“I have an idea,” he said, when she pulled her hand back.
“What is it?” she asked, hoping he was going to suggest they bag their lunch to-go and return home ASAP.
“Since we’re out and about, how about another outing?”
Was she disappointed that he wasn’t rushing them back home? She shifted in her seat, tightening her legs together to ease the ache. “Where?”
“Umm, you name the place.”
She thought about it for a minute and then said, “What about Can-Can Wonderland?”
He lifted a brow. “What’s that?”
She picked a fry and took a bite. “It’s a fun place with mini-golf, restaurants, and arcades that include several pinball machines. It even has go-carts, for the daring at heart. And there’s a soda fountain as well as a bar that sells cocktails.”
“Sounds like my kind of place.”
She smiled. “Mine, too. I think it will be fun.” And just the type of place where they could work off some of the sexual energy building between them.
It was close to eight that night before they returned home. After a fun day at Can-Can Wonderland where they had spent a lot of time in the arcade playing endless rounds of pinball and climbing a man-made mountain, they had eaten dinner at the restaurant on site. Afterwards, they had worked off the meal on the mini-golf course.
Parker thought his time with Sebrina had been special. Had they remained here or returned earlier, chances were, they would have ended up in bed again. Not that he minded. But he didn’t want her to start thinking their relationship was only physical, because it wasn’t.
Still, he wished their bodies would get the message. Because the moment they entered the house, the temperature rose exponentially. They had managed to keep the smoldering heat between them under control around others, but now that they were behind closed doors, there was no ignoring the seductive energy passing between them. She had been headed for the stairs, but then she stopped and slowly turned around. He actually felt his body tremble at the look he saw in her eyes, and he knew what she wanted…what they both needed.
He moved toward her, covering the distance that separated them, unable to ignore the myriad sensations engulfing him with every step he took. When he came to a stop in front of her, they just stood there, staring at each other. The silence between them stretched out as sexual hunger grew. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. And when he reached out for her, she came into his arms.
He took her mouth with all the relentless need that filled him, knowing at some point that he’d need to tell her this wasn’t about sex, but love. The only thing holding him back was the fact that she probably wouldn’t believe him, since things were happening so fast. But then, according to Rae’jean and Ryan, that was the way things had been for them, too. That’s when she had realized she loved Grady but hadn’t been in love with him. The sexual chemistry between her and Ryan had been too strong to deny, even before they’d been officially introduced.
When Parker released her mouth, she asked in a low, seductive voice, “Do you want to act on it some more, Parker?”
He nodded, then asked a question of his own. “How long do you think we should keep this up?”
She shrugged. “I guess until we get it right. But then we’ll have no choice but to end things after next week.”
He lifted a brow. “Why?”
“Monica will be back. We won’t have the house to ourselves.”
Did she think that would make a difference? Yes, she probably did. That meant he only had a little more than a week to convince her they belonged together. “In that case…”
Then he swept her into his arms and headed up the stairs. “This time, we’re making love in your bed.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Monica
MONICA HAD BEEN STANDING on the balcony looking out over the ocean when she heard the sound behind her and only turned her head a fraction before smiling. “I was wondering if you’d forgotten me.”
The man she had spent the last nineteen straight days with was walking toward her with two glasses of wine. It was hard to believe the cruise was almost over. The ship was now headed back to Sydney where they would disembark tomorrow morning. He would return to Atlanta and she would catch a flight to St. Paul.
Her days of idyllic bliss were about to come to an end. She had finished her review days ago, and the article had already been sent to her boss. That had allowed her to use the rest of her time giving Landon her undivided attention. And she’d enjoyed every minute of it.
“I could never forget you, Monica.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls,” she said teasing, refusing to admit the thought made a pain settle around her heart. Her heart? Why on earth would she feel anything there of all places? Mr. Perkins hadn’t exactly been a role model to his children—especially the ones he’d never bothered to claim. But then, she couldn’t place the blame of her disinterest in settling down solely at her biological father’s feet. She had goals and dreams and didn’t plan to let them get waylaid.
“No, actually, I don’t,” he said, handing her one of the glasses. “You know I could never forget you, Monica.”
“You better not,” she said grinning up at him. She knew she would never forget him. Taking a sip of her wine she glanced over the rim of her glass at him, remembering the days and nights they had spent together. By the second week, a lot of the people on the cruise had paired off and it seemed that each of those bold women had snagged a guy. But Monica wasn’t interested in any guy. She had the guy of guys, the best one of all. The one who had filled her days with fun and adventure, and then at night, had taught her things in the bedroom that still made her blush just thinking about them.
Kennedy had been right about older men. There was a confidence in them that younger men lacked. Thanks to Landon, she felt surer of herself—more aware of herself—than she had when she boarded the ship weeks ago. He had been a gentleman and had treated her with the utmost respect, even in the bedroom. Especially in the bedroom.
She lowered her glass. “And I won’t forget you either, Landon. You are the best.” And she really meant it. She knew all good things had to come to an end and their affair would too. But they still had tonight, and she intended to make it the best night ever.
“I’m reminding you again that if you ever return to St. Paul, you’ll remember to use that rain check for us to get together for that drink.”
He held her gaze for a long moment and the heat from his eyes stirred her insides. “If I come to St. Paul, I hope to get something else even more important.”
Monica knew he was suggesting that he would want a booty call when he came to town. Considering how good the sex had been between them, she could definitely see that happening. “Anytime, Landon. You have definitely earned a place in my bed.”
Unlike the smile she had expected, she saw frown lines appear around his eyes. “What about your life, Monica? Have I earned a place in your life?”
Now she was the one frowning, because she wasn’t exactly sure just what he was asking. “My life? Why would you want a place in my life?”