Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“After you finished with Courtland, you didn’t intend to get another office job, did you?” I asked as I dug through memories of old conversations we had. “I can’t remember exactly what you said, but I always thought it strange that you weren’t trying to get a permanent position with Courtland Enterprises.”
Parker’s expression instantly morphed into a wicked grin. “Do you really want me working in your department?”
“No.”
His cackle jumped from him, pushing out the remnants of the heavy silence we’d suffered not long ago. “No hesitation whatsoever.”
“You were a good worker and very smart. I would be happy to give you a reference, but you were also annoying and disruptive.”
“I did that on purpose, you know?”
“Yes, I know. Please try not to be so smug about it.”
Parker did a weird scooting crab-walk shuffle across the floor to sit with his back against the chair I was in so that his shoulder was now on my leg. “I would imagine if I got a job there, you’d demand that we stop having sex, too.”
“Yes. We should have stopped while you were a contract worker. I still can’t believe I let you convince me to continue.”
“I know!” Parker drawled. “Especially since your friend was going through the entire scandal about dating his assistant.” He leaned his head on my thigh so he could stare up at me. He waggled his eyebrows and a lewd grin spread across his lips.
I shoved Parker’s shoulder, sending him almost completely toppling over as he snickered. “Asshole,” I grumbled, which made him laugh even harder.
The whole thing was a mess. One of my managers had brought him in as help while two employees had been on overlapping maternity leave. I hadn’t realized he’d taken a contract position with Courtland until it was too late. Of course, everyone had raved about how amazing he was. What was I supposed to do? Come out and announce that he couldn’t work at Courtland because we fucked almost every weekend?
Then every time I’d tried to put our arrangement on pause, he’d lure me into his bed like some goddamn siren. No, an incubus.
However, I might not have been trying too hard to avoid his bed. A good start would have been not going to his apartment. But no, I’d let him sweet talk me into continuing because it had made the sex so much hotter.
Naturally, the Sebastian and Byron thing exploded in our faces, making me feel guilty. I still didn’t have the balls to admit to Sebastian that I had been hiding a similar mess from him.
I sighed loudly, and Parker brought his giggles under control.
“No, my plan was not to get another office job or contract after Courtland. I wanted to work full-time as an artist. That gig at Courtland was to top off my savings. I had everything budgeted to cover a full year of working as an artist. There was enough money for rent, food, insurance, etcetera.” He stopped, holding his empty hands out in front of him as if he were gesturing at the universe and its twisted plans.
“But then Joy changed things,” I finished for him.
“In a big way.” His hands fell into his lap with a loud slap. “Adding her to my insurance was expensive. Daycare is fucking expensive. Diapers! Oh, my fucking God. Diapers and formula and clothes she’s going to grow out of in a month. It’s all so expensive. I don’t know how Molly was doing it on her own.” Parker dropped his head so that it rested on my leg. “It’s crazy. Molly had a fantastic life insurance policy that she named me the beneficiary of, but I know Molly would have preferred that money go toward Joy’s future. I had it all put in a trust for her. It’ll be for her college tuition. If there’s any left over, it can help her get a good start on her own. But I’m not touching any of that now.”
“So, you’re planning to give up on the dream of being an artist full-time?” Something about saying that sentence left a foul taste in my mouth.
“Postpone,” Parker corrected. “I figure once Joy gets to middle school or at least high school, I’ll have some more time on my hands and I’ll be able to do some smaller projects, but I probably won’t feel comfortable doing it full-time until she’s in college.”
“What kind of art do you do? Paintings?”
“Some, but most of my work is on a really grand scale.” Parker leaned to the side and dug his phone out of his pocket. With a couple of swipes, he had the gallery pulled up, and he was swiping through picture after picture of these wonderful works of art. Few were on canvas, but most were these enormous creations that stretched across an entire wall and soared more than two stories. They were largely abstract works of swirling colors that evoked such emotions. There was also a scattering of portraits, but he swept past those quickly to his larger works.