Chapter Six
PARKER FELL SILENT halfway to the Beachcomber, arms crossed over her chest and an adorable pout on her lips, and she kept it up even as he parked. He knew she was worried about her image, and cell phone pictures, and whatever else went along with being a celebrity, but he wasn’t going to let anything like that happen.
“Are you really going to make me go in there looking like this?”
“I wish you knew how beautiful you looked right now. I can honestly say that I’ve never seen you look prettier.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, wondering if she’d thought about him all afternoon, as he’d thought about her.
“Without all that makeup and your fancy clothes, you don’t look like a famous movie star. You look like a gorgeous beach bunny who needs to have a little fun. I don’t think anyone will recognize you.”
She rolled her eyes and finally cracked a smile. “Beach bunny?”
He hadn’t realized how much he wanted to see her smile until this very second, and now he wanted to see her smile more often. “I’m better with my hands than words.” He liked the spark of heat that brought to her eyes a whole lot, too.
“You’re pretty great with words,” she said softly. “Typed or spoken.”
Her confession brought his own. “The truth is, the thought of you hiding out alone in that big house was killing me.” He added the surprise in her eyes to the growing list of things he liked about her. “I’ll be your bodyguard tonight, and I won’t let anything happen. No pictures, no autographs. But I really don’t think you have to worry. The bar’s dark, and it’ll be so crowded, you’ll blend in. Trust me?”
“Trust a guy who hauled me over his shoulder and kidnapped me?” She looked toward the bar.
“Yeah, trust that guy.”
“I do trust you.” She poked him in his chest. “But if I end up on the front of some rag magazine, I’m hiding out in your basement. With Christmas, chocolate, and a boatload of horror movies that you have to watch with me.”
“Sweetheart, if you move into my house, you won’t be watching movies or hiding out in the basement. You’ll be lucky if you make it out of the bedroom. In fact”—he slid his hand to the nape of her neck, causing her eyes to glaze over with desire—“maybe I should take a few of those pictures and make that happen.” He’d taken a chance, saying something so brazen and holding her like this in the cab of his truck, but he couldn’t hold back.
Her breathing hitched, and her lips parted, a whisper away from his, giving him the clue he’d been looking for. So tempting. Too tempting. He forced himself to step from the truck before he succumbed to the lust coiling deep inside him, and inhaled the brisk sea air. Focusing on the music coming from the building instead of the kiss he’d just given up, he helped Parker from the car and slid an arm around her waist. He wasn’t about to take her out in public and not claim her as his. Confusion filled her eyes, and he couldn’t be sure if it was from what he’d said, that he hadn’t kissed her, or his arm around her waist, so he went with the lightest of the three as he found his way through his own tangled thoughts.
“Bodyguard, remember?”
Thankfully, she didn’t fight him on it. They made their way to the rear deck of the Beachcomber, which was packed with scantily clad twenty- and thirtysomethings bumping and grinding to the beat of the band. Parker’s movements were rigid, her eyes wide with worry.
He tugged her tighter against him. “I’ve got this.”
She nodded and slipped her arm around his waist. An added bonus.
His eyes swept over the crowd, looking for signs of recognition, but while a handful of men were checking Parker out, there was no indication that they recognized her as the Parker Collins. He moved through the crowd with her safely against him, ignoring the women checking him out, and focused on keeping Parker comfortable.
“Gray!” Pete waved from a table across the room.
They made their way to the two large tables his friends had pushed together. His younger sister, Sky, leaped to her feet. Her fiancé, Sawyer, tugged her down for a kiss before releasing her to greet them.
“My fiancé is so needy.” Sky hugged Grayson. “I’m so glad you guys came. Hi, Parker. I’m Sky, Grayson’s sister, and the hot guy I was kissing is Sawyer.”
“Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Parker waved to Sawyer.
Grayson arched a brow, wondering when she’d heard about Sky.
“In the emails,” she reminded him. “You talked about her tattoo shop and a bonfire. Oh, and a birthday party for your niece, Bea.”
While he tried to process the fact that she’d remembered those things from months ago, Sky pushed past him and hugged her.
“He’s crazy for Bea,” Sky said. “Where’s your entourage?”
“She doesn’t have one,” Grayson said possessively. “Speaking of which”—he moved to the head of the table and motioned for his friends to lean in and listen—“Parker’s going incognito tonight. Let’s keep it that way.”
Sky put her arm around Parker. “You’re just one of the girls tonight.”
