Page 38 of To Hold and Protect

“I’m not asking you to.”

He leaned his head back against the swing and closed his eyes. “You’re planning to leave after the house is sold, right?”

“That’s my plan. I’ve always wanted to live on the beach. I don’t know where yet, but I’m going to use the money I get from selling this house to buy a condo right on the sand.”

He opened his eyes and looked at her. “My daughter wants a mommy, and it would only take the slightest hint there was something between us that would have her setting her sights on you. If she knew we were dating, she’d be picking out her flower girl dress. When it didn’t happen, she’d be crushed, and that doesn’t work for me. If we had a one-night hookup or a fling until you leave, it would have to be a secret. Would you be good with that?”

Would she? She understood what he was saying, but how would that work? “I—”

He put his finger on her lips. “Don’t answer now. Think about it, and we’ll talk tomorrow.” He leaned over, kissed her forehead, then stood. “Good night, Willow.” He snapped his fingers, and Ember jumped up from her bed and followed him off the porch.

“Good night,” she whispered to his retreating back.

The next morning, after a sleepless night, Willow still hadn’t decided if she was willing to be a man’s secret. She couldn’t argue with Parker’s reasoning—she respected his need to protect his daughter—and she really had no desire to start dating yet, but being a secret felt wrong. He’d said they would talk today, and she assumed that would happen sometime tonight after he put Everly to bed.

In the meantime, her contractor was here, and work on the house was finally starting. She’d caved on doing any more of the demolition herself. Handling a sledgehammer just wasn’t in her wheelhouse. Besides, if she didn’t get busy writing, she’d miss her deadline for the first time.

Because of the noise from the workers inside her house, she’d set herself up on her porch swing to write. She’d spent most of the morning distracted thanks to Parker’s question. She normally wouldn’t agree to be someone’s secret fling, but she understood why he didn’t want Everly thinking there was something between them. She had no more desire to confuse or hurt that precious little girl than Parker did. Besides, they wouldn’t be hurting anyone.

And the thing was, therewassomething between them...lust. She’d never fallen in lust before, and it was both exciting and intriguing. To have an affair with a man like Parker had moved to the top of her bucket list overnight. She didn’t care if she was shallow for wanting to be skin to skin with a man as mouthwatering as him. Neither Austin nor Brady had rocked a body like Parker’s, and she wanted her hands on those muscles of his.

Her uptight mother and sister would have a conniption if they found out she was considering his condition, but her hippy, poetry-writing father would smile and say, “Do what makes you happy, sweetheart.”

“Gah!” What to do? Maybe she should just flip a coin. Heads yes, tails no.

Well, she had the rest of the day to decide, and words weren’t getting on the page while she stared off into space. She’d promised her agent she’d send her the first ten chapters by next week, and if she didn’t get busy, that wasn’t going to happen.

She managed to push Parker to the back of her mind and lose herself inBri and the Lost Ring.When her stomach growled, she glanced at the time on her laptop. It was past lunchtime, and she loved when she got so into the story that the day got away from her. Buddy Napier and his crew were still working inside, so she decided to take a break and go into town to get some lunch.

Since coming to Marsville, she’d not tried Katie’s Corner Kitchen and it was time. She found a parking space beside an ancient turquoise Cadillac. Much to her mother’s chagrin, her dad drove a gold classic Caddy, so she got out her phone and took some photos to send to him.

“Why are you taking pictures of my car, girl? Are you a spy?”

Startled, Willow yelped and spun around. An elderly woman leaning on a cane was scowling at her. “Um, no, of course I’m not a spy. I was just admiring your car.”

“I don’t recognize you,” the woman said as she squinted her eyes at Willow. “Who are you?”

“That’s probably because...” Her gaze shifted to the man walking toward them, the very man who was the reason for her sleepless night. He had on his dark blue T-shirt with the Marsville Fire Department logo on the chest, and he was looking mighty fine.

“Miss Mabel, how’s my favorite lady this fine day?” Parker said, then winked at Willow.

“Parker Church, just the man I wanted to see. Those hoodlums at the community center didn’t turn off the lights when they left.”

“When would that be?”

“Last night.”

“Ah, those hoodlums. That would have been the Silver Belles Wine and Romance Book Club. I’ll be sure and have a word with the scoundrels.”

Willow snickered, getting a glare from Miss Mabel before the woman turned her attention back to Parker. “See that you do. You built the community center, so I hold you responsible for the goings-on there.” Miss Mabel huffed. “Romance books. A waste of one’s time.” She scowled at Willow again. “Now, missy, you were going to tell me who you are and why you’re spying on me.”

Parker built their community center? She didn’t think Miss Mabel meant with his own hands, so did that mean he funded it? On a firefighter’s salary? Although, considerable money had been invested in the remodeling of his house, so maybe the brothers had received a big inheritance from their aunt.

“Girl.” Miss Mabel tapped her cane on the sidewalk. “I asked you a question.”

“Oh, sorry. I’m—”

Parker stepped next to her. “Miss Mabel, I’d like to introduce you to Willow Landry, Bob Landry’s niece. She inherited his house. Willow, this is Miss Mabel Mackel. Her family founded Marsville, and her nephew Luther is our mayor.”

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