2 comments/ 1809 views/ 1 favorites Parker's Story Ch. 03: Houses By: aliceallegra "Was I this bad at drawing when I first started?" Parker mumbled to herself. She was hunched over her desk and hadn't noticed the sun going down behind the wall of windows to her right. She'd been grading the first batch of assignments of her teaching career and should have been celebrating, but introductory art was almost never any good; she herself hadn't shown a scrap of talent until her senior year of high school. "I know I was." Grayson's voice behind her made her jump and she whipped around. They hadn't spoken much in the last week, since he'd burnt the humiliating sketch of her. "You do that on purpose." Parker eased back down in her seat and rubbed her temples. Now that she'd been distracted, she realized how much her head hurt. "What are you still doing here?" "You first." Grayson's hands were stuffed into the pockets of his jacket, his hair just as messy and falling in his face as always. "I didn't mean to stay this late." She glanced over at the darkening sky outside, a tinge of pink still swiped across the horizon. "I should probably head home." "Yeah, they're going to lock up soon. Wouldn't want to be stuck in here together all night." He smirked and winked at her. Parker busied herself with gathering up the rest of the drawings so he wouldn't see her blushing. "C'mon, I'll walk you out. Wait, are you taking that stuff home with you?" "I need to finish grading it. Why?" "Because, you little goody two-shoes. You've already been at it for hours and I think your students can wait another day." Parker hesitated. The actual teaching part could be draining, but she actually enjoyed grading the work. Grayson sighed loudly. "Fine, nerd. Come on." He put a hand on her back and all but pushed her out into the hallway. The door shut and echoed loudly off of the tile. They walked slowly through the school toward the parking lot. It took Parker a minute to notice Grayson's hand still on the small of her back and she turned her head away to smile. "Now that I think about it, you're right." Though his tone had been gentle, Parker nearly jumped as he broke the silence. "Grading should be a priority." "You didn't know that until I came around? Jesus. What would you have done if they'd hired someone else?" Grayson ignored her. "In fact, I'm going straight home to finish grading those containers the juniors made. I know I'm not supposed to take them home but come on, they really want me to stay here for hours and grade when I can do it from the comfort of my couch?" He gave Parker a significant look. "Um, good?" Other than criticizing her work ethic, she didn't understand the point of his speech. After a few seconds Grayson rolled his eyes and stared at her. "Would you like to join me, Parker?" he asked. Parker glanced over at him, open surprise on her face. He didn't wait for her to answer before continuing. "I know that for me, it'll go faster if I have someone to chat with. Well, it may not go faster, but it'll definitely go better. I may even hand out a couple of A's." His chatting had given her time to recover, probably as he'd intended. "You don't live with your mom, do you?" She pretended to look him over, as if his mom had dressed him. "You look the type." Grayson laughed and it changed his whole face. "You're finally coming around, I love it. So what do you say?" "Alright, as long as you have food. I'm starving. If not I'm going to stop on the way." "I have a frozen pizza or two, if that's healthy enough for you." She nodded and they fell silent again as they pushed open the doors and went out into the parking lot. Theirs were the only two cars left in the lot. "So just follow me in your car. I live a couple of miles away." He opened her door for her and winked as she sat down. Parker was shaking as she watched him get into his own car and as she turned the key, she realized she was nervous. She wasn't going on a date, but the thought of being alone with a man after what she'd gone through . . . Pushing away the negative memories, she gritted her teeth. She couldn't let those old, shitty memories taint her new ones. Besides, it was just grading papers with a colleague. Nothing was going to happen. She followed Grayson's black car out and onto the main road. Though she'd resolved to be in a good mood and not nervous, her hands still shook on the wheel. Grayson led her a few miles down the main road and then onto a side road. She knew there was a gated community not far down the street and was wondering if he could possibly live there when he slammed on the brakes and turned into a driveway. Parker nearly rear-ended him, and a slew of curses left her lips as she pulled in next to him. When she got out she could see he was beaming. "You asshole," she seethed. Grayson shut his car door with a hearty chuckle. Parker stopped glaring at him long enough to glance up at his house and she was surprised to see that it was well cared for. Given his casual appearance and that ever-untidy hair, she'd expected overgrown grass and dirty shingles. Instead his two-story was clean and, well, normal. Wicker seats framed the front door and there was a row of bushes under the living room window. "Not what you thought it would be, huh?" Grayson had been staring at her staring at his house and when she glanced over at him, something like pride colored his expression. He hopped up the front steps and unlocked the door for her, ushering