“I’m good with keeping it easy and just hanging around your place. Maybe we can order in for dinner?” I suggest. “Do you have outdoor balcony or roof access?” I ask, seeing as how I haven’t had my full tour of his place and don’t recall seeing a balcony.
“I have a rooftop patio area, outfitted with a grill, lounge chairs, and a small lap pool.”
“You really do have everything, don’t you?” I smirk.
“Now I do,” he says, leaning in to press a kiss to my lips.
“Charmer.” I laugh, and he just kisses me harder.
“When we’re done here, we can stop by the office and I’ll introduce you to a few people, show you where I usually spend my days, and sometimes late nights. Then, we can head back upstairs. If you need a nap or want to head up to the rooftop and relax, we can do whatever. I don’t have any commitments today.”
“How about we just see where the day takes us?” I suggest.
“If that’s what you want to do, then I’m fine with that,” he says.
Our server approaches with our food, setting it down in front of both of us. “Can I get either of you anything else at the moment?” she asks.
“I’m good, and this looks and smells amazing,”
“I’m good for now, as well,” Nathan states, flashing a quick smile.
“Sounds good. Enjoy and don’t hesitate to flag me down if you need anything,” she tells us before checking in on the next table.
“Wow, this is amazing,” I tell Nathan after I’ve had the chance to take a few bites.
“I’ve never had a bad meal here. When they opened, they were one of the only restaurants in a few blocks, so they became popular fairly quickly. Doesn’t hurt when you have affordable prices, fast service and amazing food.”
“Sounds like the perfect trifecta,” I state before shoveling another large bite into my mouth.
We finish up our meals, making small talk as we do. I can’t believe I actually finished my meal, but I was starving, after all.
15
Nathan
I slide my hand into Harper’s, linking our fingers as we start the short walk back to my building. She hasn’t even been here for twenty-four hours and I already love sharing my space with her. I can see this being our future, lazy weekend afternoons going out for brunch, maybe hitting up the farmers’ market for some fresh fruits and vegetables that we then take back home, and she teaches me how to cook.
I guide her along the sidewalk, weaving us around other pedestrians as we get closer to our destination. Once on the elevator, I hit the button for the thirty-ninth floor, otherwise known as the executive offices for Bailey & Baxter Enterprises.
“I’ll apologize in advance for anything inappropriate that gets said once we exit the elevator,” I warn Harper.
“They can’t be that bad.” She chuckles.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” I state as the elevator doors open.
I lead Harper down the short hall, stopping once we reach Rose’s desk.
“Oh, you’re finally here!” Rose practically yells as she jumps from her chair and comes around her desk. “Hi! It’s so nice to finally meet you. I’m Rose,” she rushes out, I think in one breath.
Harper looks like a fish out of water when Rose pulls her into a hug. Oops, I should have warned her that Rose was a hugger, my bad. “It’s nice to meet you, as well. I heard so much about you,” Harper tells her once Rose releases her.
“Don’t believe half of it.” She smirks, shooting me a dirty look.
“It was all good, I promise,” Harper tells her.
“Well, in that case, believe all of it,” she says, laughing.
“What’s all the commotion?” Leo asks, coming down the hall from his office. “Oh, hi,” he states, offering Harper his hand to shake. At least one of my friends has some personal space manners. “I’m Leo, and you must be the infamous Harper.”
“I am,” she confirms. “It’s nice to finally meet you, I feel like I already know you for how much Nathan has told me about you.”
“I have to agree, although, he’s somewhat tighter lipped about you sometimes. Likes keeping you to himself,” he tells her.
“Aww, that’s so sweet,” Rose chimes in.
“All right, guys, let me show Harper around and we can catch up again later,” I state before showing Harper to my office.
“Wow, I still can’t get over the view that y’all have. I saw so little of it last night, and then this morning before we left. How do you ever get anything done working in here?” she asks.
“When you see it daily, it is just the norm. It would be like you not being used to the mountains or the random tractor driving on the road, slowing traffic down. I’m used to seeing the expansive view every time I look out of the window.”
“I think I’d get sidetracked just watching the world go by,” she sates, standing just inches from the floor to ceiling windows.
I stand behind her, sliding my hands along her sides, resting them on her hips. I tug her back against my front and bring my lips to the exposed skin where her neck meets her shoulder.
“Hmmm,” she hums, shifting her head to give me more access. My cock hardens against the zipper of my jeans and presses into her backside.
“Keep that up and I’ll be dragging you back upstairs,” she states.
“Is that a promise?” I ask, sliding a hand up to cup her breast.
“Yes,” she moans again at my touch.
“Keep this up and I’ll have to lock my door.” I tug at her earlobe with my teeth, and she replies by swaying her hips and grinding her ass against my erection.
“That’s it, we’re going home.” I step back, taking her with me as I escort her out of my office.
“We’ll see you later, Rose. Tell Leo I’ll talk to him whenever.” I don’t stop for her to answer, just lead Harper to the elevator, hoping like hell that it is already waiting up here and not down on the ground floor.
“Someone’s in a hurry,” I hear Rose singsong as the elevator doors close behind us.
