Tempting Mr. Parker Read online

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2011 Delilah Hunt

  ISBN: 978-1-926950-12-9

  Cover Artist: LF Designs

  Editor: Kimberly Bowman

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  To Karice Rhule, because you're awesome and you enjoyed my writing before I knew what the heck I was doing!

  Tempting Mr. Parker

  Delilah Hunt

  Copyright © 2011

  Chapter One

  Shakara James spun around hurriedly closing the refrigerator door behind her, the chilled bottle of Evian heating beneath her palm. Cade was home and making a beeline for her.

  “What are you doing here?”

  She sighed inwardly. Leave it to Julie to convince her to come inside for a few minutes. Neither of them expected him to arrive home so early.

  “Trust me, if I had known you’d be here, I never would have stepped foot inside.”

  He reclined against the marble counter top, studying her with narrowed eyes. God, she loved those eyes. A shade of green that reminded her of fresh grass, blending oh so heavenly with his trimmed dark blonde hair. He was tall, well over six feet, with a lean athletic frame that filled out his charcoal business suit.

  Shakara’s fingers yearned to stroke the length of his silky blue tie. She looked down at her hands, scrutinizing the same fingers that, not so long ago, itched to slap the cruel arrogance from his jaw.

  “Where is my sister?” he asked.

  “Upstairs.”

  His eyebrows shot up and he shook his head. “If my sister is upstairs, why are you still here? I thought I made my feelings apparent three weeks ago.”

  “You did and I heard every single despicable word you said.” She glared at him. “Julie invited me inside. If you don’t like it then too bad.”

  “In case you need a reminder, this is my house. Not Julie’s. If you wish to continue your visits with her, despite my opinion of you, I suggest you exhibit some respect in your tone.”

  A cry of outrage sprang from her. “Respect? I’m supposed to show you respect because of what—your age or your money? You’re out of your mind, Cade. Oh, excuse me. I mean Mr. Parker.”

  “Shakara,” he warned, advancing toward her.

  “I’m not going to stand here and argue with you. I’m not one of your employees seeking a raise or approval. I’m twenty-one years old, an adult. I don’t have to take orders from you or anyone.”

  The faint patter of footsteps silenced them, dragging their attention to the brown-haired girl bursting into the kitchen.

  “I heard the two of you from upstairs. You can drop the act.”

  Julie Parker shot her brother a deadly stare, switching a friendlier gaze to Shakara. “You’re not leaving, are you?”

  She nodded and placed the unopened bottle of water she’d all but forgotten about on the counter.

  “I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”

  Without sparing a backward glance she swung open the door, wandering out into the balmy summer evening. If she spent another minute inside the house, the shreds of self-respect she had left intact, the exact thing Cade accused her of lacking, might disintegrate before his very eyes.

  ****

  Cade pivoted toward his sister the instant he could no longer see the brown-skinned girl’s retreating figure.

  “Why did you invite her over?”

  “Um, maybe because she’s my friend, and she's been coming here for years. Seriously, Cade. You look like you're about to have a stroke. Chill out. I have no idea what you have against her.”

  He snorted loudly. The hell she didn’t. “Stop pretending. Do you honestly think if I’d known what she does for a living I would have permitted her in my home, or allowed you to carry on this inane friendship with her?”

  “I’ve never said anything to you about Shakara. And the only reason you don’t like her is because you’re an elitist. Unlike you, I don’t care what the social snobs of Rhode Island think of me. No one is going to tell me who I can or can’t be friends with.”

  The picture she painted of him hit a sore spot. His issues with Shakara had nothing to do with social standing. Furthermore, it was all too easy for Julie, who’d never worked a day in her life, to pass judgment on him.

  “You have no reason to care what society thinks. Our parents left a sizeable inheritance for you. I go to work every day. I’ve supported you since you were ten. You have everything you want because I concern myself with these social snobs. I’m the one forced to do business with them. How much do you think our parents would have accomplished had they lived by the standards you’ve set?”

  Julie’s faced burned with redness. “I appreciate what you do for us, Cade. I never meant to imply that I didn’t.”

  He waved away her assurances. Her gratitude was unwarranted and irrelevant to the point he was attempting to make. There was no way she could have known his comments were geared toward the stumbling blocks impeding his path to a relationship with Shakara.

  Chapter Two

  A month later

  Shakara wiped the sweat from her dark brows while balancing two rectangular trays laden with food. She kicked open the kitchen door with one of the trays on her hip cocked to the side and the other supported in her right hand.

  Two more hours. Her feet ached and her breasts hovered dangerously over the bust of her uniform, which was hardly more than glorified lingerie a size too small.

  The midriff top revealed her naked stomach and hips. The shorts provided even less coverage, fitting inches below her bellybutton and curving around her bottom.