her in. She stood in the dark for a few seconds while he bolted the door and then turned the lights on. They were standing to the side of the living room and directly ahead was the dining room. Parker took off her shoes and looked around. It wasn't messy per say, just cluttered. A metal sculpture dominated the wall behind the dining room table, climbing up to the ceiling and melding into the corner. The table itself was covered with newspaper and a half-exposed lump of clay, surrounded by little models of whatever he was trying to make. The living room was littered with books and movie cases. Parker nodded, smiling. "This is what I thought it would be," Parker said, turning to Grayson. His proud expression was gone, replaced by one she didn't recognize. He turned away and peeled off his jacket. "I know there's a lot of madness in here, I just—I like it this way." He was trying to explain himself and it made Parker want to hug him. "Hey, it's fine. I know I say that a lot, but this time, it is. It's fine. It's nothing like my house which probably means it's normal." Grayson's lips curled up into a brief smile and he waved the subject away. "Let me go put that pizza in. I'd say make yourself at home, but . . ." He trailed off and disappeared around the corner into the kitchen. Parker picked her way over to the living room, not wanting to knock over any of the pottery that was either perched on a pedestal or just sitting wantonly on the hardwood floor. Grayson returned as she was clearing a spot for herself on the couch. "Shit, maybe this was a bad idea." He helped her move his books and began clearing off the coffee table. "Grayson, really. Don't worry." He paused at her words, his head cocking to the side. "That's the first time you actually said my name." Parker thought for a moment. Surely she'd said his name at some point. The look on Grayson's face said otherwise. "I like it." "What, that I waited two weeks to say it? 'Cause I don't. I mean, you saved me from a half-crazed teenager and let's face it, you're kind of my only friend right now. I must have said it at some point." And why does it even matter? Parker thought to herself. "That isn't what I meant, but let's focus on that one part for a second. I'm your only friend?" Disbelief laced his words. "That's not possible." "Oh?" Parker wasn't sure why anyone would be surprised by that news. She was a private person and she'd been told that her resting facial expression was off-putting. "What, did you just move to Ruwake for the job?" "I'm from here. I lived in Eugene for four years while I went to the university, but other than that . . . Yeah. Here." Silence followed and Parker started getting nervous again. Her cheeks warmed and she cast around for a new topic, her eyes landing on a shelf above the television. A row of colored jars stood there and she got up from the couch to examine them. On the front of each was a different, intricately detailed etching. "The Four Horsemen. You have no idea how long those bastards took to make. I had to completely remake that last one because the original cracked in the kiln." Parker's gaze slid to the jar in question. It was black, the image on it difficult to make out. She leaned over the TV and squinted. The image was shown from over the shoulder of a cloaked person, looking down on a field that stretched too far into the distance. The field itself was almost completely hidden, however, by dozens of dead bodies. Each face had its own unique expression of horror and even with the gruesomeness, Parker was impressed. "I wish I could do that," she whispered, more to herself than to Grayson. When she turned around they looked at each other and it was clear he'd heard her. "I mean, I can draw, but I'm no good with ceramics. I remember the first time I threw on the wheel. My teacher had to sit behind me like in those cheesy romantic comedies and literally hold my hands through the whole thing. It was humiliating." Grayson smiled and put his feet on top of the coffee table, pushing aside a stack of books. "What about now? Any better?" "Not really. I took the required intro class in college, but that was pretty much just putting together vases with those coils." "So if I, say, tricked you somehow into throwing . . . Would I have to hold your hands through it, too?" A dark expression lit his eyes and Parker's whole body responded. The two stared at each other for a long moment before he cleared his throat and released her from his heady gaze. "Are you married?" Parker had no idea why she asked, it just came out. Grayson's eyes widened for a split second before he grinned. "Of course not. You think a wife would let this sort of shit happen?" He gestured widely to encompass his whole downstairs. Parker shrugged. "Anyone who marries you will probably be used to all of this already, or even contribute to the madness. She wouldn't care." Grayson seemed surprised by her response, though he recovered quickly. "What about you, are you dating anyone?" "No," Parker answered a little too quickly. The smile returned to Grayson's face. "Why not?" "I don't know, why aren't you?" "Who says I'm not?" Parker had no reply to that. He could very well have a girlfriend, it wouldn't be a surprise. And it wouldn't matter, she told herself. She forced herself not to give said girlfriend a face though, for fear of losing all courage and running out the door. Whoever she was, if she existed at all, she was probably a lot better suited