by AJ Matthews
“Harper it’s fine.” He opened the door for them to step back out, locked it then pulled it shut. “What had you so busy?”
“Went to the new house. Had some planning to do and lost track of time.” She dropped into the passenger seat. “I’m glad you chose tonight because I’m excited about moving here, I think I’m going to get my stuff tomorrow. If Zoey can help of course.”
“What about your furniture?”
“There’s a couple of guys who live up the hall. One has had a crush on me for a while and I think I can use that to my advantage.”
“Why don’t I go with you?”
“I thought you had to work?”
“I’m the boss. I can give myself the day off.”
Harper licked her lips to avoid the smile that threatened to form.
“That would be great. I bet Zoey would help out in the office at the shop if you asked her to. I mean, packing and moving isn’t anyone’s idea of exciting. She’ll be happy to get out of it.”
“All she’ll do is distract Wyatt.”
“Yeah, and I can’t promise they won’t have sex on your desk either.”
“Gross,” he said with a laugh.
Riley let Harper choose the movie and she went with a comedy rather than a chick flick. Instead going for a raunchy guy flick with crude humor and boobs. She laughed hard. Riley worried she’d choke on the popcorn as she ate.
“Damn, that was funny,” she said as they walked back to his car. As soon as they stepped out of the theater, Riley slipped her hand in his and she let him. Actually, her insides turned into a whirling tornado of excitement and desire but on the outside, she let it slide like she didn’t even realize he’d done it.
“It was.”
When they got to the car, Harper leaned against her side while he unlocked the doors, her hands grabbing onto the car behind her.
“Hungry?” He asked stepping into her personal space, the scent of his soap permeating every one of her senses. She shook her head while biting her bottom lip. “Ready to go home.” She shook her head again causing him to raise an eyebrow. “Want to go back to my place?” This time she let a small, innocent smile cross her face as she nodded.
Riley opened the door to let her slide in.
Chapter Eight
This was exactly how he wanted the night to end. As he sat there listening to Harper laugh at the dumbest jokes the movie offered up, Riley knew the time for fighting his feelings for her passed. Even if it scared the shit out him.
At first, he offered her a drink, which she took and they settled on the couch making small talk, mostly about her new job. He didn’t know what the fuck he was doing but he was doing it.
Yet, she surprised him by climbing up onto her knees then slowly coming closer until she could lean in to kiss him. He responded immediately.
Her lips tasted like cherry and if she let him, he’d keep kissing her until all the flavor from her lip gloss disappeared. But Harper took control this time.
She pushed him back against the couch and straddled his lap. His hands grabbed her hips and pushed her into his hard cock. It did nothing to ease the ache there. Her fingers played with his hair at the nape of his neck sending shivers down his spine. She knew the right way to touch him as his tongue explored every part of her mouth until she pulled back for air.
“Riley,” she whispered but she didn’t need words. He knew what she needed by the look in those beautiful fucking eyes.
He pulled off her tank top and let it fall to the floor. As beautiful as she was, flushed, breathing quickly while sitting there in only a white bra, he needed her bare. He reached around and flicked open the clasp in the back. Against his instinct to yank the damn thing off her, he slowly slid the straps down her arms until her hard nipples hit the air. He took one into his mouth, sucking then biting softly but enough to elicit a moan from Harper. Then he moved to the other and she began squirming. She needed more and he’d give her anything she wanted.
“Come here,” he said standing with her still on him.
An arm slipped under her ass and another around her back to keep her from falling. He turned around and placed her on the couch. He flicked open the button on her shorts then slid them down her tan legs leaving her completely naked underneath him. He’d never look at that piece of furniture the same way again.
Riley leaned down and gave her a slow, languid kiss. A kiss they could both get lost in. Lost until he pulled back, grabbed her hips and yanked until she sat at the edge of the couch where he dropped to the floor and pushed her legs apart with his shoulders. This was a view he hadn’t seen before. A view he wanted to see the rest of his life.
A thought that didn’t scare the shit of him. What has this woman done to him?
The first touch of his tongue made her jump as if he’d shocked her. He put his hand on her stomach to hold her in place. But every moan, every time she writhed with pleasure brought a sense of male pride brimming to the surface, urging him along to push her further until her entire world exploded. When it did, he felt like the king of the fucking world.
“Don’t move.” His voice sounded harsh to his own ears in the air that previously only contained her gasps and moans.
He stalked to his room, grabbed a condom then put it on as he walked back to the living room where he found her exactly as he’d left her. She didn’t move an inch.
When he got to her, he leaned down and drew her into another long, slow kiss as he got them into position then slowly slid inside her. His hands touched everywhere they could reach, digging into her skin in some place and lightly tracing her curves in other.
