Coming Home Duet

by Cameron Hart

  “I’m sorry about my stupid plan, Harper. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt.”

  “It’s okay. I mean, it kind of worked. He did go all alpha on me and drag me out of the party. And when we got to the apartment, we had a moment…” I look up and wait for Emma to make a big, embarrassing deal about it, but she doesn’t. She’s just listening intently while I get it all out. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. It ended with him telling me this can’t happen and then I told him that I wouldn’t go to the house again and he could forget about me.”

  “What did he say after that?”

  “Nothing. I ran to my room like a coward and, well, you were there when I finally left my depression cave.” I shrug and stare at my pizza again.

  Emma's phone rings for the third time today, and for the third time today, she sends it to voicemail. She shakes her head and then focuses on me. I'll have to get to the bottom of that later.

  “Sorry. Where was I? Oh, yeah. That fucking sucks, Harp. But, is it possible that he was fighting his feelings for you?”

  “Stop, Emma. I can’t. I don’t want your encouragement on this. I’ve already made a big enough fool out of myself, so my plan is to just avoid the house and my dad until Levi goes back to Chicago. It shouldn’t be too long. I overheard my dad and him talk about wrapping up some lawsuit in a few weeks.”

  Emma looks like she’s about to protest but decides better of it and nods instead. “If that’s what you really want, you know I’ve got your back.”

  Of course, it’s not what I want. What I want is to storm into Levi’s room – my room, thank you very much – and ask him what the hell his deal is, and then wrestle him onto my bed so he can take my virginity once and for all. And, as long as we’re playing out the fantasy, I’d like him to hold me in his arms after we have mind-blowing sex and have him tell me he loves me.

  But, since none of the above is even remotely an option, I’ll have to go with plan B. Which is, ignore him for the rest of my life and stick my head in the sand until both of us forget anything that happened in the last week.

  Only, I know I won’t forget him. Probably ever. It’s so much more than how freaking hot he is. Whenever he’s around, I feel… Seen. Heard. And most of all, I feel safe.

  Even when I was pissed at him for literally dragging me out of that party, there was still a part of me that knew he was trying to protect me. I’ve never had any of that. It felt good. Too good. A girl could get addicted to being treated that way.

  Emma gives up on getting any more information out of me, so we pack up the leftover pizza and head home.

  The last person I expect to see waiting on my couch when we walk through the door is Tracy.

  “Oh, hey, welcome, please just let yourself in and make yourself right at home,” Emma greets Tracy with the utmost sarcasm.

  Tracy dutifully ignores her and narrows her eyes at me.

  Emma looks over at me, giving me a questioning look. It's one of the many bestie looks we've perfected over the years. She's silently asking if I need her back up or if I can handle it on my own. I nod, indicating that I've got things under control. She walks back to her room to finish up the paper I know she has due tomorrow.

  “What?” I ask Tracy. It comes out exasperated. I’m really done with everything right now.

  “You look like shit.”

  “Thanks. You had to come all the way over here to tell me that? I feel like a text would have sufficed.”

  “No. I came over here to tell you to stop whatever is going on between you and Levi.”

  My head snaps over to where she’s sitting on the couch.

  "Nothing is going on." It's not a lie. Levi made it very clear he wanted nothing to do with me.

  “Well, good. He’s nothing but trouble. He’s got that messy lawsuit to deal with, he’s known for his philandering ways, and he’s closer to your dad’s age than yours. I wouldn’t want to see you get hurt.”

  “Oh, bullshit, Tracy.” I’m almost as stunned at my words as she is. “You’ve never cared about me, so why start now? You want Levi all to yourself? Go ahead. Have at him.” My stomach twists at the thought, but I guess I better get used to the idea of him being with another woman.

  Tracy looks all hot and bothered. She stumbles over her next words, which do not match her body language. “Why, Harper! I am married to your father!” She’s trying to be indignant, but it’s coming out as overly defensive.

  The lady doth protest too much.

  “Anyway,” she continues. “Your father wanted me to inform you that he and Levi are throwing a party next week to drum up business. We need to get the image of Crawford and Burke out of the gutter, which means we need to be a family. You are to show up at the house on Saturday in appropriate attire. Black dress and shoes, preferably.”

