“Thought you didn’t have a boyfriend.” Dean wagged his finger at the blonde.
Suz batted her eyelashes in his direction. “I don’t. But I do have a standing arrangement with a very skilled pilot who I only get to see a couple times a year, so…” With a what-can-you-do shrug, she rose to her feet and focused on her friend again, her expression growing more serious. She leaned in close to Lynn’s ear, but spoke loud enough Parker easily overheard. “You okay getting yourself home?”
A rude noise escaped Lynn’s perfect red lips. “Yes, Mom. I think I can handle it.”
“Under any other circumstances I wouldn’t bail on you, you know that, right, babe?”
When Parker glanced up, he expected to find annoyance clouding Lynn’s face, but she looked more amused than upset.
“Oh, go,” she said with the wave of her hand. “I know how much these bi-yearly layovers mean to you, you brat.”
Suz snorted. “Oh, bi is definitely the right word to describe it. Did I tell you how much Tony and Diego like to…uh, fly each other’s planes?”
Lynn blew out a laugh. “That’s a terrible metaphor.”
“Best I could come up with on the spot.” Suz dug into her purse for her wallet, then dropped several bills on the table. “Drinks are on me, guys. Sorry I’m flaking out on you.”
“I would do exactly the same thing if I were in your shoes,” Dean said solemnly.
She slanted her head. “You’re in the layover club, too?”
“Damn straight. Remind me to introduce you to Marie and Colette someday. San Fran to Paris, Delta Airlines.”
The two of them exchanged high fives and damn near mirror-image winks. Parker was not the least bit surprised to hear confirmation that Dean had a pair of flight attendants on standby. The guy’s list of conquests was impressive, though of course, he would never tell Dean that. Dude already had a big enough ego.
It was hysterical how much Suz and he had in common.
“Love ya, hon.” Suz leaned in to kiss Lynn’s cheek. “And I’m damn proud of you for dumping the Philanderer.”
And then she was gone, leaving the three of them alone.
Jack
Driving the sixteen-passenger van was nothing. Hell, he had time behind the controls of a tank, so picking up a dozen-plus ladies and transporting them to the party was simple. Smiles were plentiful, cleavage everywhere. His rearview mirror provided enough entertainment to put a big smile on his face by the time he pulled into the driveway of the stately manor, but the delicious distraction didn’t hamper his ability to remain professional. This was a job. Enjoyable, but under control.
The ladies poured out as soon as he opened the passenger van sliding door, hand at the ready to assist them down.
One held his fingers longer than needed. “What a gentleman.” Charlene blinked rapidly, long lashes fluttering above admiring green eyes.
“We aim to please.” He’d pulled on a full suit for the evening, and the woman’s appreciation had made the extra effort worth it. He did like redheads, although he wasn’t going to think any harder about why. And Charlene was off-limits for the night anyway, no matter how interested he was.
Charlene lingered until the rest of the party was already at the door. She slipped her fingers around his arm and tugged him toward the house. “Come on. You can relax inside until you drive us home. You must be parched.”
Her tight grip meant there was no use in protesting. Which was how he ended up in a small alcove off the main party room, half the women visible as they swarmed the bride-to-be with presents and hugs. One of the helpful caterers brought him a glass of soda, and with a multitude of snacks at his elbow he sat back to relax and wait for the end of the party.
The laughter and frivolity grew louder after the liquor came out. Louder still once the music clicked on and the lingerie portion of the evening arrived.
Oh shit.
Jack glanced around quickly, but his corner had no escape route except straight through the party. A party that now included women who were carelessly abandoning clothing as they tried on miniscule bits of lace and satin. Some of them were down to skin before eager hands helped fit breasts and hips and wondrous feminine curves into the most erotic wrappings.
A better man would have looked away.
Jack? He accepted the fact that he was a scoundrel.
His gaze refused to budge from the heavenly show before him, and he also accepted that he would now spend the next how many hours rock hard with no chance of relief in sight until he’d safely delivered the final woman home. He eased his legs under the table, attempting to get even a fraction more room for his heavy erection.
In spite of the painful brand his zipper was pressing onto his dick, Jack grinned. He was driving the pussy-wagon. Parker and Dean were stuck doing boring old recon.
He had definitely pulled the winning hand tonight.
Chapter Five