to him than Parker was. "I need to start grading if I'm going to get home any time soon," she said. She went back over to her spot on the couch, shying away from Grayson. Taking a pen and a stack of paper from her bag, she pulled the top drawing toward her and started critiquing it quietly. After a few seconds Grayson took the hint and got up. "The ceramic shit is upstairs. I'll be back." Parker nodded distractedly in his direction before returning to her work, though she relaxed a bit when he disappeared up the staircase. He came back down with a box but instead of going to the couch, he went to the dining room and started to carefully unpack the containers. When he was done he docked his phone on a stereo she hadn't noticed and soft music began to play. The two worked separately for twenty minutes before something in the kitchen beeped and Grayson disappeared again. He came back around the corner with a plate, setting it on the coffee table in front of her. "Where's yours?" Parker asked, her stomach rumbling as she eyed the gigantic slice of pizza he'd given her. He left again and she slumped a little in her seat, perking up when he returned with a plate for himself and a glass in his other hand. "Water for the lady," he said in a ridiculous tone that made her laugh. "TV or music while we eat?" "Hm. TV," she said around a bite. Grayson turned the music off and dug around for the remote. The television turned on to a rerun of Roseanne. He glanced over at her and she nodded, so he tossed the remote onto the coffee table and settled in. Every few minutes he chuckled but otherwise they were comfortably silent as they ate. Parker finished her piece and set the plate down, glancing over at her host. He was completely relaxed, his expression open and his body at ease. Her eyes ran from his feet on the coffee table, over his long legs, up his plaid-covered torso and to his arms folded behind his head. The sleeves of his shirt were once again rolled up and she studied the tattoos that were visible. "See something you like?" Even though she knew it was a line, and a bad one at that, there was something husky in his voice that made Parker's stomach queasy. It reminded her of that first day of teaching, magnified a hundredfold. She forced her eyes over to his face and nearly gasped. His eyes were hooded, flashing as the scene on the TV changed rapidly, and his lips were parted ever so slightly. She automatically leaned in though he hadn't moved an inch and Grayson smiled. It wasn't the sarcastic smile she'd grown used to in the last two weeks, or the smug one; it wasn't even the proud one. Instead it was a smile so undiluted and genuine that Parker thought the heat rushing through her might set her on fire. His feet moved from the table to the floor as he sat up slowly, eyes never leaving her face. The smile faded and his expression was intense in a different kind of way. "I don't have a girlfriend, Parker," he whispered hoarsely. "No?" Her eyes fell to his lips and she couldn't look away. "Why not?" He leaned toward her with exquisite slowness, control calming every inch of his body. "I didn't need one." His use of the past tense didn't go unnoticed, but she was too distracted by his proximity to form a proper answer. At what point in the last two weeks had she found the time to be attracted to him? She couldn't remember, but said attraction was undeniable at that point. The two of them were nearly touching as they faced each other. "Do you know what I need now?" Parker shook her head, some of her loose hair swiping his stubbly jaw. He reached out with his impossibly quick fingers and snatched one of the locks. Twirling it around his index finger, he gazed down at her with unreadable eyes. "You don't?" he whispered, his breath hitting her cheek. "No." Her eyes raked over every inch of his face as he leaned in closer, the tip of his nose brushing hers. They sat there, both unwilling to move, until Grayson's smirk returned. He dropped the strand of her hair and leaned back. "You will." ******** August moved swiftly into September with Parker barely noticing. She was adjusting well to teaching, though the butterflies still appeared every morning as she approached her classroom. She'd taken the Bosch poster down after the Evan incident—and a stern talking-to from the principal—and replaced it with her own detailed drawing of a dragon. The students seemed to enjoy that one more and it got a lot less snickering, so she didn't mind as much that she'd been censored. Parker had gone over her evening with Grayson a few times in the last three weeks, though his whole "you'll know what I need" thing still perplexed her. They still had lunch together almost every day but he'd returned to the casual, slightly mocking Grayson as opposed to the intense one she'd met at his house. In all honesty she couldn't decide which one she preferred. Her plan had been to avoid relationships in all ways, shapes, and forms, until she was completely sure she could handle it. The last person who'd touched her intimately had been a monster and she still woke up after nightmares about it, but that night with Grayson had changed something in her. He hadn't laid a finger on her but she still felt like . . . his. It was insane and she pushed the thought away whenever it reared its head, but it kept nagging her. "Ms. Burrows?" Parker's head snapped up from her desk, eyes still slightly glazed over. One of her students was standing timidly