The Anchor (17 page)

“Ask me anything you want to know. I’m an open book.”

Opening my eyes, I meet his gaze as he continues rubbing my feet. “What’s your middle name?”

“Joseph.”

I smile. “Nice.”

“Keep going,” he encourages.

“Birthday?”

“April first.”

“No fucking way,” I laugh.

“What?” he asks, looking up at me.

“The baby is due April first.”

“Really?”

“You were born on April Fools’ Day?” I ask, ignoring his question.

“True story.” And he smirks, but remains focused on my feet.

“Siblings?” I continue.

He makes a quiet little laughing sound that somehow seems endearing. Like the question made him think of something that makes him happy. “A sister. Maddie. She graduates CNU in the spring,” he answers.

“You’re close?”

“We talk almost every week. At least we try to.”

Something about hearing that makes my heart feel warm. He loves his sister and he’s a good big brother. Why shouldn’t he be an excellent father, too?

“What do your parents do?”

His hands tense on my feet for a moment before he continues rubbing. “My mother cleans houses and my father repairs and installs septic tanks.”

I wait a moment to hear if he’s going to say ‘just kidding,’ but it never comes. He just keeps rubbing my feet. I suppose my silence clues him in to my surprise because he queries, “Not what you were expecting?”

Parker seems so classy, regal in a sexy and manly way. I’d never have guessed he didn’t come from money. “It’s not that . . .” I begin but pause. What do I say?

Parker raises my foot and kisses it softly before laying it back in his lap and moving on to the next one. “When I tell you two people can make it . . . no matter the odds . . .” And he snorts and shakes his head. “I know because I’ve seen it with my own fucking eyes.” His dark stare meets mine and I swallow hard. His tone is grave, his gaze meant to convey that seriousness. “This,” he motions between us, “won’t be easy. But if you’ll promise me you’ll give it your all, you’ll try your hardest even when you don’t want to, you have my word as a man and as the father of your child that I’ll do anything to make you . . . us. . . . happy.”

Tears stream down my face. I’m so fucking scared. I’m scared to leap into this with him when there are so many things we just don’t know. I’m scared to take the chance that the one time I open myself up to someone, that I might be let down as I’ve always feared. But on the other hand, I believe him. I don’t believe Parker Hayes is a man that makes empty promises.

Wiping at my face, I pull my feet from his lap, moving to straddle him on the chair, taking his face in my hands and pressing my mouth to his. His hands fist the fabric of my robe, causing the sash to come undone and it opens in the front. I kiss him softly, nibbling at his lips as I grind my hips against him.

“Nicole,” he whispers. “Take it off.” He means my robe. Quickly, I slip it off and let it waft to the floor. His dark eyes rove up and down my body as his hands squeeze my ass.

“Undo my belt,” he orders. Moving my hands down to his belt, I start unbuckling it as he kisses down my chin to my neck. “I want you to grab my hard cock and pull it out, baby.” My breathing is erratic as I seize his erection and pull it out, stroking it as my gaze meets his.

“That feels good,” he growls softly. His hand moves up and cups my breast, his thumb gently grazing across my hardened nipple. “Fucking beautiful.” He shakes his head as if he’s in awe. “The most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”

I slam my mouth to his, unable to stop myself. His hand finds my face and grasping it he pulls me away. “Any more questions, Nicole?” he asks, his stare deep and rich with desire.

“Later,” I pant. “Right now I just want to feel you,” I whisper back before I rise and sheath him inside of me. And as I ride him slowly, as his strong hands and fingers dig into my flesh, guiding me, as we pant and move in a frantic rhythm of passion, I know I’ve let Parker Joseph Hayes inside of me. Not just physically, but I’ve let him inside of me somewhere I’ve never let a man enter before.

Parker Hayes has made his way into my heart.

“Hey, big daddy,” John jests as I climb in his BMW. This car was his baby once. Now the paint is all dinged to hell, courtesy of a gravel driveway. He called this morning and asked if I wanted to have breakfast before he went into the office.

“Nice,” I snort.

As he puts the car in drive, he asks, “How are . . . things?”

Running a hand through my hair, I let out an exasperated breath. I’m fully aware of the magnitude of what having a baby entails, only enhanced by Nikki’s and my living situation. But I know we can make this work. It’s just going to take some finagling. That being said, I can’t deny it’s not a lot to take in. “We’re getting things figured out.”

I smile as I remember leaving Nikki in bed after she heaved this morning. She insisted I go and let her rest, so after I got her some saltines and ginger ale, I left so she could sleep. “She’s definitely freaking out.”

“And you’re not?”

