He chuckles before rising to his feet. I squeak, gripping his shoulders as he slips out of me and carries me upstairs. “You said hours?”
“Yes. Three, to be exact,” I reply as we enter the bathroom. We were both insatiable after the fair, going three rounds until we finally called it a night. As much as I want him, I’m not sure I have it in me again tonight.
He catches my hesitancy and shakes his head. “Not for that. Let me get you cleaned up and fed. Then we can relax before I drive you to the distillery.”
Once I’m on my feet, he starts running me a bath, leaving me to sway deliriously in the aftermath of this entire afternoon.
FORTY-THREE
HARRIET
Warren droppedme off at the distillery as promised. He insisted on returning to Iris Meadows to drive me home after my shift, and it took some convincing until he accepted I’d catch a ride with Parker.
Even with the not-so-delightful run in with Peter, my mood soars all evening, and from the standing ovation the crowd gives me at the end of my set, it reflected in my performance.
“Killing it, Harry.” Parker grins and hands me an iced water before turning to her clipboard as she takes stock of the bar. “That last song”—she smacks her lips to the tips of her fingers—“chef’s kiss.”
“Why thank you.” I perch on a stool to catch my breath.
“It’s nice to see you playing original songs again. What’s brought this on?”
“Oh, nothing. Thought I’d mix it up.”
It certainly has nothing to do with the man who vowed to help me reach my dreams or the fact he ravished me boneless hours ago. Giddy bubbles explode in my stomach. Warren andI didn’t discuss logistics, and I’m more than okay with his request to be patient with him. Dating for the first time after a failed marriage must be tough. Talia is proof of that.
“Your parents divorced when you were young,” I say to Parker. “How long until they dated again?”
After her dad started experiencing some health issues last year, she moved back into her childhood home. She sees her mom occasionally, but they’re not as close as she and her dad, who are two peas in a pod, with their matching dark humor and lack of filters.
Parker thinks. “Mom, not very long. Their marriage was over long before the divorce. My dad took longer. Maybe a year or two. Why’d you ask?”
I blow out a breath and rest my chin on my fist. “I know you didn’t like Warren at first.”
“You could say he’s grown on me.”
“Which means a lot. You’re one of the most important people in my life.” Nothing gets past Parker, so buttering her up is futile, and her sharp edges soften under my flattery. “Somewhere along the way, Warren has also become important to me.”
She narrows her eyes. “You’ve asked him to cater to your horny pregnant lady needs again, haven’t you?”
I dip my fingers in my water and flick it in her face. “You’re incorrigible.”
“And you’re a Randy Sandy. What does this have to do with divorce?”
There’s a reason Parker is set to take over from Jimmy when he retires. She’s direct and takes no prisoners. I love her for it, truly, though the heat from being under her spotlight makes my boobs sweat.
“Obviously, we’ve spent a lot of time together since December and attraction was never an issue.” I tap nervouslyon the side of my glass. “It’s not serious. Or I hope it will be. Um, we’re?—”
A tattooed hand halts my fidgeting. “Does he treat you like the queen you are?”
I swallow. “Always.”
“And you’re confident he’s here to stay?”
“Yes.”
The corner of her mouth tilts up. “And you’re disgustingly happy when you’re around him?”
My response is immediate. “Even when we’re apart. There’s something there. Obviously, the baby plays a large part in this, but it’s also him. Us. It feels…right. It’s the exact opposite of what I wanted originally, and if it goes belly up, I’ll only have myself to blame.” I sigh and stop my waffling. “Basically, what I’m trying to say is we’re giving this a shot. At being a couple.”