beside her. "Sorry, what?" "I asked if you think this one is okay to use." The girl was holding out a piece of paper and Parker took it, pulling herself back into the present. Two pictures were printed out on it, the first showing an elephant and the second a devil's face. "Yes to the first, no to the second. You can't use someone else's work. Make a sketch based on this idea if you want, but make the face unique to you." The girl nodded as Parker handed the paper back and she walked back to her table. Parker swiped a hand over her face. She was longing for a cigarette. "I'll be right back, guys. Eliza, make sure no one does something stupid." A few kids chuckled and Parker grabbed her purse, almost running as she made her way to the teacher's lounge. She'd only been in there once and was surprised to see it was empty. A few ugly chairs dotted the room, a coffee maker blinking on and off as she wove to the window and pulled it open. It looked out over the parking lot and she could see the football field in the distance. "Sport are stupid," she muttered, digging her cigarettes out and lighting one. She closed her eyes with the first inhale and relaxed ever so slightly. All too quickly she reached the filter and ground the butt out on the windowsill, hesitating. After a second she pulled another from the pack and lit. Five minutes and two more cigarettes later, her throat burned gloriously and she smiled as she left the lounge. She sprayed herself with perfume on the way back to class. As soon as she slid into her seat the lunch bell rang and she nodded languidly to the students as they left. Taking her customary meal from the mini-fridge, she made her way through the room and down into Grayson's. She couldn't see him at first and wondered if he'd decided to eat elsewhere—a thought that brought some of the tension back—when she heard a whirring sound and leaned over the upper railing. Four throwing wheels had been pushed up against the little wall underneath and at the third one down was Grayson. His back was hunched as his hands moved swiftly along the curve of the vase he was forming, his hair hanging down in his face and shielding Parker from view. He wore his customary plaid with a green apron overtop, a few tools poking out from the pocket. He'd rolled his pants up to the top of his boots. She hadn't noticed the muscles on his arms before, but then she'd never seen him active. It was surprising to see his biceps tighten under his shirt. She watched as he slid a hand inside the vase and used his fingertips to form a gentle lip at the top. The whirring sound slowed and faded and his back straightened. Using a clay-splattered hand to wipe the hair back from his face, Grayson jumped when he realized someone was watching him. Parker smiled. "Does the school know you're stealing their materials for personal use?" she asked teasingly. Grayson scowled. "Does the school know what an annoying do-gooder you are?" "Yes, that's why they hired me." She went down the steps and sat at one of the work tables while he cleaned himself up. He missed the smudge of clay on his forehead but Parker didn't say anything. She unpacked her lunch as he dug his out of the fridge and sat across from her on one of the stools. "You're in a good mood today," he commented. It was true. She'd been slightly uncomfortable in his presence ever since the almost-kiss at his house and she knew it was stupid, but she couldn't help it. Maybe chain smoking before meeting him for lunch would turn into an everyday thing as long as it relaxed her. Instead of answering, she shrugged. Grayson kept glancing over at her as they ate, finally sighing loudly. "Alright, tell me what it is." Parker's Story Ch. 03: Houses Parker raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" "I'm talking about you. You're too mellow, it's weird. Tell me what's going on," he urged. Parker could only stare at him, confused. That only worked to irritate him. "Are you seeing someone?" Whatever she'd been expecting, that wasn't it. He thought she was relaxed because of a man? "What do you care?" It was a snotty response but she couldn't help it. Grayson set his sandwich down with deliberate slowness. "Answer the question, Parker." His use of her name made her gulp. "No." "No?" "That's right, no. It's not your business." She tightened her lips, making it difficult to eat her lunch. Grayson glared at her but she refused to look at him. "Not that it matters now. You've completely ruined my good mood." She could practically hear him say good and he went back to his sandwich. They finished eating in a tense silence that Parker pretended not to notice and as soon as she was done, she hopped off the stool and started stomping—no, marching—back to her own classroom. "Let's grade together again," Grayson said, his voice tight. Parker stopped but didn't turn around. "Even though you're being a brat," he added. Her throat tightened and the blood in her veins grew cold. The last person who'd called her a brat . . . "Fine. My house this time." Not that I didn't like yours, she thought, but didn't say it. She was still too annoyed. "I'll follow you," he said. Parker nodded and left the room. Parker clutched the wheel of her car with one hand and, with just as much force, clutched a cigarette with the other. She lived further out from the school than Grayson and she'd used the extra alone time to panic and smoke half a pack of cigarettes. Finally turning onto her street, she