Her Marine Next Door - Aliyah Burke Page 0,32
she pasted on a large smile. Gemma pulled her hair back from her face as she walked to the kitchen. “I didn’t know we had visitors. I’m sorry, I’m just getting home from work, so please forgive my appearance.”
As he made the introductions, he was careful to point out she was in no way the fiancée.
“You’re a lovely little thing,” his mom gushed. “Your son is perfect.”
Gemma smiled as she looked at Parker. “We did make a great kid.”
He wondered if he was the only one who’d noticed Cullen didn’t run to his mom.
Cullen’s mom rested against Parker slightly and used him to hold her up as she rolled her shoulders. “Let me get freshened up, and I’ll make us all some supper.”
Flashes of the lackluster food she made hit him. He opened his mouth, but his mom said, “Nonsense. We will go out to eat.” A pointed look in his direction. “All of us.”
Right. Because he wanted to go out with the baby momma while his fake fiancée, the not-at-all fake object of his lust and desire, was right next door.
…
“Do you have any idea how much I love your skin?” Parker whispered the question as he trailed tickling little love bites down her back, focusing on her spine.
“No,” she replied, scrunching her fingers in the bedspread. “But you’re making me feel as if I’m a meal.”
“You are. One for me, only. And one I love indulging in.” He nipped one globe of her ass, and she squealed.
“I’m not food.”
“I beg to differ. I’m perfectly happy to see how long I can be sustained by you.”
“You’re insane.”
He moved back up to her and kissed her as he pulled her on top of him. “No, baby, the word you’re looking for is insatiable.”
“I thought you were supposed to be in the guest room.”
He shrugged, and her heart melted a bit more at the impish look there. “I was lonely?”
“I fail to see how. I was in there with you last night. And most previous nights you were in here with me.”
“Then you left. I was lonely and followed you in here.” He placed another long, slow, drugging kiss on her that completely short-circuited her brain. “What do you want to do today?”
“Don’t you have some guys to hang out with?”
“Not over my fiancée, not happening. I’m not on board with that whole bros-before-hoes bit that people use. And no, I’m not referring to you as a whore. Just using the expression. I want to take you out today.”
Her heart rate tripled in speed. “You don’t have to do that. We’re putting on a farce for Gemma and if you leave, I’m sure that won’t make any difference in her mind.”
He pursed his lips ever so briefly and she narrowed her eyes, suspicion ramping up full force.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“My parents.”
Talk about a mood killer. “What about them?”
“They’re here in town.”
Silence reigned between them for a minute before she gave in and prompted. “And?”
“You’re my fiancée. They want to meet you. They’ve met their grandson. Now they want to meet my fiancée.”
Her heart thundered hard; she was surprised her ribs hadn’t cracked from the beating they had to be taking right about now.
“I thought this was a show for baby momma.”
“You didn’t seriously think they’d be good with meeting only my son, did you?” His nose flared as he took another deep breath. “If we don’t agree to meet them, they’ll just show up at the door. I can only hold them off for so long.”
“Parents weren’t part of my understanding of this deal, Parker Jax. This was a deal until the results came back. Why haven’t they come back?” She struggled until he let her go. She didn’t just move beside him, but climbed out of bed and tugged on a shirt.
“I know it wasn’t, baby. And I’m sorry. They just showed up at the door. Kind of hard to hide the three-year-old out in my yard. Problem is, even though I told them you were shy and extremely busy with deadlines for work, they’re still pushing to meet you.”
“How long are they in town for?” She paced along the foot of the bed, unease spiking between her shoulder blades. It didn’t help he’d used the word “baby” again. Almost like that was an endearment only for her.
“They bought a house.”
Skylar whipped toward him and the bed so fast, she stubbed her toe. “What?” Okay, that was a screech followed by a bellow of pain.
He was a blur as