  “No.” My response is automatic. I’ve never defied my dad’s wishes before, but I’m an adult now, and if I don’t want to go, I don’t have to.

  “What?”

  “You heard me. I don’t want to go.”

  “Did you forget that we pay for your schooling? Your apartment? When we ask you to come home and play the part of doting daughter, you must understand it’s not a request.”

  “It’s a threat then?”

  “See it however you like. Whatever helps you get on track and get your ass to show up on Saturday.”

  I’m furious. It’s not the first time they’ve twisted my arm a little to get me to do or say certain things, especially when it comes to being the perfect daughter and saving face for the company. But it’s never quite gone this far.

  Before I can open my mouth to tell Tracy where exactly she can shove her threat, she says, “Remember, it’s not just you who would be homeless. It’s Emma too.”

  That shuts me up real quick. Emma doesn’t talk about her home life very much. She never did. Emma has always put on a strong front that a lot of people buy into, but I see the real her. There’s some part of her that has always been…haunted. But I haven’t ever pressed her about it too much. She always seemed like she just needed a safe place to land, and I’m so lucky that she chose me for the job.

  All I really know is that she stayed over at our house a lot growing up and then eventually moved in full time when we left for Atlanta. I still can’t believe my dad let her. I’ve only been to her house in Tampa once in all of our eleven years of friendship, and it looked like a crack den. I don’t think she has anybody but me. So, I can’t let her down.

  “Fine,” I grit out. I vow to find a way to be financially independent as soon as possible, taking extra shifts at the coffee shop, finding a second job, whatever it takes. I don’t like them threatening Emma’s well-being.

  “Great!” Tracy perks right up as if we were planning a fun little girls’ weekend and decided on the perfect spa. She turns on her heel and shows herself out.

  Well, frick. So much for avoiding Levi.

  Chapter 7

  Levi

  I am in hell.

  Watching Harper walk away, letting her think I would ever forget her…it hurt so fucking bad. Over the six days since I’ve seen her, I’ve had a lot of time to think about all the ways I screwed up. I’ve gone through several stages of grief, in no particular order. Denial, of course, that there was anything between us in the first place, that her attraction to me was some schoolgirl crush. But that quickly turned to anger when I remembered how she looked at me that night, the last night I saw her. She trusted me completely. And I shattered that precious gift.

  Thus the anger turned into more anger, which gave way to depression and helplessness. And then back to anger. Finally, after a brutal five days of having more mood swings than I’ve ever had in the thirty-six years of my life up until this point, I came to acceptance.

  I love Harper. Love her so goddamn much. And it’s crazy because we’ve barely held a conversation that didn’t end in me pushing her away.

  And yet, I know her. She’s this intoxicating mix of quirky, intelligent
, and shy. But she’s also shown me passion and challenged me. And of course, there is her sexy, curvy body. The fact that she has no idea how beautiful she is both breaks my heart and turns me on. I love that she’s not like the obvious women who throw themselves at me, like Tracy, and countless others back in Chicago. But I hate that her shyness comes from a lack of self-esteem, no doubt worn down over the years living with her truly terrible stepmom.

  I get my thoughts in order as I roll the sleeves up on my white dress shirt. Dan said the soiree this evening was casual, but anything dubbed a "soiree" cannot possibly be that casual. Plus, from all the years I've worked with Dan, I know his idea of "laid back" means "tie optional." So, all things considered, I feel like I'm pushing the envelope with my rolled-up sleeves and no suit jacket.

  This whole thing was Dan’s idea, but I can’t say I’m mad about it. It’s the perfect excuse to see Harper. I still have warring emotions about her. I love her, of that I am sure. But I still don’t know what’s best for her. I can’t be selfish with Harper. I won’t be. I have a feeling when I see her again, I’ll know what to do.

  ✽✽✽

  We're an hour into this insufferable party and there's no sign of Harper. At least I didn't have to go very far – the party, sorry, soiree, is being held in Dan's huge backyard. He's pulled out all the stops – open bar, live music, the works. He's very good at schmoozing, whereas I like to tell it like it is. I hate manipulation and I greatly abhor small talk. So, you could say this is kind of like my personal hell.