glanced at his car in the rear view mirror and pictured his stern face. Another cigarette was between her lips in a heartbeat. I shouldn't have agreed to this, she thought for the twentieth time since getting into her car. With one last regretful pull of smoke into her lungs she turned into her driveway and killed the engine. Grayson pulled in behind her and she heard his car door shut and footsteps crunching on the gravel. She stayed in her smoke-filled cocoon, closing her eyes, until her door was opened for her. Parker forced herself to get out. "Good god, woman. Was that really necessary?" Grayson was waving away the cloud of smoke that lingered, eyes watering. She grinned cheekily. "Alright, lead the way." Her smile vanished. "Okay." He walked beside her, making sure not to brush her arm as they went up the steps. She fumbled with the key but managed to get the door unlocked and she waved him inside but he shook his head. Rolling her eyes, she went in and flicked the lights on. While she put her jacket and keys on the hooks next to the door Grayson stared around her house and whistled. "This is exactly what I was expecting." He took in the sprawling lower level that was completely open and uninterrupted, save for the bathroom with its smoke-glass walls. The living room, dining room, and kitchen seamlessly flowed together. The staircase to the left led up to the exposed bedroom that overlooked the dining room. "It's really just meant for the one person," she said, eyes darting up to the railing that did little to hide her bedroom from view. "I can see that. It's cozy. Serene." He nodded to himself. Feeling uncomfortable, Parker went into the kitchen and started looking through the fridge. She wanted to give him dinner since he'd done the same at his house, but all she had was leftovers. "Want something to drink? I have water, orange juice, and about half a bottle of dessert wine." Grayson chuckled. "You keep your wine in the fridge?" "You keep your books on the floor, are you really judging me right now?" "Jeez, so snappy. I'll have some water, please." She poured two glasses and slid one over the bar to him. She stood in the kitchen and drank hers, her hip pressing into the sharp corner of the countertop. Grayson watched her with a quizzical expression but didn't comment. "I don't have anything to eat," she admitted after a while. "Are you hungry?" "Yes, are you?" Grayson nodded. "Alright, there's a Chinese place around the corner that sells good vegetarian food. And no, before you ask, I'm not vegetarian. It's just the healthiest option at places like that." "I think the healthiest option at a Chinese restaurant is plain rice. But that is vegetarian, so never mind." Parker resisted the urge to flash a smug smile. "We can go now if you want." "Alright." She pulled her jacket back on and grabbed the keys, following him outside. She made for her car but Grayson grabbed her arm. "Why not walk?" he asked. Parker shrugged and started leading the way after waiting for Grayson to release her. He did so hesitantly. They walked a few paces in silence. "You're upset about earlier." It wasn't a question so Parker didn't answer and he continued on quickly. "I honestly don't know why you'd be upset but I'm pretty sure you are, so I'm sorry." His words were bait and she knew enough not to take it. They turned the corner and she could see the Grand Wok sign glowing at the end of the block. "What do you have to grade today? I didn't see any sculptures or anything in your car." Grayson seemed miffed that his questions were being ignored but he still answered. "I had the advanced kids write a paper on their favorite period of art. Been putting it off for about a week now, so I need to get it done." "What if you were writing the paper? What would your topic be?" she asked, genuinely curious. Other than his love of ceramics and sculpture, she didn't actually know that much about him. "The abstract expressionism era." Parker's eyes widened. "All of that seemingly random beauty, a thousand different ideas and feelings exploding to life on a canvas but still holding so much back. The withholding aspect must remind me of my mother." His tone lightened and Parker giggled. "Your turn." She didn't have to think. "Abstract expressionism." She glanced sideways at Grayson. "I love color fields. They can eat up entire rooms and still not be big enough for me." She had a replica of Mark Rothko's No. 61 in her bedroom, not that Grayson would ever see it. "Again, exactly what I suspected." His tone was smug. "Oh, shut up," she snapped. "You don't know me that well." Grayson was about to respond but they'd gotten to the restaurant and she pushed in front of him, 'accidentally' elbowing him in the process. He grinned. "Hey, Lana. The usual to go, please, and whatever this one wants." She pointed roughly to Grayson who nodded politely to the woman behind the counter. "An order of lo mein, please." Lana scribbled something down and went into the back room where shouts could be heard. Parker slid into a booth to wait and instead of sitting across from her, Grayson sat next to her. The bench was too small to edge away from him so they sat shoulder-to-shoulder and she stared ahead. "Why would you do that?" "Do what?" He seemed genuinely confused. "This." She looked at the lack of space between them and the corner of his mouth twitched. "Would you rather I moved, Parker?" He shifted slightly to face her without losing the