Her Marine Next Door - Aliyah Burke Page 0,21

draped it over the edge of the workbench.

“Let’s go.”

Cullen rose and holding his bear, Murray, by one paw, walked beside him out to the back, avoiding the pool. As he hit the larger bit of the backyard, the boy ran off with Murray dangling from his left hand. There was a steady conversation between him and the bear. Moving to the table he had out there, Parker climbed on the top and sat while he held his cell.

He again debated calling his parents but really, what would he tell them? They were on a cruise having fun. They already knew he’d been injured and was home doing PT. However, what was there to say in terms of Cullen? He may or may not be the father? The woman he’d fucked a few years ago had shown up claiming this as fact?

None of that would work well. They’d show up, and then what if Gemma took him and ran, or the test came back saying he wasn’t the father? His parents would have had their hopes up and dashed about a grandchild. That wasn’t fair to them.

He studiously ignored how this would impact him, because he didn’t want to think about it. For the time being, he was nothing more than a babysitter for C-Man.

Speaking of Cullen, the boy stood beside the fence, working the lower part of a board, lifting it, so he had enough room to maneuver beneath and scamper onto Skylar’s side.

Parker grinned. Boy was smart. “I probably should have stopped that,” he muttered, hopping off the table and making his way back to the front. “But now I have a reason to head back over there.”

Her garage was open, but she wasn’t in sight. He entered as if he had every right to be there and proceeded to the interior connecting door. Pushing it open, he stuck his head in.

“Skylar? You in here?”

Nothing. He walked in and passed her immaculate kitchen and through to where he could see out in the backyard. The sliding glass door was open and he went to it and braced one shoulder against the frame.

Alpin drank out of a bucket and beside him, with Murray’s face in the water as well, was Cullen, not drinking but waiting.

A slight eek came from his left. Leaning back, he angled his head and promptly lost his breath when his gaze found and latched onto Skylar, his fiancée.

Holy fuck. She was sexy as hell.

It was more than that, sexy and fucking beautiful, but there was this air about her. And how she was dressed, or lack thereof, didn’t hurt.

She clutched the top of the towel against her chest. Like that’s going to stop me, baby. The seafoam towel wrapped around her stopped midthigh, reminding him—albeit unnecessarily—of the body he’d wanted in his bed last night. Or him in hers. Water drops skimmed down her skin, and he licked his lips as he pivoted toward her, drawn with a pull he couldn’t ignore.

Yeah, they were changing that relationship tonight.

“What are you doing here?” Her gasp was strained.

His cock swelled and pressed against his jeans. Raking her with his gaze, he gave her a slow smile.

“I spend almost all my time over here with my fiancée when I’m home from deployment. And as I’m on medical leave, that is so much more time now. Why are you shocked to see me?”

Her eyes bounced much like ping-pong balls that had been dropped around the room, as if scared and searching. She narrowed her gaze on him and stepped closer. A furrow appeared between her eyebrows.

“I thought you were gone for the day, spending time with Cullen.” Her voice was low, like she didn’t want anyone to overhear.

He gave her credit—she wasn’t backing down from her agreement.

Shrugging, he gestured outside. “He, along with Murray, found a loose board in the fence and came over to be with Alpin. I was watching the three of them in the water bucket before someone hot and sexy as fuck distracted me.”

She flushed, dropping her gaze. “I’m not standing here in nothing but a towel while your son is outside.”

Parker crossed his arms, flexing his biceps and watching the way her pupils widened as she tried not to be caught looking. Got your number, baby. “I’m all for removing the towel and giving a long, slow look at everything you have. Be a perfect time for us to revisit the conversation of sharing the same bed at night for much-anticipated pleasure.”

Her lips moved, but