Everywhere Harper touched him left a burning trail in her fingers wake and pushed him to move faster and harder until he came so hard he saw stars, unlike anything he’d experienced in his life.
His heavy breaths blew across her skin as he dropped his head to shoulder.
“I’ll be right back,” he said once he could speak again. He kissed her shoulder then pushed up off the couch.
After disposing of the condom, he grabbed a sheet before returning to Harper on the couch. An angel laying there looking too tired to move. He squeezed beside her and she moved onto her side where she could wrap herself around him. Then he flung the sheet out to cover them. They could’ve stayed naked for all he cared but her skin covered with little goose bumps when he got up. He worried that she’d get chilly.
“Are you going to leave right away again?”
Harper didn’t move or open her eyes. “Do you want me to?”
“No.”
“Good.” She snuggled into him tighter. “I don’t want to.”
They laid there holding each other quietly but Riley’s mind began working overtime. There was no question in his mind that Harper had to be his and he hers. Nothing else would be acceptable. Somehow this woman wormed her way into his heart and no matter how hard he’d tried to resist, he couldn’t resist her.
However, they hadn’t known each other that long, only really started spending time together this summer but he knew the words before he said them. And not saying them was no longer an option.
“Hey, Harper?”
“Hmm?” She tilted her head, resting her chin on his chest and looked up at him with those beautiful blue eyes. The way her red hair stuck out all over the place, looking like she’d been doing exactly what they’d been doing and the fact that he made her look like that, instantly turned him on again. Enough that he almost forgot what he’d been about to say.
“Riley?” She asked with a tired smile.
“Sorry.” He wet his lips. “I’m falling in love with you, Harper.” Her eyes grew wide. “I know that sounds like a lot coming from me and everything but I started having feelings for you that first day you got here. At the grill. Fuck.” He blew out a harsh breath. “Probably before that.”
“Riley,” she said softly, turning her head to the side. “I already love you.”
He leaned down gently kissing her lips, s
avoring the moment.
“Stay the night?”
She nodded with a small grin on her face.
The next morning, Riley talked her into going to her apartment right away instead of waiting another day. He said today was a lighter day at the shop which meant it’d be easier to be away. First, they had to stop at Zoey’s apartment. Harper needed to take a quick shower and change her clothes while Riley said he’d get Wyatt to give him a ride over to the truck rental place.
“And where were you all night, young lady?” Zoey asked with her hands on her hips the moment Harper walked through the door of the apartment.
When Riley followed her inside, Zoey’s mouth dropped open slightly and her eyes widened. Wyatt, who stood behind Zoey leaning on the kitchen counter, snorted.
“No worries, Mother. I was in good hands,” Harper told her friend.
“Good hands?” Zoey asked with disgust.
“Very good hands.”
Zoey pretended to gag like she was about to vomit. Even leaned over with her hands on her knees to brace herself.
“Paybacks suck,” Wyatt said through his laughter.
“Hey,” Riley said to Wyatt. “Can you run me over to Dukes? We’re going to move Harper today.”
This made Zoey snap up pin straight and look surprised again.
“Sure.” Wyatt strode past Zoey, dropping a quick kiss on her cheek as he went.
Riley kissed the side of Harper’s head before he turned around and left too. Harper wished he hadn’t missed the look on his sister’s face.
“I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone,” Zoey said.
“No zones, Zoey.” Harper strode to the dresser that held all of her clothes the plucked out several items. “But I could really freak you out if I wanted to.”
“As long as it doesn’t involve my brother and him wanting to wear a diaper like a baby, do it. Freak me out.”
Harper turned, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth.
“He told me he’s falling in love with me.”
“What. The. Fuck.”
“I know. And I know he didn’t say he loves me but he said he’s starting to and that means something.”
“Are you kidding me?” Zoey looked at her like she was stupid, all wide-eyed surprise. “He loves you. I’m pretty sure my brother has never said anything close to that to anyone before. This is huge. What’d you say?”
Harper shrugged. “I told him I already love him and I really hope he’s not freaking the fuck out.”
“You said it was last night, right? And he was still here this morning. He’s not freaking out and even if he started to, Wyatt would stop that shit. They know how to handle each other.” Zoey leaned back against the table. “Wow.”
“I know.” Harper tried, unsuccessfully to keep from grinning like a fool.
“Are you still moving into your house?”
“Of course.” Harper rolled her eyes. “We’re not there yet. Moving in and everything. No. But I love him. You should get used to seeing me around.”
“Yay,” Zoey screamed as she ran at Harper and pulled her into a strong hug. “And I will kill him if he ever does anything stupid.” Then she pulled back. “But you still have to be my keeper of secrets.”
