Page 70 of Parker

“Quinn, this is Dr. Sydnee Blake.” Parker introduced her to the woman in question. “She’s the friend I told you about.”

“The one you grew up with.” Quinn held out her hand and smiled. “Hi. I’m Quinn.”

Those blue eyes stared right through her.

“Sydnee.” Her grip was firm. “Nice to meet you.”

Something about that stare said otherwise.

“You, too.”

Sydnee held their shared grip a little longer than was socially acceptable, and Quinn couldn’t help but feel as though she were being sized up. Not that she could blame the gorgeous doctor.

If the roles were reversed, Quinn would absolutely do the same.

“And this ugly guy right here is Asher Cross.” Parker finished the introductions. “Sydnee’s fiancé and all-around badass.”

The far-from-ugly man slid his glasses to the top of his head. Like his fiancée, Asher’s dark eyes crossed over her with an assessing glance before he offered her his hand. But his didn’t hold quite the same amount of suspicion.

“Nice to meet you, Quinn.” Another firm shake. “I’m assuming Park’s told you why we’re here.”

“Actually, I only just found out about his charity problem a few minutes before you got here. But yeah. Park told me about the charity emergency and that he didn’t want me to be left alone. Just in case.”

The two men shared a look Quinn didn’t understand before Asher glanced over at Sydnee and grinned. “Well, I don’t normally bring my fiancée along with me on jobs like this, but Syd insisted on meeting you. And since, like you said, this is just a precautionary step, anyway—”

“I thought it would give us a chance to get to know each other a little bit.” The other woman finished for him. Her delicate shoulders stiffened ever-so-slightly when she took in the way Parker was still holding Quinn’s hand.

“Sure.” Quinn smiled, not bothering to deny Sydnee’s claim. “I mean, yeah. I’d like that.”

Surprisingly, she meant it.

For all the fleeting animosity she’d felt upon Sydnee’s arrival, the bottom line was this woman cared about Parker. Not in a romantic, threatening way. But as a friend.

The pretty doctor cared so much, in fact, she’d talked her former Special Forces fiancé into bringing her along on his bodyguard duty just so she could check Quinn out. Presumably to make sure Parker’s new love interest wasn’t bringing trouble to his doorstep.

How could she be mad about that?

“Well, as much as I’d rather hang out here with all of you, I really do have to go.”

With another quick hug from Sydnee and a shake of Asher’s hand, Parker turned to Quinn and motioned toward the brick drive. “Walk me to the car?”

Nodding, Quinn walked hand-in-hand with the sexy man down the wide steps and to the Caddy. Before they’d even reached the bottom step, a man she hadn’t seen before was out of the car and waiting near the back passenger door.

“Mr. Collins.” The suited man opened the door for Parker. But he didn’t get in.

“Give us a minute, Max.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Collins.” Making quick work of the bags, the man named Max closed the trunk lid and returned to his rightful place behind the wheel.

Standing beside the opened back door, Quinn ignored his friends who were watching them intently from the home’s elaborate front stoop.

“At least you won’t have to be gone long.” She offered him a small smile.

“I hate leaving you at all.”

Warmth spread through her chest, but she placed her free hand on his. “I’ll be fine, Park. Again, who in their right mind would think to find me here?”

“Right-minded people aren’t the ones I’m worried about, sweetheart.”

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