“Absolutely,” Pete said with a nod. “Hey, Parker, I’m Pete, and this is my wife, Jenna. Bea’s our little princess.”
Jenna came around the table and squeezed her petite self between Grayson and Parker. “We know all about you, because Grayson’s been working for CCF, and it’s our job to be nosy. Let me introduce you to everyone or you’ll be standing here all night.” As the organizer of their close-knit group, Jenna loved to take control. “You know Hunter from the competition, and the woman hanging all over him is his fiancée, Jana.” Jana waved. “The perky blonde and her surfer man across the table are Amy and Tony. The other blonde, currently kissing her husband, Caden, is Bella, our resident prankster.”
“Prankster?” Parker asked.
“Don’t worry,” Leanna said. “She only pranks the property manager at our community, Theresa. Bella’s scheming tonight, so you’ll get a good dose of what it’s like to live in her brilliant brain. I’m Leanna, by the way, and this is my husband, Kurt.”
Kurt waved. “Nice to meet you, Parker.”
“Leanna, you make jam, right? Grayson mentioned you had a new flavor out when I was filming. I had a few cases of Sweet Temptation delivered for the cast and crew. It was so good! It tasted like chocolate and strawberries,” Parker said, stunning Grayson again with not only her recollection of his emails, but also that she’d bought Leanna’s jams. “And, Kurt, I’ve read some of your books. You’re an amazing writer. I hope they make Bonds of Steel into a movie.”
“You and me both. Thank you,” Kurt said.
“No shop talk tonight, remember?” Jenna said with a sweet but authoritative smile. “The two cuties whispering to each other at the end of the table are Jamie and Jessica Reed.”
Jessica waved. “What’s a mustache ride?”
Parker covered her shirt and glared at Grayson.
“Jessica, how about asking your man?” Grayson chuckled when Jamie flicked him the bird. In a more serious tone, he said, “I made her wear it. It’s part of her disguise.”
She could have thrown her arms around his neck and kissed him for that. Instead, she turned and mouthed, Thank you.
“Smart thinking,” Bella said as everyone took their seats. “Heck, I’d wear that shirt.”
“Not when I’m not around, you wouldn’t,” Caden said.
Grayson draped an arm over the back of Parker’s chair, and she eyed the incredibly well-muscled limb.
He gave her shoulder a possessive squeeze. “Just go with it.” He leaned closer and whispered, “Or I could start taking pictures and calling rag magazines.”
Her eyes went wide, then filled with heat. No pictures necessary.
PARKER HAD BEEN nervous about all the wrong things when they’d arrived at the Beachcomber. She’d worried about having to deal with autographs and embarrassing attention in front of Grayson and his friends, when she should have been worried about not having any control over her emotions around him. Her pulse had been racing since he’d made the remark in the car about his bedroom, and every brush of his leg, every stroke of his hand, every heated innuendo, only made it worse.
She wasn’t used to the rampant desires heating her up every time they were near each other. Between that and his innate understanding of exactly what she needed, like being out with his friends tonight, she felt even more connected to him than she had when they were emailing.
They’d been at the bar for a couple hours, but it hadn’t taken long for Parker to realize that it was nothing like the clubs in Los Angeles and that Grayson’s friends and family were polar opposites of most of the people she knew. They didn’t dress to the nines or wear formfitting clothes that showed off their figures. The girls wore pretty summer dresses, skirts, or shorts, and the guys were wearing either jeans or shorts and T-shirts, save for Kurt, who wore a short-sleeved collared shirt. Parker didn’t even feel out of place with her raunchy T-shirt and old shorts. But it wasn’t just their warm welcome or casual attire that struck her. The thing that made the biggest impression was that they weren’t hanging on to their cell phones like they were their lifeblood, or looking in mirrors every few minutes to make sure their hair and makeup was perfect. They were holding their significant others and gazing into their eyes, the way she’d always dreamed life should be.
“Hey,” Grayson said. “You okay?”
“I’m better than okay. Thank you for kidnapping me. I needed this.”
He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in a quick, unexpected, and welcome, kiss. “I know you did. No thanks necessary.”
