My fingers deftly work the buttons on his shirt, and he reaches behind me for the zipper of my dress, yanking it free. The second it’s unzipped, my dress falls down my body, and I stand with only a pair of panties on. Parks gives me that look, which is loving and has grown to be my everything, and then swoops me off my feet and carries me to the bed. Gently, laying me down before aggressively yanking my panties off.

A tiny groan leaves his throat once I am completely naked and like usual, we can’t seem to move fast enough. Our hands are all over each other’s bodies. I fumble with his pants, his scent intoxicating me. I just want to get to his cock.

He cups my breasts in both hands as I work to get his pants undone. He kicks them off and then leans down and teases one of my nipples with his skilled tongue. I push my breast into his face and reach into his boxer briefs to grab his shaft. He grunts from the friction and sits up, pulling his briefs all the way off. My eyes are on his dick. I need it, but before I can coax him toward my mouth, he slides down, dragging his tongue along my slit, tasting me.

My body tingles, and I whine, almost forgetting what we were doing. Then, as he spreads me open with his fingertips and kneels beside me, I clench his shaft as he flicks his tongue over my clit. Fuck, I want his dick in my mouth. Pulling him toward me, he scoots on top of me. We are now in the sixty-nine position as he tenses the second that my warm mouth forms around the tip.

“Oh fuck,” he grumbles against the skin of my thigh, and I bob aggressively. His cock is straining, bent back a little, but Jesus he tastes so good in my mouth. He spreads my pussy open again, and this time he sinks a finger inside me. I hum in approval, rocking my hips, urging him. Then he adds a second finger, and I have to stop sucking him. I’m pinned beneath him, helpless as he fingers me, my orgasm could happen at any moment. So, I keep stroking his shaft, but it must be too much for him because he suddenly stops.

He sits up, studying my body. I try to calm my breathing, but that familiar orgasm feeling is so close that it’s almost impossible. I let out a moan as he settles in the cradle of my thighs and rocks into me without giving me what I want. His big shaft slides through my folds as he prepares to enter my wet pussy. Fuck he is hard, and the intensity of his teasing forces my body to arch upward as I relish in every inch of him that slips inside of me.

“Is this for real?” I ask, and he nods, his messy hair and sweaty body are so fucking hot. I moan, gripping onto his ass as he pushes deep and then pulls almost all the way out. Parks licks and nips along my shoulder and neck as he plunges in again, grinding against my clit.

My nails dig into his skin, demanding more, and he grunts loudly, slamming me so roughly that I shudder. “God, yes, Parks,” spews from my lips as I beg him for more, and I’m sure we are in for a long night.

He keeps riding me, pumping in and out of me so perfectly, I quiver, closing my eyes. He has my orgasm teetering on the edge, and I don’t want to let go because I don’t want to stop, but again . . . I’m helpless.

He pushed me out of this world, my pleasure so powerful my entire body burns the second I come. His groans are rough and by far the sexiest noises I’ve ever heard, and in this instance, I know my life will never be the same. I’ve never felt anything more powerful or seen a more sexy sight than the one I’ve been so gracious to witness when being with Parks.

* * *

“Fallon?” Parks nudges me awake and then hands me my cell phone, which is ringing rather loudly.

It’s my mom, but it’s too early, so I hit the ignore button. Parks climbs back into bed, and I roll over, meeting him face to face.

“She’s just gonna keep calling,” he tells me, and I ignore him, too. I’m much more interested in running my hands over his body beneath the covers. He’s still naked—as am I—and I grasp his cock. My phone rings again, ceasing any and all movements.

“She’s called like five times; it woke me up.”

Reluctantly, I answer my phone, not wanting to stop what Parks and I are doing, especially to deal with my mom, but she can be relentless when she wants something.

“Hello?”

“Oh, thank God. How are you? Did he hurt you?”

“What? What are you talking about, Mom?” I push up, so I’m sitting and glance at Parks, who’s looking at me with questions in his eyes.

“Leo! It’s all over the news. I’m so sorry, Fallon, I had no idea.”

“Mom, I’m fine, no one hurt me.” Parks sits up next to me, and I whisper, “Will you turn on the news?”

“Where are you? I went to your house,” my mom says.

“Calm down, Mom, I’m fine. I promise. I’m not with Leo anymore. We broke up a while ago.”

“What? Where have you been staying then?”

“With Parks.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s a long story, but really, I’m fine. I promise. I just woke up, give me about ten minutes, and I’ll come explain everything.”

“Okay, baby. I love you. I’m so glad you’re all right.”

I hang up just as the news flashes a mug shot of Leo and then the news anchor says, “Marlika, what’s the latest on this devastating situation?”

The footage cuts to a female who is standing outside Leo’s house. “This is tragic. The victim, who has asked to remain anonymous, is being treated at a local hospital after suffering a blunt force trauma to the head. Neighbors say they heard the two arguing in the early morning hours, and then her screams for help followed shortly thereafter. From what we can tell, Mr. Valderami is accused of pushing her down a flight of stairs.”

The reporter stops talking, and Parks mutes the television. “Holy fuck,” I blurt out. “He pushed her down the stairs?”

