Page 44 of To Hold and Protect

“You’re beautiful, Willow.”

He was staring at her breasts, and amused, she smiled. “You’re such a man.”

“Were you in doubt?” He dropped to his knees, taking her shorts and panties down with him. With his face inches from her sex, he lifted those desire-filled eyes to hers.

“What are you doing down there?” Okay, she had a clue since his warm breath was caressing her most private place, and it wasn’t that she didn’t like it. She did. It was that he was doing everything differently from anything she’d ever experienced.

“I’m smelling your arousal. You make my mouth water.”

She was still on her feet, and he was still fully clothed, and she had nothing to compare to that and to the things he was making her feel. Austin had been her first and she his, and they’d explored and learned together. There had been one hookup in her life between Austin and Brady that had barely been tolerable and the reason she’d never tried that again. Brady had been more experienced than Austin, but he’d never made her feel the way Parker Church did.

“I can’t wait to taste you.” His hands were gentle as he trailed his fingers up her legs, and when his hands reached her bottom, he placed a soft kiss low on her belly, then stood. “But not yet.”

“Oh.” With nothing but words and his warm breath, he had her aching to have his mouth on her, and by the amused gleam in his eyes, he knew it.

He wrapped his hand around her neck, spread his fingers over her skin, and brought her mouth to his. As he kissed her, he curled her ponytail around his hand as he pressed his body against hers, and the scrape of his clothes against her naked flesh was arousing, but she wanted them off. She tugged on his shirt, and he lifted his head.

“I showed you mine, now show me yours.”

He laughed and then tapped her nose. “I like you, Willow Landry.”

“Well, that’s good to know since we’re about to do the dirty. Liking me is required for that.” She grinned when that got a big smile from him, and heaven help her. Parker Church was hot even when he was being Mr. Grouchy Pants, but when he smiled, his hot meter was off the chart. That smile could melt a girl’s panties off...well, if the girl had any on.

When he pulled his T-shirt over his head, she wasn’t disappointed. He wasn’t as muscled as his brothers, especially Kade, but big muscles had never been her thing. His shoulders were broad, but the rest of him was leaner, more of a runner’s body without an ounce of fat on him. It was the kind of body she liked on a man.

She lifted her hand and traced the tattoo on his chest, right over his heart. The name Everly was in a curved half circle under a ladybug. “I like this.”

“Ev gets a kick out of seeing her name on my chest. Unfortunately, she wants my name on hers.”

“Aww. Your daughter’s precious.”

“Yes, she is, but she’s not what I want to talk about right now.”

“Same. I want to talk about why you still have pants on.” She should probably feel weird being naked while he wasn’t, but she’d always been comfortable in her own skin. She didn’t have a bombshell body and was on the side of thin with small boobs, but whatever. She liked her body. Even though Parker hadn’t touched her breasts yet, his gaze kept straying to them, so it seemed he liked what he saw.

“I don’t know why I still have my pants on.” He unbuttoned his jeans, then pushed them and his boxer briefs down and stepped out of them. “All better?”

“So much better.” She took a step back. “I’m just going to look you over, see what I’m getting, okay?”

He held out his arms as he grinned. “Yeah, okay. Have at it.”

Lordy, she liked him. She’d never had an encounter like this, a no-strings-attached fling that included laughter and the feeling that what was in her mind could come right out her mouth without worrying that his ego would be offended.

With Brady, she’d had to measure every word, every thought, to keep from bruising his fragile ego. Why had she put up with him for so long?Stop thinking about that jerk.Great advice, especially when a smoking hot firefighter was watching her with both amusement and heat in his eyes.

“Have you looked your fill yet?”

Seriously? Not even.She sighed dramatically. “I guess.”

He smirked as he dropped his arms. “And you’re satisfied with what you’re getting?”

She shrugged. “Eh, you’ll do.” She loved this playful banter between them, loved the way his mouth quirked when he was amused.

“Little liar.” He trailed a finger down the valley of her breasts. “Your eyes are eating me up, and you’re practically drooling.”

All true. “Big head much?”

He outright laughed. “Now you’re making it too easy.”

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