“Fucking miserable,” Max said, shaking his head. “I still have two more weeks before she gets back.” Parker made a whip-cracking noise at him as he made drinks for Astrid’s tray. “Damn straight. Not too proud to admit it either. But more importantly, what’s going on here?” he asked, pointing at Astrid.
“Parker needed some extra help,” she answered. “Besides, it gets me out of the apartment for a little while.”
“Please don’t tell me you’re still living in that hellhole,” Max said with barely feigned horror. It had fallen to Max to keep the apartment screwed together last year. He had even put out a fire that started on the stove.
“Parker, do something about this,” he held her by both shoulders, facing her toward Parker.
“I do stay over here some. There’s air conditioning upstairs,” she added with a smile. Max raised an eyebrow at Parker.
“Really?” he said, drawing the word out.
“It’s nothing like that,” Parker was quick to assure Max.
“Why?” Max asked. “I would think by now that would be exactly what it is.” Astrid felt herself turn beet red as she stood held in place by Max’s hands.
She finally managed to pull free and grab her tray. She mumbled some excuse before shooting back over to check on her tables.
Stealing a glance back at the bar, she saw the two men squaring off in an animated discussion. Max finally raised his hands, palms out, in surrender. Astrid had liked Max from the first time she met him. He was kind, caring, strong, and exactly perfect for Karlie.
Max left a couple of hours later after giving Astrid another hug on the way out the door. Most of the crowd had slowed down by the time Parker announced last call. He finally waved the last customer out the door a half hour later. Astrid slumped into a chair next to the twins. They had worked all night helping deliver food or bus tables.
“You guys head upstairs. Make sure those clothes get into the washer.” Neither Liam nor Ronan needed to be told twice. With a quick good night to Astrid, they headed down the hallway to the apartment.
Astrid watched as Parker emptied the till and turned off the lights as he went. When he was done, he held his hand out. She didn’t protest when he pulled her out of the chair.
“I should go home,” she stated, following him toward the back. His hand was still holding on to hers. Stopping so suddenly she collided with his back, he spun around to face her.
“Do we have to have this argument every fucking time?” he asked. “I’m exhausted, I smell like the back alley and I don’t want to have to spend the next hour dealing with your apartment. Max is right, you shouldn’t be over there by yourself.”
Turning around he started back down the hall. Astrid pulled him to a stop again, spinning him back around.
“I don’t need a babysitter, Parker.” Jerking her hand out of his, she aimed a finger at his chest.
“There is nothing wrong with my apartment. You didn’t seem to have any problem letting me stay there all week. If you think you can just boss me around, well, friends don’t get that privilege.” She almost laughed using that last zinger. Remembering she was irritated with him for several reasons tonight, she schooled her features back into a scowl.
Parker leaned up against the wall watching her with a smirk as she ranted at him. That made her even more irritated. Maybe he needed a refresher on what it meant to be a friend.
They didn’t spend the evening subtly dry-humping you behind the bar, then demanding you stay the night with them. Nope, that was reserved for boyfriend material. Or she thought it was anyway. But then she had never had a man quite like Parker in her life. She had no idea if they were different or not.
Without warning, he grabbed her by the hips and threw her over his shoulder. With a squeal, she tried to push off of his shoulder as he turned back down the hallway again. When she tried to protest harder, she felt the sudden sting of a hand against her ass.
“Did you just spank me?” she asked in shock.
“Are you going to quit fighting with me?” he answered as he climbed the stairs.
“Are you going to put me down?” With a sigh, he slid her down his body at the top of the stairs on the landing. He used the keypad on the wall to open the door and walked her backward into his apartment.
“Go get in the shower so we can get to sleep,” he said, pointing toward the bathroom.
“You’re a dick,” Astrid said with a huff before turning to stomp toward the bathroom. Grabbing her by the wrist, Parker spun her back around.
“How am I a dick?” he asked with a growl.
“Never mind,” she said.
“No, let's have this out right now.” She stood staring at him for a moment, debating what she said now. She couldn’t keep letting him get away with manipulating her into doing what he wanted any time he wanted. No man got away with that, she didn’t care what part he played in her life.
“You just manhandled me upstairs,” she said, counting on her fingers. “You were fighting with Max and… and you threatened those guys but won’t tell me about it. It involved me. I should have a say in what happens.” She could hear herself yelling.
