Page 24 of Taming Waves

“No. I’m good. You can go,” I snap, and the bastard grins.

“The switch to the right turns on the gas logs if you get cold, and the bathroom is through that door,” he says, as he steps back and points behind me. “There are extra toothbrushes in the top drawer and toothpaste in the cup on the vanity. I’ll leave that candle so you can see,” he says. “That’s for Heather.” He points to the shirt still sitting on the bed.

I try not to think about why he has random spare toothbrushes in his bathroom and curtly thank him.

“Sweet dreams, Audi.”

With that, he turns and disappears, shutting the door behind him.

I brush my teeth quickly and then slip into the soft tee that falls just above my knees. Then, I crawl into Parker’s big bed and snuggle into the covers.

They smell like him.

I close my eyes and let myself imagine what it would be like to be wrapped in his arms.

Parker

I’m antsy as I sit and play cards with Heather and Anson. The thought of Audrey just down the hall in my shirt and my bed is more than I can take. He doesn’t even have to cheat.

“He’s checked out,” Anson says mid-play.

“I can see that. Something distracting you, Parker?” Heather asks, pulling me from my wandering thoughts.

“The raging storm outside,” I say.

“Nah, I don’t think that’s it,” she states. “What do you think has him on edge, Anson?”

I glance across the table at my best friend.Don’t say it.

He grins at me. “Oh, I don’t know. Probably just wishing he hadn’t volunteered to sleep out here and was cuddled up in his comfy bed at the moment.”

I shake my head.Fucker.

Heather turns to me. “Is that it?”

“No. I don’t mind letting you ladies have the bed.”

She sighs. “Such a gentleman.”

That causes Anson to laugh.

“I have a feeling his thoughts are less than gentlemanly.”

I throw my cards at him, and the jerk laughs harder. I stand up, take one of the candles that has burned halfway down, and move to the sofa.

I should have kissed her. In that moment, I could have. She would have let me, but she would have regretted it, and that is what stopped me. She’s not ready, and I need to be patient and fight the urge to rush back into that room.

Heather grabs two beers and follows me. She hands one of the bottles to me and sits in the recliner to my right. “So, what’s your angle?”

I slide my eyes to her as I take a long pull on the lukewarm liquid. “My angle?”

“Yeah, I mean, what do you hope to gain by inserting yourself into Audrey’s life?”

“Nothing. I’m just trying to help out a friend.”

“Don’t try to bullshit a bullshitter. You’ve been loitering around for years, and now, out of the blue, she’s in your bed.”

I chuckle. “You think I conjured a tropical storm?”

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