Page 12 of Rush

But he couldn’t forget Nora was not only his employee but most importantly Oz’s baby sister, making her the epitome of off limits. So, no matter how attractive he found her or how much his fingers itched to touch her or how much his lips ached to taste her, he knew he had to keep his distance, physically… But that didn't mean he had to push her away mentally. There was nothing wrong with them being friends.

Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, buddy, the devil on his shoulder whispered in his ear.

Linc told that know-it-all fucker to shut the hell up.

Freshly showered after his workout, Linc pushed through a side door and was approached by an older couple as he headed for his car.

“Mr. Scott?”

Linc glanced around the nearly empty parking lot. Reporters and fans were usually barred, but the lot wasn’t a fortress and someone could gain access if they wanted to badly enough. “Yes?”

The man held out a hand. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Sid Parker and this is my wife, Meg.” When Linc didn’t immediately respond, the man supplied, “We’re Jake’s parents.”

Linc eyed the offered hand not taking it and took a large step back. He could sort of see a resemblance to Jake, but the deep-set wrinkles that lined the man’s face and thinning gray hair that barely covered his head made it hard to tell. Linc knew Jake’s father was in his early fifties but the man looked at least a decade older. His wife hadn’t fared much better, and the thick layer of cosmetics she wore, which had settled into the groovesaround her eyes and mouth, didn’t do a thing to hide her sallow skin tone.

Jake hadn’t shared a lot about his estranged relationship with his parents except that they were long-time alcoholics, and unable to deal with the lifestyle, Jake left as soon as he’d turned eighteen. Judging from the tremor Linc noticed when Jake’s father had stuffed his ignored hand into the pocket of his slacks and the stale smell of old booze lingering near them, he didn’t think that situation had changed.

He forced a civil expression. “I’ve gotta admit, I’m surprised to see you here. What’s this about?”

“Well, now, as you can imagine, the news of Jake’s passing hit us real hard.” Right on cue, Mrs. Parker sniffled into a tissue. Mr. Parker glanced at his wife and patted her shoulder. “It took us a while to process it.”

Linc rolled his eyes. Yeah, they both seemed really broken up over it.

“Heard he and his wife had a little girl,” Parker continued, oblivious or stupidly ignoring the dangerous change in the air emanating from Linc at the mention of Nat and Sophie. “Now, I know you’ve been taking care of her but losing our Jake has made us realize how much we missed out on. We looked you up, and I can’t say your lifestyle leaves much room for raising a little girl. Must be cramping your game—if you know what I mean.” He chortled at his own innuendo and winked.

Linc grit his teeth, locking down his muscles to keep himself from lashing out, and stared a hole in the man’s forehead.

Parker finally seemed to buy a clue. He cleared his throat uncomfortably but continued digging himself a deeper hole, “Anywho, we’d be happy to take her off your hands. We’d need alittle something every month, of course, to make sure she’s taken care of the way Jake would want. And, you know, to maintain the lifestyle you’ve been giving her.”

Icy-hot fury welled from Linc’s gut. It was clear Sid and Meg Parker didn’t give one flying fuck about Sophie and were only interested in money. He crossed his arms over his chest to keep from punching the dude and give his bulbous nose a few more lumps. “Do you even know her name?” he snarled through clenched teeth.

A line of confusion formed between the man’s brows. “Whose name?”

Linc forced his jaw to relax, worried he’d crack a tooth. “Jake’s daughter.Yourgranddaughter.”

Parker appeared lost until his wife elbowed him, his expression clearing after she whispered something in his ear. “Oh, right,” he said under his breath before proudly stating, “Sophia,” like it would win him a fucking prize.

Linc hadn’t thought he could get any angrier. With barely contained rage, he gritted, “Sophieis mine, and I know what game you’re playing. She’s happy, well-cared for, and healing. You two,” he pointed a finger at them, “Stay the fuck away. A rodent deserves better parents than you, let alone a child.”

Dismissing the couple, his long strides took him to his car where he yanked open the door, got in, then slammed it behind him. His hands shook, and he needed a minute to calm down before starting the car. He glanced out the window. The Parkers were about a yard away, engaged in a heated argument. Linc stayed where he was and watched to make damn sure they left, noting the slack padlock and chain on the gate they used, squeezing through it to exit out onto the street. He'd be making sure the facilities manager fixed that shit ASAP.

He didn't want to bring this crap home. The last thing Sophie needed was him in a foul mood. Nora wasn't one to ask probing questions, but the way he was feeling right now wouldn't be hard for her to notice. So, instead of peeling rubber and heading straight to his house like he wanted, he stuck to his usual routine and picked up lunch, stopping at a sub shop near the stadium to grab sandwiches. The hour he sat and shared a meal with Nora every afternoon was the one indulgence he allowed himself, and he wouldn't have it spoiled.

Coming in through the garage, he dropped his workout bag on the washer in the utility room and went in search of Nora and Sophie. He found them in the pool, splashing each other and giggling. Linc wanted to be a part of that. After the ugly encounter from earlier, the beautiful day and the smiles on their faces were exactly what he needed. Going upstairs, he grabbed a quilt from the linen closet before joining them outside.

Sophie noticed him as soon as he walked through the gate, and Nora smiled at him after following the little girl's gaze.

He held up the quilt and the bag with their sandwiches in it. “It’s such a nice day, I thought we could eat out here.”

Linc watched as both made their way to the steps, and the last vestiges of his confrontation with Jake's asshole parents left him. When her little feet hit the grass, Sophie skipped in his direction, leaving him free to watch Nora. Christ. She was a scene from a teen movie. Decked out in a bikini with the water sluicing off her sun-kissed skin, Nora was a fucking vision that had his dick twitching. Time seemed to slow, his eyes refusing to look away as they fixated on the sway of her hips with each step she took.

It was the tiny wet hand tugging at the loose fabric of his shorts that saved him from complete embarrassment. Yankinghim from his stupor, it gave him enough time to cover himself with the quilt just as Nora turned to face him after wrapping herself with a towel.

He squatted to Sophie's level—her presence giving him a grip on his control. “Did you have a good swim?

Ignoring his question, she wrapped her hands around his forearm, giving a tug, her little tongue poking out from between her lips as she tried to move him.

"Guess you have something to show me," he commented with a laugh, standing up and sweeping his arm out with a bow. “Lead on, Princess Peanut. I'm at your service.”

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