Her Marine Next Door - Aliyah Burke Page 0,57

He knew she could feel the racing of his heartbeat as it cavorted within his chest. Nearly exploding, he strove to calm down. His palms were sweaty, and his gut was more like a rock garden. Nausea churned as he withdrew the single sheet of paper inside.

DNA Test Report jumped out at him, centered in the middle of the page. For personal knowledge only was below that.

There was a case number. Gemma’s and Cullen’s names. And his, under the phrasing “Alleged FATHER.”

Bile raced up and he was frozen, unable to move his gaze farther down to the columns with their numbers and circles.

Mortars went off in his ears, bringing with them a hollow feeling of being completely alone, unable to center and focus. He’d experienced it many times before and knew how to navigate but for once, he didn’t think he could pull it off. He wanted to flee. To hide.

“I’m right here, Parker. I’m not going anywhere.” Her voice pushed through the ringing roar in his ears, grounding him.

Pressing his lips to her head, allowing her soft curls to brush his nose, he moved his gaze down. Beyond the numbers that dealt with the sizes of the alleles to the findings.

Closing his eyes, he set the paper beside his thigh and wrapped his arms tighter around Skylar.

“He’s mine,” he mumbled into her satiny skin. “Cullen’s my son. Ninety-nine point nine percent probability.”

His son. The words fell from his tongue and felt right.

She wriggled until she could get his gaze on hers. His heart turned over at the amount of joy and love in her eyes. A smile overtook her features, and she cupped his scruff-lined jaw in her strong yet feminine hands.

“Congratulations, Parker.” A hint of pain flashed before it was wiped away, as if it hadn’t ever been. Skylar tried to cuddle close once more, but he restrained her, took over her act of holding the jaw.

“What?” she asked, stilling as he skimmed his thumbs along the corners of her mouth. Her eyes widened slightly as he didn’t move and didn’t speak.

Parker covered her mouth with his. He wanted to take, rush, and sink between her thighs, allowing her tightness to hold him and catapult him to the level he craved. He didn’t. He kept it gentle, coaxing.

Warmth flooded him, and he could feel each strong beat of his heart as he twined his tongue around hers. Everything hummed, and he couldn’t find any logical words to express how this woman made him feel.

I want her curves naked against me.

Continuing to kiss her, he readjusted them until she was beneath him on the sofa. He left her mouth to trail light brushes along her jaw and throat.

“Parker,” she gasped, fingers digging into his shoulders.

“Shhh. Let me.”

Her mewl was more of a whimper. At the hem of her shirt, he inched it up, needing her to scream his name. Needing to cry hers.

Rising up, he used both hands to push it up until her breasts were bared to him. He didn’t stop, continued removing the shirt, lifting her arms so he could get it completely off. As soon as it cleared her curls, he released the material and dragged his hungry gaze over her.

Fucking perfect.

He didn’t even have a name for the color of her skin; it was brown but it was so much more, hints of gold, red, and perfection. Same with her hair, an amazing blend of hues. Breasts a little more than a handful rose and begged for his touch.

The dip of her waist, the swell of her hips that currently had the waistband of her sweats on it.

Time to rectify that.

He held her gaze as he dug his fingers beneath the waist and began to pull as he inched back. She lifted her hips, her lower lip caught in her teeth, chest rising and falling as she took short, sharp breaths.

When her pants were to her knees, he dropped his gaze and groaned. Lace and what he now knew to be her hipster panties.

“God, you’re killing me, baby.” Splashes of her skin were visible through the lace, and he knew exactly what was there.

Inching back more, he removed the pants and tossed them to the side. He held one leg under the knee and skimmed his hand up the back of her thigh toward her ass. Her pupils dilated, and her breathing sped up.

His, too.

“Fucking work of art.”

“Please.”

“No baby, not fast. Not tonight.” He shrugged. “Not yet, anyway. I’m going to take my time with