"What's happening?" Chrissy hisses.

"Do they know each other?" Shelby asks.

"Apparently." Gemma's voice is dry.

"Woof!" Boo barks.

"Parker, how do you know Tink?" Phoebe pushes free of the fray and steps up to my side.

There's a loaded beat of silence. Parker's voice goes gravelly.

"Tink?"

I don't look at him. I can't look at him. I'm afraid of what I'll see in his eyes.

"Yeah, Tink." Phoebe sounds exasperated. "The girl who saved my ass, last spring. You remember, don't you? That time your only sister, your flesh and blood, got kidnapped by mobsters?"

He pauses again. From the corner of my eye, I see his head swivel around to look down into my face. When he speaks, the words reverberate from deep inside his chest. "Yeah. I remember."

I press my eyes closed.

Shit, fuck, damn.

"Well, we bumped into her at that underground fight last night, the one you and Nate didn't want us going to because it was a quote-unquote bad crowd, or whatever. Thank god I never listen to anything you two say."

I feel Parker move closer. When he speaks, it's not to Phoebe.

"You're the one who saved my sister."

I still don't look at him.

"But, wait..." Phoebe's confused. "If you didn't know she was Tink, how'd you know her?"

Parker doesn't say anything.

Forcing my eyes open, I muster my courage and drag my gaze up to his face. Immediately, I see he's not angry. Alarmingly, he looks almost... happy. His eyes rove my features with new awareness, like a master thief who's finally discovered the right combination to crack open an impenetrable safe.

"You could've told me, you know," he murmurs, a hint of a smile touching his lips. "Saved me a week of thinking you weren't interested in me. My ego could've been permanently damaged."

"Seriously doubt that's possible." I counter immediately. "And I'm not interested in you."

"See, I don't think that's the case." He leans in a bit, eyes getting warm. "I'm thinking, if anything, you being here tonight means you're more than interested."

"You're wrong."

"You could've told me how you knew my family. One sentence of explanation would've cleared the air." His gaze is sharp. "You kept it hidden because you were looking for any excuse to talk yourself out of taking a risk on something that scares you."

"And what would that be?" I snap.

His eyes soften. "Us."

"There is no us," I whisper, heart clenching.

"Then why'd you come sailing with me?" he asks.

"You had something I needed." I try - unsuccessfully - to move out of his space. "You blackmailed me."

He grins. "That's not what happened and you know it."

"Wait!" Phoebe explodes. "Wait just a damn minute!"

We both look at her. She's got her hands planted on her hips and is glaring at her brother furiously. Nate, standing immediately behind her, looks like he's trying very hard not to laugh.

"This is the girl you took sailing?" Phoebe's gaze swivels back and forth between Parker and me. "Tink is the girl you've been talking about ad nauseam for the past week?"

My gaze swings to Parker. I feel my mouth tug up in an involuntary smile. "Oh, really?"

Parker looks a little red around the collar - it's actually pretty adorable, seeing him flustered. "No."

"You said she was amazing," Phoebe reveals, grinning so wide I'm afraid her cheeks might split. "You said you'd never met anyone like-"

"Enough!" Parker cuts her off before she can reveal anything else, grabs my arm, and yanks open the front door. "We're leaving."

"We are?" I ask, arching my brows. "Are you sure you don't want to stay here? I think Phoebe has more to say..."

He grunts and pushes me out onto the steps. I manage to wave briefly at Luca before I lose sight of him.

"I'll call you, Zoe!" Phoebe yells as the door slams closed.

It's quiet and cold out on the narrow landing.

Parker runs a hand through his hair and chuckles incredulously under his breath before cutting a glance at me. I try my best to hold back my own amusement at the situation, but I lack the self-control. A giggle bubbles up my throat and bursts from my lips, and before I know it I'm doubled-over, laughing so hard I can barely breathe. Laughing like I haven't in... god, I can't even remember how long.

