by C. A. Harms
“Yep, it feels safe here.” She spoke just above a whisper. “Like no matter what it is you’re about to tell me, this is the spot I need to be.”
I kissed the top of her head and kept her close. “You are safe, always. That spot is yours, forever if you want it.”
“I want it.” Her reply made me feel like I was on top of the world. Even if it would be short-lived, I loved the rush.
“I just hope you feel the same way after I tell you what I need to. But I need you to listen all the way through before you stop me.”
“Okay,” she replied
“You remember the girl from Ricochet, the one that was running her mouth?” I asked, and she nodded against me. “We dated for a while. Before my dad passed away. And maybe two and a half or three months ago, we had…just…well…”
Harper saved me from finishing. “You had sex.”
“Yeah. It never should have happened, but it did, and I can’t change that. But after that night, I swore it would never happen again. She came to me a couple weeks ago.” Harper tensed against me. “It’s not what you’re thinking, so don’t go there.”
She relaxed slightly and I continued. “She was never faithful during the time we were together. It was a lapse in judgement that I even gave in that last night, but it happened and now…” I paused, preparing myself for her reaction. “She told me she’s pregnant.”
Harper rose up and looked at me. She didn’t appear angry. What surprised me was that she looked more concerned.
“How do you feel about that?” she asked.
“I’m not sure it’s even mine. She said she wasn’t with anyone else, but I find that hard to believe. We always used protection, so it doesn’t seem likely, but I just don’t know for certain.”
Harper placed her legs over mine and slid her hand along my chest. “I don’t want to sound like a bitch here.” She smiled and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I know, since when do I care if I come across as a bitch, right?” I smiled in return and let her continue. “I just want to know, if the baby is yours, what are your plans? I mean for us, you and me?”
“I want you, that isn’t gonna change. I just need to know that you can handle me being a father to a child with someone else.”
“I’m going to be honest. I don’t like the fact that you could be raising a baby with another woman. It’ll be hard, but the baby would be a part of you, and I would love ’em because of it.”
A sudden relief filled my chest, and I was thankful for the woman at my side. If I didn’t know it before, I sure as hell knew it now. I loved her. I was in love with Harper.
“So does that mean you love me?” I asked with a smirk.
“Maybe.”
I gripped her waist and lifted her onto my lap. “Because I love you.” I placed my hand on the back of her neck and pulled her down closer. “I think I already knew it, but you just helped me confirm it. You’re truly amazing, and Harper Jameson, you’ve captured me.”
She lowered her lips to mine, and all the shit that had overtaken our lives slowly faded away. I knew in that moment that things would be okay. No matter what way everything turned out in the end, if she was by my side, we would make it through.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Harper
“What do you girls have planned?” Jett asked with a scowl.
I couldn’t help but laugh. He was literally pouting like a toddler. Callie and I had just arrived to pick up Avery and Quinn for a girls’ getaway—sort of a bachelorette party.
Jett and Quinn had decided to have a small wedding, and it was moving in on us fast. With my mother and her magical planning abilities, the wedding was set for three months after the engagement. Since the last two had flown by in such a blur, we only had a little less than four weeks until the big day.
Jett had been pretty adamant about not having any dirty parties, but seriously, had he forgotten who his sister was? Like I was truly going to pass up the chance of being able to torture him. Quinn stood to his side laughing at the sour look on his face, and I was enjoying it tremendously.
Of course I had to keep digging at my brother. “It’s just one weekend, Jett. Two nights away with the girls. You’ll survive. Don’t you have a bottle of lotion around here somewhere, or some sort of lube?”
Avery snickered at my comment.
“You have that picture right there.” I pointed toward the wall. “Quinn in her bathing suit. Use that. Focus on nothing but that picture, three pumps of lotion in the palm of your hand, and voila, instant pleasure.”
Jett was looking more pissed off by the second.
“Or they have these things at that sex shop just three doors down from my salon. I’m not sure what they’re called, but they’re a pretty close resemblance to a real vagina. We could run by there real quick and grab you one.” I winked and he lost it.
“Seriously, Harper, no fucking strippers,” he growled. “No guys, period.” He looked over at Quinn, and she cleared the smile from her face. “I mean it. We agreed, no fucking strippers. The guys haven’t even planned anything, and now you all decide to run off for the weekend doing what the fuck ever, and I’m stuck wondering what the hell you’re up to.”
Quinn slid her hand around his waist, stepped in front of him, and raised up on her tiptoes. “You are the only man I want,” she said. “I promise you my hands will only touch you.”
He slid his hands down her back to cup her ass. “It isn’t your hands I’m worried about.” He looked over her shoulder and glared at me. “I swear to God, Harper, if any guy touches my girl, I’m gonna kick your ass after I break them.”
“Yes, sir,” I said, saluting him. This only earned me another glare. He was such a brute. And I truly loved firing him up.
Jett did not need to know I had planned to drive his fiancée to Tampa. He didn’t need to know we would be staying in a suite at a resort there as a gift from the husband of my best client from the salon. And he definitely did not need to know that Avery, Callie, and I had paid for not one but two very talented strippers to visit said suite tomorrow evening.