contact. She could smell the leather of his jacket and the heady musk on his skin that somehow reminded her of hiking through the forest and kissing in the rain. "Yes," she lied, noticing the way his knee rubbed against her leg under the table. "Okay." Before she could protest he got out of the booth and sat in the one across from her. The way he stared at her made it clear he knew she was lying. Parker wiped her palms on her thighs and pretended to be interested in the painting of the Great Wall on the other side of the room. "Order's done!" Lana yelled, though they were only ten feet away from her. Parker paid for their food and smiled at the woman as she took the bag of goods. Grayson held the door for her and they headed back to her house. An alley that she hadn't paid attention to before opened up ahead of them and the sound of snide laughter rang out. Grayson's head snapped up and the closer they got, the closer he seemed to get to her. By the time they rounded the giant trash bins and the mouth of the alley appeared next to them, he was practically occupying the same space as her. "Hey, sexy," a greasy voice said. Parker looked over to see a trio of similarly dressed men in their twenties, white shirts ended just above their sagging jeans. Black tattoos spider webbed up their arms and necks and one of them—no doubt the one who'd spoken—whistled. "Keep walking," Grayson whispered in her ear. "You gonna let your man tell you how to be, baby? I'd never do that to such a sweet piece of ass," the man crooned. Parker ignored him. She thought they'd left him and his friends behind until someone came up behind her and grabbed her firmly on the butt. She reacted on instinct. Anger welled up inside her instantly and she whirled around before Grayson even knew something had happened, dropping their food on the ground. It was the one who'd whistled at her. She met his eyes and he winked. "Wrong move," she snarled. Before he could respond she pulled her foot back and brought it up between his legs with every ounce of power she had. The man's eyes widened comically and he started to fall forward, hands between on his genitals. He hit his knees and Parker brought her elbow down on the top of his head. She wasn't strong but her elbows were exceptionally pointy and a welt was already forming by the time he hit the ground. The men around her, Grayson included, were stunned. She was too, though not nearly as much as they were. Spinning back around, she grabbed Grayson's arm and the bag of Chinese food, speed walking back to her house. As soon as the door was bolted behind them she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, the adrenaline starting to leave her system. She felt tired. "Holy shit," Grayson said in a breathy tone. "That was incredible. Stupid, since they probably watched us walk right up to your house, but still . . ." Parker's eyes ripped open. "I didn't even think of that," she whispered, fear creeping through her. Incredible as Grayson thought it was, that guy she'd dropped probably wouldn't agree. She gulped. "Do you think they'll come here?" Grayson shrugged, which wasn't the answer she was looking for. He could see her panicking and put his hand on her shoulder. "Probably not, but just in case I can call the cops. Tell them to come check on you later." Parker shook her head. "Won't I just get arrested for assault?" Oh god, what had she done? Her breath crept toward hyperventilation. Grayson led her over to the couch and sat her down. "It'll be alright, Parker. You did nothing wrong. He's the one who should be arrested for assault, you were protecting yourself. Pretty well, I might add. Where'd you learn to do that?" Parker's thoughts flashed to her last boyfriend and she shook her head. That definitely wouldn't calm her down. "Talk about something else please, anything," she begged, trying to get her breathing to return to normal. "Okay, let's see. My middle name is Ford. I have a tattoo of the Pope on my leg that I got when I was eighteen. So stupid." He chuckled at himself. "I like your house better than mine, I think your nose is fucking adorable, I have a little sister named Peg of all things, I prefer Bush to Nirvana, and I grew up in the house I live in." He paused and studied Parker's face. "How are we doing?" "Fine, I'm fine. Sorry about that." "Let me get you some water." Before she could protest he was already back, her glass from earlier in his hand. He watched her sip it, concern apparent on his face. "And don't be sorry." She set the glass down and grinned. "You think my nose is adorable?" Grayson tightened his lips before he could smile. "If you don't want the police here," he said, ignoring her question, "what are you going to do? Stay up all night with a baseball bat and wait for them to break in?" It was a good question and she let him distract her. He was right, they'd have to call the police. The thought made her stomach hurt. "Do I have to call the police?" she asked, her tone pleading for another answer to her problem. Grayson cleared his throat. "There's always me." Parker stared at him. "You what? You go out there and beat the crap out of them, and tell them that if you ever see them in this neighborhood again they'll pay?" "No, not that," he said, laughing. "I mean I could stay and make sure no one breaks in. I'd be down here, of course, so don't worry." Parker mulled over his suggestion. It was either that, stay up herself—which she probably couldn't physically