Chapter 28

“Lean back,” Parker ordered.

“What happ—”

“Lean back,” Parker repeated, and even though the demand was repeated as a clipped stipulation, Parker’s grip softened. He fell back to the enticing slide he’d been orchestrating alongside the kiss, and when John didn’t move, Parker reached for John’s wrist and gently pushed it into place. “Please. It’s fine. I’m sorry. Lean back. I just…I just want to taste you. In other ways.”

The bubble that had been growing in John’s head and chest began to deflate, and with it, desire and confidence as well. The appealing look in Parker’s eyes, that odd mix of uncertainty and interest, was gone. The familiar hardness, the edge, was back in its place, even if it was coloured with an aura of regret.