I'm still cackling like an asthmatic hyena when Parker strides across the stoop, invading my space until I'm pushed up against the railing. His arms reach out and close around the metal rail on either side of me, caging me in so I can't move.

"You like laughing at me, huh, Zoe?"

I giggle-snort. "Yep."

He leans in so his front presses against me and I gasp when I feel the length of him, hard and huge against my stomach. I'm shocked how ready he is for me without ever lifting a finger, without doing a damn thing except standing there laughing at him.

"You should know, that husky little laugh of yours is the sexiest fucking thing I've ever heard," he mutters, eyes on mine. "You keep it up, I'm going to throw you over my shoulder, take you back to my boat, and fuck you until you can't walk straight."

The laugh dies on my lips as a bolt of lightning shoots through my panties.

"I've been thinking about that mouth since you walked away from me last week." His lips are practically on mine. "The sounds it makes. The way it looks when it shapes my name. What it's going to look like when I make you come for the first time."

I suck in a sharp breath.

"And I am going to make you come, Zoe." I feel his stubble against my skin as his lips skim over my jawline. "Very soon. I promise you that."

I think I moan a little.

"Still laughing?" he murmurs.

I shake my head.

"Good." His mouth brushes mine in a featherlight kiss that leaves me craving more. "Let's go."

"Back you your boat?" I breathe.

His eyes crinkle. "No. Not yet. We have some shit to say to each other, and if we go to my boat, your powers of speech will be limited to a few choice words. Namely: harder, faster, please, oh my god, don't stop, Parker, you're a sex god."

Rolling my eyes at his ridiculously inflated ego, I try to muffle the sound of disappointment in the back of my throat. I'm pretty sure he hears it anyway, judging by the way his hand tightens on mine as he pulls me down the stairs onto the street.

12.

The Impact

"Where are we going?" I ask, staring ominously at the black Porsche.

Parker's busy sending a text to someone on his phone while he waits for me to climb into the deathtrap. When the iPhone buzzes and he reads the response on his screen, he smiles wide.

"What?" He looks up at me with warm eyes. "I didn't hear you."

"I asked where we're going."

"Somewhere to talk. I have things to say, and it can't be anywhere with a bed. I can't be trusted not to..." He trails off. He doesn't need to say more - the heat in his stare says more than any words could convey.

I gulp.

"Um." Deep breath. "But... where are we going to talk?"

"New rule." He tucks his phone into his pocket. "Humans named Zoe are not allowed to ask any questions for the rest of the night."

"I don't accept that rule."

"Sorry, too late to change it now."

"What the hell do you mean, it's too late to change it? You just made the damn rule!"

Parker chuckles. "Shut up and get in the car, snookums."

I shoot him a death glare. "Call me that one more time, and I'm going to start calling you boo-bear in front of everyone we pass on the street."

"Difference between you and me, darling?" His eyes darken. "I don't care what you call me, so long as we're not in my bed. When I'm inside you, I want you to know exactly who's fucking you. I want my name on your lips." His voice has gone deep. "Other that that, you can call me whatever you damn please."

I suck in a breath and decide now is a very good time to stop arguing.

He leans in. "Any more questions?"

I shake my head.

"Great. Get in the damn car."

I heave a heavy sigh... and then I get in the damn car.

Ten minutes later, I feel my eyes widen as he turns onto a familiar street.

"Why are we on Yawkey Way?"

He quirks an eyebrow. "That sounded like a question."

"Fine. I'll rephrase." I sigh deeply. "It appears, Oh Mighty Annoying One, that we are at Fenway Park."

"Very astute. You're much smarter than the girls I usually date."

I elbow him. Hard. "This isn't a date. And it's not tough to be smarter than girls who never read anything except nutritional facts on the back of their diet products."

His grin widens. "Have I told you I like it when you're sassy?"

"Several times. Flattery will get you nowhere."

"What will get me somewhere? Specifically, to third base?"

I scoff at him. "You're not getting anywhere near my bases."