Smacking her hand over her mouth, she said, “Get out.”
“After nursing you for days on end, you’re kicking me out?”
The fact that he’d actually taken care of her when he could have been elsewhere made her uncomfortable... and it also made her soften even more toward him.
“No,” she said, letting her hand fall away as she gentled her tone. “I need to brush my teeth and shower.”
He made a face. “You do smell ripe.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Even your freckles are dirty.”
“Seriously?” She pushed the covers back and attempted to get out of bed, but quickly discovered she was as weak as a newborn kitten.
Austin jumped up, helping her stand. “I got you.”
“You can’t wash me.”
“If you let me, I can,” he said, his blue eyes darkening.
How on earth could he be attracted her to right now? “I like to shower alone.”
“After you shower with me, you won’t.” Despite his cocky words, he helped her to the bathroom. Once he was satisfied that she wouldn’t topple over, he left her alone and she finally able to brush her teeth as well as take care of all her other pressing needs as well.
Funny how all she wanted was for him to be in there with her.
“Need a hand?” he shouted from the bedroom. “I have two really good ones, or so they say on ESPN.”
A giggle escaped her. “They just like making your ego puff up.”
“Good thing I have you in my life then.”
Biting her lip, she turned on the water and waited for it to heat up. Once steam began to rise, she stepped inside and began to wash. Slowly. The hot water felt so good that she moaned.
“Stop enjoying your shower without me,” Austin said, his voice sounding much closer.
Jerking the shower curtain back, she checked the bathroom. It was empty, but the door was cracked open. A flash of movement let her know he was there.
“Stop spying on me.”
“I’m only keeping close in case you fall,” he said.
“I won’t fall.”
“You could pretend to.”
“I could, but I won’t.” But she wanted to. Oh my, she wanted to pretend. She wanted him to come in and strip off his clothes. Watching him would be pure torture until he put his big, capable hands on her body, soaped her up, and—
A gasp left her.
“Damn it, Harper. Stop teasing me.”
“I’m not teasing you.” Except she wanted to. She wanted him. He’d taken care of her for four days, even after she’d sent him away. Even after she lied to him about her mother taking care of her. Austin had still come back.
Maybe he wanted her after all. Maybe their differences didn’t matter. Maybe she was being too uptight about the five years between them and how his life in Charlotte was nothing like hers in Jessamine.
If he didn’t care that she was only a second grade teacher while he was a famous quarterback, then why should she? Why should she care about what anyone else thought?
New year, new you.
Purposefully, she grabbed a bar of soap and let it slide from her fingers. It fell to the bottom of the tub with a loud thunk.
Austin shoved through the door, panic on his face. “Are you okay?”
Their eyes met. She pushed the curtain open wider, so he could see all of her as she stood waiting for him.
Licking her lips, she waited for him to say something, but when it became clear he was waiting on her, the only thing she could think to say was, “I fell down.”
Chapter Nine
“And,” he prompted, his hands going to the back of his shirt. Slowly, too slowly, he slipped it over his head, revealing hard muscles and colorful tattoos on his arms.
Her mind went completely blank. “And... um...”
He took a step closer to the shower, his fingers on the button fly of his jeans. “Do you need me to help you?”
She nodded. “Yes. I need help. Your help.”
Breath catching in her throat, she watched as he pushed down his jeans. He wasn’t wearing any sock or shoes, so all that left him in was—
“You’re not wearing anything,” she squeaked, staring at his erection. She forced her gaze back to his face. His beard was a bit longer now, and she was surprised to find that she actually liked it.
“Neither are you. Figured I would dress to match.” He gave her a lopsided smile and crossed the small distance separating them. “Still need my help?”
In answer, she stepped back and motioned for him to join her. Goose bumps broke out over her skin as a rush of cold air hit her. Her nipples hardened to tight points.
“Damn, you’re sexy.”
“So are you,” she said shyly, unsure of where to put her hands.
His big hands went to her shoulders, then began to them rub up and down her arms as he crowded her into a corner where the hot water could spray them both. “Poor thing. I got you cold. I am so very sorry.”
“You are not.”
“Okay, so maybe I’m not.” He gave her a wicked grin. “Okay, so I’m really not sorry. Those tight nipples of yours have me thinking all sorts of naughty things.”
He was so tall, his shoulders so wide, that he practically took up the entire space. Although she knew he wouldn’t do anything without her permission, her hands came between them, keeping their bodies from fully touching.
Dark blue eyes met hers. “If you’re not comfortable with this, I’ll get out.”
“I’m not uncomfortable.”
Austin frowned.
She sighed and not in a dreamy way either. This wasn’t going the way she envisioned, but then again, she’d imagined him as the one giving orders. Instead, he was being a pure gentleman... well, as much as a gentleman as he could be, naked and hard like he was.
“Maybe you could tell me where to put my hands?”
His frown gave way to a serious look. “Anywhere you want.”
She ran her fingers down his abs, grasping the hard, thick length of him in her hands. “What about here?”
His eyes closed, his jaw clenching. “Yes,” he hissed.
