by Amy Lamont
He shrugged. "I don't know. But from the way he talked, I wouldn't be surprised to hear you're back in the running."
A grin stole across her face. "So maybe our plans are actually working?"
His lips twisted into his usual smirk. "With my help, there's no way he can turn you down."
She elbowed him playfully in the ribs. "If knocking someone into Professor Costa's dinner is your idea of help, buddy, I could probably do better without it."
"Buddy?" His eyebrow arched up.
"Yes. Buddy." She gave him a firm nod.
He slid his hands around to her ribs and flexed them. "Are you sure you want to call me buddy?"
She nodded again. "Yup."
He started moving his fingers, hitting one of her most ticklish spots right below her ribs. She snatched for his hands, but he continued to tickle her. "Want to change your mind?"
She giggled and squirmed to try to get out from under his hands, but to no avail. "Oh, I'm so sure," she panted out between breathless giggles. "Are you sure you want to keep up the tickle torture when you're barely back in my good graces?"
His fingers froze. "I'm back in your good graces?" His voice was low and growly and made her feel squishy deep in her belly.
Her giggles came to an abrupt stop and she stared at him, his face hovering so close to hers. Her mouth opened once and then closed. She swallowed. Hard. "I-I guess I understand how it happened."
He offered a soft smile, warm and oh-so-different from his signature smirk. "So you can forgive me? You're not going to end this?"
His voice was almost hoarse with concern. Did it matter so much to him that she stay with him? How could she mean that much to him?
"I don't get why it's so important to you," she whispered.
He moved a hand to the side of her head, trailing his fingertips down her cheek. "Oh, sweetheart, don't you know how I feel about you? I think you've been under my skin since the first time we met."
She shook her head slowly against the cushions, wide eyes firmly trained on him. "I-I don't understand. We just started...dating, or whatever."
He laughed at her. Laughed. "You know as well as I do, we didn't JUST anything. We've been dancing around this for the last two years."
She blinked at him as her mind played over the last few years. The pull she felt for him the first time he came up and introduced himself to her and Jamie when they were moving into the dorms freshman year. She hadn't wanted to feel anything for him. He reminded her of the over confident, rich boys from her high school. The ones who said nasty things about her to their friends, but tried to sweet talk her out of her panties any time they got her alone.
But there was something about Declan. Jamie hadn't had to try too hard to convince her to accept the invitation to the frat party that night.
But that night was exactly what had always stood between them. She wondered too many times to count what would have happened if Caitlyn Capshaw hadn't turned up at that party on that particular night.
And what were the chances of that happening? Caitlyn didn't even go here. From what Harper heard, the other girl decided not to go to college. Her parents were financing an apartment for her in town and enough money to travel around the world. But whenever Caitlyn was in town, she'd show up on campus for a party here and there. Once more reason Harper had avoided parties and bars since that very first one.
But Declan had already told her, more than once, why he stayed away from her after Caitlyn spread her venomous rumors. And if she were honest with herself, she knew what he said was true.
As often as her gaze had sought him out on campus, she also could have sworn when she looked at him that he had just turned his own eyes way from her.
He was right. There had been something between them for the last two years. And she was done letting Caitlyn Capshaw's ugly rumors rule her life.
She reached up and placed her hands on Declan's cheeks. "You're right. I've had feelings for you since the first time you came up to me in the quad. To hell with Caitlyn Capshaw."
He smiled and leaned in and kissed her her. His lips brushing hers softly, once, twice, before pushing harder, his lips demanding more from her. Demanding everything.
She kissed him back with everything she had. She poured every bit of longing she'd felt for him for two long years into the kiss. Her tongue slipped from between her lips, stroking his bottom lip. He groaned and she pulled back smiling, a feeling of feminine power surging through her at the evidence of the effect she had on him.
One corner of his mouth tilted up in response. But instead of dipping his head forward and continuing the kiss as she hoped, he sat up from the reclining postion the tickling and kissing had left them in, pulling her with him.
She pouted at him. "I was enjoying that!"
He laughed and smoothed a hand over her hair. "Believe me, so was eye, baby. So was I."
"Then why stop?"
His lips pressed together and the amusement fled from his eyes. She braced herself.
"I don't want you to regret anything. We barely talked about what happened tonight between us. And we didn't talk at all about what went down with Jamie."
She dropped her head forward onto his chest and sucked in a breath.
He used a finger under her chin to lift her head up, his eyes going back and forth over her face as if he could read her thoughts with a look.
"I hate to interrupt things. Especially to talk about things that upset you. But, Harper," his hand slid tenderly over her cheek before smoothing her hair back from her face, "when we pick up where we left off, I don't want all this stuff between us. I don't want it to be a distraction to keep you from thinking about what's upseting you."
"You're not a distraction, Declan," she said softly. "I wanted that. It had nothing to do with putting off dealing with all my other problems."
"I know, baby." He pulled her in close, tucking her head under his chin and rubbing a hand up and down her back. "But I think we need to deal with the other stuff. It's going to weigh on you otherwise."