The quick kiss left her hoping for more. She was getting used to the way he took what he wanted and gave her exactly what she needed. Her eyes skirted around the table, and she was relieved to see the approving looks from his friends. They were all so close. It was no wonder he’d missed them when he was working on site for CCF. She recalled the day Grayson had accepted the contract, when he’d explained that he would be traveling and Hunter would be staying on the Cape for the sake of his new relationship. Parker had thought Hunter’s decision to remain on the Cape with Jana was about the most meaningful gesture a man could make. She’d been so focused on Hunter’s chivalric decision, she’d failed to realize just how big of a sacrifice it had been for Grayson to be away from the people he loved for so long. Seeing him with them tonight drove that point home, and she knew she’d had it all wrong. It wasn’t Hunter who had made the most meaningful gesture. It was Grayson, and he’d done it for a different kind of love. He’d done it for his brother.
That realization opened her heart to him even more.
The girls broke out in laughter, and she realized she’d missed whatever had been said.
“Remember the summer we pulled a Thong Thursday prank at the pool?” Amy’s blue eyes widened.
“Theresa got Bella good with that one.” Leanna laughed and elbowed Bella, who rolled her eyes.
The girls had told Parker all about how they’d grown up together over the summers and how Amy and Tony had been a secret couple when they were teenagers. They’d gushed about their weddings and shared pictures of their babies, who were so cute they made her ovaries ache. They were so blessed, living the lives she’d always dreamed of.
Grayson’s leg pressed against hers, drawing her attention back to him as his watchful eyes scanned their surroundings. He was taking his bodyguard duties quite seriously. He’d had his arm around her all night, and she’d let herself fall into the comfort of his touch and his attention. He’d leaned in a dozen times to ask her if she was having fun, offer her a drink, or make a comment.
She knew they existed in a bit of a bubble here on the dunes with his friends and family, a world away from her real life. But she liked this bubble. She felt more like Polly tonight than she had in a very long time. Even more than when she was holed up in her house. Maybe even more than when she was with Bert, because Bert would have had serious issues with her leaving the house in the shape she had tonight, and Grayson had encouraged it. She wondered what Bert would have thought of the way Grayson had kidnapped her. She happened to love it, despite worrying about being spotted without her Parker face on.
The girls laughed again, and Parker realized she’d had Grayson on her brain again. He was talking with the guys, paying close attention to everything Jamie and Pete were saying. She liked seeing him in his world, with his friends. It was easy to see how important they all were to each other.
“How long are you in town?” Sky asked.
“I’m not sure yet, probably a couple of weeks.” She wasn’t in a hurry to rush back to California, which was surprising to her, given her tendency to keep herself too busy to think. She knew Luce would have contacted Phillipa to let her know she was okay, but she made a mental note to touch base with her agent after wrapping up her visit with Abe.
“Oh, good! Maybe you can visit me at my tattoo shop in Provincetown,” Sky said excitedly. “I’d love to introduce you to my friend Lizzie. She owns the flower shop next door.”
“That sounds like fun.” Parker wondered if Sky sensed how much it meant to her that she wanted to introduce her to her friend.
“Will Grayson be here that long, too?” Jana asked.
I hope so. She looked at Grayson, and the seductive look in his eyes told her he did, too, but she didn’t want to appear possessive over a man who wasn’t really hers. “I guess that’s up to Grayson,” she finally answered.
“Well,” Bella said with a smirk. “Based on the smoke rising from that side of the table, I’d say he’s staying however long you are.”
Parker’s pulse raced at the thought of Grayson’s friends recognizing what she’d felt all along.
“Maybe he and the guys can get together and we can have a girls’ day or something,” Jana suggested.
“Yes!” Jenna said, and immediately launched into a discussion about potential outings.
“Careful,” Leanna said to Parker. “Bella will have you married off before you even leave the Cape.”
“Hey, I just call it like I see it,” Bella said. “I can’t help it if I’m always right.”
Grayson squeezed Parker’s shoulder, and in that moment she realized she’d made a mistake. She’d thought she was the only one who could read the interest in his eyes, but his gaze held all the confirmation anyone needed.
“Dance with me?” Grayson didn’t wait for an answer as he rose to his feet, bringing her up with him, and sliding an arm around her waist.
There was barely room to move on the dance floor, but she didn’t mind. She wound her arms around his neck, her fingers playing over his skin as they gazed into each other’s eyes. She felt like she’d been waiting for this moment all her life. To be looked at the way Grayson looked at her, like he saw more than just a pretty celebrity. He made her feel special, precious, and cared for, when he checked in with her so often.
“Are you as okay as you appear, or is this an act?” His eyes held a tease, but she heard the seriousness of his concern in his tone.
“I’m not a good enough actress to fake how happy I feel,” she admitted. “I needed this.” I needed you.
“My friends can be a little intrusive. By the time we leave, they’ll all have your phone number and will bug you the whole time you’re in town.”
