Rugged Guard - Jason Collins Page 0,33

Parker, who was just as quiet as ever, his attention seemingly focused on the trail ahead. And as I glanced between the snowy mountains, the wide, open sky, and Parker’s calm expression, something at the back of my brain started to connect the dots.

Oh.

Oh.

It wasn’t just Park City that I could get used to.

It was being with Parker in Park City.

I was shocked by my own line of thinking, quickly turning my attention back to the trail as I tried to suppress the growing realization.

Why the hell was I thinking about staying here, anyway?

Why the hell was I thinking about staying with Parker?

I knew better than that. It wasn’t like it could ever work out. I wasn’t going to quit my job as private security, which meant that even if we were together, long-term, I’d still be flying all over the world and popping in every so often to see him, probably just long enough for sex and a nice dinner or two.

And Parker deserved better than that.

“What are you thinking about?” Parker’s voice floated over to me, his words sounding small under his breath, like he barely wanted to ask me the question at all.

“Uh…” I tried to find the right way to answer the question. “I… was just thinking about the future.”

“What about it?”

“That it’s… hard to know,” I answered and gave a shrug. “That trying to plan for it is always so overwhelming, even when you already know the basic parameters.”

“The basic parameters…” Parker seemed amused by the phrase. “How very military of you.”

“What’s the security work like here?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like, are there security firms? Teams?” I clarified. “I’m sure they have local companies they use for security at certain venues and things, but is there anything centralized?”

“We have club bouncers?” Parker replied. “And I think for bigger events, the security usually just comes with the venue. I don’t think there’s like a main firm or anything. Why do you ask?”

“I was just…” My words trailed off as I tried to come up with a convincing lie. I didn’t want to tell Parker the truth, that I’d been wondering about what kind of work I’d be able to find here, if I ever wanted to stay, if I ever wanted to turn what we had between us into a real relationship. “I was just wondering how you were going to keep yourself safe after I was off the job.”

“Well, once you’re off the job, doesn’t that pretty much mean that I’m in the clear?”

“Usually. But…” I shook my head and let out a loud sigh. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be fearmongering, right now. You’re right. Once I’m off the job, you’re pretty much safe. And even if you needed to hire another security person, I’m sure you could find a good one online.”

“Thanks for the concern, I guess,” Parker went on. “But you shouldn’t be too worried about it. I promise. I’m not going to bother you again once you’re off the job. You’ll be completely in the clear.”

Parker then turned away from me, an irritated expression coming over his face.

And before I could get out a reply, Parker and I were already back at the Bed & Breakfast, our horses stopping in place, right in front of their barn.

“I think I’m going to take a dip in the hot tub,” I stated with a towel already wrapped around my waist. I was shirtless and pants-less, with the towel being the only piece of fabric that was currently touching my skin.

It’d been a few hours since Parker and I had come back from our horseback ride, and Parker was officially off the clock when it came to work. I’d been working pretty hard too, although I’d been using most of my energy trying to come up with ways to get Parker talking to me again.

And not the way he was talking to me on the trail, like he was just trying to fill the silence between us, like he was trying to ease the tension even though he was clearly annoyed about something.

Parker looked over at me now, still chewing through a string cheese, his eyes seemingly going wide at the sight of me.

I smiled to myself, pleased that my Get Parker To Talk To Me Again plan seemed to be going off without a hitch. I knew that I wasn’t playing fair by being half naked around Parker, but it also felt like it’d be the best way to get him to open up to