"Oh I'm sure you'll yell for me at the top of your lungs if you come up with something," Parker mumbled under his breath.
"What did you just say?"
"Nothing. I'm jumping in the shower." Parker went to the closet and grabbed a washcloth and towel, and headed to the bathroom.
"I'm going upstairs to lie down. Keep the bathroom door open so you can hear me." Emily could tell that the apple didn't fall far from the tree in his case.
Parker waited until she made it up the stairs safely, then stripped down in the bathroom and turned on the shower. He let the water run over his body for a while before he found himself using rose-scented soap and shampoo. He bought plenty of flowers in his day, but he hated that scent on a woman, let alone himself. This just keeps getting better.
Emily didn't believe that Parker went out of his way to put groceries in the house for her. Sneaking downstairs, she whipped by the bathroom and looked in the kitchen. The refrigerator and cupboards were full. I can't believe this! Pop-Tarts! Emily was in heaven. She heard the shower shut off and quickly shut the cupboards and refrigerator. She ran through the kitchen, around the corner, and...there he was.
The cool breeze that drifted in from the living room felt good on his heated body after the hot shower. He dried himself off and then turned around. There stood Emily, mouth hung open, eyes roaming all over his body. Parker took his time wrapping the towel around his waist. He stepped into the living room and nonchalantly walked past her.
"Is there something you need?" Parker smiled at a very red-faced Emily.
"Uh, no. I-I was just getting a glass of something...water..." Emily still was shaken up. She'd never seen a more mouthwatering man in her life.
"There isn't any water in the living room. Not unless you'd like for me to take off my towel and ring it out." Parker was enjoying every second of this.
Without saying a word, Emily walked up the stairs and lay on the bed. She hadn't had time to be with a guy in so long. The last thing she did was allow herself to get attracted to anyone. She just simply had nothing to spare to nurture a relationship.
Emily tossed and turned for most of the night, while vivid images of Russell flooded her mind.
Looking like shit in his dirty clothes, but smelling like roses, Parker went to the foot of the stairs and called for Emily. "Would you like to stop and get some breakfast before we get my car? I have to unload the truck so that'll give you time to get ready."
"I can't get my clothes and shoes back on."
"Okay, I'm on my way up." Parker's irritation was evident when he loudly sighed.
"You're not seeing me like this!"
"Okay, that's fine. Hopefully an aide can be out here by this afternoon or tomorrow." Parker started back down the stairs.
"Wait! Okay you can come and help me, but keep your eyes closed!" Emily was already irritated. She'd been sitting there for forty-five minutes trying to get dressed. "Don't you dare look at me."
"The last thing I want is your body." He knew he stung her the moment the words left his mouth. Emily's brow furrowed and she looked down. "I wouldn't think like that about someone who was hurt or sick. If you were better..." Parker winked and smiled, trying to fix the blunder.
"Just help me so we can get this over with." She tried to be serious, but Parker saw her small smile she tried to hide.
"How do you want to do this?" Parker only had experience at undressing women.
"I'll turn around, then you can pull my jeans up and zip them while I rest against your chest. That way you can't look down where you aren't supposed to. Then slip my shirt over my cast, then my good arm, over my head and pull it down. Got it?" Emily wished she would have kept her bra on from the day before.
"Yep, my eyes are closed."
Emily stood up, dropped the sheet that was around her, and then grabbed her jeans that were down around her ankles. She pulled them up as much as she could while leaning her body against Parker's chest. He was over six feet tall; she was no more than five-foot-two. He just couldn't stop himself from being a heathen. He cracked open his eyes and looked down. Oh my God...Emily was naked. Her ivory skin felt like silk as he slowly brought her jeans up. He couldn't help from coming in contact with her beautiful butt. Reaching his hands around to get the zipper at its base was driving him nuts. So close...
Emily could hear his breathing become heavier. Her own body was responding. This was a very bad idea.
"Ok now your shirt." Without peeking, Parker slid her shirt over her bad arm, then the rest. He let her sit back down so he could tie her shoes. Afterward, Parker stood up and had to hurry out of the room.