Stroking him, she worried her bottom lip. “Am I doing this right for you?”
A harsh smile peeled back his lips. “If you did this any more right for me, I’d—” His hand shot out, hitting the tiled wall behind her, and his head bowed. “You’re perfect. So damn perfect.”
Grabbing a bottle of conditioner, she poured a straight line down his cock and he jumped. “Too cold?” she asked, lifting her face and pressing her lips against his mouth.
“You got me hot as hell.” He slid his hand around the back of her head, deepening their kiss while hot water ran over her. She stroked him faster. Harder.
She couldn’t stop touching him, his pleasure only turning her on even more. Never in her life had she thought that doing this could be so mutually satisfying.
“Harper,” he breathed. “I can’t... I won’t—” His hips jerked forward as his orgasm left him in hot spurts that coated her hands and splashed on her thighs.
With a growl, he spun her around, pushing her against the cold tiles while his hand went between her legs. He cupped her, bit the side of her neck, and rubbed his semi-hard erection against her bottom.
His finger delved under the straight line of curls, unerringly finding her clit with ease. He began to rub her there, stroked... drove her to the brink of coming, only to stop and gently force her mouth to his.
He kissed her as if he were trying to possess her, trying to change her mind about an opinion she didn’t even know she had. Two fingers pushed inside of her and she went on her tiptoes, her head falling back against his chest.
With his free hand, he squeezed one breasts, took her hard nipple between his fingers, and rolled it.
Her vision sparked and her knees shook.
“Don’t fall on me now,” he said, licking her neck.
Letting go of her bre
ast, he slid his hand down her belly, down to where she was throbbing for him. His fingers began to move in tandem, the two inside of her working their magic while he stroked and petted her clit until she gasped his name.
Austin did something with his fingers, something that touched a spot deep inside of her, and made her scream. He covered her mouth with his, drinking in her kisses as he continued to move.
While she came down from her orgasm, he turned her around and lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. His erection hit her, the head right at her sex. If she could wriggle down a bit, then he could go deeper, but his grip tightened.
“No.”
“I’m on the pill,” she said with a gasp and a moan.
“Not tonight, baby. You’re still recovering.”
Of course, her traitorous stomach growled like it hadn’t been fed in days, which was the truth. “Tomorrow?” she asked.
Austin hesitated, gently setting her on her feet. “Let’s see how you’re feeling first.” He grabbed the bottle of shampoo. “Turn around so I can wash your hair.”
Automatically, she turned, and then wanted to stomp her foot. Why should she listen to him? It wasn’t up to Austin to dictate when and where they had—
The tips of his fingers began to massage her scalp, and she let out a loud moan.
“Like that, huh?”
“I never want my hair washed any other way.”
“Told you my hands were talented.”
Eyes closing, she said, “I will never speak ill of ESPN again.”
“Maybe you can put in a good word for me?”
“No way am I telling anyone about this. Can you imagine all the woman who’d want you in their shower?” She opened one eye to peer up at him.
He smirked at her.
“Geez Louise,” she grumbled.
“There’s my adorably grumpy Harper.”
“Should I be excited that a bunch of other women have gotten this kind of treatment?”
His smirk melted away, only to be replaced by complete sincerity. “I know you think that because I’m only twenty-five and I have all this money and opportunity to be a real player—”
“Not until you mentioned the money I didn’t,” she muttered.
“But I’m still the same guy from Jessamine. My ex and I dated for two years, Harper, and regardless of what anyone else thought, I was faithful. Sure, when I was younger—a lot younger, I was a horn dog, but that stopped as soon as I got to college and had to concentrate on what I wanted out of life. Getting a girl pregnant or a STD was not on the menu.” He placed her hands around him. “Hold on to me and tip your head back so I can rinse your hair.”
“Why did y’all break up?” she asked, but then wished she’d kept her mouth shut.
“Because she wanted more than what I could give her,” he said.
“Money?”
His mouth thinned. Before he answered, she knew she wouldn’t like it. “Material things weren’t a problem.”
She couldn’t imagine physical things being a problem, which left... emotional. “Oh,” she lamely replied.
“Yeah. She wasn’t very happy with me.”
“Two years is a long time to date.” She swallowed, the worst sort of fear overtaking her mind. “I have a question for you, and you have to be totally honest with me.”
He didn’t answer her for a moment, but then said, “Ask away.”
“Am I... your rebound relationship? Well, not relationship, per se, but a hook up. Is that what the kids are calling a booty call nowadays? And oh my sweet Lord, I can’t believe that came out of my mouth.” She smashed her lips together and waited for the inevitable, ‘Yeah, I had nothing better to do and you were the first gullible woman I met.’
Framing her face with his hands, he said, “Absolutely not.” His gaze turned hot. “Since all you can do is ask me questions about my past, then it’s clear I didn’t do you right.”
She began to back up. “Another orgasm?”
He dropped to his knees in front of her, sending a spray of hot water into her chest and her heart into overdrive. “I want to taste you again.”
