My daddy's bestfriend

Chapter 9

Mr. Parker withdraws so I can turn around and face him. We kiss, our limbs tangled in a lover’s embrace. I caress the side of his jaw. His five o’clock stubble feels rough against the smooth skin of my palm. I realize then that I’ve never cared for any man much as I care for him.

Of course I won’t tell him. I don’t want to scare him.

Mr. Parker will always hold a special place in my heart. He’s the first man I’ve ever fantasized about. When I m*********d for the first time, I imagined him fingering me. When my first boyfriend took my virginity, I closed my eyes and pictured Mr. Parker taking me.

It has always been Mr. Joseph Parker. My fantasy man.

I want to say a thousand things to him about my feelings. My emotions. But I had better not. I don’t want to ruin the moment. And Mr. Parker seems to be the type of man who doesn’t convey his feelings with words. So we only kiss. And touch. And kiss again until we both fall asleep.

In the morning I wake and see Mr. Parker is gone. So is Mr. Pink. I figure he’s taken it as a souvenir and I don’t mind. Actually, it seems kind of sweet.

He probably wanted something to remind him of our encounter.

Either that or he wanted to use it on himself.

I giggle. Nah. Mr. Parker is too macho to do something like that.

Later, my parents drive me to Rhode Island and I’m heading off into the real world,

living on my own for the first time.

And I can’t wait.

When I get to school I find out I’ve got a roommate who loves s*x, loves to experiment…

and we do...on each other. It doesn’t take long for me to realize college life is fun. I work hard and play harder.

I don’t date. I hate having boyfriends, because they always get all jealous and macho when I flirt with other men.

I’m a flirt and I don’t apologize for it.

I’ve f****d several guys now, but none of them have been as special as Mr. Parker.

And I haven’t heard anything from him since that special night. Honestly, I’m kind of disappointed. I figure he could at least pick up the phone and say hello. Then again, he probably doesn’t want to and I shouldn’t expect much. It had been a physical thing. That’s it. Still, I wonder about him.

I call my mom over the weekend and ask her about Mr. Parker.

“Oh, Joseph was deployed to Iraq not long after you left.”

What? “Is he okay, not getting killed or anything?” I couldn’t help but let a trace of worry seep into my tone.

“I suppose he’s okay. You know how spec-op people are. We would know if he got hurt

or anything. We’re listed as his emergency contact. Why?” My mom sounds suspicious and I backpedal.

“Nothing. Just curious. I read that a bunch of soldiers died in Iraq this month. It would suck if he were one of them.”

“Oh. Yeah, I know what you mean. Don’t worry, sweetie. He’s okay.”

I lick my lips, praying she’s right. “I hope so.”

Two months pass and I do my best to push him out of my mind.

But later I finally hear about Mr. Parker.

Actually, he just sort of showed up on campus. I’m talking to my friends after class when I look over and spot a man in a white shirt and faded jeans climb from a generic sedan. I stare at him, my heart thundering. Joseph Parker. In the flesh. Here.

I didn’t think, I just run to him and leap into his arms, kiss him before he can say

anything. I don’t care if anyone is watching. Or if he’s twice my age. He doesn’t look old enough to be my dad…maybe it’s his military training that’s kept him looking fit and young.

“I missed you,” I confide. “I really did.”

“I missed you too.” He looks around. “Is there somewhere we could talk?”

“Are you staying in a hotel?”

“Holiday Inn.”

I lick my lips, aching to taste him again. “Let’s go there.”

We drive to his hotel and go up to his room. He’s barely closed the door before I pounce on him. What can I say? I really missed him. We undress each other, tossing clothes. I’m in bed when he abandons me to rummage through his bag, taking something out and holding it high in triumph.

It’s Mr. Pink wrapped in plastic.

“You did steal Mr. Pink.” I laugh.

“I wanted to remember your smell. Your taste.” He climbs into bed next to me and

reaches out to stroke my hair. “I don’t know if you want to hear it, but I’ve been thinking about you all the time.”

“Hell, I think about you all the time.” I smile.

“No shit.”

“Scout’s honor.” I put two fingers together and touch my forehead.

His gaze remains fixed on me. “Jessie, I don’t want to intrude on your personal life, but I wondered if we could see each other from time to time.”

I smile. I like where this is going. “Like boyfriend-girlfriend?”

“Your dad will kill me if—”

I kiss him to shut him up. “He doesn’t need to know. My family doesn’t need to know

what we’re doing. We’re adults. It’s our own business if we’re seeing each other. It would be our little secret.”

Mr. Parker nods and joins my smile. “It would be our little secret.”

The end...