Was this guy for real? Harper slid her arms around his waist and squeezed. "Thank you."
He pulled back just enough that he could look down at her, his eyebrows pushing together. "For what?"
"For being here for me." She squeezed him again. "For WANTING to be here for me. I can't remember the last time someone besides Jamie had my back."
As the last words left her mouth, a sob started working its way up her throat. Had she told Jamie she was going to move out? What had she been thinking? Jamie might have been more snotty than necessary about everything, but on her best day, Jamie was snarky. After hearing Harper waffle so often about Declan, she probably wanted to say a lot worse than what she actually did. Jamie wasn't known for pulling punches.
And that was one of the things Harper always loved about her. She never for a minute feared that Jamie would spread rumors behind her back. If Jamie had something to say, she said it. If she heard a rumor, she came right to Harper to question it.
"Did I really tell Jamie I was going to move out?"
Declan hugged her closer. "It's okay. I'm sure she knows you didn't mean it."
"I meant it when I said it. And maybe we do need some space. I just don't get it. I mean, I know she was upset about what happened at the party between you and I freshman year. But if I can get over it, why can't she?"
"Maybe because we've had misunderstandings every other day since we started this?" he asked gently.
She shoved away from him. "You think she's right? Have I been expecting too much from her?"
He snatched her back to him. "No, baby. I think you've had a lot going on and Jamie might have been feeling pretty helpless about helping you."
Harper thought over what he said. It was true. Jamie was a problem fixer. She wasn't one to plan or over think things. When something needed to be done, she didn't wait around to see if it would get better on its own. She rolled up her sleeves and got to work."
"I
t doesn't help that Jamie's default setting is snark," Declan added. "I don't think she means for things to come out the way they do sometimes."
Harper snorted. That was true. "I need to fix things. But I hate that she seems so opposed to me being with you. She's going to have to ease up on that. I don't want to lose her friendship, but if I can't talk to her about you, where does that leave us?"
"You talk to her about me?" he teased.
She rolled her eyes at him. "Hopefully, I'll be sharing a whole lot less in the future. But the last few weeks have been a little confusing. To say the least."
He laughed and hugged her. "I agree. Let's hope things are about to get a lot smoother for us."
"We've made it through fist fights and rumors and two years of unrequited...something. I think we're due a little smooth sailing."
"Unrequited something, huh? Would you care to elaborate on that something?" His fingers toyed with the button at the top of her blouse.
She slapped at his hand. "No. I'm going to leave it at that."
"So are you feeling better?" Declan asked as he placed a few nibbling kisses on her jaw. "Because, if we've gotten all this cleared up, we could always go back to what we were doing earlier.”
"Mmm, you know, Mr. Cooper, every once in a while you have a good idea."
"Yeah?" He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers and then pressed a feather-light kiss on the corner of her mouth. "How's that for an idea?"
She giggled. "That's another good one."
He left a trail a nibbling kisses down her jawline, back towards her ear. His warm breath dancing over skin caused goose bumps to rise all over her body. A small moan escaped her.
"I don't think I even need to ask if you thought that was a good idea." His voice was low and throaty and caused ripples of pleasure across her suddenly-sensitized skin.
She looked up at him from under her lashes. "Any other ideas you want to share with me?"
He grinned and started to move his lips towards hers, but stopped when he was just inches away. The laughter left his face, and hesitated a brief second before he asked, "What about your aunt?"
Harper froze and her eyes flew to his. "What--what about my aunt?"
Declan leaned closer, but she pulled her head back from him.
"Hey, I didn't mean to pry. I just thought she might be an unresolved issue. You got pissed when Jamie brought her up..."
Harper sighed and sat up straight, smoothing both hands over her hair. Her aunt. How to explain her complicated relationship with her aunt to Declan. Did she even want to explain it to Declan? She scraped her teeth over her lower lip while she contemplated him.
"Whatever it is, Harper, you can tell me." He took her hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles. "I already told you some about my fucked up family. I doubt anything you could say would shock me."
She sighed. He was right. Plus he already knew most of the worst of it.
"Fine. I'll tell you about my aunt."
Chapter 14
"Professor, I'm sorry," Declan said, shaking his head.
Drew pulled himself off the table while the pledges avoided looking at him. It was obvious not one of them wanted to step in and help the douchebag. Declan swallowed hard to keep from saying all the things he wanted to say to Drew. He needed to fix this. For Harper.
"Normally, Mr. Cooper, I'd bring you up before the university's disciplinary committee for your actions."
Shit. Fuck. Declan stared at Professor Costa, his mouth dry as he tried to imagine losing Harper and having to explain all this shit to his father all in the same night.
"However," Professor Costa went on, "I happened to overhear what your friend was saying about Miss Warden. And while I don't condone your actions, I can't fault you for defending the young woman."
"Harper had nothing to do with this," Declan blurted. He'd love to save his own ass, but not at the cost of ruining everything she'd worked so hard for. "Drew and I have had problems before and Harper told me to let it go. The responsibility for all this is all on me."
