by E. H. Lyon
“I get it. My dad was an investment banker. I also can’t complain, and my parents took care of us, gave us a life filled with music lessons and private school,” I reflect as I think about my old man.
She caresses my arm softly the way she did earlier in the day. “You were close with your dad?”
I nod. “Yeah, it was sudden when he passed. A heart attack.”
“I’m sorry.” Her look is comforting. “You mentioned at lunch that you’re close with your mother. Is that why?”
“No. I’ve always been close with my mom. She devotes her time to cooking, tennis, and organizing fundraisers. My dad was more the man I would go to for business advice, life lessons, and if I needed a cigar.” I smile to myself.
“Business advice? Is that why you’re strict with your rules?”
I scoff gently in the back of my throat. “Yeah… I guess so. He was very firm about never mixing business and pleasure.”
I look at Harper when I realize what I said, because even though I have said it a few times that I don’t date clients, it never came out like that. Pleasure is a word that is teasing both of us. Her eyes soften and lips tug.
I grab the menu on the table. “Anyhow, what are you having? The steak here is out of this world.”
“Oh, I guess I should have mentioned that I don’t eat meat, and I really have a hard time watching people eat meat. It’s like watching Bambi on repeat. Like, I can’t even control the tears,” she explains with a hand on her heart, and my eyes shoot up to her.
I curse myself that this is where our chemistry begins to take a downturn. Harper looks at me and we stare at each other a good ten seconds before her serious face breaks into laughter.
“Oh my goodness, your face, Max.” She touches my arm on the table. “Relax. I was messing with you.”
Relief floods me.
“True, I don’t eat meat. But I really don’t care if you eat meat. You can eat a whole damn cow in front of me and I won’t shed a tear. And I already found the ratatouille on the menu and it looks scrumptious.” She bounces her shoulders and quirks her lips.
“Phew. But why don’t you eat meat?”
“I just don’t like the taste of it. Plus, when I had to show Babe the Pig to the second-grade class that I was subbing, it nearly broke me. But I am more concerned with straws and turtles. Straws are evil.”
I have to smile and hold my hands up. “Okay, I won’t use straws. Does that save a turtle?”
“YES! Skip a straw and save a turtle.”
She’s quirky, I like that.
The waiter comes to take our order, and then we’re left to our corner table in peace. We look at each other and there’s a moment where I am desperate to reach in and caress her face. My restraint is fading, but I remain a strong trooper.
“So, I was wondering something,” she mentions softly.
“If there’s a turtle sanctuary in Sage Creek?” I joke, and she playfully hits my arm.
“You and Jess? You two never…” She drags out the words as she looks at her fork lying on the table that she plays with.
I chuckle. “Absolutely not. Not once and never even crossed my mind.”
“Oh? You two seem close.”
I take a sip of my water. “True. We are.” I tilt my head to the side. “But we also see each other almost every day. She’s more like a sister to me. I’m like an uncle to her kid. Plus, I’m kind of confident that she… never mind.” I shake away the thought.
Harper now looks at me amused. “Confident what?”
I rub the back of my neck. “Well, I just think she and one of my friends may have had a thing.”
Harper’s eyes enlarge and she looks like a child in a candy store. “Oh?”
I shake a hand at her. “It’s nothing, really. My friend Leo is away anyhow. So yeah, Jess is Jess. But nothing going on there. Why, did that have you worried?”
She tilts her head to the side. “No. I was just curious. Any crazy ex-girlfriends lurking in the bushes?”
I shake my head no, or at least I hope no. “You?”
Her breath nearly catches, and she stills. “Not now.”
Her tone seems different, and I can’t help feel that there’s a story somewhere, but her look tells me to let her answer fade into a new conversation. So we talk about the school she’ll be teaching at.
When the food arrives, she moans deep and long when she tastes her dish. It’s music to my dick and it dances under the table. She pokes her fork near my mouth.
“You have to try this, it’s unbelievable,” she encourages.
