“Well then, I better go with you!” Nina said and smiled bigger than Harper had ever witnessed before.
Nate and Nikki left shortly after Mrs. Simmons’s outburst, but Nikki assured Harper that she wasn’t the reason. Nate had a speaking engagement to get to, and Harper thanked them both for coming before they hurried out the door.
After the buffet table had just about been emptied, the other guests began to leave too. The six of them, Harper, Finn, Connor, Julia, Liam, and McKayla, lined up at the door to say goodbye and thank their guests for coming.
“I would say that was a big success,” Finn said after the last guest had left.
“I say we go out and celebrate,” Connor suggested.
“First, we need to help Harper and Finn clean up,” Julia said.
“I think we can handle that on our own, don’t you?” Finn said, giving Harper a wink.
Understanding that he wanted to be alone with her, she replied, “Yeah. You guys go ahead, and we’ll take care of the clean-up.”
“Liam, McKayla, you in?” Connor asked.
Liam looked at McKayla hopefully and waited for her response.
“Um…well…ok,” McKayla finally said.
“Great!” Liam said, looking relieved.
As they were leaving, Liam placed his hand on the small of McKayla’s back to guide her out the door, but she reached around and slapped it away.
Harper waited for the door to close before she burst into laughter.
“What’s so funny?” Finn asked, having missed the feisty exchange.
“Just my sister and your brother. I’m thinking they’re going to be fun to watch.”
“I’d rather watch you,” Finn said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.
“Mmmm,” she said, leaning her head back against his chest.
Finn dipped his head into the crook of her neck and nibbled. “It was a fun party, but I couldn’t wait for everyone to leave,” he said, his breath making her shiver.
And then he stepped away from her to lock the door and turn out the lights. Taking her hand, he led her around the partition to the back of the store, where they wouldn’t be seen.
The second they were out of sight, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her—deeply, passionately, and without restraint. She was wearing a swingy black dress with her sexy black teddy underneath, and her nipples pebbled as they rubbed against his chest.
“I love you in a dress,” Finn whispered against her lips.
“I love you in everything and in nothing at all,” she replied, raising her eyebrows suggestively.
“Right here and right now?” he asked, challenging her with his eyes.
“Why not? We have to christen the store sometime.”
Finn chuckled and pulled her in so close that she could feel how aroused he was.
“Might not be very comfortable,” he said, glancing around at the plastic folding chairs.
“Doesn’t matter. You’re all I need,” she replied and ran her hands lovingly over his broad shoulders.
“God, I love you,” he growled, his hands dropping from her waist and finding the hem of her dress.
“Show me,” she said, her voice coming out on a gasp.
Sliding his warm, somewhat rough hands up the back of her thighs, he cupped her mostly bare bottom and squeezed.
He groaned again as he realized what she was wearing underneath the dress—or more accurately, what she wasn’t wearing!
Harper just smiled and tugged up on his polo shirt to untuck it from his pants.
He let go of her backside just long enough to pull his shirt and t-shirt over his head in one swift movement, and then he was back.
“Lift your arms,” he said gruffly.
She immediately complied, her center clenching in anticipation.
Finn quickly but carefully removed her dress and draped it over a nearby chair. And then he stilled and let his gaze roam up and down her body, his own eyes darkening at the sight of her nipples poking through the see-through material of the teddy.
“You’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen,” he said, his voice ragged and needy.
And then, because she didn’t want to wait any longer, she tucked her fingers into the straps of her teddy and pulled it down, revealing her nakedness to his admiring eyes.
Harper had expected him to follow suit and remove his pants, but instead, he dropped to his knees in front of her. As his breath blew across her sensitive skin, she gripped his shoulders tightly and spread her legs apart to give him greater access.
The man was a marvel with his tongue and fingers—knowing just what to do to bring her the maximum amount of pleasure in the minimum amount of time. There would be more time later when they were in bed together, but for now, the need to touch each other was so great that this would do.
Writhing against his touch, she tipped her head back and succumbed to the pleasure, her body tightening and clenching around him. After an explosive climax, he gave her a gentle kiss and then stood back up to meet her gaze.
Her legs felt shaky, and she looped her arms around his neck for support. “I’d like to return the favor,” she said.
Grinning at her, Finn said, “Maybe later. But right now, I have a different idea.”
She watched as he pulled out a condom from his pants pocket, quickly discarded said pants, and rolled it on before sitting down on one of the hard-plastic chairs. Patting his lap, he looked up at her through hooded eyelids and said, “Sit with me.”
Not only was he extremely hot and sexy, but he was a problem solver too! She was certain that he didn’t want her kneeling on the hard linoleum floor, so he’d improvised, and she was more than happy to comply. Smiling seductively, she straddled him, and they both watched as she wrapped a hand around his erection and guided him home.