I would suffer the consequences of my actions later, but this weekend I planned to enjoy the show.
***
“Oh my, there is a God,” Avery whimpered as she sank down on the plush couch. Her mouth was hanging open in awe, and I was sure by the look of pleasure on her face that she was rocking on the edge of bliss. Callie had not yet spoken, but the look of lust filling her eyes and the small amount of drool pooling at her lips were a sure indication that she too was loving the view.
Quinn was still frozen against the doorframe of the balcony. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were the size of saucers.
These three alone were entertainment enough. The two strippers that were shaking their goods in the middle of our hotel room were just a bonus to a long night of fun. We had done it all—dinner, dancing, and more drinks than we probably should have had, but no one was there to stop us, so why not? I knew what we were walking in on when I slid the key card in the lock. After all, I was the one that set it up with the agency I hired the guys through. It was harmless fun, but I knew Jett would flip out when he found out. Who was I kidding? I was more than sure Easton would have something to say about it as well. But it was worth it to see the girls’ reactions.
After about an hour the very young and drool-worthy men were glistening with sweat. Both Avery and Callie were worked up and showing extreme attention to the more-than-willing strippers. I had a feeling I would have to call the evening to a close. The last thing I wanted was for either of them to do anything they would regret tomorrow.
“Okay, ladies, I’m sure these guys have things they need to get to.”
The blond guy winked at Callie, and I swear she whimpered. Avery, on the other hand, was slipping what looked like a twenty into the other guy’s waistband. That girl was lit, and right now she looked like she was floating on the edge of being willing to do just about anything.
“We rea
lly had a great time, guys, but it’s time my girls here called it a night. Alone, boys,” I added when Mr. Seductive Green-Eyed Guy’s face lit up. “Don’t get too excited. It appears you’ll be leaving tonight without any happy endings.”
Quinn still stood back, buzzed and maybe a little shaken up by the two gorgeous men who were still half-naked and more than willing to give us all an encore.
A light knock on the door had the two men turning around to look behind them. I hadn’t planned on anything else for the night, so I wasn’t sure who it could be.
Avery reached out and yanked the door open without thinking twice. “Come on in, the party’s in here.”
On the other side of the door stood Jett, Easton, and Kade, all three of them glaring straight ahead at the two men in our suite.
“What the fuck?” I spun around and looked at Quinn, and her eyes once again grew wide. “Did you call him? How the hell did you guys know where we were?” I asked as I placed my hands on my hips, turning back to face them. “One weekend away and you Neanderthals had to show up and kill the buzz.”
Jett glared at me as he rushed past me straight for Quinn. I watched as he gripped her hand and dragged her off to one of the rooms, where he slammed the door behind them.
“Well, men,” I heard Easton say in a deep, demanding voice. “Looks like your night just ended. You had a job to do, and I would say that job is complete.” My eyes connected with his, and he narrowed his eyes at me. “Close the door behind you,” he said to the guys without taking his heated stare from mine.
His lips were tight, and there were no traces of a smile. I looked over his shoulder to find the two men slipping away without a word.
Easton stalked toward me with that same look of determination, and maybe a slight touch of aggravation covering his beautiful features. “Did you enjoy the show, Harper?” he asked when he was standing so close I could feel his breath on my face. “Did it turn you on?”
“No.” I glared back at him. “You need to stop acting like you’ve never watched a stripper before. If memory serves me correctly, you, Mr. Black, own two strip clubs yourself.”
“Two strip clubs that I haven’t visited in a very long time. Two clubs that I am also in the process of selling.”
That was news to me. He hadn’t mentioned it. “Are you jealous?” I pushed back, taunting him. I was poking a sleeping bear, but the excitement of what might happen if I did made me keep going.
“Jealous, no,” Easton whispered as he placed his hands on my hips and backed me toward the second room of the suite. “Do I feel like I need to remind my woman of exactly how good I can make her body feel? Oh yeah,” he said as he began kissing along my jaw.
“That sounds like jealousy to me,” I whispered in return.
“Call it whatever you want, but in about ten minutes the only thing you’ll be able to comprehend is my name.” Before I could say another word, he had me lifted up over his shoulder and was dragging me off to stake his claim.
Chapter Thirty
Easton
Her moans filled the room and bounced off the walls. We hadn’t even made it to the bed. I took her against the wall the moment the door closed behind us. The thump of her hips against the wall as I drove into her over and over was the only other sound besides our satisfied grunts and her whispering my name as the pleasure built within her.
Yes, I was jealous. I hated the idea of my girl enjoying any other man but me, even if it was just with her eyes. She was mine fully, mine only, and I planned on reminding her of that fact. Even if that meant not allowing her to leave this room until she got it through her head.
“Oh yes, Easton, yes.” She ground her hips down as I drove upward. “So close.” She grunted as her eyes rolled back in her head.
“Let go, baby,” I said against her neck. “Give me what I need. Show me how good I make you feel.”
Harper’s thighs squeezed my hips as she began to pulsate around me. She screamed my name and gripped my hair as she rode me faster and faster. I had no hope of holding out after the display of pure erotic pleasure Harper just exhibited. I groaned long and deep as I emptied myself inside her.