“I think we’re busted.” Harper laughs. I swoop in, taking her lips with my own in a demanding kiss.
“Let them bust us,” I state against her lips.
“No.” She laughs, shaking her head for emphasis. “I’m not one for public nudity or extravagant displays of affection.”
“Neither am I, no one gets to see all of what’s mine,” I tell her, claiming her body as my own.
I follow her through the living room, down the hall to the bedroom, where she immediately starts to strip out of her clothes. I take a second to grab some washcloths, placing them on the end table for easy cleanup. I strip my own clothes, stroking my cock once it’s free from the confines of my jeans.
“Come here.” She beckons me forward. “I want you on your back.” I love this bold Harper. The woman that knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to ask for it.
I do as she asks and lay down on the bed, adjusting the pillows behind my head. “Now what?” I ask, taking in her body on display for me.
“Now,” she stalls, nibbling on her bottom lip as she thinks about what she wants or what is to come first. I grip her wrist, tugging her a little closer to me so I can kiss her while she decides what she wants or how she wants it. This doesn’t have to be rushed, hell, we can spend all day in bed, if that’s what she wants.
I slide down a few inches on the bed, taking her with me as I do. I break our kiss, then pull back far enough to put an inch or two between us. “Slide up the bed, face the headboard and hold on,” I tell her. She gives me a quizzical look, but does as I ask. I know the moment she realizes what I’ve done, when my tongue slips between her folds, lapping at her opening.
I tease her clit with my tongue, scraping it lightly with my teeth before sucking hard on the bundle of nerves.
“Holy shit,” she moans from above me. “Yes, yes, please don’t stop,” she chants as I devour her pussy. I slip two fingers inside her pulsing c
hannel, helping aide her over the cusp for that first orgasm. I don’t let up as she rides my fingers and face, loving every second of her pleasure.
She collapses next to me, spent from the orgasm. I pull her close, wanting to hold her while she comes down from the high of her orgasm.
“You doing okay?” I whisper a few moments later.
“Perfect,” she sighs into my neck. “Never better.”
“I’m sure I can make it better.” I smirk, knowing that we’re just getting started.
I let her have a few more moments to bask in the hormones before I’m ready to sink inside her. I tweak her nipples between my fingertips, loving how quickly they harden and respond to my touch.
Harper pushes up until she’s partially sitting up. She kisses me before I even know it’s coming. I open to her immediately, loving the slide of her tongue against my own. The heady taste of her orgasm still fresh on my lips, mingling with her kiss. She’s quick to straddle my hips and sink down on my cock.
I’m still not used to the feeling of nothing between us. The intensity that it brings to making love to her is like nothing I can explain. I let her take the lead, setting our pace as she bounces her hips up and down, riding my cock in a steady rhythm. I shift my hands to her hips, helping them lift and fall. Every fifth or so time, she does this little rotation move that has her clit hitting my pelvic bone, which causes her to shudder around my cock, driving me closer to my release. “Fuck, Harper,” I grit out, holding back from ending this before she’s ready to come. “I need you there, babe.”
She shifts back, placing her palms behind her on the bed, bracketing my thighs. The angle must be good, as she starts moaning loudly as she slides up and down. Her clit is glistening, and I’d love nothing more than to suck on it in this very moment, but I can tell she’s close, so I won’t pull her off of my cock. Instead, I lick the pad of my thumb and rub it lightly over the bundle of nerves. I can feel the pulse of her heartbeat as I press a little harder, giving her the friction she needs.
“Nathan!” She screams my name as she crests over the edge. The vise-like grip of her pussy on my cock has me losing the battle and coming hard.
“Yes!” I grunt as my orgasm empties from my body.
Harper rolls from on top of me, completely spent. We both bask in the aftermath, taking our time to just be here in the moment.
Eventually, Harper rolls off the bed, heading into the bathroom. She returns a few minutes later, curling up to my side as she settles back in.
“I was thinking,” she says, running her fingers across my chest in a haphazard pattern.
“What’s that?” I ask when she pauses.
“Why don’t we invite Leo and his wife and Rose and her family over for dinner? We can entertain everyone; I can cook, or you can order, if you prefer. That way, we can get to know one another better since our visit this afternoon wasn’t very long.”
“If you’d like,” I state, “I can text them both. How about we plan for tomorrow or Sunday afternoon, depending on their plans.”
“That will work, gives us some time to plan the food,” she states.
I reach for my phone, pulling up a text message with Leo.
Nathan: Are you and Candace free tomorrow night? Harper wants to have the two of you over for dinner, Rose, as well.
The three dots start bouncing right away, but I flip over to a text message with Rose.
Nathan: Harper and I would like to invite you over for dinner tomorrow, are you free? The kids are welcome to come. Your brother and Candace have also been invited.
Leo: We’ll be there. Time? Need us to bring anything?
“What time do you want them to come over?” I ask Harper.
“Um, I don’t know. What time do y’all usually eat dinner? Maybe five or six?” she suggests.
“I’m the wrong person to ask that question to, as I often don’t eat dinner until eight thirty or nine.”