Later, she’d recount the memory as the best chair sex she’d ever had! Holding on to the back of the chair, she’d used it for leverage, lifting and lowering herself over him until he’d been bucking beneath her. She’d loved watching him come undone, loved the feel of his strong hands gripping her hips, his bare chest rubbing against her nipples, her name escaping his swollen lips.
And afterwards, he’d cradled her in his arms and told her how much he loved her, wanted her, needed her. And she’d wished that she could capture the moment, store it in a jar, and bring it out whenever she wanted to relive it. She wished that she could have done that with all the important moments of her life, but she knew that was impossible.
Time marched on and memories faded, but she knew the one thing that would always endure, and that was love. The most important thing of all.
Epilogue
“This was a great idea,” Harper said after polishing off her turkey sandwich.
“I’m glad you thought so,” Finn replied, leaning over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
It was a glorious Wednesday afternoon at the beginning of summer, when all the weather elements had aligned to make a perfect day: not too hot, not too cool, with a slight breeze that ruffled her hair without ruining it. And she had a hot date. What more could she ask for?
Finn had called her earlier to ask if she were free for lunch. After she’d told him that she was, he’d asked her to meet him at his house for a picnic. All she had to do was provide the blanket and he’d bring the food.
She and Daisy had arrived at his house first, and she’d dug out a plaid blanket from his closet. Then she, Daisy, and Hunter had found the perfect spot on Finn’s sprawling back lawn, where she’d laid out the blanket. The dogs were running around in excited circles, sniffing the ground and each other while they all waited for Finn.
The second they heard his truck pull up, the dogs raced around to the front of the house to greet him, with Harper trailing behind even though she was just as excited to see Finn as they were. Over the past few months, their relationship had really grown, just like the flowers that were blooming everywhere. While they�
�d maintained their separate homes, they saw each other every day, and Harper couldn’t remember the last time she’d spent the night alone.
She was amazed that every time she saw him, it was almost like seeing him for the first time. While she’d known him for several years now, everything felt new and different. Julia and McKayla had been making bets on how long it would take before Finn proposed to her, but she wasn’t in a huge hurry.
She’d come to a point in her life where she felt satisfied, content, and happy. It felt like she’d emerged from a long, dark tunnel into the light, and she was just so grateful. Grateful for her close friends, their families, and, of course, for Finn, who’d stood by her, supported her, and patiently waited for her to love him too.
And oh, how she loved him. She didn’t let a single day go by without telling him and/or showing him, and he treated her the same way. They both understood how fleeting life could be, and they didn’t want to waste a single moment.
“I have another idea to run by you,” he said to her now, leaning back on his elbows on the blanket.
“Oh? What’s that?” She assumed it would be something work-related since he’d often asked for her opinion or advice.
“Before I tell you, promise me you won’t say anything until I’m done talking.”
Studying his expression, she realized that whatever he had to say must be important, and clasping her hands tightly in her lap, she said, “I promise.”
Taking a deep breath, he said, “It’s about us. About our future. I know where I want to be one year, five years, ten years from now, and that’s with you. All the time, every day, forever.”
She swallowed hard, but she kept her mouth shut as he’d requested.
“And I know it’s probably too soon to ask you to marry me, so I won’t. Not today, and maybe not next week or next month, but soon. And I hope when I do, you’ll be ready and you’ll say yes. But until then, I would love it if you’d consider moving in with me. You and Daisy. We spend most of our time here anyway, and why maintain two places when we can just have one, and…? Oh God. And now you’re crying.”
She was actually laughing and crying at the same time, along with making some very unflattering snorting sounds. But this was Finn, and it was ok because, with him, she could truly be herself, and she knew that he would love her no matter what.
Instead of answering right away, she rolled over on top of him and pinned him to the blanket. Propping her hands on his chest, she looked directly into his crystal-blue eyes and said, “Yes.”
“Yes?” he repeated as if to make sure he’d heard right.
She nodded. “Yes, I’ll move in with you, and yes, I’ll marry you someday. Because I want that too.”
Lifting his hands, he wiped away her tears and then cupped her face. “Whenever you’re ready. I’ll be here.” And with that, he pulled her down on top of him, held her close, and kissed her.
When they came up for a breath, he said, “When you said, ‘someday,’ do you have any idea when that might be? Not that I’m in a huge hurry or anything…”
Laughing, she said, “Soon. Very soon. But for right now, I just want to enjoy this moment.”
And that’s exactly what they did.
THE END
Stay tuned for the next book in the O’Brien Brothers Series, featuring Connor and Julia.
Author’s Note:
If you enjoyed Capture The Moment, please take a moment to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. And while you’re there, check out my other sweet and sexy contemporary romance novels!
I love to connect with readers. Please visit my website (susancoventry.org), or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Thanks for reading!
Susan
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