  She drew in a breath, dodging a groping hand in the narrow aisle of the restaurant.

  “Shake a leg, sweet cheeks. Table four’s waiting on their food. Businessmen. Be a nice girl and hurry up. You don’t want to disappoint my important customers.”

  Ronny. Shakara shifted her gaze to the owner and manager of Ron’s Famous. The man wagged a finger at her and Shakara could see his chest puffing with overblown pride for his cheap restaurant.

  Oh well. As long as she was getting paid and he didn’t hitch up a ‘Live Nude Girls’ sign outside, she had no problem busting her ass in here.

  Plus, he was right about one thing. It was Friday night and many of the wealthier businessmen who worked in the city often stopped by to take in the appealing view before going home. The majority of them were generous tippers. No complaints there.

  Shakara hurried over to the table and the conversation halted. The three men seated around the wooden table perused her frame with open admiration.

  “Sorry for the delay, gentlemen.”

  A lazy smile spread across the lips of two of the men. The third seemed to be in a world of his own, occupied by him and her breasts.

  She laid the tray on the table and removed the dishes one by one, her forehead crinkling. Had she gotten the order mixed up? There were four dishes but only three men seated at the table.

  “Oh, he’ll be right back,” the dark-haired man answered, plucking his gaze from her chest.

  She nodded in relief. This was her second week on the job and so far she’d escaped any major mistakes. Hopefully it would remain that way.

  “Enjoy your meal. If there’s anything else you nee
d, let me know.”

  A small chuckle escaped one of the men. “There are a few things I’m sure you could do for me.”

  She brushed off his lame comment. One that she heard at least five times each day.

  Heading back to the kitchen, Shakara paused, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of the man striding toward her. She clutched the empty trays to her chest like a lifeline.

  How did he even know about this crappy restaurant? She watched him replace his BlackBerry into the pocket of his designer pants. His head lifted and she caught his look of surprise before he masked it with an air of indifference.

  Shakara straightened her spine in retaliation, her eyes meeting his, unwilling to be the first one to look away.

  She refused to feel ashamed for earning an honest living. What the hell did Cade know? There was never a day in his life he had to worry about where his next meal would come from or if he’d have a warm place to sleep that night.

  She raised her chin a notch and scooted backward, bracing herself against a chair. He eased past her joining the three laughing men.

  Dismissed. He fell into conversation without further acknowledging her presence.

  The one and only time he’d made her the center of his attention was so he could deliver a verbal assault; because she had the gall to strip in order to support herself.

  She stomped into the kitchen, slamming the trays on the cluttered shelving. Tears stung at the back of her eyes. Damn him. And her for caring what he thought. So what if his opinion of her slipped a notch? If that was even remotely possible, she thought, her mind conjuring up a memory, the humiliating reason for their argument inside his kitchen a month ago.

  ****

  Nearly two months earlier

  Shakara stood outside the house, checking her watch for the fifth time. Julie told her five minutes. Tops. She wasn’t sure if Cade was home and didn’t want to chance meeting up with him. His coldness toward her was getting tiring and it was becoming more difficult each day to pretend it didn’t affect her.

  A low hum whirred through the air and Shakara looked up to see a sleek black Mercedes-Benz rolling into the driveway. Speak of the devil. Cade exited the car and she knew he was out for blood.

  “I had your number all along, didn’t I?”

  She frowned in confusion. What number was he talking about?

  “You don’t have to speak to me in codes. I can handle whatever it is you have to say.”

  His lips drew into a tight line. “I bet you can handle a lot more, isn’t that right, Ms. James?”

  Her eyes widened. A sexual innuendo? From Cade? “What do you mean by that?”

  “It means I know my little sister has been spending time with a stripper. I love Julie and the last thing she needs is to get involved in your lifestyle.”

  Her lifestyle. He made her sound like a junkie who would do anything for her next hit. This was beyond ridiculous.

  “What I do with my life and how I live it is none of your business. Matter of fact, I’m not even going to discuss this with you. It’s a waste of time and I don’t owe you an explanation.”

  She lengthened her stride, hoping to sidestep him. No such luck. He maneuvered in front of her, his athletic frame blocking her escape.

  “I haven’t decided to end this discussion.” His fingers snaked out, encircling her wrist.

  “Let go of my hands!”

  To her surprise, he released her hand, making no attempt to widen their distance. Instead, he stepped forward, tracing the edges of her lips with this thumb.

  She leaned into him, her eyes fluttering shut and her insides melting at the delicate caress.

  “I’m curious,” he purred. “How much would it cost to feel those full lips wrapped around my cock?”

  Her eyes snapped open, blistering ice slicing through her veins rendering her frozen, speechless against his attack.

  He continued smoothly. “Five dollars, ten, maybe twenty if you pretend to enjoy it?”

