Waiting (38 page)

Damn, his smile was so sexy. And did he always have to be so level-headed?

“Sorr
y. I couldn't hear her thoughts but I didn't have to.  S
he had it written all over her face and I wanted to gauge her eyes out.”

He chuckled again
then straightened us when the nurse came back around the corner, more glum than she'd been before.

I guess I could allow her to look at him,
as long as I'm the one that get
s to touch him.

“Down the hall and third door on the right. We usually don't allow visitors with the mom this soon after birth, but they insisted on letting you both in.” She again gave me a once over then took her time with every crook and nanny of Parker's heavenly body.

Act calm, act calm.

“Thank you,
” Parker answered before grabbing my arm and whisking me off my feet, carrying me the length of the hallway and not setting me down until we were outside Julie's door. “You sure are protective of me.” He winked as I blushed.

“Sorry.”

“Don't be sorry. It's nice to know you don't want to share me. I don't want to share you, that's for sure.”

Yeah, but he gets attention, I don't. I'll have to fight off a
lot more than he will. As if reading my mind he rolled his eyes.
Was I still speaking into his head?

“There was a man sitting in the corner with a gray shirt and black cap. I heard him talking on the phone that his wife just had a baby and he was waiting for someone to show up before he went back to her. The entire time we were in there he was staring at your ass, and then your boobs when I turned you around. The lust coming off him would've had me killing him, if I didn't keep reminding myself that he just became responsible for another beings life.”

He would kill someone just for lookin
g at me? Aww, he said the sweet
est things. Romantic things. His nostrils flared as a new
emotion
emitted
from me.

“There's a closet...”

“Piper!”

Julie's door opened and Bruce ushered us both in. Parker shook his hand and
congratulated
him while I ran over to Julie's side.

“How are you honey? Everything went ok I presume?”

“Yes, yes. I'm fine. Baby's fine. Leela's fine too.” She pointed in the corner of the room where she was fast asleep, rolled up in a ball on a small chair, sucking her thumb. She was adorable. The baby was now in Bruce's arms, showing off to Parker. “How are you? I'm happy to see you back with Parker, or still with, I'm not really sure what happened. But give me the details!”

This woman just pushed a human being out of her vagina and she want
s to talk about my relationship?
Amazing.

“I couldn't be better. Happier than ever. What sex is the baby? What about a name?”

Bruce handed the baby off to a very shocked Parker, then snickered when a very sm
all hand came up and wrapped it
s fingers around Parker's large index finger. So cute!

Parker relaxed immediately and even smiled over at me.

“It's a boy. His name is, well sorry, but we named him Parker. And yes it's after your man here. I read a
lot of books and they all say that the name you are given shapes your entire life. Parker is a good man and I think it works.”

“Me too. But I don't thin
k we're naming him after anyone.
I just liked the name. Sorry, man.”

Parker
shrugged before handing the baby off to Julie, then came around the bed and wrapped his arms around me from behind.

“Either way I think it's a fine name.” Parker's breath tickled my scalp.

“Me too.”

“I'm glad you don't mind
cause I wouldn't have changed it if you did.”

I rolled my eyes when she giggled.

“So what have you been doing on your vacation, besides not answering your phone?” She smiled and cooed her baby.

I tilted my head back and looked up at Parker with a grin. What had we been doing? Oh not much. Fighting, killing, biting, bleeding. Nothing out of the ordinary.

“We've been enjoying a relaxing time at his cottage in the mountains. It's been wonderful.”

Bruce and Julie smiled back at us. Look at us. Two happy couples. Things were perfect. Knock on wood.

 
Two weeks later…….

“We're almost there. It's two houses down on the right.”

I was so excited I about pee
d
my pants. We were heading to my
parents’
house for dinner and I couldn't wait for them to meet.

“I know where they live. They've lived in the same house for over thirty years.”

Right. I'd forgotten he's been here many times. All without me knowing, but still, he knew what house I grew up in.

“Mmm, smells d
elicious. I told them no garlic
so you would
n't have to politely refuse.
But
I dropped off the steaks earlier this week and I'm pretty sure that's garlic that I smell.”

Parker chuckled as he put the car in park and looked over at me.
I fiddled with the pearls around my neck.

“Yes, that's garlic. Doesn't matter. I can eat it. It does smell good. I still can't believe this is the only thing you want in order for me to 'not mope anymore'.”

My one condition for us to be together had been that he come have dinner with my parents. A sort of meet and greet. And I wanted to have super senses, which meant I had to drink his blood. Which meant we could have silent conversations together.
 

I smiled wickedly at him before he got out and opened my door for me. The only car I own has bee
n in storage for a couple years
since I usually take a cab or the shuttle
throughout
town, so tonight he'd picked me up in his. Or one of his I should say.

A sleek black
Maserati
. That should blend in.

Koopa had escaped with the help of a very powerful witch that owed him a favor. I’d learned that just before the war broke out two weeks ago, the Council showed up. Koopa just about had a heart attack (if possible) as they demanded everyone go their separate ways unharmed. There wasn’t necessarily a truce but even Koopa wasn’t dumb enough to tempt the wraith of the Council. Parker suspects it’ll be a long while before Koopa comes up with his next plan of attack. Years if not decades.

