Craving You (TBX #2) (9 page)

“Kelsey, it’s not my fault. I don’t want to, but
fuck, I crave
you
.” His confession sends chills over my body and causes my want to escalate.

“I’m here, right here. Now, fuck me, soft and sweet.” My voice is hoarse and needy with my admission.

Warm lips brush over mine. “Anything you want.”

I have a feeling this is a side of Parker that few, if any, have ever seen. I love and hate that he is showing it to me. He should show it to someone who can become what he needs, what he craves. Not someone who is ripped apart from the inside out. No healthy relationship is in my future. No happily ever after for me; it doesn’t exist in my bloodline.

Parker

She’s complicating this. I can see it all over her beautiful face. She doesn’t hide her emotions well, so it’s easy to see past the want in her eyes. It’s
been a wild ride with her. Over the past four months, this girl has taken me from
Playboy
to PlayStation. That’s all I do anymore besides ride or party
without
getting a girl. The last girl I was out with was Sam, and that blew up in my face.

“
Yes
!” The ecstasy playing across her face mixed with her milking my cock sends me into my own release. Wrapping my arms around her, I turn us over in the bed. My legs intertwine with hers, and she sighs heavily. “You should go.”
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me
.

“I’m not leaving, Kelsey.” She snuggles further into her pillow and away from me with another sigh.

“Is this all you wanted from me? A quick fuck?” Now, I’m irritated. The common ground I thought we’d found is crumbling beneath me. Kelsey sits up on her bed with the sheet clinging to her bare chest. “Are you blind? Of course, that’s what I want from Parker Taylor.” She laughs a hollow laugh.

“You’re fuckin’ lyin’.” I’m fuckin’ livid right now and the bark of my voice shows it.

“Hate to break it to you, but I’m fuckin’ serious. It’s time you go back to your room. This has to be over.”
Has to be? Says who?

“So you’re just going to act like I mean nothing to you?” Listen to me. Since when does a girl get me this fucked up in the head?

“Parker, get out of my bed and go to yours.” She dodges the question.

“Sweetne-”

“Don’t.” Her palm inches from my face.

“You can call me Kelsey and get the hell out of my room.” It’s as if I can see the walls slamming back into place and the ice seeping in to harden her heart from me. The warmth I saw in her eyes is now gone.

She’s fuckin’ rippin’ my dick off and handin’ it to me askin’ me to take it to my ‘room.’

Stepping out of the bed and walking right up to her, I fume, “Go ahead and shut down on me,
sweetness
. You’ll be back, as I’ve said before, but now it has a big
FUCK YOU
in front of it. I won’t be waiting for you to get your shit together.”

With that statement, I make my way to the bathroom door; when I reach the handle, her voice is set in stone. “You shouldn’t. I’m not worth the wait.” Passing through the threshold, I return back to my room unwilling to deal with the aftermath of not having her in my life the way I need her.

Kelsey

“You wanna to go grab dinner with Savannah and Hannah before the party tonight?” Brealynn eases into my room after knocking on my door. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping the knock was Parker. There’s a slight possibility I was too harsh last night. Maybe overwhelmed by my feelings for him.
Like, legit feelings for him
. Not just hate.
I
know your face is shocked right now. Imagine how I feel
.

“Party?”
Shit.
I had totally forgot about the party.

“Yeah, the boys are throwing a kegger. You knew this. What’s up with you today?”
Hmm
. What’s wrong with me? I pushed away the only boy who came close to me, that’s what.
Ugh
.

“Just distracted.”

“Does this have anything to do with Parker?” Did he tell Colt about last night? “Don’t look at me like that. I know you two have something going-”

“No. We don’t.” I cut her off before she even gets started. My phone begins ringing, and I glance at it with hope.
Pathetic
. After putting up one finger and a glare to silence my best friend, my finger swipes answer on the screen.

“Hey, Mom.” Brealynn’s eyes almost pop out of the socket at my greeting. As they should, I hardly ever hear from my mom. Considering it’s still another month until my birthday, I’m suspicious. My mother greets me back and proceeds to tell me about her new fiancé and how this time it’s true love. I should sigh at how perfect their love story sounds, but instead, I cringe. There is no such thing as true love. She should know this better than anyone. I congratulate her through clenched teeth. She called to ask me to be in the wedding two months from now.
Maid of honor.

“Mom, I don’t know. School will be starting back up by then, and my schedule will be heavy.” The last thing I want to do is be paraded through another wedding. What is this now? Her seventh? I’ve lost count.

“Please, Kelsey! It would mean so much to me. I promise you that he’s it for me. I want Brealynn to be in the wedding too. A bridesmaid. Please, please consider it.” Caving, I promise her I’ll consider it and let her know within the next month. Once she brags about her new fiancé for a few more minutes, I rush her off the line.

“Another marriage?” Brealynn questions unbelievably.