  But I had hoped Harper would be here. I never thought I’d say this, but my heart literally aches without her.

  I’m sipping on my scotch and only half paying attention to the bottle blonde talking to me when I feel her presence. Looking around, I spot Harper by the bar. She’s stunning. Even more beautiful than I remember, and it’s only been a few days since I’ve seen her.

  Despite everyone else being dressed in black and white, she's wearing a light green dress. I'm sure Tracy told her about the dress code, and I love that Harper is giving her a huge middle finger by showing up in the stunning green dress. The color makes her eyes look particularly green as well. I love that they change color, it only makes her more unique and irresistible.

  Her hair is swept up in a low bun off to one side, revealing her slender neck. She doesn't have on much makeup, only enough to accent her already gorgeous features. I'm drawn to her like a magnet, but I want to observe her a little longer, appreciate her beauty from afar before she sees me and gets angry or defensive, or God forbid, she cries. I don't know if my heart could take it knowing I made her cry.

  So, I keep my distance for now, though I can’t seem to take my eyes off of her.

  “Levi? Hello! Levi? Is everything okay?” The blonde says. Her voice is high and fake, and I find it very annoying. Like nails on a chalkboard. I want to hear Harper’s sweet voice.

  “Sorry, what was that?”

  “I said, can I set up an appointment for you to look over my portfolio? Maybe we can turn it into a working dinner of sorts.”

  I feel disgusted by her obvious proposition, but I should make an effort to drum up business while I can. I ask her a few questions about her financial goals and what he’s looking for.

  When we’re finally done with the conversation, blondie tries flirting with me for a few minutes, but I make it clear I’m not interested. Soon enough she gets bored and excuses herself.

  I turn around to find Harper, but she isn't at the bar anymore. I'm suddenly on edge, panic spiking through my bloodstream. I scan the crowd for her green dress and auburn hair and finally see her on the deck with Tracy.

  Tracy is gripping Harper’s arm hard enough to make Harper wince. Rage takes the place of panic, and I stride over towards the deck. When I get closer, I hear Tracy scolding Harper.

  “Don’t make a scene here, Harper.”

  “B-b-but, he was trying to—”

  “Stop it. No one will believe you. Look at yourself, in another dress that isn’t doing anything to hide your hips.”

  Fucking bitch. I hate her. Down to my very core, I hate Tracy Crawford.

  I finally reach them, and Harper looks up at me, hitting me with those big doe eyes of hers. I see hurt and anger, as well as relief. Just like when I saw her at the frat party. I love that even though she has every right to be pissed at me, there’s some part of her that feels safe when I’m around.

  “Everything okay over here, Harper?” I ask.

  “It’s fine. None of your business, Levi,” Tracy spits out, loosening her hold on Harper.

  Harper looks down at the ground as her hand goes up to rub the area Tracy was gripping her. It’s red and will probably bruise later.

  Never taking my eyes off of Harper, I say, “I was talking to Harper. Is everything okay?”

  She nods. It kills me that she won’t talk. I don’t know what else Tracy said to her before I got there, but I heard enough.

  “I’m fine, Levi.” Harper finally says. “I…I need to go, excuse me.”

  Harper turns and runs towards the sliding glass door, throwing it open and disappearing inside. I finally look over at Tracy, giving her a deadly glare. “What did you say to her?” I snap.

  "As I said, it's none of your business. You need to leave her alone, Levi. It won't end well for either of you."

  I wipe my hand down my face and take a breath. I know Tracy will make good on her threat, and while I don’t really care about what she’ll do to me, I know she still has a hold on Harper and could do some real damage.

  I don’t address Tracy, I just head over to the bar, hoping that will satisfy her.

  A few minutes later, Tracy is back in the crowd, schmoozing just like her husband. I head back to the deck and slip through the door. I don’t see Harper anywhere in the kitchen, den, or dining room, but I have a feeling I know where she is.