do—or call the police and hope for the best. She sighed. "Alright, but only if you really want to. And wake me up when you get tired so I can take over guard duty." Grayson shook his head and put the glass of water back in her hand, staring at her until she took another sip. "You just beat the crap out of a thug, Parker. You should get your sleep." They both smiled and she glanced over at the coffee table. Grayson's ungraded tests were piled up next to her ungraded sketchbooks. "We really got a lot done tonight," she said sarcastically. "You did. Now let's eat." Parker had forgotten about the food in all the excitement, but at its mention her stomach roared. He passed her the plain rice and egg rolls and began shoveling into his own food. She watched him with a content feeling for a second before turning the TV on and letting a sitcom fill the silence. As soon as they were done, Grayson pushed her toward the stairs. She said goodnight and went up to her room, all too aware that all he had to do was stand up and he'd see her. Luckily she'd had the foresight to put a divider in the corner when she'd moved in, and she unfolded it to change into her nightgown. Crawling into bed was like a religious experience and a soft moan escaped her lips. The adrenaline had left her exhausted and though she wanted nothing else but to sleep, she couldn't. She knew it was because Grayson was so close to her, even though he was in a different room on a different level. It had been so long since a man had been in her house, especially at night. Night made things so much different. Parker tossed and turned on the cotton sheets, groaning. "You okay up there?" There was concern in his tone that made her want to sing. Grinning up to the ceiling, Parker called back. "Yes, just can't sleep. I'll shut up now." She heard his soft laugh and pictured him lounging comfortably on her couch, arms behind his head and feet kicked up on the coffee table. Then the image of him in that position but stripped of clothes flashed wickedly through her mind, and her breath caught. A rush of warmth spread through her as she imagined his cock, his nimble fingers running down the expanse of his abs and brushing against his hard length. A moan having nothing to do with being tired escaped her and she squeezed her lips shut. Unable to stop herself, she let her hand travel under the sheet and over her sheer underwear. Another moan threatened to bubble up as she began to rub herself over the lace, Grayson's dark eyes flashing in her mind. With her free hand she lowered the top of her nightgown and pinched her nipple between her fingers, squirming on the bed. She bit her lip and worked her hand faster against her clit, eagerly pushing aside the fabric and dipping her index finger inside of herself. Sweat paraded across her skin as she brought herself closer and closer to orgasm, unable to keep small gasps from her lips. She rolled her nipple in her fingers and rubbed the palm of her hand against her clit while her two fingers moved slickly in and out. As soon as she thought back to earlier that day when Grayson had called her a brat her orgasm roared up, threatening to take her under. Right before it could, there was a thump and a soft curse from the living room. Immediately crashing back down to earth, Parker pulled her nightgown back into place and ran down the stairs. The lights were off and the curtains drawn, but she was adjusted enough to make out Grayson's rough shape. He was kneeling on the ground next to the coffee table. She glanced over at the still-locked door and then back at Grayson. "Are you okay?" His head came up so fast his neck almost broke. "Parker?" She stifled a laugh. "Yeah, I heard something and thought those douches were breaking in." "No, the only douche here is me." He got to his feet, though he was wobbly. "I was trying to get to the bathroom and ran right into that stupid table. I think my leg is broken." "Don't be such a baby. Come here. Can you walk on it?" She threw one of his arms over her shoulder and helped hold him up as he tested his leg. He flinched and sighed loudly. "This is ridiculous. What's your coffee table made out of, jagged pieces of glass and barbed wire?" "Of course it is." Supporting his weight, they hobbled to the bathroom and she waited outside while he did whatever he was doing. The door opened a minute later and she got him back to the couch. He didn't let go of her arm in time and she was pulled down with him, her full weight falling on top of him. "Sorry," she grumbled. "Someone doesn't know when to let go." "Who says I didn't do it on purpose?" he said gruffly. Before she could respond his arms were snaked around her, locking her to him. She didn't even try to fight it. Her eyes adjusted better to the darkness and she could see his face in the dim moonlight. His jaw was scruffy, his cheekbones exaggerated by shadow, but the glow in his eyes could never be dimmed. The look in them as he stared up at her was exactly what she'd imagined only minutes ago as she'd touched herself. As if reading her mind, Grayson's hand slid up her nightgown, over the exposed skin of her back, and stopped at the nape of her neck. He pushed her head down a fraction of an inch, her lips hovering over his. "I could hear you," he whispered. Parker gasped when he suddenly raised his head and kissed her throat. His teeth grazed her soft skin. "You were pleasuring yourself up there, weren't you?" His tongue snaked