Francis, however reluctant to be proven a good man, has been hand selected to be the Council’s
Runner. Which meant that he’d be doing small favors and grunt work for ‘The Man’ as he called them. Parker told him not to complain, especially since he’d be getting paid handsomely for his time whether he was working or not. The Council must’ve seen the same potential in him as Koopa had. I’m just thankful that it was now going to be used for good. At least I think so.

“Thanks again for doing this for me.”

“Yes, well, tempt me enough with your thoughts tonight and we'll see just how weak I am when it comes to you. I'll have you bent over the table before you can stop me
. Then I'll have to remove your parents’
memories
. That's not what you want.”

He was all talk. We'd practiced the last few days, me drinking his blood and us projecting our thoughts to one another. As long as Francis isn't within a
half
mile radius, he can't over hear.  W
hich was good s
ince most of our thoughts were X
rated.

“I'll be on my best behavior.”

He grabbed my arm and wrapped one around my waist as we made the small trek across the lawn to the front door.

“After I tell you just how sexy you look in those jeans and the
bulge
in your pants makes me think of anything but having dinner with my parents.”

The
front door opened before we could knock
, or before Parker could reply,
and my mom and dad came out,
excitement
emanating from them both.

“Hi, mom. Dad. This is Parker.”

My mom wrapped him in a hug
but my dad settled for a firm handshake.

“You're chilly, son. Come on in and let's get you both warmed up.”

“Just a minute. There's something I need to ask your daughter.”

What? My dad just nodded and took a step back before he wrapped his arm around my mom's shoulders lovingly.

“Parker?”

He
flashed his devilish smile
, letting me know he
was definitely up to something
before the smell hit me. He'd restrained from having any emotions in the car, not wanting me to s
mell anything.  N
ow they were starting to seep into my nerves. He was nervous. And Love. I could feel his love.

I gaped when he slowly slid a litt
le
black
velvet black box from his
pocket, then stilled when he went down on one knee.

“I love you, Piper. For a long time, now. I want to hold you close every night. I want be with you always. I want to wake up to you drooling a cute little drool in our bed every morning.”
I want to ravish your body with every o
u
nce of my love every day.
“I want to make you the happiest woman on earth. I've asked you
r Dad for permission
but your
answer is all I need to make me the happiest man on Earth. Will you marry me?”

My mom gasped and looked at my dad who just nodded to confirm Parker had indeed come earlier this week to ask his permission.

“Yes!”

I didn't have to think about it. Parker was mine. We'd be together always and he already made me the happiest woman on Earth. Duh. There was only one answer.

Parker opened the box and exposed a healthy sized diamond that he knew we'd be arguing about by the look on my face, before he slipped it over my finger and smiled.

He kissed my knuckles then stood and kissed my lips. My mom threw her arms around the both of us.

“I'm so happy for you both! I was wondering why your dad was acting all twitchy before. He was more excited than when he watches his Super Bowl.”

I laughed and kissed Parker once more before following my parents into their house.

“
You are SO getting laid tonight!
”

EPILOGUE

“Parke
r, come look at this!” I called
from his
cottage
kitchen
in the mountains
.

Parker and Francis both joined me where I’d been reading the Newspaper at the table with my coffee
,
forty five minutes before I had to be at work.

“What is it?”

Parker was by my side in an instant, a hand on my shoulder.

I pointed to an ad in the personals and waited for them to both read it.

“Browsing the personals already?” Francis teased before moving out of hitting range when my hand came up to playfully slap his arm.

“No, but I’m sure you’ll be interested once you see this.”

Parker had finished reading
already and handed it to Francis before kissing me senseless. This man could make me forget anything and I didn’t care that Francis could hear me moaning, or even see us.

“Ha!” A bark of laughter escaped Francis before his phone started ringing and a frown replaced his smile. “Yes.”

I turned my attention back to Parker, leaving Francis to his conversation.

“Have you picked a day yet?” Parker asked, referring to our wedding. “It can be anywhere and any day, but I’d like to make it this year if that’s alright with you.”

“It can be tomorrow if you’d just agree to elope with me. I don’t need a big wedding.”

“I know you don’t
need
a big wedding. Your parents and our close friends are enough for me. But I’m going to make this day special for you. We’re not eloping.”

Stubborn man. I smiled before kissing him
again. I’ll never tire of his thoughtfulness.

“Fine. How about in August we go to Mexico with our closest friends and family? It will be a vacation and Wedding in one.”

“August it is!” He squeezed me tight, excited. “Sam can help you plan anything that you know I’ll be useless with. Here’s a credit card with your name on it. Don’t worry about the costs. Buy everyone’s tickets and anything we’ll need.”

I gaped at the card he handed to me. He’s giving me a credit card?

“I don’t need…”

“Holy hell!” Francis interrupted while shutting his phone. “Guess what that was about? Yep, that damned personal add. The Council never lets me rest!” He could complain but I knew how much he actually enjoyed his new found job. Being a Runner for the Council put some purpose back in his life. “Well, I’m off. Do you need me to drop you off at work today?”