Take Me Down (The Knight Brothers 2)

“I do understand that now. Time away, here with you, has done wonders for my outlook on life. But I can tell you for certain what I’m doing for you and your father? It’s not the same thing. I’m finding things that I enjoy here. I’m finding myself again.”

She tipped her head to the side. “I’m glad I can give you that. And I’m grateful for all you’ve done for us. But … though your brother’s way of expressing himself leaves something to be desired, I can understand why he’s wary of me. And why he thinks I’m using you for your money.”

He whipped his head around to face her. “You didn’t know I had money. And after you did, you hid the fact that you tried to get a loan. Don’t let Ethan’s attitude rub off on you.”

She frowned, knowing it wouldn’t be easy to get those comments out of her head. “I’ll try,” she promised for Parker’s sake. “But you can’t be mad at your brother for wanting what’s best for you.”

Even if he didn’t think she was it.

Not that it mattered. His life, his family, everything was back in New York. If he stayed here much longer, it would only be harder to say goodbye.

“Parker,” she said softly. “I think it’s time for you to go home with your brother.” She wasn’t sure what he was doing here any longer anyway.

The inn renovations were well underway, her father in charge and handling it way more than she ever thought he could. Emily and Harper could deal with their own business, and he could approve plans long distance. All something she thought Ethan, when he got over his accusations, would point out as well.

Parker placed a hand under her chin and tipped her head to face him. “I’m not ready.”

“We’ll never be ready,” she said, throwing herself in there, too, because it was true. She didn’t want him to leave but that didn’t mean it wasn’t the right time.

She found herself under him, his lips hard on hers.

“Isn’t your brother downstairs?” she managed to ask.

“I told him to leave. I’m hoping he listened. Either way, I don’t much care.”

She wasn’t about to argue, knowing that this might be her last time with him. She sealed her lips over his, sliding her fingers through his hair and holding him against her. Fast and frenzied, his hips ground against hers, his thick cock arousing her beyond belief.

“Clothes,” he muttered, rolling off her. He yanked his sweater over his head, then stood to pull off his jeans and the rest of his clothing.

She loved looking at his bare chest, the muscles from working out and the light sprinkling of hair there. Tearing her gaze away, she eased her own shirt up and off, unhooked her bra, and shimmied out of the straps, tossing the garment onto the floor. Her leggings came next, and she hooked her fingers into her panties, stripping everything off with them. She glanced up to find him tossing his socks onto the floor at the same time she was pulling off her own.

She grinned as he came back down on top of her, his big, hard body covering hers. Closing her eyes, she let herself soak up everything that was Parker. His masculine scent, the feel of his skin, the heat of his body, all things that she might never get to experience again.

He rocked his hips against her, the heat and hardness of his erection pressing intimately against her, and she moaned, her body surprisingly close to an orgasm.

He levered himself up and poised his erection at her entrance. She anticipated him taking her hard and fast, not the slow way he entered her, ensuring she felt the long, luxurious stroke, and that’s how he continued. Touching her with his hands, caressing her skin as he made slow, passionate love to her, shocking her.

Rocking her to her core.

She wished he’d rush, take her out of her head, not give her time to think through how good he felt, how he owned her body, how she’d never love anyone like this again. But apparently he wanted to torture them both, because he did all those things with his warm blue gaze locked on hers. Forcing her to face him and take in his beloved features.

She could feel it with every rocking motion of his hips and the sad look in his eyes.

This was goodbye.

* * *

Leaving Emily in bed, since she didn’t want to experience Ethan again and he didn’t blame her, Parker headed downstairs, refusing to think about what had transpired between them. He’d have plenty of time for that when he was back in New York. He’d heard her words loud and clear, and though neither of them wanted him to leave, she was right. He was prolonging the inevitable, making their parting more painful with every precious minute they spent together.