that feel good?’ You’d be surprised how many women will let a guy keep doing something that feels awful because they don’t want to tell him he’s doing it wrong and make him feel bad. If you ask, you’re giving her the opportunity to tell you and maybe show you how to do it the way she prefers it.”

Oh Jesus.
The thought of doing stuff wrong filled him with a dread so heavy he felt like he could sink right through the table from the weight of it. “Okay.”

“Just pay attention. The fact that you’re worried about it means you care, and that right there gives you a huge advantage over half the guys out there. Seriously. You’ll do fine.” She took her hands off his leg, and he heard her wiping them on a towel. “Lay there for a few minutes and rest. I worked you kind of hard today.”

Parker was thankful to be able to stay face down until she left the room. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” She reached over and ruffled the back of his hair. “Have fun on your date. Just be yourself and remember, she’s a lucky girl.”

Lucky? We’ll see.

Chapter Nine

Sophie looked in the hall mirror for at least the fifth time since she’d gotten dressed for her date with Parker. Turning from side to side, she reached under her short black skirt to tug her top down farther.
Does this lay flat enough? Should I wear a sweater instead?
She pulled at the fabric beneath her arms, trying to make sure she wasn’t getting too sweaty.
Calm. Down.
She forced a smile so she could make sure there was no lipstick on her teeth.
It’s just Parker. We’ve hung out a million times.
Her attempt at being rational failed. The word “date” bounced around her mind like a pinball.

The sound of Parker’s car pulling into her driveway made her jump. Glancing quickly in the mirror one last time, she tucked her hair behind her ears.
You can do this.
The doorbell rang, and she tried to relax. Seeing him standing on her front steps—dark trousers, a shirt as blue as his eyes, dark hair styled but still pleasantly tousled—it was all she could do to keep from grabbing his arm, pulling him into the house and pinning him to the nearest wall.

God help me.
“Hey,” she said, afraid any other attempt at speaking might lead to her saying something crazy like “take me now”.

A toe-curling smile spread across Parker’s face. “You look great.”

An intense flush filled her cheeks, making them prickle. “Thanks.”

Grabbing her purse and keys, she stepped outside into the humid air. Parker held the car door open for her, and she climbed up into the soft leather seats. He slid into the driver’s seat, and she watched his hand as he started the car. Long, strong fingers. She loved looking at his fingers. Loved imagining what they’d feel like against her skin. A shudder rippled through her, and she tried to pretend she was adjusting her seat belt so he wouldn’t notice.

Parker backed out of the driveway, giving her a quick glance that made her tremble again. “How’d your meetings go?”

“Great. The couple I met with today liked some of the samples I brought home from the show, so I actually wrapped up an event.”

“Awesome. What’d they pick?”

“They want the chocolate pyramids as their wedding favors.”

Parker let out a moan that made Sophie squirm in her seat. “Those were insane. I think every wedding should hand those out.”

Giggling, she studied Parker’s profile. Straight, narrow nose, impossibly sculpted jaw. He’d shaved, which made his skin look so smooth and irresistible she had to stop herself from reaching out to stroke his cheek.

He caught her staring. “What?”

You’re gorgeous.
“Just thinking about how you look. You look the same and different at the same time.”

He breathed out a laugh, turning his head to give her a quick look up and down again. “So do you.”

“God, I hope not. I was such a geek in high school.”

Parker’s eyebrows shot up. “Geek? No. You were smart but you were never a geek.”

“Come on, Parker. It’s okay. I know I was.”

“I was there too, you know. And you weren’t. You were always cute. At least I thought so.”

You did?
Her heart sputtered. “Did not.”

“Do you remember your birthday party in ninth grade?”

Sophie tucked her leg underneath her so she could sit facing Parker. “Yeah.”

“And it was so cold no one else was in the pool, except me.”

“I remember that. My mom kept telling you to get out. You were turning blue. But you insisted on staying in.”

Parker nodded. “Yeah, well there’s a reason I dove into that cold water. When you walked out of your house in that black bathing suit…”

Sophie’s breath caught in her throat. She remembered the suit. It was the first sexy bathing suit her mom had ever let her buy. She’d been super self-conscious about wearing it, but her friends had convinced her. “I was so scared to wear that suit.”

“Well, I was scared everyone was gonna see my reaction to you wearing that suit, and the only thing I could think to do was jump in the pool.”

“Seriously?” Sophie giggled, having a hard time believing him.