  She shook her head in anger, disbelief, but most of all, disappointment. Of all the people she’d expect such treatment from, Cade was among the last, regardless of his coldness toward her.

  “Answer me!”

  Her fingers itched to slap his face. And she would have had he not been so tall. “Fuck you.” She stomped past him wishing she had cracked his jaw.

  Chapter Three

  “Stop daydreaming on my time, James. Table four wants another set of drinks.”

  Shakara’s head jerked up startled by the intrusive rumbling of her manager.

  “I’m on it.” She piled four glasses of Coke onto the tray and headed out to the cramped dining area.

  Setting the tray on the table, she avoided eye contact with Cade.

  “So, darling, can I still hold you to that offer from earlier?”

  She frowned, casting her gaze to the dark-haired man. “Excuse me?”

  “You remember. Whatever we need... Just let you know.” His eyesight settled on his favorite spot once again. Her breasts.

  “If you’re referring to food and drinks, then yes. Anything extra and you’re in the wrong place.”

  A stout redhead, who’d kept his silence so far, chimed in. “Hey, Parker, I’m thinking it’s you she wants. Could have sworn I saw her checking you out when you came back to the table.”

  They all stared at her, making her want to dash back into the sweltering kitchen and call it a night.

  “Is Parker here the one you want?” Her breast admirer asked, studying her with familiarity.

  “I have to go. There are other customers waiting on me.” She shot Cade a look out the corner of her eyes. His boredom matched her level of discomfort.

  “There’s no hurry,” her interrogator replied, aiming a grin in Cade’s direction before closing in on her. “Don’t take it the wrong way, sweetheart, but my friend here...Well he’s not really in to dark meat.” He winked at her. “You’ll have better luck with the rest of us.”

  Against her better judgment, Shakara pointed her gaze toward Cade. Instead of returning her attention he let out a sigh of impatience.

  “Leave the waitress alone, Radcliffe. I’m sure a pretty girl like her has no interest in an old white man.”

  She blinked, absolute shock ringing in her ears at his defense of her. Sort of. Thankfully his comment muted the one called Radcliffe.

  She peeked at him noting that his attention centered on the burger and fries growing cold on his dish. Shakara lifted her shoulders in a shrug, resuming her focus on the other customers.

  ****

  That was the first and last time he'd trust Andrew Radcliffe to choose a suitable place for them to eat. Although the man was one of his closest friends and business associates, Cade could not turn a blind eye to his flaws.

  Radcliffe was a womanizer coming out of a disastrous third marriage at the age of thirty-eight, a year younger than he. Not only that, but the man’s life revolved around women, using them one after the other.

  Cade walked across his bedroom, massaging his temples after catching his reflection in the large dresser mirror. What the hell was Shakara doing working in that dump? First the strip club, now this?

  His fist tightened and his jaw clenched. Her parents deserved a kick in the head for allowing her to live on her own. Shit. He didn’t even know if her parents were alive. Asking questions posed the risk of rousing his sister’s curiosity and suspicions.

  Years ago, when Julie voluntarily informed him that Shakara lived alone in a neighborhood on the outskirts of town, he’d felt a wave of anger and deep concern for the seventeen year old. That was putting it mildly. He’d been downright furious.

  It had baffled and upset him that no one was looking out for her, taking care of her. And to this day, the feeling continued. It shouldn’t. He should have been able to move past his concern for her over the years. He combed a hand through his hair, knowing he wouldn’t be in this mess if he hadn’t gifted Julie with a car for her sevent
eenth birthday. She never would have ended up in that derelict neighborhood or befriended the lonely teen.

  What those two had in common he had no idea, nor did he care. Their friendship remained rock solid unlike his “relationship” with her. Relationship. He curled his lips in self-contempt.

  Thanks to her, there would be no liaisons or attachments for him. The last time he’d made love to a woman was well over a year ago. The one thing that kept him from disgracing himself during the act was thoughts of her. No woman would accuse Caden Parker of impotency.

  Some days, he had to wonder how different his life might have been had he never encountered the girl. Would there be a leggy blonde lying in wait, keeping his bed warm? Perhaps his wife?

  He shoved the traitorous image away. It disturbed him to picture his bed being occupied by a woman who wasn’t Shakara.

  Pathetic. The only word to describe his feelings. For four years, he’d been in love with her. The longest years of his life. By now he’d lost count of the number of times he scolded and berated himself for falling in love with Shakara.

  Ridiculous, impossible love at first sight. That afternoon he’d return home from work to the sight of shapely brown legs and the firmest ass he’d ever seen bent over in his living room. He stood in silence, attempting to gather his thoughts as she straightened. She then flashed him the most adorable smile—shielding her embarrassment at being caught in such a provocative position.