His hand moved to the base of her spine, bringing their bodies together. He didn’t move his body in an overtly sexual way, or leer like other guys often did. This didn’t feel like a prelude to an expectation of more. Grayson moved sensually but carefully, as if he was enjoying their connection as much as she was and was in no hurry for it to end.
“They’re wonderful. So that would be okay with me. And your brothers and sister are really great.”
“They’re pretty cool,” he said casually, but she’d witnessed the way he lit up when he was teasing Pete and Hunter and how serious he became when their conversation turned to their father and worries of him working too hard. He’d gone just as serious when he’d asked Sky about her tattoo business, as if he were analyzing her answers, making sure she’d made good decisions.
She wondered if he’d kept tabs on Sky with calls, texts, or emails when he was traveling for CCF, reminding her again of all he’d given up for his brother’s relationship.
“You’d like my other brother, Matt,” he said. “He teaches at Princeton.”
“You mentioned him in an email over the holidays. You’re lucky to have so many people who love you. I don’t really have that type of group to fall back on. I have Luce, my PR rep who also happens to be a good friend, but she has so many clients and she lives half the time in New York, so we don’t see each other that often.”
“I think you’ve got them now, too.” He searched her eyes, and she wondered if he could see her holding on to that offer with hope that it was true, or if her burgeoning emotions for him were blocking sight of it.
“I can only imagine how hard it’s been going through this alone,” he said, holding her a little tighter. “When I lost my mom, I was terrified that I’d forget things about her. So I closed myself off, thinking I needed to focus all my energy on remembering her. Eventually I realized I could never forget her. She’d been too big a part of my life. I see traces of her in everything I do and say and feel.”
“You really do get it.” Her voice cracked with emotion. She couldn’t imagine Grayson being afraid of anything, but the fear he described was so real for her, she knew he must have experienced it firsthand. “It’s hard knowing Bert’s no longer a phone call away.” They were barely dancing now, lost in a world where only they existed.
“I really like you, Parker. You’re funny, and smart, and trying so hard to be brave in the face of losing the person you loved most. We spent months getting to know each other, and I wish I’d known about Bert so I could have been there for you sooner. But I’m here now, and I want to get to know you better and be here for you. If you’ll let me.”
She struggled against the lump in her throat. She’d thought about being with him for so many months, wondering, hoping what she’d felt wasn’t fabricated from loneliness. But she hadn’t imagined she’d be dealing with losing Bert, or finding Abe and trying to find herself again at the same time. She couldn’t believe he still wanted to be with her, given all that she was dealing with, when he could have any woman he wanted. She wasn’t blind to the looks pretty girls had cast his way all evening, though he acted as though he was. He could have a life unencumbered by film sets and unwanted photographers. Her life was across the country, and she spent it moving from one film set to the next. She knew emails would never again be enough. She had been falling for him for months, and in just the last two days she’d fallen even harder. What would happen if she allowed herself to really get close to him? Tell him all her secrets, follow her desires and her heart?
“I can see you overthinking this,” he said with a knowing smile. “If you’re worried about us not knowing each other very well, we’re getting to know each other better. That’s what people do.”
“This feels very far away from my real life,” she said honestly. “I know that’s a strange thing to say, but what you have here with your family and friends is beautiful and special, and it’s very different from the world I live in.” But it’s the life I’ve always wanted. “My schedule is never mine, the way it has been here. I’m usually bogged down with meetings, films, or public-relations events.”
“I realize this isn’t what you’re used to. But you’re here now. You’re living your life. For tonight, for now, this is your real life.”
He moved his hands up to her neck, and his thumbs grazed her jaw like they had right before he’d kissed her in the elevator. Her body remembered, heating, melting, aching for his glorious mouth to claim her.
“You mean you want this for tonight? Us for tonight?” She didn’t do one-night stands, and she didn’t want to start. Not even for Grayson.
His eyes warmed. “I mean I want to spend time with you. Tonight. Tomorrow. A week from now. We can see what happens, let time decide what real life is for both of us.”
“Grayson…?” She sounded as breathless as she felt.
“Let’s not overthink this.”
His mouth came coaxingly down over hers, and for a second panic stole through her. Cell phone pictures! Rag magazines! But those thoughts were no match for Grayson’s kisses. She wanted this. His kiss, his touch, his caring, intense affection. For the first time since she’d lost Bert, she felt safe enough to let it all go and gave herself over to the sweet tenderness of their kiss.