Emily ran a brush through her long hair and brushed her teeth while the rental truck was being unloaded. She listened to Russell swear several times, which made her thrilled. It took him a lot less time to unload the truck than it did to load it. She was hoping to sit on the porch and have more fun at his expense.
"Be careful with that box, Russell!"
"It's your clothing, Emily. I doubt they'll break." I can't believe she has to start this shit first thing in the morning.
"Don't knick the wood on the bedframe!"
"Emily, I'm really sorry about what happened to you. I appreciate your helpful advice, but I don't need any." Ten, nine, eight, seven...
"I don't feel like having my things ruined, thank you very much."
"Okay, that's it. Your things were ruined before I even started to pack them. Just close it for a few minutes." Six, five, four...
"Did you just tell me to shut up? I ought to snap your neck just for being related to the bastard."
"Emily, I apologize. I'm just irritable this morning." Three, two...
"I think you're just a lazy rich guy who isn't used to manual labor. I find this hilarious." She knew she'd broken the last straw.
Russell cleaned out the back of the moving van and left everything in the yard. He slammed the door down, walked around to the driver's side, and slammed that door too. Revving the engine, he got the hell out of there as fast as he could. That ungrateful, whiney, bitchy woman. I'm done.
Emily sat there, stunned. She stared at her things which were sprawled out in the yard. She had no idea how she was going to manage getting them in the house. Emily was more than aware that she pushed Russell over the edge. Good. Hopefully the bastard will wreck and learn to not drive like an idiot.
Parker returned the truck to the rental place and then hopped in his SUV. He found a drive-thru and got some coffee, then sat in the parking lot and fumed. He'd have to hire someone today. If he had anything else to do with this woman, he'd kill her. After an hour, Parker had calmed down enough to go back to the house. He couldn't just leave her things in the yard.
Emily heard a vehicle coming up the driveway, but she couldn't look to see who it was. She was in the middle of dragging another box up the porch stairs by one of its flaps. Her arm was swelling up and throbbing, but the skies were getting cloudy and she couldn't risk her things getting damaged from rain.
When he spotted Emily, his pace quickened. "Emily! What are you doing? You're going to kill yourself, so just sit down." Parker looked at her swollen hand and then walked in the house to get some pillows. He led her to the porch swing and helped her sit. His guilty conscience began to rear its head again, especially when he saw the worried, determined look on her face.
"I didn't think you were coming back and it looks like it's going to storm. I can't have my things destroyed, Russell. I would love to replace them, but there's no way I can afford the cost. I don't have medical insurance and the hospital bills will take any extra money I make. I'm already falling behind on student loans. I need to just figure it out. There isn't any money to pay anyone to come in and help me. I'm not a freeloader and won't have you financially supporting me." Emily felt her cheeks redden.
"Emily, I wouldn't just leave you like that with no help and your belongings out here in the yard. I'm doing my best to help you, but you're intentionally making this process as difficult as possible. I just wish we could be friends and not at each other's throat all the time. I'm working as hard and fast as I can to make things better for you. I'll put these things away and unpack the boxes for you, but I'm not setting the furniture up, there's no need. Then I'll make some calls and get an aide in here to assist you. I'll pay for your care, I owe you that much. I'll get rid of your bills and, if it turns out your hand is permanently damaged, you won't have to work another day in your life."
"You don't get it, Russell. You work to make billions, but I take care of animals because I love it. There's a big difference. That's why I wanted to have a safe place for animals to live." Emily glanced over towards the mountains.
"I have papers for you back at the motel. They were delivered to the office manager, but I haven't had the time to pick them up. We'll get the sale taken care of today and have all this property put back in your name."
"You were serious about doing that?"
"Of course I was. I wouldn't lie to you." You just don't know who I am, and you never will.
"I don't have rent to pay anymore after moving out of my apartment, so I might have enough in savings to get my truck out of impound, but that's about it. I definitely don't have enough money to buy this land, especially since your brother bought it for five million."