“Yup. She wants us both in it—me the maid of honor. How fuckin’ hilarious is that?” Laughing so hard, I snort, and Brea and I both break out into a fit of laughter. I’m losing my mind. I don’t know how to feel, but laughing feels good.

No Parker today. How sad is that? It’s like my life is resetting to revolve around him. I’d like to talk to him, to tell him I’m sorry for last night and for being such a cold-hearted bitch. I was just so overwhelmed with emotions, emotions for
him
. That’s all I need to tell him, and he would be running for the hills. Me telling Parker
I have emotions for you
and then him running wildly away runs through my mind and I feel my cheeks rise in a smile.

My eyes rise from the couch to see who just walked in the front door,
boom
, Parker. All the air leaves my lungs and there’s no way my eyes will leave him. He must have been riding all day. He’s sweaty in his riding gear, green helmet in hand. The majority of the time, Parker is put together perfectly, but when he’s been riding, he’s rough and raw and I love it. When he walks past the couch, brown eyes look right through me while throwing his helmet forcefully down beside me, as if I’m not sitting here, and he proceeds into the kitchen. Following his movements like a moving security camera, he stalks over to the cabinet and grabs a cup then begins filling it with water. His eyes find mine again before he starts chugging the water. Deep, long gulps, his Adam’s apple working through the liquid
and my libido
. Slamming the cup down, he looks toward me again.

“What?” His deep voice booms through the quiet house. Colt and Brealynn went to pick the keg up for tonight. It’s mid-afternoon and everyone is out, everyone but me and now Parker. I gulp down my insecurities as he stares. I can see the tick in his jaw from here as he studies me. Untangling myself from the couch, I stand. His eyes watching my every move, I walk toward him. Damn, he looks good.

Stop thinking about him that way, Kelsey! You’re just apologizing and moving on your merry way.

“I’m sorry about last night, Parker.” I can’t bring myself to make eye contact with him and the desire to run out the back door is strong.

“I don’t care what you’re sorry about,
Kelsey
.” He emphasizes my name while spitting it at me like poison then walks past me, dismissively.

“I can’t handle these feelings I have for you! There, are you happy now, asshole!” Parker stops mid-stride, his back to me. My fingers cover my mouth before more word vomit falls out. His breathing has picked up, and when Parker turns around, the look in his eyes melts me on the spot. Stalking toward me, he grips my face and kisses me. He kisses me so hard and passionate that I forget where we are, who we are. Our tongues collide and fight for one another. At this moment, I feel every bit of emotion he has for me, and I’m rammed in the chest with emotions that can’t be named.

Pulling away, we both allow ourselves time to breathe. “You going to give us a chance, sweetness?” I take a moment to absorb his words.

Us
.

No, nononononono. There can never be an
us
. I can’t allow myself to fall down that rabbit hole. The same one my mom has been lost in for years.
No.
I won’t do that. The look in my eyes must give him a sign of what’s going through my brain. His arms leave my face, and he takes a step back. I feel the loss of his heat instantly and whimper inside.

“You don’t want me. You sure about that?”

“I can’t want
you
, Parker, and trust me when I tell you
, you
don’t want
me
.” He gives me that panty-dropping smirk, and I’m tempted to drop them, but I don’t. I show some restraint. I’m a lady, dammit.

“If that’s what you want.” I’m confused by the look on his face. It’s like he has won a prize I’m unaware of.

“That’s just how it has to be.” Brealynn and Colt come barging through the door in laughter. I plaster a fake smile on my face and join them in the living room.

There’s a party tonight I need to get ready for. It’s time to prove to Parker he needs to move on from me and get under someone else.

Parker

All the students who are still in town for the summer have been showing up for a few hours now. Kelsey has stuck close to Brealynn tonight so far. She won’t get within a few feet of me. Avoiding me like a damn leper. I’ll have her soon, though. Her little admission today shook me. The bitch queen has feelings and for me, of all people. That works out since I have those same feelings for her. I just have to make her realize it, which is why you don’t need to get pissed at me for what I’m about to do. It’s for her own good.

Throwing my arms around Karina, she giggles and smiles up at me. “Hey!”

I met her earlier in the party. She seems fun, and she’s hot, so why not? I notice Kelsey look over at me from the corner of the living room, her eyes growing wide at my placement around Karina. Leaning down so my whisper can reach Karina’s ear, I say, “Kiss me.” A simple command that any girl I touch follows; well, all but Kelsey.

Her lips rush to mine in a hurried attempt to wrap her arms around my neck. Soon, her tongue is darting into my mouth.
Whoa.
Didn’t want to take it this far, but when my eyes open to look at Kelsey, she’s fuming. Flashing a cocky smile as Karina pulls my bottom lip into her mouth. With a pop, my lip releases, and Kelsey stares daggers at me. Keeping the fake cockiness on my face while Karina whispers sexy promises she would like to follow through with me.
My dick doesn’t even move.