Page 27 of Parker
“I hate lying to her,” I admit. “But she would freak out if she knew the truth.”
“Just text her and tell her I’ve taken you away for the weekend,” he suggests. “She can’t begrudge you a sexy weekend away with me and my super-sized cock.”
A huge grin explodes across my face, and I snicker. “No, I suppose she can’t.”
The little white cottage sits on a cliff edge overlooking the North Sea. Angry waves batter off the rocks below. Joel’s sleek car struggles to bounce along the stony track that leads to our secluded getaway. Now we have arrived, we won’t be leaving until the weekend is over. I plan to spend the next three days naked and in bed with my man.
After grabbing our bags from the trunk, we trudge across the path to the front door. Summer in Scotland: the wind is blowing us sideways as the rain soaks us to the bone. We run to escape the downpour, but it’s no use; the weather has already taken its toll on our appearance. My hair hangs limply down the sides of my face, and Joel’s jeans stick to him like glue.
“They said there would be a key box,” Joel shouts across the storm.
“What? It’s windy. I can’t hear you.” He raises his eyebrows, and I stick my tongue out in response. He gives me a dark look. I dump my bag on the floor and then run out into the rain. He chases after me, and we rush around the front garden until he catches me around the waist. I fall into his arms.
Standing, staring at each other with the rain pelting down, we smile stupidly. Soft lips take mine with the most passionate kiss I’ve experienced in my life. Our tongues dance together as our eyes close with pleasure. Nothing else matters, only us, in this perfect moment.
“Let’s find the key,” he whispers against my lips. “I want to take you to bed.”
“You’ll need to get me dry first.”
“Baby, I plan to have you soaking wet all weekend.” Taking my hand, he leads me back to the cottage.
We find the hidden key box in a stone cat beside the front door. As I reach for the key, a flicker of doubt tugs at my stomach. Maybe this is all too perfect. Maybe I’m just a detour before he returns to the life waiting for him. But I shake the thought off. Not today. Not while he's still looking at me like I’m the only thing that matters.
I push open the little green door, and our weekend together begins.
As we cross the threshold, our faces fall in unison. Turning to face each other, we burst into fits of giggles. My eyes scan the room, unable to comprehend what I’m seeing. It couldn’t be further from Joel’s modern mansion if it tried.
“Where the hell did you find this place?” I say, and more rolls of laughter erupt from my mouth. If I didn’t laugh, I’d cry.
“I didn’t. My assistant organized it. I told her to book something different and out of the way. Somewhere no one would look for us.” His face mirrors my own?pure shock.
“Well, I think we can agree she was successful in her mission.”
He scowls, seemingly lost for words. Blank eyes stare back at us. Taxidermied animals of every variety are on display. Walking over to a fox standing on the console table, I stroke its snout, the fur is surprisingly soft. Empty black eyes meet mine, and I wonder what his last moments were like. I doubt he wouldappreciate his body being stuffed and on show to random visitors.
“Don’t touch it, Nicky,” Joel hisses.
“Don’t be such a baby. It’s not going to bite me, is it?” I grin, and he grimaces. I take his hand, lifting it to my lips and kissing his knuckles. “Come on, let’s investigate the rest of the house. I still want a sex-filled weekend with you.”
His lips curl in distaste. “I doubt I could perform with this lot watching me.” He waves at the zoo surrounding us. “They’re looking at us as if we are their next meal.”
As I chuckle to myself, we wander through the small rooms. Furniture, ornaments, and eclectic knick-knacks cram the cottage. Stag heads adorn every wall; sofas crowd together; dark wood furniture fills the rooms. There are low ceilings with thick wooden beams that Joel has to duck under to avoid bumping his head. The general tone of the place is green and brown, and it’s clean but drab, certainly not what either of us had been expecting.
The lower floor serves as the living space, which includes a small, 1940s-era kitchen and a sparsely equipped bathroom. A wrought iron spiral staircase sits at the back of the structure. We stand at the bottom, staring up into the darkness above.
“It must be the bedroom,” I say.
“Or it’s just the attic, and we need to sleep outside,” Joel mumbles grumpily. I shake my head. This is a new side to him. I’ve only ever seen him happy or sad. The fact he can show me all parts of himself makes me feel more secure.
Taking my phone from my bag, I hit the flashlight, and the light shines into the bleak space. Cautiously, I take my first step onto the iron stairs. It feels strong, so I climb up, holding the light in front of me. At the top, I find a light switch attached to the floorboards. Whoever designed this place must be barkingmad. A soft glow appears from the edges of the room, lighting up the space, and I gasp in shock.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Joel shouts to me. “Nicky, this is crazy. Let’s go find a hotel. I’m going to kill Louise for booking this place.”
Pulling myself through the hole in the ceiling, I sit on the old attic floor. The room extends into the full roof space of the cottage. Low ceilings and dim light give it an almost cave-like feel. A low bed, the kind that only keeps the mattress inches above the floor, sits at the far end of the room. Cushions and blankets in various creams and browns, sumptuous and inviting, are piled high on it. A huge rug spreads across the floor—the pile is deep and reassuring.
I can imagine us lying here making love for hours. The last item the room holds is a red leather chair, which is placed at the opposite end of the room from the bed. The bucket-like seat allows a person to sit back comfortably with their feet on the floor. The high back creates a majestic appearance stretching almost to the ceiling.
Tears sting my eyes. It’s the most romantic room I have ever seen. No distractions, no fancy furnishings, just everything we need to enjoy our time together. Our little piece of heaven.