“I mean, I think that’s a normal reaction, but I think we’ll be okay.”

“So what happens now?”

“We’re . . . still figuring that out. Obviously, we need to work out the logistics. Am I coming here or is she moving to New York? That type of thing.”

“What does she say?” he asks as we pull into the parking lot of the diner. I wait until we’re out of the car and walking inside to answer.

“I don’t know. Her father basically told her she was on her own yesterday so since he pays for her apartment, she’s going to have to move. Yesterday we were getting our bearings. Today, we have to make a plan.”

I follow John to a booth in the back and just as we’re about to slide in, the bell on the door jingles, drawing my attention. Dierk walks in and gives the young waitress behind the counter a smile that makes her cheeks blush.

“Motherfucker,” John grumbles as we sit.

“Yeah, about that,” I snort. “What was that bit the other night about
if you mess with her you’ll have me to deal with?

John ignores my question and gives our waitress a friendly smile as she slides two coffee mugs on the table and proceeds to fill them. “We’ll have the early bird special, scrambled, with bacon,” he tells her.

“Coming right up,” she chirps before scurrying away.

I cut John a look that says,
What the fuck?
“Did you just order for me?”

He dumps some sugar in his mug and stirs, laughing quietly to himself. “Well, thank you, Johnny,” I say, in my best female tone. “I’ve always wanted a man to take charge, order my meals, and make me his bitch.”

John laughs harder. “I can tell you need a firm hand, Parker.”

“It better be a damn good breakfast,” I warn.

“Trust me,” he says. “I got us the best meal on the menu.”

“So . . . back to Dierk. What was that shit the other night?”

John sips his coffee before answering. “The first night I met him at some river party, he basically told me he’d kick my ass if I hurt Edie.”

“Aww.”

“So I was just throwing that shit back in his face.”

“Nice. Maybe you should’ve gone for something more subtle. Peeing on Edie might have gotten your point across without all of the posturing.”

“Fuck off, Parker,” he mumbles.

“I get it,” I laugh, holding my hands up in surrender. This is obviously a sore spot for John and I seem to be pouring gasoline on it and taunting him with a lit match. “He’s a dick for messing with your woman.”

“If you think it’s just with her, you’re wrong,” John snickers, leaning back in the booth, taking his coffee with him. “He’s got a thing for Nikki, too.”

This time I lean back, but not before glancing over my shoulder and quickly looking at Dierk. He’s sitting at the counter, sipping his coffee. He’s a decent-looking guy, I guess. But he has an arrogance about him. “Yeah, but Nikki is carrying my child. I doubt he’d go after a pregnant chick,” I reply, swallowing down the hidden jealousy I’m feeling.

John says nothing, just darts his eyes away and sips from his mug, hiding the grin on his face.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing.” He shakes his head. “I just can’t wait until it’s you pissing on Nikki.”

“Why haven’t you just kicked his ass yet? I know you could. I saw that bouncer’s nose in New York,” I tease him. “You did some nice damage.”

“I’m never going to live that night down.” John rolls his eyes and I chuckle. “Because he’s their friend, and . . . I’m new here. If I kick the ass of the town’s pretty boy, it wouldn’t look good for me. I need business.”

“Good point.”

“So, back to you, Daddy Hayes. What do you think is going to happen here?”

I sigh and stroke my jaw, lost in thought, before I answer. “I have to work, so ideally she’d come back to New York with me.”

John bites his lip and his eyes widen. He clearly has thoughts on this, but doesn’t want to say what they are. “What?” I ask.

“I just think it won’t be that simple. Nikki loves it here, and Edie is here. You don’t understand the bond between them. Hell, I don’t understand the bond between them, but it’s there and it’s fucking unbreakable.”

“You think she wouldn’t move to New York because of Edie?”

He shakes his head and sips his coffee again. “I think she’d be miserable without Edie. Edie would be miserable without her. What other family do they have? They have each other, and that’s it. And Joey,” he adds.

“My uncle will kill me if I quit.” I sigh.

“And the baby? How will he take that?” John asks. I lean forward and put my forearms on the table, holding my mug between my hands. It was only a few weeks ago I assured him that I was always safe with every woman, but not with Nikki. Shaking my head, I realize it had to be when we had sex in the bathtub. That was the only time I was inside her unprotected.

“Probably not well,” I reply and let out a small snort. “But it is what it is. He’ll get over it.”

“Well Edie and I are here . . . for both of you. Whatever you guys need.”

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it. Just keep an eye on her while I’m gone, please. I hate that I have to leave her, but I have to get back.”

“She’s family. We always look out for family.”