Her Marine Next Door - Aliyah Burke Page 0,47

himself and seemed to have his shit together. He made a note to speak to him, if it turned out he wasn’t cleared to go back in the field. Marc had lost a limb and knew all about not being able to get back to what you loved.

Where did Skylar end up in all of this? Did he want to leave her? No. He liked being with her in the evenings, cooking dinner with her, and just spending time together. He didn’t miss going out and drinking with his friends like he thought he would.

“You’re up, Skylar,” Tiffany said, snatching some fries from her plate and popping them in her mouth.

“Okay, I have to put my hair up. Time to get serious. No way we’re going to lose to these two troublemakers. Then again, perhaps delinquents would be a better word given the stories I’ve just heard.”

Tiffany whooped while he, along with Marc, frowned. His instinctive denial rose upon his lips. Both for her hair comment and the one she made about Marc and him.

Parker loved the way her natural curls tumbled around her. Especially when they were spread out on the pillow as she tossed in the throes of the shared passion between them. Or when he watched her sleep. It was the time he thought about all the things to say to her that he couldn’t while she was awake. The things he struggled to say because he’d been brought up to believe saying them made a man weak.

She stood before him, no pool cue in hand, staring up at him with those amazing eyes she had that never failed to sear him to his soul. He cocked an eyebrow, forcing himself not to reach out and push those very curls away from the soft curvature of her face.

“Yes?”

“My hair thing?”

He blinked. “What about it?”

“You keep one in your pocket. Can I have it?”

Damn. Giving in to his urge to touch her, he skimmed his palm along her cheek, pushing his fingers into her hair as he moved. Her full lips parted with a small mewl.

She’s so fucking responsive to my touch.

Pulling the tie out of his front jeans pocket, he stretched it between his fingers. “Here you go.”

Without breaking their eye connection, she reached out and gathered up her hair, exposing the graceful lines of her neck and those aristocratic cheekbones. As usual a few tendrils hung free, and she held her hair in one hand using her other to pluck the tie from him. Three swift moves and it was piled up high, leaving him wanting to take it back down.

Her tongue flicked out, dampening the plump bottom lip that was a distraction to him. “Thanks. Time to kick your ass.” A hesitation and a smirk. “Again.”

She was right; when she and Marc played they’d won. He wasn’t sure if it was her skill or the fact that he was too damn distracted by her.

Skylar smiled, turned her face to his palm, and he swore she kissed his skin, but then she was gone, leaving him with nothing but a need and a memory.

Marc rested his shoulder against his. “Right, nothing there at all.”

“Fuck off.”

“I’m thinking you’re not my type and I’m not yours.” Marc cursed under his breath.

“Stop looking at her ass or I’ll knock your fucking teeth out.” Parker didn’t have to move his gaze to his friend. One, he, too, was staring at her ass, and two, he knew his friend well.

“A woman like that shouldn’t be single.”

He flexed a fist. “She’s not.” Parker moved up behind her as she was lining up for her shot, pressed the backs of her legs against him, and bent down, bracing his hands along the edge, boxing her in. Nuzzling the nape of her neck, exposed once he moved her escaped curls away.

“Wrap this one up, baby. I want you. I need you.”

A delicious tremor moved through her, and he stepped back, allowing her to take her turn. Her hands shook, but she made her shot. She swiftly finished up that game and with a wave and hug to both Marc and Tiffany, they moved through the darkness to his vehicle.

Chapter Ten

Twice in one day! Skylar stewed in silent fury as she looked over the destroyed table in her living room. Any lingering happiness about going out with Parker yesterday had vanished. No doubt in her mind that someone, who didn’t like her around her son, had come into her house and done this. All the