One Good Reason (Boston Love #3)(53)

“This is amazing,” I whisper into the dark, turning to look at Parker when I’m finally done admiring the view. “It’s beautiful up here.”

He’s leaning against the rail, watching me.

“I admit, I’m impressed, playboy.” I tilt my head and lean back against the rail. “You bring all your dates here?”

He smirks. “Darling, I’m getting the sense that somewhere along the way, you got the wrong idea about me. Probably during your little internet-stalking stint. Allow me to clear something up for you…” With measured steps, he closes some of the distance between us until we’re only a handful of feet apart. “I don’t date. I’ve never dated. I don’t like long-term. Don’t stay in any place long enough to get comfortable, let alone pick out china patterns with someone.” His eyes lose their joking edge. “That tool Jim who let us up here? There’s a reason he was surprised to see me. When I was a kid, I spent a decade looking after Phoebe, looking after my family. There was no one else to do it, so I stepped up; that didn’t make it fun or easy. So, when Phoebe was finally old enough to take care of herself, I didn’t hesitate.”

“You left,” I murmur.

He nods. “And I didn’t ever plan on coming back, once I finally got out. Not for longer than a weekend, a holiday visit, a birthday. Until last spring, when my baby sister was kidnapped…” He glances at me. “I guess I have you to thank for saving her.”

“It was nothing.”

His eyes hold mine. “Not nothing to me.”

I glance away, uncomfortable with the look he’s giving me.

Soft. Intimate. Ultra-warm.

I clear my throat. “Anyone would’ve done the same, if they’d known she was in trouble.”

“How did you know?” he asks. “That she was in trouble? I mean… how did you know where to find her? Even Nate couldn’t track her down, and he’s the best in the business.”

I bite my lip and look back at him. “It’s complicated.”

“More clandestine spy shit?”

“I’m not a spy.”

“That’s funny. In my fantasies, you’re always tying me up…” His grin is sinful. “Strictly for interrogation purposes of course.”

I snort. “I’m not a spy, or a CIA member, or any of the heroic titles you keep trying to give me. I’m just a girl with a computer.”

He pauses. “You save people. Help people. Hate to break it to you, but that kind of makes you a hero, Zoe.”

I shake my head, rejecting his words. “No.”

“Fine.” He chuckles. “But I wouldn’t want to be Robert Lancaster right now, I’ll tell you that much.”

My eyes widen. “You looked on my flash drive!”

“Of course I looked on your damn flash drive. You think I’d give it back to you without ever glancing at it?” He chuckles. “I’m blond, but I’m not an idiot. Don’t objectify me… Unless we’re talking about sexual objectification. You can do that any time you want.”

I roll my eyes. “Do you ever stop making jokes?”

“Not if I can help it.”

“It’s exhausting.”

“Liar. Admit it — you laugh more with me than you do with anyone else.”

“I’ll admit no such thing.”

“Stubborn.”

“Stupid.”

“Ooo, real mature.”

I groan. “You’re impossible.”

“You think I’m cute.”

“I think you have a hearing impairment.”

“Possibly. But I’m gifted in other ways.” He winks. “I could show you, if you want. Though, that particular tutorial would require fewer clothes.”

I make a fake gagging noise. “Thanks, I’m good.”

“I know you’re good. That’s why I’m happy I’m not the one in your crosshairs. Tell me, what are you planning to do to Lancaster? Cripple his computer network? Publicly shame his entire IT department? Harass his secretary?”

At the indirect mention of Patricia, I slide my eyes to his. “I doubt he cares as much as you do about his secretary’s welfare. Frankly, she seemed to recover just fine from whatever trauma I inflicted on her during my visit.”

Parker’s grin gets wide. “Jealous, snookums?”

“No, boo-bear,” I snap. “There’s nothing to be jealous of.”

“I agree.” Parker’s smile is almost blinding. “You know, Patricia and I have so much in common…”

I go tense.

“Mainly, the fact that we both f*ck women,” he adds conversationally.

I let that seep into my subconscious and ignore the simultaneous feelings of relief and embarrassment flaring through me.

“I don’t know why that should concern me,” I say in an uppity voice, when I think I’ve gotten my breathing under control.

“Of course not.” Parker sounds thoroughly amused.

“Anyway,” I say, latching onto a new topic with desperation. “Robert Lancaster is a bad guy. Trust me — he deserves everything he’s got coming to him.”

“I know. Just…” Parker pauses, his tone growing serious. “Be careful with him. He’s a powerful guy, like it or not. You don’t want him as an enemy.”