Although I am not a vegetable person, the opportunity to taste where her lips have been is too exciting. I let her place that fork into my mouth, and I suddenly enjoy vegetables as much as I probably love the taste of her when she is lying on my bed with my head between her legs.
“Mmm that is some good eggplant,” I say, but in my head, I’m envisioning something else, and I can’t admit it as I do have table manners.
“Tell me something I don’t know about you,” she enquires as she is busy attacking her plate of food.
“Uhm. I sometimes wear glasses.”
Her eyes peer up to me as she hovers over her plate of food and that adorable excited look spreads across her face again.
“That is hot,” she blurts out.
My head retreats back slightly as I’m surprised at her abruptness, but my mouth slants to the side as she always says all the words I want to hear.
“Put them on for me.” She claps her hands together and bounces in her chair.
I laugh. “I can’t, they’re at home as I have my contacts in.”
Air escapes her mouth in a deep sigh. “Are they black-rimmed? The glasses, I mean.”
I nod.
“Max, with your dark hair you must look like a sexy Harry Potter or maybe more a Clark Kent.” She squeezes my arm again and leans in and her breath adds humidity to this jungle of craziness that is happening in our bubble. “Do you turn into Superman?”
I flash my eyes at her and skim her arm with my fingers. “Is that a fantasy of yours?”
“No. But I also wear glasses sometimes. I am all for throwing on a cape and being a sexy wizard or magician,” she retorts with her lips curving.
This woman seems to have a key to my book of fantasies. She has already nailed my fairytale princess dream come true, checked off the sexy schoolteacher dream, and now she’s mentioning wizards. I mean, that’s new, but I would get behind that for her… this woman, she knows my twisted mind.
“You need to back away, Harper,” I warn her, because my dancing dick under the table sent me a warning sign that we are about to pass a point of no return.
Her look as she slowly moves back to her space is just too sultry.
We look at each other in silence again, yet I know in each of our minds we’re thinking of how that wizard fantasy could play out. God, I hope in her head it also involves rope.
I swallow and clear my throat. “Sooo. Tell me something I would never guess about you, and remember, I am your realtor,” I remind her that we need to head back to neutral topics, but the smile on me doesn’t fade.
I haven’t had this much fun over dinner with a woman in a long time. This click. This spark. This strike to my body that tells me repeatedly that she is unique, this is unique, and even if it’s crazy, that it will never be the same again.
Her finger goes to her chin as she considers. “I think I mentioned once that I love mixing drinks. Well, I actually did it once in the kindergarten class. Made little kids’ cocktails from Kool-Aid and juices. Added little turtle-safe umbrellas too.”
I laugh at her story as it’s cute. “I wish my kindergarten teacher had done that. The parents must have gotten a kick out of that.”
“I hope so.”
We order the chocolate mousse and cheesecake for dessert, as we sit eating our desserts and talking about all the things that normally other women find boring. I don’t want the conversation
to end, I don’t want the night to end.
But it wouldn’t be right to break the rules. Not until Harper has a house and my conscience breaks away from my father’s advice.
Her hands grazes the top of mine on the table with a sigh. “Max. I’m going to leave now. Trust me, it is your loss that I’m leaving.” She is straight-faced as she says that arrogant remark. “But I remember what you said earlier, and I want to respect the fact it was your father’s advice that you shouldn’t mix business and pleasure… I hope a lot of pleasure.” Her gaze bounces from the table to my eyes.
A sound escapes from under my breath as my cheeks tighten from amusement. But also, I admire her. She’s a little eccentric and crazy, but there is a soft heart there.
“But we will still be having breakfast together,” she states firmly, and I look at her puzzled.
“That normally happens on a Saturday morning after a night filled with a crazy amount of orgasms,” I remind her.
“We will go our separate ways tonight and meet again tomorrow for breakfast. There is no breaking rules in that is there?”
