Page 33 of Rowdy St. Nick

I force a smile. "Yeah, just... thinking."

She raises an eyebrow. "About? Seems like you’ve been busy doing that a lot lately since I don’t hear from you much."

I hesitate, then decide to be honest. "About you. About us. About whether I can really fit into your world."

Tess's eyes soften. She reaches out, taking my hand. "My world includes you, Parker. All of you."

I squeeze her hand, wishing I could believe it was that simple. I look into her eyes, and I know I’ll have a choice to make. Do I embrace all of Tess, Castle and all? Or do I let my fears hold me back, potentially losing her in the process?

I meet her gaze. "I need to talk to you. Somewhere private."

She nods, understanding immediately. We slip away from the festival crowd, finding a quiet spot behind a downtown store.

"What's on your mind?" Tess asks, her fingers brushing my arm.

"I've been thinking about us. About your world, The Castle, everything."

Her eyes widen slightly. "And?"

"It scares the hell out of me," I admit, my voice rough. " I want to try. For you. For us."

A slow smile spreads across Tess's face. "Really? You're sure?"

I nod, pulling her close. "I can't promise I won't mess up, but I want to be part of your world. All of it."

Tess's lips meet mine in a searing kiss, her body pressing against me. When we break apart, both breathless, she whispers, "Welcome to the wild side, cowboy."

Chapter 15

Tess

I weave through The Castle's patrons, Parker's hand in mine as the lights that look like candlelight flickering off the walls shine our path.

"Ready to dive into the deep end?" I tease.

"Lead the way, darlin'. I'm right behind you."

We sidestep a couple making out in the hallway, their moans barely audible over the sultry jazz coming from hidden speakers. I glance back at Parker, whose smile tells me he's not just thinking about the music.

"Is it always this... lively?" he asks, as we dodge a waitress balancing a tray of glasses.

"Only on the good nights," I quip, leading him past velvet drapes that brush against our arms.

"Speaking of good nights..." My colleague, Sasha, pops up beside us, her dark eyes scanning Parker from head to toe. "Who's your handsome friend?"

Parker tips his hat, the picture of Southern manners. "Parker Fields, ma'am."

"Ma'am? Oh, honey, drop the formality. We're all friends here." Sasha grins, her arm looping through mine. "Tess has been holding out on us, hasn't she?"

"He’s been here one other time. You must have missed him when he did the tour." I shrug my shoulder.

"Enjoying the scenery so far, cowboy?" Caleb, the club's bartender, chimes in, polishing a glass with a wink. "The Castle aims to please."

"Scenery's mighty fine," Parker replies, his gaze lingering on me.

"Keep an eye on this one," Sasha says, pointing at me with mock seriousness. "She's full of surprises."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," he murmurs.

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