  Opening the door to her room, I see Harper curled up into herself on the floor of her closet, like she’s trying to hide away from the world. She’s pale and shaking, tears in her eyes, but not falling down her face.

  I kneel beside her and pull her into my lap, cradling her in my arms. She doesn’t fight me at all, she just melts into my embrace, fisting my shirt like she thinks I’m going to leave her at any moment.

  Seeing her get torn to pieces by Tracy – not for the first time, either – has solidified my decision to keep her. She’s mine now. I may be a mess, and my life may be complicated, and it’ll piss her family off, and I still don’t know how we’ll work out the distance between Atlanta and Chicago, but I know none of it matters. She’s mine. Mine, mine, mine.

  I rest my forehead on top of her head, breathing in her comforting scent of citrus and vanilla. “What happened, sweetheart?” I whisper into her hair.

  “I shouldn’t have worn this dress,”

  “What? You look stunning. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of you.”

  I nudge her head up to look at me. Her eyes are rimmed in red, and I see fear and shame clouding her gorgeous green irises. It doesn’t sit well with me. Not one bit.

  “I was at the bar and one of the older guys…” She shakes her head and sniffles. “Dad said I should…”

  “Said you should what, baby?”

  “Dad wanted me to talk with him. Flirt with him. He…he touched my leg and kept going up and I tried getting away and he gripped me harder and so I tossed my drink at him and tried going inside when Tracy grabbed me.”

  White-hot anger shoots through me and I want to strangle whoever that motherfucker is. And Dan. I want to fucking murder him. I'm out. I can't do business with him anymore. I have to deal with that later, though; right now Harper needs me.

  “Fuck, sweetheart. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there. I’m so sorry.” I tuck her head back into my chest and kiss the top of her head.

  That’s when her tears start. She sobs into my chest, soaking my shirt and shaking. I hold her tighter, willing my strength and warmth to cover her and mak
e her feel safe again. Stroking her back, I whisper in her hair, “I’ve got you, sweet girl. I’m here.”

  Suddenly, she jerks her head up.

  “I’m mad at you. Why are you here? You were supposed to forget me because nothing can happen.”

  She tries getting away from me, but I hold her tight.

  “I could never forget you, Harper. You are a part of me, don’t you feel it?”

  “Yeah, I fucking feel it. That’s why it hurt like hell when you shot me down. Twice. It felt like my heart was being torn from my body. I didn’t leave my bed for two days. It felt like I didn’t have the strength to do anything but cry and miss you, which is crazy because I don’t even really know you, I just know I needed you and you left.”

  Her confession tears me in two. I’ve never heard her swear before, and I don’t like that I drove her to that.

  “I know. I’m so sorry, Harper. I thought I was protecting you. I won’t lie, my life is a mess right now, and being together comes with risks. For both of us. But these last few days have been the worst of my life. I’m a selfish bastard and I can’t stay away from you.”

  “So don’t.”

  “Harper…”

  “I want you, Levi. I need you. It’s crazy how much I need you. Please?”

  Her begging does me in. I reach out and cup her cheek, running my thumb over her soft lips. She kisses the pad of my thumb and looks up at me. I love that I can read every emotion in her soulful eyes. I see trust. And hunger. A hunger that matches my own.

  “Please,” she whispers again.

  My hand moves to the back of her neck, pulling her close. I rest my forehead on hers, feeling her tremble with need. This will change everything. Once I taste her lips, there’s no going back. I’ll have all of her and I’ll never let her go.

  My mouth descends on hers and she meets me halfway. Our lips touch and I feel it in my very soul, cracking me open and filling me with love and lust. She parts for me and I slip my tongue inside her mouth, taking my time to explore her. I'm completely gone, so lost in Harper.

  She moans softly and I tilt her head to deepen the kiss, pulling her closer. Her hands snake up my chest and circle my neck. She repositions herself so she's straddling me. The kiss quickly turns from sweet to passionate, ravenous, and desperate. I place my hands on her hips and then slide them down to her luscious ass, squeezing and pulling her closer, helping her grind down on my hard cock. I feel the heat of her pussy, her juices soaking through her panties.