Page 9 of Wanted: Forever (Murdock Brothers #3)

Cash

She was practically swaying on her feet.

I’d worried about her all night. Both Cam and Sully had ordered me to take the day off. The whole town heard about the fire before the eggs hit the griddle over at Hope Street Diner.

I’d gone from fuck up to hero in a little over a week.

Not that I deserved the moniker. Seeing Parker in action had been incredible. Even when she’d been failing, she didn’t stop trying to put out the fire. I’d pushed the fear down and jumped into action with her.

We’d made a damn good team.

She was capable, brave, and beyond what I deserved, but I would do what I could to be worthy of her.

If she let me.

I opened the passenger door to my truck and she finally followed. When I made a move to help her in, the savage light in her eyes made me step back and let her get in under her own steam.

There weren’t any words on the ride back to our street. Instead of parking in her drive, I pulled into mine. I went around and opened her door. She’d fallen asleep on the way home.

I cupped her face. “Let me take care of you, okay?”

Her stubborn little chin tilted up and her green eyes were fierce even if they were bloodshot and exhausted.

When I flicked off her belt and curled my arm around her back, she tried to push at me.

“I’m sweaty and dirty.”

“You sure are. Why you’re immediately going in the shower.”

“I have a shower.”

“I have a better one.” Instead of letting her fight me, I swung her up into my arms and strode up the path to my door.

“Put me down.”

“Nope.”

“Cash, I’m not an invalid.”

“I know. You’re just exhausted. Shut up and enjoy a little princess treatment.”

Her jaw fell open. “Do you think this is what women want?”

“Not all women. And I know you don’t on a regular day. Last night wasn’t a regular shift, Parker. Just shut up and let me take care of you.”

“Why?”

“Do you have to be so difficult all the damn time? I’m doing it because I want to. And because seeing you do what you did last night shook me a bit, all right?”

She laid a hand on my cheek. “It’s what I do.”

“I know. And I know you’re hella capable, but you don’t have to do everything alone. Unless that’s what you want.” I paused at the threshold of my house.

She bit her lower lip and her bloodshot eyes went misty.

“It’s okay to need someone.” My voice was hoarse.

She simply nodded and I swept her inside with me. My house was a ranch-style one floor situation. I’d added on to the building a few times to gain more square footage, especially in my bedroom and en suite bathroom.

I worked my ass off when I was home and when I was on the road—I needed a place to rest and to unwind and I’d made sure my space reflected what was important to me.

I walked down the hall to my bedroom. She shivered in my arms. I cradled her closer.

“I’m okay. You just keep it cooler than I do.”

“One of my girlfriends?—”

“You have those?”

I turned enough to get us through the doorway. “Not at the moment, but I have had a few over the years. Cam is more the love ‘em and leave ‘em guy and even he isn’t the manwhore that you probably think we are.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Didn’t have to, Parker.”

She huffed out a sigh. “I’m not used to anyone picking me up, dammit.”

“Just enjoy it. I sling drywall and wood beams heavier than you.”

She looked around my room, her eyes widening. “Like those? Wow.”

I glanced up at the beams I’d added to the vaulted ceiling. The attic space wasn’t anything to speak of and I preferred a bigger bedroom instead. I could always build out rooms for storage. Being 6’4 didn’t allow for much in the way of headroom unless I created it.

I tried to stamp down the pride, but when she craned her neck to keep looking at what I’d created, even though she was near delirious, I couldn’t stop a smile. I stepped through the pocket door to my bathroom and her gasp made my chest tighten.

“Cash, this is amazing.”

“Thanks. I’ve been working on it for years. I bought this house when I was eighteen.”

“What?” She turned to me, her brow furrowed.

“Yep. It was a damn mess but my old man co-signed it with me. I paid him back within five years.”

Stunned she simply blinked at me.

I leaned in and brushed her mouth with mine then slowly set her on her feet. “There are towels there and the shower is a steamer. Take as much time as you want.”

What I really wanted to do was peel her out of her uniform and follow her in that large glassed-in shower I’d customized for myself. But she needed sleep and I needed a second.

She grabbed my hand and pulled me back toward her. “Don’t go.”

“Parker...”

She whipped her shirt off and my brain short circuited when the sports bra followed. She pulled my hand to her breast and I groaned as I lifted the other to cup its twin. They were made for my hands.

“You should rest.”

“You should touch me.”

I looked up from the pale pink nipple tightening under my palm, then pressed them together and lowered my mouth toward hers only to dip into the valley between her breasts instead. She tipped her head back as I made a lazy trail between each curve, but ignored the tight nipples.

She was salty and cool to the touch.

I released them, watching them bounce and sway lightly.

God, I couldn’t wait to get them in my mouth.

But first, I needed her naked. I rolled her tight pants down her long legs, trailing my nose along the water soft skin of her inner thigh. I was crouched in front of her and she was wearing a neon pink thong under those strait-laced navy pants.

My gaze rose to the perfection that was her body. Tight, muscled, and strong she was a mouthwatering dream. She planted a hand on my shoulder and raised the other to pull at her braid.

“Let me.” I stood and sunk my fingers into the silky thickness, untwining each tight layer until her cornsilk curls spilled out around her shoulders softening the angles of her jaw and long neck. I lightly smoothed my hands over her shoulders and down her arms to tangle with her fingers.

She swayed toward me and the tight tips of her breasts buzzed across my Murdock Brothers green shirt. She let go of one of my hands and pushed at my shirt. “Off.”

I pulled my shirt off as her fingers got busy on my belt.

Before I could step back, her long, and very strong fingers were around my shaft.

“Fuck.”

She scooped me out of my boxers and dragged the head of my cock along her belly. “Oh, I hope so. God, it’s been forever since I’ve been with someone.” She swirled her thumb along the underside of my cock head and my eyes crossed.

“Parker.”

She made a little hum and lifted her free hand to drag the tip of her short nail along my lower lip. “I like when you say Parker. Everyone calls me Chief or Boss but when these lips say Parker my belly does this flip.”

I swear I swelled in her hand at those words.

“Parker,” I said then nipped the tip of her finger.

“Again.” Her eyes were dilated until there was little more than a green sliver around them. Sun filtered through my skylight bathing her in morning light making her even more golden.

“I want you, Parker. I want to sink into you until there’s no space between us.”

She nodded. “Yes, that.”

I grinned down at her. “Then get that fine ass in the shower.”