Chapter Ten
Parker
The sound of Kit’s giggles floated over to Parker as she sat on the steps of the barn, watching her little girl tease Boots with a bird feather tied to a string.The makeshift toy had been Kit’s idea, no doubt step one in her plan to lure the cat into coming around more often.Parker was pretty sure that when they left the farm behind them at the end of the season, that mangy tabby would be the third passenger in their never-ending caravan toward a permanent home.
What was worse is that she knew there was no way she would deny Kit if her daughter asked for the cat to tag along.In some ways, Parker felt a kinship to the animal.It wandered the land, only stopping to rest if someone offered her enough kindness to keep her around.Kindness was in large supply on the Kemp farm, though over the last two weeks, none of it had come from Travis.
Parker had thought they were growing closer during that first morning.When his strong arms had come around her to instruct her on using the fruit picker, she had felt safer than she had in a long time, maybe ever.It was more than just his good looks, though there was no denying that the combination of his brown hair, green eyes, and very fit body had made a few appearances in her dreams lately.
Travis had a steady presence about him that she was drawn to.He didn’t speak more than was absolutely necessary, and when he did it was slow and deliberate, like he really thought about the words he was using.It seemed as though his capacity to care for even the simplest things knew no bounds, and it was damn near impossible for her not to wish he would direct some of that attention on her both in and outside of the bedroom.
Parker imagined the two of them sitting and watching the sunset, his arm wrapped around her and her head leaning against his shoulder as he stroked his roughened fingertips up and down her arm.She didn’t need conversation, just the ability to finally stop and rest for a little while, knowing she was in good hands.Those hands would also do wonders for her aching body, and they’d already starred in a number of Parker’s fantasies.
Maybe that’s what had made his curtness and subsequent silence so difficult to accept.If Travis didn’t talk to you, there must be a reason for it.Parker just wished she knew what that reason was.Instead of asking him, though, she stuck with the other seasonal workers, letting them guide her on what to do.There had been the offer of an education along with the job, but she wasn’t going to say anything about that or make a fuss about broken promises.Room and board were more than enough for her and she’d survived off what she knew already so far, no doubt she could do it again.
“I’m hungry,” Kit announced unceremoniously.Boots was slinking around her ankles, likely looking for more fun, but Kit was having none of it.When the girl was hungry, she let you know it and if you took more than two seconds to remedy the situation, she let you know that too.“Can we eat now?”
Parker nodded and walked toward the apartment.“Let’s head upstairs.I think we have some cold strawberries.”
The sweetness would be refreshing given how hot it was outside.Luckily the bulk of her work was done before ten in the morning when the weather was the nicest, then she’d go back out again in a few hours.It was wonderful to have a break in the middle of the day, especially since Kit was still out of school for another week or so.Enrolling her daughter in the local elementary school had been the easiest thing in the world, she just hoped that the experiences Kit had there would be just as uncomplicated.
When Parker saw that Kit wasn’t following her, she turned and saw the girl shaking her head as she backed away, pointing toward the big house.“Cora said that she was making veggie wraps for lunch and that we were free to join her.”Her small feet continued to shuffle toward the open barn door.“You always say we should get more veggies.”
Parker did always say that, but mostly it had been her wishing she could afford to buy fresh vegetables and not canned corn from the discount grocer.“Using my own words against me is pretty cold, young lady.”Parker followed her daughter out the door and over toward the house.“Are you sure this is about veggies and not that pie I see cooling in the windowsill?”
Kit’s eyes widened.“Well, she may have also mentioned following it up with cherry pie for dessert, but since it’s a fruit pie, that’s good too, right?Nutritious and delicious.”
Parker chuckled at Kit’s hard sell slogan, wrapping her arm around her daughter as they ascended the few steps of the back porch.“I’m certainly not going to argue otherwise.I love cherry pie.”
Just as she was reaching for the screen door handle to head inside, it burst open, Travis striding out carrying a brown bag and a water bottle.His heavy feet stopped short before nearly bumping into Parker’s chest, not that she would have minded the physical contact with the big man.
When his grassy green eyes hit hers, Parker couldn’t help but be pulled into them.They looked like a meadow she wanted to lay in for hours, and so bright for someone so gruff.The ring of yellow she spotted in the center reminded her of a halo and she smiled at the fanciful thought.He had been an angel of good fortune in a way.The thought of him with white, feathery wings made her smile widen.
Wanting to hide the reaction, Parker averted her gaze, only to have them land on his lips, the very same pair of plump, juicy lips that she’d been low-key fantasizing about being on hers and over every inch of her body for weeks.Her throat went desert dry at the mental image and she wet her lips.A low rumbling sound came from his chest and Parker’s eyes flicked back up to his.The halo was gone, replaced by pupils that widened as his nostrils flared.Apparently, Travis was no angel after all, and suddenly she had the urge to dance with the devil.
The air surrounding them felt so electric that Parker was almost afraid to breathe, worried doing so would burn her lungs.Caught in the tractor pull of his heated gaze, Parker’s body leaned toward his, her nipples pebbling at the thought of their chests brushing up against one another.He would feel so good underneath her, and even though it had been so long since she’d felt the pleasure that could come from two bodies joining, it wasn’t the drought that made her want.It washim.Their little stand-off continued for a while longer, neither of them willing to move or break eye contact.Finally, it was Travis who made the first move, though not the one she would have liked.
“Excuse me,” he grunted.Giving her a wide berth, he nodded to Kit before marching off into the orchard.
