Page 84 of It Never Was

I woke up an hour later sore in the best way possible, with Parker's arms engulfing me with warmth.

He stayed.

He woke up and we cuddled and talked for a while before he had to go, having to go to a shift at the shop. I wanted him to stay, I wanted this time to last forever. I was afraid if he left, he might change his mind.

But as Parker leaned me against the front door as he brought his lips to mine, I could feel that he wasn't going anywhere.

As if reading my thoughts he whispered to me, "I don't want to go," he leaned his forehead against mine and I am just as desperate to keep him here with me too. But work is calling, and he has to get home to shower and change before heading into the shop. This is one of the days we don't have to work the same shift and I want to go just to be close to him.

"But if you don't, who will bake Alvin his muffins this morning," I toss him a pout.

"Well, when you put it that way I got to go," his words mirror my sarcasm, " I'll see you after my shift?" His eyes search mine and he places a soft kiss on my lips. I nod, giving him another kiss of my own. He pulls me in deepening the kiss, then breaks away and makes his way to his car. I stay watching him wave as he drives away down the street. Only to have a truck pull up and replace his spot at the curb.

The passenger door swings open, and Sharry rolls out hitting the curb sloppily. I roll my eyes. She grunts out as she pulls herself to her feet holding the passenger door for stability.

I scoff, "Well look who is alive and well. Gracing me with her presence."

She avoids my remark of her more than normal absence lately, "Dev-on looks a lit-tle different these days-s." Her words are slurred.

"Yeah probably 'cause it's not Devon." I push myself off the door opening as she stumbles through it. The truck speeds off not even waving or calling out a goodbye. Sharry's picks of men are just swell.

"A-about time." She bellows through the entryway, plopping on the couch in her usual spot, the same spot that has a permanent indent from her ass.

"What does that mean mom?"

Her head lolls back on the arm rest and her eyes shut. She hiccups out, "Means-s he was a piece of shi-it. And I should know," she drunkenly giggles, "I attract them, so I know an ass-sshole when I s-see one." Her finger points to me aimlessly while her eyes remain shut.

"Can't disagree with you there." I make my way to the stairs ready to be away from her and maybe get some more sleep in with another person in the house. Maybe it will calm my nerves a bit with another person in the house. Even if it is Sharry.

"Finally, we can a-agree on s-something." The words are breathy.

I look back for a moment watching the rise and fall of my mother's chest, her breath deepening as her face relaxes and she drifts off into her vodka induced sleep. I usually made sure to check her chest on nights when none of her 'friends' were here. I would sometimes have to put a finger under her nose to feel if she was breathing when it was too dark to see if her ribs were contracting or not. It's a habit I haven't been able to break.

I take my own deep breath and take to the stairs hoping for a couple more hours of sleep.

51

Parker

"Fucking hell!" I hiss out and bring my knuckle to my mouth licking the fresh burn.

To say I am distracted today at work would be an understatement, this is the third burn I have got in the last three hours. I just can't help but think about the way Ryen felt in my hands, my mouth, on my fucking cock. My dick twitches as I think about her taking me in full.

"You, okay? Cursing up a storm back here." Willow side eyes me as she comes from the front grabbing from the stack of clean aprons to open the doors.

"Yeah, I'm good." I grab the next tray of scones from the oven and slide them onto the cooling rack.

"I mean even with the burns and curses that smile has not faltered…" she rests her hand on her hips as she finishes tying up the strings behind her back, "Even the pain can't take that smile away…I wonder why that is?" She squints at me now surveying me as I continue my work checking the under sides of the scones, "Did you fuck my best friend, Parker?"

The question catches me off guard, the sizzle of the top of my hand meeting the baking sheet above makes me yelp.

"You did fuck my best friend!?" She gasps, "I know that face!"

"What face?" I try to play it off grabbing my now cold black coffee while taking a sip, avoiding her assumption.

"The face of a freshly fucked man," her hip pops out, and she wags her brows at me, reading my uneasiness of the topic.

"Ahem—" Paul stood in the doorway as it swung, hearing Willow's words, the uncomfortable look on his face matched mine, "How's everyone this morning?"

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