When we had both come back down from what felt like space, I chuckled against her neck. Lowering her to the ground, I then kissed her deeply. “I am sure everyone in this suite knows exactly what you just felt.”
She snorted in laughter and looked up at me. “Or at least they will know just how well I can fake it.”
I’d show her faking it. She was in for one hell of a ride.
Harper and I didn’t leave that room for the remainder of the night. I made sure she knew just how her body and all its pleasure belonged to me.
The next morning when we exited the room, we found Kade sandwiched between Callie and Avery. All three were fast asleep on the couch.
The sound of bare feet slapping the floor caught my attention. I turned around to find Quinn emerging from the second bedroom. Her hair was sticking up in every direction, and she looked exhausted. She forced a smile, scratched her head, and walked right past us to the nearest coffeepot.
“You doing okay, Quinn?” Harper asked. She grunted in response and I laughed. “Sweetheart, you look like you got rode hard and put away wet.”
I shook my head at Harper’s bluntness.
“Your brother is ridiculous,” Quinn said. “I spent the last six hours on my back without even a fifteen minute break to pee. I’m pretty sure I’ll be walking funny for days.” She turned around and glared at Harper. “I’m pretty sure me and my hoo-hah have you to thank for the friction burn.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle, because Quinn had obviously spent entirely too much time around my girl.
Jett was the next one to appear, and I recognized that gleam in his eyes and the testosterone rolling off him in waves. He looked over at Quinn, winked, and squared his shoulders.
I laughed when Quinn rolled her eyes and turned her back to him. “Don’t even think about it, Jett, you’re cut off. At least for the next couple days. I need time to recover.”
“Hey, how did you all find us anyway?” Harper asked.
“Quinn texted Jett while you were at dinner last night,” I replied, and Harper looked over at Quinn immediately.
“You and your overused hoo-hah only have yourself to blame. You knew he would show up,” she said.
Quinn hung her head in shame, and Jett still wore an accomplished grin.
It was true that the moment he got the message from Quinn, he gathered Kade and me up and we hit the road. One night without our girls was enough; we were both barely hanging on.
***
“I have my next appointment on Thursday. Are you going to come?” Sarah asked as I held the phone to my ear.
I was sitting on my back patio watching Harper slowly submerge her body in the pool. Brutus sat at my feet, snoring. She and I had spent the last few days and nights here at my place, and Brutus had made himself at home. I had even bought him his own bed to keep here, along with enough treats to last a year.
“Did you hear me?” Sarah sounded whiny and needy. “I think you should be there. You haven’t involved yourself, and this baby isn’t just going to go away, Easton.”
“You think I don’t already know that? I heard you. I meant what I said about proof, Sarah.” I took a deep breath and my stomach tightened. “I’ll be there,” I assured her.
Harper looked up at me as she emerged from under the water. Her blonde hair was slicked back, and her blue eyes glowed in the sunlight. I forced a smile, and I could see her immediately picking up on my tension.
“It’s at one o’clock. Please try to be there early. Maybe you should pick me up at my place.” Yeah, nice try, but hell fucking no.
“Text the address and I’ll meet you there,” I told her and hung up before she had the chance to argue. I stood up and pulled my shirt up over my head. Harper’s eyes locked on mine as I lowered myself into the pool and treaded water toward her.
“You okay?” she asked as she wrapped her arms around my neck.
I gripped her waist, pulled her close, and kissed her deeply.
“I am now,” I assured her.
“Wanna talk about it?” She curled her legs around my waist, and I allowed my hands to slide over her ass.
“I have to go to Miami on Thursday,” I told her. “I want you to go with me. Just for the day. She has an appointment at one.”
“Okay,” she replied before kissing my jaw. “I’ll be there for you.”
“I love you, Harp,” I said, looking up into her eyes. “We’ll get through this, right?” It was my biggest fear that in the end we wouldn’t be strong enough, and I would lose the one person who made me feel whole.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said. “I promised you and I meant it. I love you too.”
I lowered the hem of my shorts and worked myself free. I untied the sides of her bikini, and it fell away as I slowly sunk inside her. I craved the intimacy; I needed her as close as possible right now.
We began to move together, our eyes locked. Never had I felt so complete. Harper was a challenge. Every day was a new experience, but one I wouldn’t give up for anything. She consumed me, she was the best thing in my world, and nothing would ever compare.
Chapter Thirty-One
Harper
“Are you sure you don’t want to go?”
I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped me. He smiled in return and leaned across the table to me. “I owe this girl for making sure that you made it home safe after your drinking binge, and I think I should pay up,” I said.
Whitney grinned at Easton and tossed a wadded paper towel in his direction.
“I love you,” he whispered before kissing me once more. “I’ll call you after it’s over.”
I watched as he walked out of the café, and yes, I felt nauseous. I tried to fight it when he was around, but I hated the idea of him having a child with another woman. I hated that she was taking him from me, and in the end I may lose him to her. After the baby came things would change. Sarah and his child would need him, and in turn he and I would grow apart.
