Above the Law

Chapter Sixteen

His stare continued.

"What?" she bit out.

His head shook fractionally. "Just... don't you care about protecting yourself?"

"I can protect myself," she said defensively.

His lips pulled at the corners reluctantly. "Oh really?" he challenged.

Eden's eyes narrowed, stepping right in front of him. "Yeah, Parker. I can."

His eyes dropped noticeably to her lips. "Then prove it."

She smiled as she placed her hands against his firm pecks and ran them gently down his abdomen. His whole body stiffened in anticipation, his breathing shallow. Her eyes flickered to his as her hands ran back up his chest slowly. He had to suppress a groan. She smiled, and God did he want to kiss those damn lips of hers. "Want to know a secret?" she whispered.

"Yes," he replied without hesitation, his voice rough and low.

Her hands stilled on his chest and she brought her mouth to his ear. Eden brushed her lips against the shell of her ear but no words followed. She hooked her foot around his ankle while simultaneously pushing his shoulders back. He grabbed her waist as he staggered backwards to the floor, pulling her on top of him. Eden was nuzzled between either of his legs. There was no possible way she couldn't feel his erection pressing against her, but still, she smiled triumphantly down at him. Parker wasn't sure there would ever be a sight in the world as intoxicating as this, and if there was it would undoubtedly be her in this same position while naked and in his bed. Only one thing was missing from his fantasy. His hand went behind her head, toying with the elastic that kept her hair from spilling around them.

Her breath hitched as he pulled her hair loose form the ponytail. Her hair cascaded around them.

Parker lifted his head tentatively off the ground, her mouth was only centimeters away, yet still too far. His hand balled in her hair, easing her closer. A tiny whimper left her parted mouth. A whimper he wanted to hear over and over again. She brought her lips to his, an urgency taking them both over. A desire so strong it took her breath away. His hand slipped under the back over her shirt and skimmed up her spin. Her hips lurched into his body, a quite moan falling from her lips. He laughed and wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, hugging her to him. He moved his mouth to her jaw, then her throat, all the while his other hand continuing along her back. There was an ache deep inside her, an ache that was only satisfied when she felt the slightest jerk of his hips against hers. Ironically, she wished he had her on her back. Wished he were the once controlling the situation.

She didn't know what she wanted; her body was fiery bliss. She wanted more of his torturous kisses; she wanted to be consumed in their fire. But yet she wanted only their warmth, not the scorching. It felt too fast. Too intimate. Her breath caught somewhere between her chest and throat as his hand cupped her ass. She froze.

His lips stopped. He pulled back, his head resting once more on the floor to which she pinned him. He looked appalled; his carved features now held a faint blush, his brows in a crease, his lips, though swollen, were drawn into a frown. Parker detangled his hand from her hair, his other dropping from her ass. "I'm sorry." He couldn't say the words he wanted, because they sounded like something his victims would say, I just got carried away. He wasn't any better than them, he wasn't any less eager to get into her pants as those other men. He was a hypocrite. "Eden, I'm so sorry."

"What—no. It's fine."

"It's not. I shouldn't..."

She bent her head and placed a soft kiss against his lips, then rolled off him and into a sitting position. He sat up, his face twisted in a scowl. "I liked it," she said quietly. "It was really nice... just too fast. I... I haven't had much experience with this. Any of this." That statement only made him feel worse, he knew her past and he should have been cautious of her boundaries instead of bulldozing them. "It was overwhelming in the best possible way."