Playing Dirty (Risky Business, #2)(57)

“It’ll be fine,” Ryker said gently, reaching for my hand. “Look on the bright side. You’ve survived, twice. You must have nine lives.”

“That means I’ve used up two of them,” I said glumly. Actually, probably more than that, considering. And my arm hurt. Somehow my stitches had pulled and now I was regretting not having any ibuprofen on me.

“Next time, we’ll get him.”

“There’s going to be a next time?”

Maybe he would’ve answered, I don’t know, but there was a sharp rap at the door and McClane about knocked over my chair getting to it. Ryker and I followed at a more normal pace.

It was Parker and he was carrying my suitcase.

Ryker let him in and McClane hurried to say hello. I watched, one eyebrow raised, to see how well Parker would take to the behemoth jumping on him and resting his dirty paws on Parker’s shirt.

Parker shot the dog a look and McClane stopped in his tracks, his paws skidding on the wood floor, then he settled back on his haunches, his ears perked forward and his tail thumping the floor. I frowned in disappointment. Apparently, Parker was also the dog whisperer.

It seemed an uneasy truce had been declared between the two men, as Ryker didn’t have anything smartass to say as Parker set my suitcase down and scratched McClane behind the ears.

“I need to get back to the crime scene,” Ryker said to him. “I may be a while. I don’t really want to leave Sage by herself.”

“I’ll stay,” Parker said.

“I don’t need a babysitter,” I protested, embarrassed that my boss was being asked to watch over me. “I’ll be fine with McClane.” I gestured to the supposed guard dog, who’d now given up all pretense at dignity and had flopped onto his back, legs in the air, waiting to see if Parker would scratch his belly.

Hmm.

“You have your weapon on you?” Ryker asked, ignoring me.

Parker reached behind his back and produced the same gun he’d had at the office. I guessed he hadn’t been bluffing when he’d searched my apartment earlier. Ryker nodded and Parker replaced it.

“What are you doing?” I asked Ryker in an undertone. “I thought you couldn’t stand Parker, remember?” Maybe if I reminded him of this, he’d tell Parker to leave.

Ryker glanced at Parker, then back to me. “Personal issues aside, I know he’ll keep you safe. That’s more important right now.”

Oh, now he decided to play the adult. I wanted to gnash my teeth in frustration.

Ryker took a step forward until he was in Parker’s space and they stood eye to eye. “But no more painting toenails.” The threat in his voice was greeted with a slight twitch of Parker’s lips, but other than that, he said nothing.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said to me.

“No, wait, I don’t want—” I was cut off by him kissing me again, and this time it wasn’t a sweet kiss. It was the second time in as many days that he’d kissed me in front of Parker and I was starting to feel like an exhibitionist.

“Stay here. Stay safe,” he rasped, his lips grazing my cheek. Then he was out the door and gone.

I avoided looking at Parker, instead glancing at the clock. It was late, and I was exhausted.

“You don’t have to stay,” I said. “Ryker’s overreacting. The dog will be fine for a few hours until he gets back.”

“I’d feel better if I stayed,” he said. “Inside is preferable, but I can sit in my car if you’d rather.”

I looked at him. “Of course not.” Like I’d make him do that.

I felt awkward, not least because here was Parker in Ryker’s house. Deciding I wanted to go to bed, I went to grab my suitcase, but Parker got there first.

“Here, I’ll help you,” he said, picking up the suitcase. “Where am I taking it?”

I hesitated. It felt really strange for me to say I’d be sleeping in Ryker’s bed, though it shouldn’t. Surely Parker had to know Ryker and I had sex, right?

“Um, his bedroom is back here,” I said, leading the way. I was uncomfortably aware of his eyes on my back and I couldn’t wait to get out of the ruined dress.

“I take it things are going well,” Parker said as I flipped on the light. “I thought he might’ve had a problem once he found out who your father was.”

“He did, a bit,” I admitted. “Apparently, he doesn’t like the fact that my father has money. Says we’re from ‘opposite ends of the socio-economic status.’ Or something like that.”

Parker snorted in disgust, picking up the suitcase and laying it flat on a chair before unzipping it. “Ryker’s always been hyperaware of money. That he reacted so badly when he saw who your father was doesn’t surprise me a bit.” He started unloading my clothes, hanging a bunch of them in the closet next to Ryker’s.

“I can do that,” I said, reaching for my makeup bag and hairbrush.

“I wasn’t sure what to get, so I brought some of everything,” he said.

That was obvious. I’d be looking slightly … eclectic for the next few days, I decided, taking out a pair of red heels. By the time I’d set them in the closet and turned around, Parker’s arms were full of satin and lace.