"A little," I admit, trying not to shudder at the way he’s caressing my hand.
His touch feels good for my knuckles, which have already started to redden. I won't be punching another person any time soon.
Grabbing the bag of peas, he presses it against my sore hand, making me hiss.
"Sorry." But the corner of his mouth is slightly curled up.
"Why are you smiling?" I accuse with a narrow-eyed glare.
"You threw a punch for me."
"So, now you're gloating?"
Amusement fades as his eyes turn dark and probing, making my heart skip in my chest. "Why did you do it, Peaches?"
Because I couldn't let Liam humiliate you in front of our schoolmates.
I casually shrug. "Liam was being an asshole. I thought it was the right thing to do."
"Why did you disappear on me this morning?" His follow-up question throws me off guard—and has my cheeks flaming the next second. Why did his question sound so intimate?
"I freaked out," I find myself admitting. "I don't really do that sort of thing. Plus, I wasn't able to ask for Dad's permission last night. So I had to leave in a hurry."
A slight frown creases his forehead. "Did you get in trouble?" When I don't respond right away, he prods, "Peaches."
Why am I starting to like his pet name for me?
I shake my head. "I told him I spent the night at Quinn's."
"Smart," Parker chuckles.
"Honestly, I don't think I'll be able to get away with it a second time."
He smirks. "I'll keep in mind not to keep you up late next time then."
My heart starts to race. Next time? Does he want to make a repeat of last night?
Do I even want that? Well, it doesn't sound like a bad idea.
I smile. "Then don't forget to wake me up when that happens."
CHAPTER 15
Sawyer
Unsurprisingly, my hand is still a little sore the following day. But it didn't swell overnight, so that’s a good thing.
Since it’s Saturday, I know Avery will be home. I just don't expect to see her already eating breakfast in her pajamas when I walk into the kitchen. Did she get in early?
"Hey, sis." She lifts her coffee mug in greeting.
I pick up a strip of bacon and pop the whole thing into my mouth. "You're early."
"That's because I got in early last night. You weren't even in your room yet." That explains the PJ's.
"I stayed out late at the after-party." I walk over to the galley to get some coffee.
"I know," she chirps. "I was looking out my window when a black Lexus pulled up and you got out."
I stiffen but don't respond.
"You know what? That car looked familiar. Was it Quinn's? No. Brayden's? Nah." She strokes her chin and frowns thoughtfully. "I wonder whose it was."
She’s not going to drop it. Carrying my steaming coffee over to the island, I pull up a stool and sit down, glaring at her. "It was Parker's."
"I knew it," she says smugly. "So you're really hooking up with him."
"I'm not hooking up with him. We're just friends."
At least, I think we are. I just punched Liam because of him, after all. And, in turn, he nursed my hand with frozen peas. Plus, I’d spent a night at his place after he opened up to me about his family's real situation.
Honestly, I feel like we've gone through a lot since that night at the beach weeks ago.
Avery hums with a sparkle in her eyes as she sips her coffee. Of course, she’s not buying it.
I scowl at her. "That's the truth, okay?"
"I didn't say anything," she laughs.
"You didn't have to. It's all over your face!"
"What's on your face, kiddo?" Dad just entered the kitchen, still in his pajamas and with a bedhead.
"Morning, Dad," Avery and I both greet him.
"Morning," he mumbles, planting kisses on top of our heads before heading over to the coffee machine. "So, what was on Avery's face?"
Avery snickers. "Why don't you ask Sawyer, Dad?"
"Nice try," I mouth to her before telling Dad, "Nothing. Avery was just being silly."
"Being spot on, more like," she mutters.
Hah. Nothing could be further from the truth. I just broke up with my cheating boyfriend, and I’m not in a hurry to get into another relationship, much less a hookup. I bet Parker feels the same. So I’m pretty sure we’re on the same page. Just a week ago, we barely even tolerated each other.
Besides, I don't even see him that way. I know that he’s hotter than Liam, though. And I did notice that he has a fine ass...
Okay, so I’m fully aware that he’s insanely attractive. But it doesn't mean that I'll do something about it. I don't need another boy-drama so soon after the last one.
"By the way, kid, I haven't seen Liam around lately."
My eyes pop wide at Dad's question. He's finally noticed Liam's absence.
Leaning a hip against the counter, he sips his coffee and lifts a brow at me. "You're not sneaking him into your room, are you?"
"Yeah, right," Avery snorts. "Now that they've broken up? I very much doubt it."
"They broke up?" The surprise in Dad's tone causes her eyes to widen, and she whips her head to me.
"You just can't help yourself, can you?" I say dryly.
"I didn't know you hadn't told him yet."
"Well, thanks to you, I don't have to anymore."
"Girls, stop arguing," Dad admonishes before focusing on me, his eyebrows drawn together in a frown. "Since when?"
I scowl at my sister who gives me an apologetic wince. Then I sigh and finally admit, "It's almost been a month."
"And you didn't think to tell me?" He sounds a little hurt.
Now, it’s my turn to feel guilty. "No, Dad. It's not like that. I just—I didn't know how to tell you."
Besides, I was really planning to tell him. I didn't mean to keep it a secret for long. But so much has happened that telling him about the breakup totally slipped my mind.
"Why? You know that you and your sister can tell me anything."
His words hammer
