Rugged Guard - Jason Collins Page 0,7

in place on top of Parker’s chest. “If someone tries to come behind the counter for you, I’ll hold them off, but I’m going to need you to run like hell, got it?”

“Got it.” Parker offered me a nervous nod.

A few seconds later, I heard footsteps walking up to the front desk. When someone peered over the desk, I lifted up my weapon, pointing the gun directly at the person.

“Back the fuck off or I’ll shoot—wait. Eddie?” I squinted up at him, pulling the gun back down to my side. “What the hell?”

“What the hell right back at you!” Eddie let out a harsh laugh. “Were you really going to shoot me down? Just because I accidentally dropped a box of silverware?”

“That didn’t sound like silverware,” I replied. “And no, I wasn’t going to shoot you down. I was hoping a good threat would’ve been enough to scare you off.”

“Well, threat received,” Eddie said. “Anyway, thanks for not killing me. It would’ve been a real bummer to get shot while taking care of some B&B chores. I would’ve died doing the opposite of what I loved.”

“You’re welcome.”

“And feel free to get off my brother,” Eddie continued. “You know, whenever you feel like it.”

Eddie smiled in my direction before walking back toward the front of the lobby.

And I quickly moved away from Parker, who was still lying on the floor. “Sorry about that. It was just reflexes.”

“I didn’t mind.” Parker’s voice was low. “I mean, I… that’s not what I meant to say—”

“Remember what I said about not crossing that line, Parker,” I interrupted his response as I rose to my feet. “And I’ll check in with you after I’m done checking the perimeter, all right?”

“Yeah. All right,” Parker said, something in his tone sounding defeated and sad.

I wanted to say something to comfort him, but instead, I walked away, heading for the nearest exit. I didn’t have anything to say to Parker that wasn’t wildly inappropriate.

How was I supposed to tell him that while he was briefly underneath me, it took all of my strength not to imagine how it would’ve felt if he was underneath me under different circumstances, the kind that involved thrusts and moans?

How was I supposed to tell him that I wanted to hear him cry out my name as I steadily pushed my cock inside him?

I couldn’t tell him any of that.

And so, I didn’t.

Instead, I kept all of those thoughts to myself, not voicing a single one of them as I began surveying the perimeter for what felt like the millionth time today.

3

Parker

I was a complete and total idiot.

Why had I been so forward with Derek in the lobby? I should’ve known that he was a professional and wouldn’t have been interested in taking the bait.

I also should’ve known better than to become infatuated with a guy I barely knew, imagining myself in his arms more often than not as I went about my day.

Remember what I said about not crossing that line, Parker.

Of course I was going to remember Derek’s spiel about the line. How was I ever supposed to forget? It was his great segue into summarily rejecting me, putting the thought of anything happening between us out of my head before it had a chance to blossom any further.

Although, unfortunately for me, I still had a crush on the guy despite the fact that I knew there was zero chance of anything happening between us. And at this point, I couldn’t help but feel pathetic, pining over a guy who’d already told me he was never, ever going to be interested in getting to know me on a deeper level.

Since I wasn’t interested in making an idiot out of myself around Derek again, I’d purposely been avoiding having a conversation with him at every turn, always conveniently busy on my phone or chewing through a snack when I was in his presence.

Today wasn’t any different, not even when Viv called us into the living room, her gaze serious as she stared at us both.

“I think I found something,” she started, turning her attention toward me. “You don’t happen to think of your father as a perfect angel, do you?”

“No. Why?”

“Because he wasn’t,” she said, pulling out a set of polaroid pictures. “Your mother isn’t still with us, is she?”

“No,” I answered again.

Viv nodded to herself. “Good. That’s good. It’s hard enough ruining the children’s image of their father. It’s so much worse ruining someone’s husband for them.”

“Ruining?” I pressed. “Ruining how?”

“It