Professor Costa raised an eyebrow and then nodded in Drew's direction. "I wouldn't say this was all your fault. Seems like you had some help. Was this one of the young men helping with service tonight?"
"No, sir. He's one of my fraternity brothers, but he had no reason to be here tonight. Except to stir up—.”
Declan bit off the rest of what he wanted to say. Pointing fingers wasn't his style. And Drew might have come to dig under Declan's skin, but Declan was the one who let him.
Professor Costa nodded. "I think I have a clear picture of what went on here."
Two of the faculty members walked over with Drew held between them. Declan almost grinned when he saw the black eye already starting to form. Then he remembered Harper's horrified face. The pleasure he got from driving his fist into Drew's face wasn't worth losing her over.
Professor Costa and his colleagues talked for a second and debated calling security or the police. Declan's heart seized and then began beating again at a gallop. If they called the cops it would end up in the crime log of the local paper. There's no way some member of the paparazzi, hell even of the reporters from a major media outlet, wouldn't pick up on the story. The last thing he needed was a headline screaming that XXXX Cooper's one and only son was following in his father's hot-tempered footsteps.
He shoulders dropped. He'd royally fucked things up. How could he fix this?
"I don't think we need to get the police involved."
Declan picked his head up to stare at Professor Costa. Was it possible this man was offering him another get out of jail free cards?
"Normally, I'd call campus security and let them deal with this matter. Mr Cooper," Professor Costa's steely gaze landed on Declan, "engaging in a physical altercation with another student is grounds for disciplinary action."
Declan nodded and swallowed hard. It would suck almost as much as watching Harper walk...no, run away from him if he had to tell his father he was being expelled from school. But he wouldn't blame Professor Costa for following school policies. Declan was the dick that decided to solve things with his fists, even after Harper asked him not to make a scene here. He'd kick his own ass if he could.
"I think this time around, if my colleagues agree, we can forgo the disciplinary committee hearing. I happened to overhear what Mr...." Professor Costa looked pointedly at Drew.
"Johnson," Drew said.
"I heard what Mr. Johnson said about Miss Warden. Warren College has very strict rules about speaking to or about women in this manner. It's important to the administration and faculty that our students feel safe on campus at all times. So while you may not have felt very safe while Mr. Cooper's fist was hitting your face," Professor Costa said, "I have a feeling that you made Miss Warden feel equally unsafe by referring to her in the manner you chose to, Mr. Johnson."
Declan's jaw slackened. Was this man for real?
Drew scowled at Professor Warden. "So what it boils down to is that the famous guy’s son is going to get away with doing as he damn well pleases. Again."
"This has nothing to do with who his father is, I assure you Mr. Johnson. And might I suggest if you continually find yourself on the receiving end of someone's fists, you consider your words more carefully before you speak."
"Whatever," Drew said.
"Thank you, Professor Costa. And again, please know, Harper had nothing to do with this. A couple of fake rumors got started about her when she first started here. Since then she's been fair game for a lot of people. I would hate to think my actions changed her standings in your class or hurt her chances..." Declan bit off his words. Harper might not want Professor Costa to be so blatantly clued in on her plans to get on his good side.
Professor Costa stared at him a long moment, an odd look on his face, before he looked back at the table where Drew had landed after Declan knocked him off his feet. The pledges had been busy and everything had been cleaned up and cleared away. The only evid
ence anything out of the ordinary happened was the shiner blooming around Drew's left eye. At the sight of it, Declan offered Drew a smirking grin.
The grin faded as he realized he'd managed to stay out of fights for his entire life up until a few weeks ago. And twice now he's been driven to using his fists. Because of Harper. Shit, maybe he should have gone with his first instinct and left her alone.
But the image of her throwing herself into his arms and smiling happily up at him replayed. Having that was worth any amount of trouble being in a relationship with her might bring.
At that, he was consumed with the that he needed to get to her and somehow make this right. He'd grovel if he had to.
"Professor Costa, do you need me for anything else?"
A small smile played over the professor's mouth. "No, you can go, Mr. Cooper."
"Thanks." Declan dashed over to two of the pledges and tasked them with overseeing the rest of the evening and the clean up.
Hell, not like they needed his supervision. Without him, the night would have gone a lot more smoothly. They'd even managed to clean up his mess behind him. He had more important things to do.
He sped out to the parking lot, hoping beyond hope that Harper would be there. Maybe she didn't leave. Maybe she just ran out to get away from the drama.
A quick glance around the lot told another story, though. Her car was most definitely gone. He ran to his truck and headed towards her apartment, cursing himself as he went. He'd let her yell at him. She could even hit him if it would make her feel better.
He didn't care what she did, but whatever it was, he knew one thing--he wasn't leaving until he'd convinced her to stay with him.
Harper slammed the apartment door behind her and flicked away the remnants of tears from her cheeks. She threw her coat over the hook in the entryway and headed into the living room, coming to an abrupt stop when she caught sight of Jamie and her friend, Beth, watching a movie there. Just what she needed, an audience. She bit back a sigh.
