All Fired Up (DreamMakers) (28 page)

“Can I have a minute?” she asked quietly, a noticeable contrast to the continued ranting going on behind them.

The guard checked with Phil. He jerked his head abruptly, easing the box in his hands into a more defensive position.

“You want your chance to slap me down like the rest of them?”

Lynn swallowed a sigh. “No. I just…” She could feel Suz’s disapproving gaze burning into her back, but she forced herself to keep going. “I want permission to text you a phone number, if you’re open to it.”

He laughed—a hard burst of derision. “I don’t need any more women offering their numbers. I have enough of them on my back as it is.”

“It’s not a woman’s number—it’s a man’s.” She hesitated. “A therapist. After we had our little ‘incident’, I wondered. It’s obvious you’re not in a healthy place right now, and…well, sometimes it’s good to have someone to talk to.”

“And you’re not offering to be that someone.”

Oh hell, fuck no. “Afraid not.”

“Too much to hope, I suppose.” Weariness lined his eyes. “I’m not crazy, Lynn.”

There were two opinions about
that
. “Can I send it to you?”

A hint of the old bluster and ego returned. “Up to you. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Phil turned away without another word, his head held high as the guard took him to the front doors and out into the street.

Suz slipped her arm around Lynn’s waist. “You? Are too saintly for your own good. That man never deserved you.”

“No, but he deserves help, if he’s smart enough to take it.”

“Or brave enough, or honest enough, but I’m afraid that ain’t him, hon.” Suz gave her a final squeeze. “Come on. Enough. Close that door and get ready to open the next one. I hear there’s a party happening, and we both have invites.”

Lynn’s heart lightened. “When have you ever needed an invite? I thought it was more fun to crash?”

Suz’s jaw dropped. “Shit, you’re right. Tell Dean to take my name off the list so I can sneak in. I haven’t used my lock-pick set in ages.”

“You’re incorrigible.” But Lynn was smiling, and as the two women turned away from the lobby, she batted her lashes like an old-time Hollywood starlet. “I’m taking the straightest route possible to get to where I’m spending the night—Parker’s arms.”

Suz made a gagging noise. “Ugh, save the mush and googly eyes for him.”

“Trust me, I will.”

Pepper

She stood with both feet planted on dry land and stared at the magical vision in front of her. The dock leading to the boat was festooned with glittering white lights. Music carried over the water along with the sound of laughter and clinking glasses—the party appeared to be in full swing.

Pepper Wilson adjusted her backpack to fit more firmly in position, the familiar weight comforting. All her worldly goods.

Melodramatic, much?
a little voice in her head taunted.

Fine, she corrected herself. She still had stuff at her folks’ place, in a room she planned on moving out of as soon as possible. She wasn’t eighteen anymore, and she wasn’t going to put up with being babied. Not by her parents, or Parker, or his pain-in-the-ass, ever-present sidekick, Jack Hunter The Annoying.

Her gaze immediately shot to the yacht, searching involuntarily for familiar faces. It was the laughter that drew her attention. A deep, booming sound, settling over her like a welcoming hug. Jack and Parker stood near the back of the boat, their handsome faces creased into smiles. She watched for a minute, soaking in the sensation of coming home—the two guys joking together like she’d seen a million times, ever since she’d been a teen.

A woman approached Parker, slim and beautiful, and another sensation hit. That must be Lynn. Pepper could see why her brother had fallen in love.

Jack kissed Lynn’s cheek affectionately, the way he used to kiss Pepper’s. Parker thumped his friend on the shoulder, and Jack slipped away, heading toward the bow. She examined him closely as he paced through the crowd, smiling and nodding at others as if he were the king of the world. He hadn’t changed a bit. Looked just as cocky as ever, and twice as annoying.

A sharp pain struck as she forced herself to turn away. The ache wasn’t only in her heart, but her side, and she eased her arms around her waist in an attempt to stop her broken ribs from moving.

She caught sight of herself in the window of the closed shop she stood beside, the mirrorlike surface reflecting a shabby, waif-like creature. Added to the busted ribs, she knew her black eye and swollen lip were still far too noticeable. Her jeans were ragged, shoes falling apart from too many miles on foot.

Pepper glanced once more at the party. She couldn’t do it. Her arriving in the middle of the glitz and excitement looking as if she’d been mugged? Parker would go apeshit, and she’d not only ruin their evening, it would only make tensions run higher than necessary in the coming weeks.

It was time to come home, though. She was ready to face the world and see what happiness she could find going forward. She just needed to pick her friends a little more carefully in the future. And she would.

Pepper turned away from the people she longed for, and headed into the darkness.

Alone. For now, but not forever.

Chapter Twenty

“Crisis averted. The bartenders didn’t realize I’d stashed the extra booze in the forward cabin.” Jack tilted his head toward the galley. “And the chef says you can invite the entire harbor to hop onboard—he’s prepared enough food to feed everyone twice over.”

Parker figured the brief flutter of complaints had been organizational mix-ups. It wasn’t as if DreamMakers would fuck up while arranging his own party.

His and Lynn’s.

He glanced around again, wondering when the hell she was going to arrive. It had made sense for him to get to the boat early, and Lynn had insisted Suz wanted to drive.

Still, he couldn’t wait to have her in his arms where she belonged.

Parker paused in the middle of his rubbernecking as he caught sight of Jack. His best friend was staring into the distance, a frown building on his usually happy face. “Something wrong?” he asked.

Jack blinked, a momentary flash of guilt vanishing under a familiar cocky grin. “What could be wrong on such a fine night? Did I tell you we finally received the applications this morning from the guys I mentioned to you? They’ll be coming in for interviews starting next week.”

