Found in Us (Lost 2)

"Oh, there's a long story behind that," I say, with all the calm I can muster. I pull the covers to my neck and turn around on one side. "I'm tired.”

A long story indeed. But it has nothing to do with the tattoo guy. Parker doesn't say anything else, but I feel him move closer to me until his warm body presses against mine, and he slides one arm over my waist.

"Good night, Jessica."

“You... you’re sleeping here?”

“You weren’t expecting me to?”

“I don’t know. I like to keep my expectations low,” I whisper.

“I know what you mean. I try to do the same.” He kisses the side of my head gently. “But let’s try to change that, shall we?”

Chapter Ten

Jessica

When I wake up the next day, I'm alone in the bed. I stretch out my arm on the side of the bed where Parker slept. It's not warm. He must have left a while ago. As I touch his pillow, I imagine how he would look if he were asleep with all his muscles relaxed.

&nbsp

; To be honest, I'm not sure how long I'd be able to just watch him. I bet I'd wake him up before long, aching for his touch and all the things he made me feel last night. .

I dress warmly and then go downstairs, but no one is in the living room. I debate sitting around, waiting for someone to appear, but my growling stomach decides I'd better go find the kitchen. I locate it after a few minutes—though my sense of direction usually sucks big time, but whenever I'm hungry, my body seems to turn into a food-detecting machine. Helen sits at the kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal.

"Morning," she says when she sees me.

"Hi." I grab a bowl and pour some milk and cereal in it, then sit opposite Helen. "Where is everyone else?"

"Oh, Tara and Parker woke up ages ago and went to play golf at the club," Helen says, shaking her head as if she couldn't understand why in the world anyone would get up early on a Saturday. I agree with her. "Dani is outside in the garden."

"You don't like to play golf?"

She grins. "A tad boring, don't you think?"

Helen gets up from the table and returns with two cups of coffee.

"How long have you known Dani and Parker?" I ask.

Her lip curls into a smile. She takes a sip of her coffee and puts the cup back on the table. "Are you really interested in Dani, or just Parker?"

Ah, no bullshitting needed. I like Helen. "Just Parker."

"I thought so. It's hard to really get to know him. He keeps mostly to himself."

"Why?"

Helen doesn't answer right away, and I can tell by the way she twists her cup in her hands she's weighing her words carefully. Very carefully. "Parker doesn't trust many people . . . those around him haven't proven to be very trustworthy in general. That's why there are very few people Parker lets in. But those he does care about, he's very protective of."

"Like with you and Tara?"

She beams at me. "Yes. We formed a strong bond when we were kids. Parker was kind to me at a time when no one else was. If I had to describe Parker in one single word, it would be loyal. He is very loyal to those few he cares about. But it takes a lot to wiggle yourself under his skin."

So he’s loyal, and a fierce lover. All very valuable qualities in my book.

"Jessica, if Parker trusts you, don't prove him wrong. Too many have."

“You have nothing to worry about.”