Page 46 of Parker

The nervous smile faded with the sudden racing of her pounding heart. Palms sweaty, Quinn’s mouth became impossibly dry as she stood there, staring up into a set of eyes she wanted to lose herself in.

She parted her lips—to say what, she wasn’t sure—but for the life of her, she couldn’t seem to formulate a verbal response.

“You were right about something else,” Parker broke through the tense silence.

“I-I was?” Quinn stammered back, hating how uncontrollable her reaction to this man was.

He nodded, his eyes never leaving hers as one of his strong hands rose slowly toward her. With an electric touch searing into her temple, he gently tucked some blowing strands behind her ear.

“You said you probably weren’t what I expected, and you were right.” His palm rested against the side of her neck, his thumb caressing the curve of her jaw. “You’re so much more.”

Oh, my.

“Parker…” His whispered name became lost in the blowing breeze. She started to say something more. To ask what he was doing. But her next words never made it past her lips.

Because his mouth was already there.

Parker pressed his lips to hers in a soft, gentle kiss. It was tentative, almost chaste in nature, and yet it was deepest, most incredible physical connection she’d ever experienced.

And it scared the ever-loving crap out of her.

Quinn sucked in a breath as she took a step back, the sudden, swift motion cutting the moment short.

Taken aback by her unexpected reaction, Parker’s brows shot up even as he uttered a mumbled curse beneath his breath. “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head, refusing to let him take the blame for something she’d been fully invested in, herself. “It’s my fault. I never should have—”

“Stop.” Parker lowered his hand with a terse shake of his head. “I get that your used to shouldering everyone else’s blame, but this is on me. I kissed you, sweetheart. Not the other way around.”

“But I kissed you back.” And damn if part of her—a gigantic, aching part of her—didn’t want to do it again.

“I brought you here to protect you. Not take advantage of you.”

“You didn’t—”

“I did, but I promise; I won’t touch you like that again.” Heat darkened his eyes as he added a low, “Not unless you ask me to.”

Quinn’s breath was momentarily lost as she thought about what he’d just said…and what it meant.

He made the first move. Next one’s on you.

“Parker, I—”

His phone rang, interrupting what she’d been about to say.

“Sorry. I need to check that.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. “It’s my friend, Asher Cross,” he shared unnecessarily. “He’s part of Charlie Team, which is another branch of the same RISC security firm Delta works for. Only Charlie Team’s in Richmond, instead of Chicago.”

The man’s rambling made her smile, which in turn eased some of the awkward tension between them. “You should probably answer it then, right?”

“What?” Parker looked at the still-ringing phone in his hand. “Oh. Right.” With a swipe of his thumb, he put the device to his ear. “Hey, Ash. Give me just a second.” Covering the speaker with his hand, he told her, “Make yourself at home. I won’t be long.”

Quinn watched as he turned and walked away. His steps were purposeful as he crossed the deck before disappearing through the enormous, folding glass doors.

It wasn’t until he was out of eyesight that she felt like she could finally, truly breathe.

Spinning back around, she kept her face toward the ocean, just in case he was still watching her from somewhere inside. Expelling a forceful rush of air, her mind worked to make sense of what had just happened.

Parker Collins just kissed you. That’s what happened!

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