Good. “We need to find a way to ease the load off the team. Bookings are getting crazy to fulfill with just the three of us.”

“Especially since you’re moving off regular recon and into more office work,” Jack teased. “Old man.”

Parker didn’t even bother to argue. “I get to see as much beautiful woman as I want, when I want. I figured you and Dean still need a chance at the lovely ladies.”

“Ha. We don’t need help finding women, dude. Neither of us.”

Jack’s comments faded into the background as Parker finally spotted Lynn.

A long dress of ice-blue silk clung to her curves, her hair coiled up in a fancy do Parker looked forward to messing up later. Every deliberate step that brought her closer made his mouth water, and his body reacted instantly to the entire sexy-as-fuck package. By the time he finally dragged his gaze off her hips and breasts, and up to her face, her eyes were dancing with laughter.

Yeah, she knew she had his number. One hundred percent and unconditionally, the woman got him heated up and stole his damn breath away.

“Your eyes have glazed over,” Jack teased. “Let me guess. Your woman is arriving in three, two, one…” He turned and laughed. “Lynn, you look gorgeous.”

Parker’s best friend leaned in and kissed her cheek, and the faint hint of blush only made Lynn even more beautiful.

“Thanks, Jack. So do you.”

“You call
this
jackass gorgeous before you even compliment your man?” Parker said with a mock glare. “I’m rethinking us moving in together, Lynn Elizabeth.”

She tossed him an easy grin. “Bull crap. I bet you’ve already bought us monogrammed towels.”

“Towels? We won’t be using those, sweetheart. There’s nothing in our new place to cover your naked body.”

“And that’s my cue to find someone else to talk to,” Jack said cheerfully. “You two can discuss your naked plans in private.”

Chuckling, Jack slapped Parker’s shoulder and wandered off, leaving Parker to pull Lynn close so he could plant a kiss on her lips.

“Well?” he teased, gesturing all around them. “Did DreamMakers get it right? Is this exactly what you’ve always wanted?”

Lynn’s heart pounded under Parker’s earnest stare. “I don’t know…for one, you’re wearing far too many clothes. And second, this seems way too elaborate for a moving-in party.” Her astonished gaze traveled around the deck, and then she finished her visual tour by settling on the best thing on the entire boat. “You? Are nuts.”

“Nuts? No. Happy as fuck that I’m moving in with my woman? Damn straight.” His white teeth gleamed in the moonlight as he flashed a smile. “We’re celebrating our future, babe. Deal with it.”

She made a noise that was a cross between a sigh and a laugh, then had to ask herself why she was complaining. Parker and the guys had planned the most lavish party she could have envisioned, complete with black-tie-clad wait staff, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, and twinkling lights everywhere.

“Fine, I’ll try to enjoy myself,” she said primly, all the while fighting a grin. “Just don’t tell me how much you paid to rent this boat. I’d probably faint.”

The look he shot her was smug. “Didn’t rent it. We own this motherfucker.”

Her jaw fell open. “
Starlight Lady
belongs to you?”

“Well, to the company, but yes.”

She shook her head. Sometimes she still had trouble reconciling this romantic Parker with the soldier Parker, the one who proudly wore his Rangers tattoo and whose sexy body boasted battle scars he was only now beginning to shed light on. But whatever side he revealed made her love him even more. Intense, lighthearted, dirty, romantic—all of it.

And what she loved most of all? How smoking hot he looked in his tuxedo tonight, and how much hotter he would look when she stripped it off him later. In the new apartment they’d just signed the lease on.

She opened her mouth to tease him about her plans, only to be interrupted by another tux-clad heartthrob—Dean—approaching them with a sheepish look in his gray eyes.

“So…guys…” Dean shoved his hands in his pockets and offered the most adorable smile Lynn had ever seen. “How badly will you beat my ass if I take off?”

Parker frowned at his partner. “Now? Lynn literally just got here.”

“I know, but two lovely flight attendants will kick my ass if I don’t go keep them company. I’m a member of the layover club, remember? I took an oath and everything.”

Lynn exchanged a grin with Parker, then nodded slightly. “Aw, let him go. Look how excited he is. Determined to do the right thing in all circumstances.”

Dean was practically bouncing on his heels as he waited for a reply. Lynn knew the other man wouldn’t leave without Parker’s approval, and sure enough, his entire face brightened when his partner finally sighed loudly.

“Fine. Go. But this means you owe us
two
housewarming presents.”

“No prob. I’ll get you two toasters instead of one.” With a grin, Dean dashed off toward the lowered gangplank, his strides enthusiastic as he hopped onto the wooden dock and disappeared into the night.

“That was very sweet of you.” Lynn leaned up and brushed her lips over his clean-shaven cheek. “He’s about to make a couple of flight attendants very happy.”

Parker rolled his eyes. “No doubt about it.” Then his eyelids went heavy, seductive. “And I’m gonna make
you
very happy.”

“Tonight?” God, she couldn’t wait.

“Tonight, tomorrow, the day after that.” He tilted his head. “I’m thinking my new mission is to make you happy every day for the rest of your life.”

The sheer delight inside her blazed so bright she suspected it could power the entire harbor. “Sounds like a plan.” She held out her hand and nodded toward the other end of the deck. “But first…”

There was nothing cuter than seeing her big, sexy man pale at the sight of the dance floor. “Ah, Lynn, you know I don’t dance.”

She arched a challenging brow. “Not even for me?”

A beat passed, and before she could blink, he dipped his head and kissed her. Deep, thorough, and possessive.

When he pulled away, the determination in his eyes floored her. “For you…I’ll do anything.”

And then he took her hand and led her to the dance floor.