I nod at her logic. “Absolutely above the line,” I confirm.
“Great.” She flicks her hair behind her shoulder then stands up. “I will see you tomorrow. And who knows, maybe it will still be after a crazy amount of orgasms.”
I immediately grab her hand and I give her the stern eye. “What does that mean? Are you going to pick up some random guy?” I’m deeply concerned and surprise myself with the offensive tone.
Her hand pats my cheek. “No, silly. I am going home and will think of you as I use my vibrator or hand, haven’t decided which one yet.”
All the oxygen rushes to my cock that feels like it’s about to fall off. I try to swallow, but it’s a struggle.
Yet due to my masterful skills at staying in check, I manage to tell her, “Harper, I think you may just be my spirit animal.”
“You say spirit animal,” she reflects almost whimsically. “I think I may have just found my soulmate,” she admits softly, and her face doesn’t move, no joking in her tone. “You get me, Max. You so get me.”
Her scorching smile melts me before she struts away. I know what I’ll be thinking of tonight in the shower. But my stomach still churns that she is off limits, and I don’t know if my restraint will be there tomorrow when I see her again.
Chapter Four
Harper
I arrive at Smokey Java’s and the place is buzzing, which is normal for a Saturday morning. Avery, the new owner, walks by while balancing a plate of pancakes in her hand.
“Hey, Harper. Give me a sec and I’ll come back to you,” she calls out as she walks on.
My eyes are drawn to the display case, and even though I had lunch here yesterday with Max, the options look new, and since it is the weekend there are extra choices to choose from. There are cinnamon rolls today and the muffins also look delish. A warm hand touches my shoulder blade. I’m in a black t-shirt and jean shorts today.
“Sorry about that. What can I get you?” Avery asks with a smile while tucking some of her light brown hair behind her ear.
“A table for two, please,” I say, motioning with my fingers the number two.
“Oh yeah?” She looks at me with interest. Avery and I have hung out a few times, and since she’s also fairly new to Sage Creek, we relate on so many levels. “Gossip to share?”
I laugh as that is exactly what I would ask. “No, not really. I’m just meeting my realtor.” I mean, it’s true. I don’t think Avery needs the details of how I imagine the guy screwing me into extinction.
“You mean Max?”
I wobble my head side to side.
“I only met him a few times at Lucas’s house, but I could see you two being a fit.”
My eyes and ears perk up at her comment. “Really?”
Avery grins at me. “Absolutely. You both would complement each other. Both on the same waves of crazy, and I mean that in a good way.”
“Maybe. Anyways, I’m meeting him here. I know it’s busy but perhaps I can knab that table over there?” I point to the table where a couple just left.
“Absolutely,” Avery says before she heads off back into the kitchen.
I go to sit down at the table and quickly look at my phone. A text from my mom, three that seem to be drunk texts from my brother, and a shit load of messages in the teachers chat group. People think teachers raise kids—which we do—but geez, the gossip behind the scenes is crazy.
“Harper, right?” a deep gruff voice says, and I look up to see a familiar man holding a takeaway box, but not the man I was expecting.
My head tries to remember his name.
“Jasper. Cooper’s dad,” he reminds me, and it triggers my brain. I met a lot of the parents a week ago at the pre-school-year meeting. My mind vaguely remembers that he is doing the single-parent thing, and he seems like one of those dads who breaks out a guitar after the kids go to sleep, and he probably has a tattoo or two. He definitely gets points for eye candy, and maybe I should send him Avery’s way.
“Right. Hi, sorry, I’m still trying to learn everyone’s names,” I explain with a polite smile.
“No worries, I can imagine. Didn’t I see you at Matchbox the other day?” he asks with a charming smile.
“Probably. I frequent the place quite a bit, just don’t tell the other parents.”
He lets out a laugh. “Our secret. Yeah, when Cooper goes to his grandparents’, I head there too. Sometimes my band plays there.”