out and just barely brushed against her. She whimpered. "Answer, Parker." "Yes," she breathed. Grayson growled, his mouth closing on her throat and sucking softly. He kissed and nuzzled his way up her neck to her cheek, drawing little circles with the tip of his tongue as he went. By the time he stopped at the side of her mouth she was panting. "What were you thinking about while you touched yourself?" he asked. Parker opened her eyes and saw that he was perfectly calm. His expression hadn't changed, nor had his breathing. She couldn't tell if he was erect or not but based on the rest of him, it was unlikely. Feeling promptly exposed, she tried to raise herself up and climb off of him. His arms were still coiled around her torso. She wiggled in his embrace, trying to break his hold, and as soon as he realized what she was doing he let go. She was at the other side of the room before he'd even sat up. He stared over at her, confusion marring his handsome face. "Did I do something wrong?" Tears stung her eyes but she couldn't make herself turn around and run back up to her bed. For one thing, it seemed childish. This was her house after all, and she could just kick him out if she wanted. Raising her chin, she shrugged as if it didn't matter. Grayson's expression darkened. "Tell me." Parker wrapped her arms around herself. "It's nothing. I'm going back to bed. Goodnight." She turned and started up the stairs before Grayson shot up and grabbed her wrist. She tugged but he wouldn't loosen his hold. Parker's Story Ch. 03: Houses "Just tell me what I did that bothered you. It's an easy question to answer, Parker." "Fine." She refused to meet his gaze, though she felt it boring into her skin. "You weren't turned on. The stuff you were doing, I . . . liked it. But you didn't." "Is that it?" He sounded relieved and when he looked back up at her, he smiled. "You're wrong. I enjoyed what we were doing as much as you did. I swear." "But—" She stopped. If he was telling the truth, maybe there was a functional problem. Oh god, she hoped she hadn't embarrassed him. Or herself. "Okay, I'm sorry. That was an overreaction. I'm sure you enjoyed it in your own way." "My own way?" His voice was puzzled and then he chuckled lowly. "I see. Come here, silly girl." He kept hold of her wrist as she descended the stairs and once they were on the same level again, he brought her hand up to his crotch. Her palm rubbed against something thick that twitched as soon as she made contact, and her face grew hot. Grayson stepped closer so he could whisper in her ear. "This is how much I enjoyed it, Parker." He moved her wrist up and down so that she was rubbing him through his jeans. "How do you feel, knowing that you caused this?" His warm breath tickled her and sent a jolt down her body and between her legs. She pressed her body against his, her hand still working between them. She was so focused on pleasing him, imagining unzipping his pants and pulling his cock free, that she forgot about his question. After a few seconds he put a hand under her chin and jerked her head back. "I expect an immediate answer when I ask you something, Parker." The warning in his voice made her quiver with anticipation and in that moment, she realized what was going on. She realized who he was and what he was doing to her. It had been years since someone had used that tone with her but she remembered every second of it. She was even more surprised to find that she didn't want to run away from him; the opposite, actually. She purred in his embrace, her hand moving faster along his shaft. "I'm sorry, sir," she whispered. Grayson snarled and his cock jerked in her palm. "Say it again," he commanded, and she obliged happily. It had been so long since she'd used that word. "Anything you want, sir." Grayson's hands moved down the sides of her body until he grasped the hem of her nightgown. She longed for him to pull it up and over her head, but instead he released the flimsy fabric and stepped away from her again. Parker whined. "This wasn't supposed to happen tonight," he said hoarsely. She eyed his cock, still straining against the zipper of his jeans, and he followed her gaze with a smirk. "Soon," he vowed. "Tonight, you sleep alone. As promised." "What if I don't want to?" Grayson's eyebrows shot up. "Then you'll be punished. And not in the fun way. Well, maybe a little, but . . ." His hungry eyes swept down her body, lingering on her breasts, and he licked his lips. "When we do this, and we will, we'll do it right." He stepped closer to her, his expression changing. "Maybe you'll even be mine first." Parker knew what that meant and was shocked to hear it come out of his mouth. He wanted a commitment from her. Already. It seemed unthinkable. She'd made that commitment once before, to the wrong man, and even though she wanted Grayson with every ounce of her being she wasn't sure she could do that again. Her mistake had almost cost her life. Grayson sensed her trepidation and gave her a supplicating smile. "We'll see what happens, okay? You don't have to make any decisions tonight." But soon, she finished his sentence in her head. All she could do was nod. He pushed her toward the stairs again, this time more for himself than for her. It was clear he was still on the edge of ripping her clothes off and taking her on the living room floor. "Goodnight, Parker." Those were the last words she heard before she got back into bed and sleep finally claimed her.