I may completely lose it. It’s becoming like a ritual for him to torture me every day. Luckily, I got a break from his chauffer services because he allowed me to drive myself tonight. Oh, and you better believe I didn’t hear the end of that one, either.
My shoulder suddenly collides with someone, and I turn to apologize. I stop myself short when I’m met by Gunnar’s sneer. Perfect. This is the exact person I wanted to run into right now.
“Watch where you’re going, you little nark,” he says.
“Why don’t you just drop dead, Gunnar,” I respond while walking past him. I hear him make a snide comment behind me, but instead of retaliating with words, I just flip him off as I continue to move away.
The sign for the newspaper’s booth comes into view when I turn the corner and move into the next aisle. I smile when I see Parker sitting underneath it, suavely leaning back in a chair with his feet propped up on the table and a contented look on his face.
“Looks like it’s just you and me tonight,” he comments when I reach the booth.
“Where’s everyone else? And wait, our booth is a dunk tank? When was this discussed?”
“I think at the last meeting. Wow, did my kiss wreck your memory that bad? I always knew it would be a weapon for evil one day,” he laughs.
I appreciate the fact he’s trying to lighten the situation, but seriously? I guess I’m dealing with stereotypical guy Parker tonight.
“So, do you want to be the dunkee or the ball passer-outer?” he asks with a grin, holding up two softballs at waist height in front of him.
“I’ll pass out the balls, thank you very much.”
“Have it your way,” he states as he sets the balls on the table off to the side and begins to unbuckle his belt. I roll my eyes when he starts humming a horrible rendition of a sexy stripper song as he undresses.
“What are you doing?” I ask, finding it hard to keep a straight face.
“You don’t expect me to get dunked fully clothed, do you? Besides can you really blame me for wanting to give you a little show? Consider this like the coming attractions.”
“You’re such a dork.”
“I know, but you love me anyway.”
A blush creeps up my cheeks at the mere mention of that word from his lips. It begins to deepen when Parker drops his pants, revealing his red boxer-briefs with a black waistband. I’m seriously having a hard time holding back my enjoyment of this view. His legs are perfectly toned, not too muscular and not too skinny, just right.
Parker slowly starts to unbutton his shirt, toying with me at each button. I’m just glad we’re in the back corner of the gym so no one else can see what he’s doing right now.
“Will you just get undressed already,” I say, but I secretly wish he’d go slower.
“If that’s what you want,” he replies, and then rips open his shirt, unveiling his sleeveless white undershirt. His arms tense as he balls up the dark blue flannel he just removed and throws it at me. The scent of his cologne flows through the air when I catch the shirt. My mouth begins to water, wanting to devour his. He doesn’t even have to flex his muscles to have them ripple with every one of his movements. I’m not sure if I’m drooling right now, but I wipe the edges of my mouth just in case.
Then a thought hits me as I see Parker heading toward the dunk tank. If someone knocks him in, he’ll be wet from head to toe, not leaving much to the imagination. Of course, from where I’m standing, he might not even need to get wet for that to happen. Tonight could prove to be quite entertaining indeed, and a welcome distraction from all the drama.
I begin to imagine water coursing all over his body, plastering his shirt to his perfectly-molded chest and abs. Then his boxer-briefs hugging his beautiful legs even closer, and—
“Ready to do this?” he asks, interrupting my thoughts.
I feel embarrassed, as if he actually heard me thinking out loud. My reply sounds like English to my ears, but if Parker’s face is any indication, it was most likely gibberish.
“Yeah,” I say clearly this time.
“All right, then. Let’s get moist,” he comments, clapping his hands together.
I roll my eyes at his comment as I take my position next to the dunk tank line and