“You have a band?” I do find that interesting.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s not like we’re going to tour across the country. But I like to think we’re somewhat decent. You should come to our next show. Maybe I could buy you a drink after?” His eyes try to lock me in, but my head isn’t having it.
I hear a clearing of a throat and look to my side to see Max has arrived. The man I was expecting.
“Maybe I’ll hear you play sometime, but I am going to have to take a pass on the drink. It’s kind of you, but well, Cooper is my student, sooo…” it drags out and it’s awkward.
Jasper gives me a reassuring smile. “No problem. Have a nice morning,” he answers before looking at Max.
Both men look like they’re evaluating the other as testosterone fills the air. It is equally drowning me and turning me on.
For a millisecond, I wonder what it would be like to be sandwiched between both of them, but then my mind becomes laser focused on the only thing I want… Max.
After Jasper throws his sunglasses on and heads off, Max slides into the chair in front of me and I admire his dark blue t-shirt, jeans, and his casual look.
“Looks like you have a fan,” Max points out, and he sounds annoyed.
Jealousy is something I can work with.
I get comfortable in my chair. “Good morning to you too.” I smile.
He adjusts his neck and looks around the room as he still seems annoyed by the scene he arrived to.
“So, you don’t date your students’ parents?”
“No. It’s not a good mix.”
Max’s face turns to a grin and a rumbled laugh from deep in his throat surfaces. “Hmm sounds like my not-dating-clients policy matches your not-dating-students’-parents policy.” His eyebrow arches to me.
Damn it. He’s right.
I slant a shoulder. “Maybe.” I play coy.
In truth, I now understand his convictions a little more as I have the same beliefs with my rule. But there’s a difference. For me, there are little kids involved who I have to lead for an entire school year and then face them in the halls for the rest of their school life. Knowing I banged their daddy would not make it an easy situation.
“Anyhow, are you sore from yoga?” I ask, trying to change topics.
Max lets out a theatrical laugh as he stretches his arms over his head, and it flexes his chest which looks firm. “I’ve had better mornings.”
“I guess now isn’t the t
ime that I tell you I took a massage course?” I smirk.
Max shakes his head in entertainment. “Absolutely not,” he says bluntly. “Just like you will not tell me what you ended up doing last night.” It comes out almost a dare.
“Four times. I did it four times,” I quip, and it looks like he’s struggling to breathe.
“Hey, guys. What can I get you?” Avery smiles, unaware of what she is interrupting.
“A strong coffee. Very strong,” Max requests as his eyes settle on me and don’t move.
“For me a chamomile tea, a cinnamon roll, and let’s do some scrambled eggs. Let’s do four eggs, I’ll share with Max here.” I grin and wiggle my eyebrows at him.
“Uhm sure.” Avery now looks oddly between us before shaking her head and walking away.
“So, what is on the agenda today, Maxwell?” I smile as I cross my arms on the table.
He scratches his upper lip. “Uh, agenda?”
“Yeah, sure. You know, maybe a hike, rent a rowboat, help me make little unicorns for my students, the options are endless.”
“Here I thought I just signed up for breakfast.” His eyes pierce me, and his face seems to be in a permanent grin.
Our drinks are set in front of us by another waitress.
“You could leave after breakfast, but then your Saturday would be boring, I’m sure.”
He laughs. “I never have a boring Saturday, for your information, and actually I need to find a birthday gift for my mom.”
My fingers tap my mug of tea. “It’s settled then. We will go pick the greatest birthday gift possible.” Some would say I’m persistent, but I really just want to spend time with the guy. He is exhilarating.
Max flashes his eyes at me before reaching into his pocket, and like a magician he pulls out his dark-rimmed glasses that he places on his hazel eyes. I could detonate right here. He is a smart-looking sexy real estate agent, and I feel like his eyes are laser-focused on me.
My jaw must have dropped, and I don’t want to say I’m drooling, but I do feel something wet on the corner of my mouth.
“Like what you see?” He grins.