Leo has always had a temper. The smallest of things would set him off, but other than the one time he put his hands on me, he was never violent. Though, shoving me into a wall isn’t exactly peaceful. The memory of him getting physical with me still makes my skin crawl. After that one night, I always let him do what he wanted when he wanted. Even after he cheated on me the first time, I didn’t put a ball and chain on him like I wanted to. I gave him freedom . . . sadly, it was for all the wrong reasons. I’m still sickened that I was brainwashed by him for as long as I was.

Parks looks so concerned that I’m afraid he might pass out, so I curl my whole body against his, needing comfort as much as I want to give it.

“Why would he do that?” Parks asks.

“Because Leo doesn’t like to be controlled, and I bet that is what she was trying to do to him.”

“It still sickens me that you were with him. I should’ve beat the shit out of him a long time ago and taught him a lesson.”

“Guys like Leo can’t learn lessons.” I reach out and touch his face, so grateful that we are together and that part of my life is over. The sheets fall from my breasts as my hand touches him, and he groans, looking down at them.

“Have I told you how perfect your body is?”

“Like a dozen times.”

He smirks and leans in to kiss my neck and then moves his way down my chest. I rest my hand on the back of his head to stop him.

“What should I tell my parents?”

“Shhh,” he says and pushes me onto my back. His large body is lying on top of mine, and as much as I just want to stay right here, I know how my mother is, and now that she knows where I am, if I don’t show up, she’ll be here before I know it.

“Parks?”

“Just give me . . . two minutes?” he asks, kissing down my ribs. When he nips at my hipbone, I squirm, not wanting him to stop but knowing he needs to.

“What should I tell my parents?”

“That was like ten seconds,” he complains. And when he sees the look of seriousness written across my face, he looses a deep breath and moves to lie next to me again. “I assume you are referring to the baby?”

“Yeah, they hate Leo, and after what we just saw on the news I fear they won’t want to be a part of the baby’s life.”

“Maybe we ease things on them and start just by telling them what Leo did and about us.”

“Oh, God. What about my work?”

“That’s not really relevant, is it?”

He’s right. It isn’t.

“Are you coming with me, then?”

“Thirty seconds?” he asks and starts kissing me, but I wiggle out of his hold, which really is tragic because he’s so sexy. Fuck, I’m still pissed at myself for not seeing what was right in front of me all along.

After we are dressed, Parks and I head out.

“You want me to drive?” he asks.

“Sure.”

We make the short trip across town to where both our parents live. As he drives, his hand is on my thigh, his fingers are strumming back and forth, and as much as that would typically be distracting, I spend the entire drive wondering what the heck I’m about to tell my parents.

“Ready?” I hadn’t realized we were in their driveway, so I manage a small smile, trying to cover my anxiety.

“Yeah.”

“No eye-fucking me while we’re in here, ’kay?”

I laugh. “I would never do such a thing.”

“You know you’re a terrible liar.”

“Not any worse than you.” We get out of the truck and both glance over at his parents’ house. “You think they are home?”

“No, they were taking the boat out today.”

“Oh my God, I miss that boat.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, don’t you?”

“Nah, the water still freaks me out after losing Meg.”

“Sometimes the ocean does for me, too, but not the Puget Sound.”

“True.” And we both know that’s where my parents always take their boat.

We walk through the front door of the house and barely make it two steps before my mom has us both in a tight hug. It’s as if she was standing here waiting for us.

“Hey, Mom,” I cheerfully hug her back.

“Roger, they’re here!” she hollers and then holds me by the shoulders, saying, “I’m so glad you’re okay, Fallon.”

“You know I always will be.”

“Not always. What Leo did could easily have happened to you.”

My dad comes into the room and gives us both a hug before we move to the living room.

“What happened with Leo?” my mom asks, glancing at Parks’ hand wrapped around mine. I glance at Parks, wishing he could just handle this all for me. But he can’t, so I relive the unfortunate events that led to the end of my and Leo’s relationship. My dad is the first to break the silence that follows.

“I told you he was no good.”

“I know, Dad. And I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you.”

“It’s what kids do,” he grumbles and then points to the two of us. “So, how long has this been going on?”

“It’s pretty new,” Parks answers.

“I can’t wait to tell Barbara and Frank that we knew first!” my mom exclaims.

“Uhhh, they kind of already know,” Parks breaks the news gently, but my parents still look as if he just told them their dog had died.

“What? Why would you tell them first?” We all chuckle, and Parks says, “Sorry, we didn’t mean to.”

“Well, what else are we the last to know?” Parks shakes his head, but I figure I might as well come clean about my job. I hate keeping things from my parents. I really do.

“I also left my job.” I leave out the part that it was my boss who told me to leave. It’s better to say it that way then to try to explain that my boss was a psycho bitch who hated me and fired me for a few wrong time cards.

“Why?”

“Yeah, I though you loved it there,” my mom adds.

“It was okay. But—”

“It was my idea,” Parks jumps in. “I need her to help with my photography business. This National Geographic feature is going to create a buzz, and things are going to get overwhelming for me. Fallon has a sharp eye for photography, so I asked for her help.”

His save is unexpected. He’s never said such a thing to me. Granted, my parents don’t know that, and they have always been proud of Parks and his success. I can see the smile across their faces as they wait for me to answer, which I do with a smile and a nod.