Harper laughed loudly. “That’ll never change, Zoey. You’re the keeper of mine. Remember that.”
“Cross my heart.”
“I have to grab a shower before your brother and I leave.”
Zoey shook her head. “Go. I still want to know everything about your life and I don’t care that he’s my brother.”
“You sure about that?”
She nodded.
“Good.”
The girls told each other everything since the third time they hung out and became best friends. Harper didn’t want that to change now that she and Zoey’s brother were together. She couldn’t be happier when Zoey said she didn’t want it to change either.
Twenty minutes later, Harper came out, put together to Riley waiting for her.
“I can help unload things after work,” Wyatt offered.
“That should be right around the time we get back. Thanks,” Harper gave him a quick hug.
“And I’ll get dinner. Sandwiches or something. Between the four of us, I think we’ll have your place together in no time.”
“Sounds perfect.”
“We better get moving,” Riley nudged Harper with his arm.
“Right. See you later.” She waved over her shoulder before they left the apartment.
“Thanks for doing this,” Harper said after climbing up into that huge truck. “Did we need a truck this big?”
“I only want to make one trip, and Harper, we’re together. Who else would be helping you move?”
“Well…” She tapped her chin, thinking deeply. “There are the guys that live down the hall.”
Riley shook his head with a smile. “Then they can help me move the couch.” He pulled the truck off to the side of the road and put it in park.
“Harper,” he said hitting the release button on her seatbelt then pulled her toward him. “Somewhere along the way, you made me yours. I’m yours. You don’t have to ask if I’ll help you. I’ll always help you.”
“I love you, Riley.”
Epilogue
“Come on Harper,” Riley whined.
“Riley. I still have six months left on my lease,” she said with a smile. She found it adorable when he begged. And in this case, he wanted her to move in with him. She couldn’t say she’d hate being with him all the time, which truth be told, she already was, but living together took them to a whole new level of intimacy.
“George is a friend of my dad’s. He’ll let you out of your lease. I’ll talk to him.”
“And make him miss out on six months’ rent?”
“Pfff. He has a waiting list. He cut you to the front of the line because you brought Zoey with you when you looked at the place. He’ll put someone else in it.” Riley leaned against the table, grabbed her hips and pulled her between his legs. “Don’t you want to live with me?”
“Of course I do.” She took a deep breath. “Are you sure that you’re ready for that?”
“Are you?”
And there it was. Two people, who still needed to get used to being in a relationship now faced the decision as to whether anything would hold them back. For Harper, the answer was easy.
“I’m ready for anything you want to give, Riley. Except a baby. Keep that shit to yourself.”
He burst out a laugh, his breath hitting her face.
“Yeah. No problem there. Pretty sure Wyatt and Zoey will beat us on that one.”
“True. I think they’ll be married by the end of the year.”
“I agree. Come on. Let me talk to George, get you out of your lease so I can have you at home, barefoot and not pregnant.”
She couldn’t help but giggle at his way with words. Yes, she worked from home most of the time and yes, she liked to be barefoot a lot even in the winter. Two things he loved to tease her about.
Harper took a deep breath and took the plunge.
“Ok. If you can get me out of my lease and ensure that he has someone else to move in, we’ll do it. I’ll move in with you.”
“Done.”
Riley swooped in and claimed her mouth. They kissed so long; they were almost late for dinner with Zoey and Wyatt.
“I love you, Harper,” he said nipping her lips one final time before they really had to leave.
“I love you too, Riley.”
She had no doubt in her mind that he was it for her and while it took him a summer to realize it, she was everything he’d been waiting for without realizing he’d even been waiting.
About the Author
Heather Young-Nichols is a multi-published YA and contemporary romance author and a native of the great and often very cold state of Michigan. She is better known at home and to her friends as the Snarker-in-Chief, a job she excels at beyond anything she could
have imagined. She loves many things, but especially cold coffee, hot books, and baseball. But not necessarily in that order.
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Cami Winston’s Spindr dates are all low-budget varietals, sadly lacking in depth, texture and complexity. Good thing she loves horses. Therese Valdezzi-Ribauld asks her to compete on Sfumato, a top level jumper, and a sophomoric Saturday Spinr date ends at Sauvignon, Marcus Ribauld’s standout Sonoma nightspot. Suddenly, Cami’s sensible, solitary existence starts spinning out of control. Marcus is Therese’s ex-husband, the worst thing that ever happened to her. Cami’s fling with the hot vintner/ restauranteur is past history. . . Isn’t it?
Sonoma Saturdays copyright 2017 by Lilly Christine
For publisher information, contact [email protected]. Contact the author at [email protected]
