Page 18 of Lovers at Seaside
“Absolutely,” Pete said with a nod. “Hey, Parker, I’m Pete, and this is my wife, Jenna. Bea’s our little princess.”
Jenna came around the table and squeezed her petite self between Grayson and Parker. “We know all about you, because Grayson’s been working for CCF, and it’s our job to be nosy. Let me introduce you to everyone or you’ll be standing here all night.” As the organizer of their close-knit group, Jenna loved to take control. “You know Hunter from the competition, and the woman hanging all over him is his fiancée, Jana.” Jana waved. “The perky blonde and her surfer man across the table are Amy and Tony. The other blonde, currently kissing her husband, Caden, is Bella, our resident prankster.”
“Prankster?” Parker asked.
“Don’t worry,” Leanna said. “She only pranks the property manager at our community, Theresa. Bella’s scheming tonight, so you’ll get a good dose of what it’s like to live in her brilliant brain. I’m Leanna, by the way, and this is my husband, Kurt.”
Kurt waved. “Nice to meet you, Parker.”
“Leanna, you make jam, right? Grayson mentioned you had a new flavor out when I was filming. I had a few cases of Sweet Temptation delivered for the cast and crew. It was so good! It tasted like chocolate and strawberries,” Parker said, stunning Grayson again with not only her recollection of his emails, but also that she’d bought Leanna’s jams. “And, Kurt, I’ve read some of your books. You’re an amazing writer. I hope they makeBonds of Steelinto a movie.”
“You and me both. Thank you,” Kurt said.
“No shop talk tonight, remember?” Jenna said with a sweet but authoritative smile. “The two cuties whispering to each other at the end of the table are Jamie and Jessica Reed.”
Jessica waved. “What’s a mustache ride?”
Parker covered her shirt and glared at Grayson.
“Jessica, how about asking your man?” Grayson chuckled when Jamie flicked him the bird. In a more serious tone, he said, “I made her wear it. It’s part of her disguise.”
She could have thrown her arms around his neck and kissed him for that. Instead, she turned and mouthed,Thank you.
“Smart thinking,” Bella said as everyone took their seats. “Heck, I’d wear that shirt.”
“Not when I’m not around, you wouldn’t,” Caden said.
Grayson draped an arm over the back of Parker’s chair, and she eyed the incredibly well-muscled limb.
He gave her shoulder a possessive squeeze. “Just go with it.” He leaned closer and whispered, “Or I could start taking pictures and calling rag magazines.”
Her eyes went wide, then filled with heat.No pictures necessary.
PARKER HAD BEEN nervous about all the wrong things when they’d arrived at the Beachcomber. She’d worried about having to deal with autographs and embarrassing attention in front of Grayson and his friends, when she should have been worried about not having any control over her emotions aroundhim. Her pulse had been racing since he’d made the remark in the car about his bedroom, and every brush of his leg, every stroke of his hand, every heated innuendo, only made it worse.
She wasn’t used to the rampant desires heating her up every time they were near each other. Between that and his innate understanding of exactly what she needed, like being out with his friends tonight, she felt even more connected to him than she had when they were emailing.
They’d been at the bar for a couple hours, but it hadn’t taken long for Parker to realize that it was nothing like the clubs in Los Angeles and that Grayson’s friends and family were polar opposites of most of the people she knew. They didn’t dress to the nines or wear formfitting clothes that showed off their figures. The girls wore pretty summer dresses, skirts, or shorts, and the guys were wearing either jeans or shorts and T-shirts, save for Kurt, who wore a short-sleeved collared shirt. Parker didn’t even feel out of place with her raunchy T-shirt and old shorts. But it wasn’t just their warm welcome or casual attire that struck her. The thing that made the biggest impression was that they weren’t hanging on to their cell phones like they were their lifeblood, or looking in mirrors every few minutes to make sure their hair and makeup was perfect. They were holding their significant others and gazing into their eyes, the way she’d always dreamed life should be.
“Hey,” Grayson said. “You okay?”
“I’m better than okay. Thank you for kidnapping me. I needed this.”
He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in a quick, unexpected,and welcome, kiss. “I know you did. No thanks necessary.”
The quick kiss left her hoping for more. She was getting used to the way he took what he wanted and gave her exactly what she needed. Her eyes skirted around the table, and she was relieved to see the approving looks from his friends. They were all so close. It was no wonder he’d missed them when he was working on site for CCF. She recalled the day Grayson had accepted the contract, when he’d explained that he would be traveling and Hunter would be staying on the Cape for the sake of his new relationship. Parker had thought Hunter’s decision to remain on the Cape with Jana was about the most meaningful gesture a man could make. She’d been so focused on Hunter’s chivalric decision, she’d failed to realize just how big of a sacrifice it had been for Grayson to be away from the people he loved for so long. Seeing him with them tonight drove that point home, and she knew she’d had it all wrong. It wasn’t Hunter who had made the most meaningful gesture. It was Grayson, and he’d done it for a different kind of love. He’d done it for his brother.
That realization opened her heart to him even more.
The girls broke out in laughter, and she realized she’d missed whatever had been said.
“Remember the summer we pulled a Thong Thursday prank at the pool?” Amy’s blue eyes widened.
“Theresa got Bella good with that one.” Leanna laughed and elbowed Bella, who rolled her eyes.
The girls had told Parker all about how they’d grown up together over the summers and how Amy and Tony had been a secret couple when they were teenagers. They’d gushed about their weddings and shared pictures of their babies, who were so cute they made her ovaries ache. They were so blessed, living the lives she’d always dreamed of.
Grayson’s leg pressed against hers, drawing her attention back to him as his watchful eyes scanned their surroundings. He was taking his bodyguard duties quite seriously. He’d had his arm around her all night, and she’d let herself fall into the comfort of his touch and his attention. He’d leaned in a dozen times to ask her if she was having fun, offer her a drink, or make a comment.
