arms. Pleasure like none other filled Parker as he swept her up into his arms and swung her around. God, he’d missed this woman. He’d been wrong earlier. He wasn’t falling in love with her. He was already there.
As they stood staring into each others’ eyes, Parker realized it was more than just the few nights apart that were getting to him. It was her presence in his day to day life he was missing, although he’d only had it for a short time. She wasn’t around when he wanted to share some news. She wasn’t the last person he saw before he drifted off to sleep. Nor was she the first person he saw when he woke. Cyn wasn’t there. And he didn’t like it one bit.
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Head over Heels
“Hello, stranger,” she said in her standard greeting. Her warm brown eyes seemed to smile as she stared up at him.
“Hey.” Parker stared at her, wishing he could come up with some clever line, but it had been too long and he needed her, right now, if only in a small way. Bending his head, he kissed her. The feel of her soft, full lips under his was good, but still not enough. His tongue swept inside her mouth, relishing the taste of her as he pulled her body tight against his.
The sound of a clearing throat finally penetrated the haze in his brain, forcing him to remember where they were and reminding him that they were not alone. Begrudgingly, he broke their kiss and stared down into her eyes as he tried to communicate all his feelings in that one look. He loved her and he wanted her to be able to tell with every touch, every look, and every caress of his hand.
“I take it you missed me.” Her voice was husky
“I’d say,” said a deep voice from behind them. “I was about to break out the fire hose.”
“Dad.”
Dad! Parker immediately dropped his arms, released Cyn and turned to face the father of the woman he’d been seconds away from molesting. Not exactly the first impression he wanted to make. “So would this be a good time to let you know that I do know your daughter and that I’m not some random freak with a foot fetish who likes to accost women in shoe stores?”
“Yes. Now would be the time.”
“Oh, stop it. He knows exactly who you are,” Cyn said with exasperation. “Parker Maguire, this is my father Walter Elder. Dad, this Parker.”
She’d told her father about him. Interesting . “Nice to meet you, sir.”
“Call me Walt.” Her father offered Parker his hand. “So you’re the young man who has captured my daughter’s heart.”
“Dad!” Although her response was indignant, she didn’t correct her father’s assumptions.
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Lena Matthews
“Only as much as she’s captured my own.” Parker was more than willing to let this man know just how he felt about his daughter. He didn’t want there to be any misunderstandings. Cyn turned with a frown marring her lovely face and Parker realized he’d just declared himself to her father, although he hadn’t actually told her of his feelings.
“I’m glad to hear it. She deserves only the best.”
“I agree.” Whole-heartedly .
Cyn cleared her throat loudly, turning the attention of both men toward her. “ She’s in the room. Can I be included in this conversation?”
“This is man-talk, woman.” Her father’s eyes twinkled with unsuppressed amusement.
“That’s right. I need to find out what your bride price is.” He turned his attention back to Walt. “Now are we talking ten goats or twenty?”
Walt brought his hand up to his chin and rubbed it as if he was contemplating Parker’s question. “It depends on the goats.”
“Great.” She groaned good-naturedly. “Two wise asses.”
“For the price of one.” Parker teased and pulled her in tight to him. She felt so good in his arms he didn’t want to ever let her go. “Aren’t you the lucky one?”
“That’s me. The lucky one,” she said with a roll of her eyes. But even her sarcasm was welcomed,
As they stood staring into each others’ eyes, Parker realized it was more than just the few nights apart that were getting to him. It was her presence in his day to day life he was missing, although he’d only had it for a short time. She wasn’t around when he wanted to share some news. She wasn’t the last person he saw before he drifted off to sleep. Nor was she the first person he saw when he woke. Cyn wasn’t there. And he didn’t like it one bit.
82
www.samhainpublishing.com
Head over Heels
“Hello, stranger,” she said in her standard greeting. Her warm brown eyes seemed to smile as she stared up at him.
“Hey.” Parker stared at her, wishing he could come up with some clever line, but it had been too long and he needed her, right now, if only in a small way. Bending his head, he kissed her. The feel of her soft, full lips under his was good, but still not enough. His tongue swept inside her mouth, relishing the taste of her as he pulled her body tight against his.
The sound of a clearing throat finally penetrated the haze in his brain, forcing him to remember where they were and reminding him that they were not alone. Begrudgingly, he broke their kiss and stared down into her eyes as he tried to communicate all his feelings in that one look. He loved her and he wanted her to be able to tell with every touch, every look, and every caress of his hand.
“I take it you missed me.” Her voice was husky
“I’d say,” said a deep voice from behind them. “I was about to break out the fire hose.”
“Dad.”
Dad! Parker immediately dropped his arms, released Cyn and turned to face the father of the woman he’d been seconds away from molesting. Not exactly the first impression he wanted to make. “So would this be a good time to let you know that I do know your daughter and that I’m not some random freak with a foot fetish who likes to accost women in shoe stores?”
“Yes. Now would be the time.”
“Oh, stop it. He knows exactly who you are,” Cyn said with exasperation. “Parker Maguire, this is my father Walter Elder. Dad, this Parker.”
She’d told her father about him. Interesting . “Nice to meet you, sir.”
“Call me Walt.” Her father offered Parker his hand. “So you’re the young man who has captured my daughter’s heart.”
“Dad!” Although her response was indignant, she didn’t correct her father’s assumptions.
www.samhainpublishing.com 83
Lena Matthews
“Only as much as she’s captured my own.” Parker was more than willing to let this man know just how he felt about his daughter. He didn’t want there to be any misunderstandings. Cyn turned with a frown marring her lovely face and Parker realized he’d just declared himself to her father, although he hadn’t actually told her of his feelings.
“I’m glad to hear it. She deserves only the best.”
“I agree.” Whole-heartedly .
Cyn cleared her throat loudly, turning the attention of both men toward her. “ She’s in the room. Can I be included in this conversation?”
“This is man-talk, woman.” Her father’s eyes twinkled with unsuppressed amusement.
“That’s right. I need to find out what your bride price is.” He turned his attention back to Walt. “Now are we talking ten goats or twenty?”
Walt brought his hand up to his chin and rubbed it as if he was contemplating Parker’s question. “It depends on the goats.”
“Great.” She groaned good-naturedly. “Two wise asses.”
“For the price of one.” Parker teased and pulled her in tight to him. She felt so good in his arms he didn’t want to ever let her go. “Aren’t you the lucky one?”
“That’s me. The lucky one,” she said with a roll of her eyes. But even her sarcasm was welcomed,
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