CHAPTER 6
Lily
I pacein front of my door for several minutes, psyching myself up to go out there. I don’t need to look at him, don’t need to acknowledge him. I can do this.Come on, Lily, you got this.I feel like I’m hyping myself for some sort of championship sport or something with the way I’m preparing.
I grip the doorknob, hesitating for just a moment. But don’t give myself any more time to overthink anymore. I swing it open and start to bolt toward the stairs.
“Where ya off to Lil racer?” Parker’s deep timbre sends an involuntary shiver down my spine as I freeze.
He used to do this all the time when we were younger where he says “Lil” and something after to fuck with me. I used to think it was cute, now I can’t stand it. Especially right now.
“None of your business,” I snap.
“Parker, we’re getting ambushed!” Ethan squeals, pressing the buttons on the controller even harder.
When I turn my head, against my better judgement, I see Parker isn’t even looking at the screen. His focus is completely on me. I have to fight every reaction my body wants to give at the way his eyes are burning into me. Like nothing else around us matters. And I’m fighting the memories that are bubbling up.
“Might want to help your teammate.” I nod toward the screen.
Parker’s eyes trail my whole body, and I have to break the eye contact. He chuckles and Ethan continues to yell about the game. I don’t think Parker is helping him very much, but I’m not about to stick around and find out.
I make a mad dash for the stairs and as soon as I reach the top of them, I press my back against a wall. My head falls back as one of the memories overtakes my mind.
Parker: Come outside.
Lily: No, I’m in bed.
Parker: Then I’ll come inside.
Lily: Yeah? You want to get caught?
Parker: Worth it.
Lily: Ugh fine, I’ll come out.
I swing my legs off the bed and do my best to be quiet as I head upstairs. This isn’t the first time we’ve done this…or second or third. In fact, it’s basically a routine at this point, but I always have to make things complicated for him.
I like when he works for it.
I manage to get to the front door, open it, and step outside without any sign of my parents catching me.
Parker’s standing outside of his truck, leaning against the closed door with his hands in his pocket, andfuckmy boyfriend is hot. I can’t help it, I run toward him, launching myself into his arms, knowing he’ll catch me because he always does.
His lips land onto mine instantly and I melt against him at the feeling. He pulls back too soon, and I let out a whine of protest.
“I missed you,” he tells me with a bright smile. I love his teeth, they’re so white and perfectly straight even though he never had braces. He was just born perfect apparently, which really shouldn’t be fair. But he’s mine, so I’m not going to complain.
“You just saw me,” I tease, rubbing my nose against his.
“That was hours ago.”
I roll my eyes jokingly, and he kisses me once again, this time his tongue slides into my mouth and I want to climb him even more.
We break apart, and I think about how he’s holding me so easily, how strong he is. He works out, but also all the work he does with horses and some roping keeps him easily fit. I think about if I was as strong as him, but that would be hard; I would have to train way more than I have the patience for.
“Do you think I could be a body builder?” I blurt.
“Do you want to be?” He chuckles.