“If you insist, but I’m... um, how should I stand?” she asked, her pulse racing.,
"Like this.” He lifted one over his shoulder and kissed the inside of her thigh, coming closer and closer to where her heart practically beat. He sucked her clit into his mouth, making her squirm as the flames of desire rekindled.
Suddenly, he sat back on his haunches, licking his lips as he peered up at her through dark, wet lashes. “Sweetest pussy I’ve ever tasted.”
“Don’t say that.”
His brow creased. “Why?”
Her cheeks heated. “I’m slightly jealous of all the other... others.”
He smiled against her skin. “We can’t have that now, can we?”
“No.”
“Don’t worry, by the time I’m done with you, you’ll forget all about the others,” he said cockily.
“Will you forget about them too?”
His smile turned hot and tender. “Forget about who?”
***
The next day, Austin called Finley and left a message on her voice mail, but she hadn’t returned his call, yet. So that left him all day to stew and think and second-guess every decision he’d made up to this point.
He needed to talk to Finley, to tell her that things were moving in such a way that he couldn’t have Harper unknowingly be a part of his good PR campaign anymore. He sure as hell wasn’t going to clue her in on it now. In the meantime, he sure as hell wasn’t going to sleep with her either.
But fuck if it wasn’t hard not to give in.
Last night had been reasons one through a million.
Damn, the woman could come multiple times without stopping. He’d like to think it was all his skills, but he was pretty sure that it was eighty-percent Harper.
However, he’d almost confessed all to her when she asked him to be truthful. He wasn’t quite sure what to think of her question though. Was she a rebound relationship? A hook up?
Damn, but what kind of guy was she used to dating?
Jealousy pricked at him. The thought of her with other men made him unreasonably pissed off as he ate dinner at his parents’ house. His momma’s cooking was hands down the best he ever had and normally, the taste of her buttermilk biscuits would be enough to get him into a good mood, but not tonight.
“Are you still planning on driving to Raleigh tomorrow for the Classic V?” his mother, Dinah, asked.
Shit. He’d forgotten about that. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Plan on taking Harper Bell to the party afterward?”
“No, sir.”
His father, David, frowned. “Doesn’t seem right, son. Everyone knows the two of you have been seeing one another.”
But they didn’t know he’d spent the night at her house this week. Twice. At least he’d spared her that, especially since he wasn’t sure if her contract with Jessamine County Schools included a morality clause.
“She doesn’t want to go.”
Dinah shook her head, clearly displeased. “Did you tell her that watching you play golf all day was not required?”
“I did not.” He bit back a laugh. “Must be why she said no. Next time, I’ll make sure to give her all the information.”
His mother patted his hand. “She’s such a kind person, Austin. I’m so glad that the age difference doesn’t bother you.”
“Why would it?” he asked.
“There are some who still think it’s a big deal when a woman dates a younger man,” she said.
“Not that I think that,” she added in a rush, not that she needed to. Dinah was three years older than David, so he knew she couldn’t care less about Harper’s age.
“Maybe I like older women like Dad did and still does.”
David nodded. “He has a point.”
Dinah narrowed her eyes. “Be sure not to drive that home with Harper, no matter how cha
rming you think you’re being.”
“Don’t worry, Austin never thinks,” Caleb said.
Austin rolled his eyes as he speared some green beans. “He speaks, yet he makes no sense.”
Caleb flashed him a grin.
Nonplussed, Austin gave his brother a hard look. “Did you just make a joke?”
“Maybe.” Caleb got up from the table, taking his empty plate with him. “I’m going to check on that momma cow. She’s due any time now.”
His parents watched Caleb go, twin thoughtful looks on their faces.
“He doesn’t let a single animal on this farm birth a baby without him there,” his dad remarked. “I’d be out there with him, if I could— ”
Austin shook his head. “Don’t beat yourself up, Dad. Caleb enjoys running the farm while you recuperate.”
While being sent home by Coach and Finley had hurt his ego, it had been great timing. Only a couple of months earlier, his dad had a stroke while planting wheat. A fast-thinking farmhand had helped get him to the hospital in time, but it scared the hell out of the entire family.
His momma seemed to have aged overnight after that happened. While she was beautiful, the strain of almost losing the man she loved had put grooves around her mouth where laugh lines used to reside.
Austin hated that. Hated it so much that he would do anything to make her laugh again.
“You’re right.”
“Of course he’s right, honey. Caleb is a blessing to us.” She gave Austin a pointed look. He knew that look. His mother wanted to talk to his dad alone.
Wordlessly, Austin jumped to his feet and began to take bowls and plates to the kitchen, then filled up the dishwasher before scrubbing the one pan his mother hadn’t while she prepared dinner.
They were still sitting in the dining room when he came to say good-bye.
“I’m headed home,” he said, bending down to kiss his mother’s cheek.
He gave his dad a hug. “Let me know if I can help you out next week.”
“Good to have you home, son,” was all his dad said.
His mother nodded. “Truly is. Remember what I said about Harper.”
“I will.”
“She’s the marrying kind, Austin.”
Heat stole up his neck. “Yes, ma’am.”
Love So Perfect (The Lawson Brothers #5) Page 10