Nathan: Be here around five, we’ll eat maybe around six thirty or seven. Haven’t decided yet if we’re ordering in or if Harper is going to cook.
Rose: Thanks for the invite! I can for sure come, the kids are gone this weekend as it is their weekend with Paul.
“Looks like it is a go for everyone. Rose’s kids won’t be with her as they’ll be at their dad’s.” I pass the information to Harper.
Nathan: Sounds good, I told Leo to be here around five and we’ll eat sometime after that.
Rose: Sounds good! See you then.
“So, I’m sure you already have ideas on what you want to serve, so lay it on me.”
“How are you on a grill?” she asks.
“Eh, I can make a steak or burger, but I wouldn’t call myself a grill master, by any means, but I can call a guy.”
“I can’t believe you can just call a guy up that will come work the grill.” She chuckles. “I still feel so out of place in your life.”
“Hey now,” I state, sitting up so I can look her directly in the eyes. “You belong here, don’t let anything make you think differently. I’ll agree that our lifestyles are different, and that’s something we’ll have to adjust to, but I’m not going to apologize for adapting to my surroundings and taking advantage of what my wealth can provide for me. I might be flashy with some things in my life, but at the end of the day, I’m still just a boy from the small town of Sweet Valley, Tennessee who wants a lot out of this one life I’ve got. My focus or reason to get out of bed every day might have changed throughout my life, but at least I have a reason.”
“I know, and I’m not judging you for anything, it is still just weird to think that calling someone to come in and grill for a little party you want to have isn’t something I’d ever have thought was possible. I mean, I guess I knew personal chefs were available for hire, and that’s basically what you’d be doing, it just wasn’t my first thought when thinking about inviting everyone over.”
“I say we hire someone for two reasons,” I start saying.
“Okay, give them to me,” Harper chimes in, ready to listen to what I’ve got to say.
“Reason one—you can focus on getting to know my friends. If you’re cooking, you’ll be more focused on that than on visiting with our guests.”
“Sounds reasonable,” she replies, “and reason two?”
“Reason two—Leave all the prep, set up, serving and cleanup to someone else.”
“Can you hire someone on such short notice?” she asks.
“Yep,” I state, popping the p. “Sometimes the money comes in handy.” I wink before I drop a kiss to her lips.
16
Harper
“Thanks for coming on such short notice, Mark,” Nathan states as the chef he called enters the apartment. “I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Harper. She’s visiting for the week from my hometown back in Tennessee.”
“Of course, we’re always available for you, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Harper,” the man states. My first impression of him based on his looks is he’s a seasoned chef, late forties, maybe his early fifties. “I have brought a few different options with me or can easily call the kitchen and swap things out, but what I brought along is a surf and turf, a medley of summer vegetables to grill, along with a raspberry swirl cheesecake and salted caramel mini cupcakes for dessert. I also have a charcuterie board for an appetizer, along with a crab and artichoke dip with garlic-crusted baguette slices for dipping.”
“Wow, that all sounds so amazing, and it is nice to meet you, as well,” I reply, a little stunned at the elaborate menu Mark whipped together on such short notice.
“Everything sounds perfect. You know where to go, so we’ll leave you to it. Let us know if you need anything,” Nathan says.
We head out onto the rooftop deck, I still can’t get over how spacious, yet cozy it is up here. The view isn’t that much different than the one is from his apartment just below us, but there’s something about the breeze in your face that adds to it. I take a seat on one of the loung
e chairs, while I watch as Nathan walks around, fiddling with things as he checks them.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Just making sure all the lanterns are set to come on once the sun sets,” he tells me. “I don’t keep them on when not up here.”
“Makes sense,” I reply as I watch him a little longer.
It isn’t long before Leo and Candace arrive, letting themselves out onto the rooftop. I stand, joining Nathan by the outside bar where he’s already pouring drinks.
“Babe, you’ve already met Leo,” Nathan states, “now this is his much better half, Candace. Candace, I’d like to introduce you to Harper.”
“It is so nice to meet you,” Candace gushes.
“Likewise,” I greet the very beautiful woman.
“Nathan, it’s good to see you, especially looking so happy,” she states, looking between the two of us. He slips a hand around my torso, tugging me closer to him. The warmth of his body seeps into my skin and I can’t help but melt into the contact. I’m going to miss this when I have to go back home next weekend.
“Amazing what can happen with the love of a forever woman,” he states, and I don’t miss the way her eyebrows shoot up at his statement. We’ve exchanged the “I love yous” privately, between the two of us, but not publicly, not that I wouldn’t, the opportunity just hasn’t happened. To know that he’s apparently at the same place is a nice feeling. Makes me realize we’re both feeling the same things.
“How are you enjoying California?” Leo asks as we all grab a drink and move over to the sitting area.
“So far it is great. I haven’t been many places, yet, but hopefully over the next few days I’ll get out and explore some.”
“If this one,” Candace states, pointing at Nathan, “needs to go into the office and work, I’m more than happy to be your tour guide. I don’t have anything pressing this week that needs done.”
Nothing Bundt Love Page 10
