It Was Always You (Harpers Ridge Book 1)

by Ann Carver

  He walked back to his bedroom to ask Harper what she wanted for breakfast when he witnessed two, equally disturbing things. Harper moving like a robot and some music that sounded like Techno meets the depths of hell, rap. It didn’t deter him from smiling at her as she…danced?

  When she came out of the closest singing the same word over and over again, she smiled at him when she finally gazed at him. “You coming to make sure I’m not messing anything up?” she asked, teasing.

  “Nope,” he said as he leaned into the door frame and crossed his arms lazily. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Always,” she replied.

  “What the hell is that?” he asked trying to be serious, but it was a lost cause.

  Harper rolled her head back and laughed. Damn, he loved that laugh. He didn’t see it often, so when he did, he cherished every second of it. He wished she’d laugh more. Her red hair swayed back and forth. It was still in a messy pile on her head, but a lot of it had escaped. She hadn’t brushed it since waking up. She didn’t have make-up on. She didn’t need it. Not with her natural beauty.

  “You really don’t know a thing about old school rap do you? These guys are classic.”

  He tried not letting his lips twitch, but he couldn’t help it. “Nope, and I’m convinced I’m better for it. You’re dancing like a robot…if you can even call it dancing.”

  Harpers eyes opened big. “I can play something you can dance to,” she said excitedly as she flipped through her music. “Here it is.”

  Joe had no confidence it was going to be dance worthy, but he was sure he’d get a good laugh out of it. Harper took his hand and pulled him into the middle of the bedroom as music played. It vaguely sounded familiar, which was crazy in itself. “What is this?” he asked, reluctant he’d actually be able to dance to it.

  “’Tootsee Roll’ by 69 Boyz,” she said with a wide smile.

  With a quick turn, she began twerking in front of him. At least that’s what it looked like. He’d seen people going crazy with it after Miley Cyrus went wild with it. He was about to ask her what she was doing when she backed her ass right onto him.

  Twerking didn’t even remotely sound like what she was doing. She was grinding on him and when he should have moved away, he couldn’t. His dick defied him by liking it too damn much. He was fucked.

  When she was done grinding her ass up and down on him, she dipped forward and moved side to side while her hands waved in the air, clapping every so often, to the rhythm of the music. He took the opportunity to take a step back. He needed to run the hell out of there, but he enjoyed watching her.

  She turned and faced him with a wide smile and flushed cheeks. She was warm from the physical activity, but he was hot from horniness. It got worse when she started doing some type of line dancing. He was mesmerized by her natural moves. Then things got real again when she turned and backed up to him grinding her sweet ass on his hard-on.

  He was in pain when the song ended. Not from the music, but from the discomfort of his erection. He’d tried thinking of hardware, but he remembered where that had taken him before. Nope, he’d have to find something else to think about, but right now, he couldn’t think of anything except taking her right then and there on the bed…or a cold shower.

  “Isn’t that a great song to dance to?” Harper asked winded as she turned around and hugged him.

  He felt her freeze then slowly pull back from him. Her head tilted down and here gaze stared at his bulging pants.

  “Ignore it,” he said stoically.

  She looked up at him with shocked eyes. “Did I…do that?” she asked.

  “It’d get hard if a sheep rubbed up against it,” he said matter-of-factly, then turned and walked to the bathroom.

  Standing in the cold shower, he got angry with himself. He should have never allowed that to happen. It’d been a long time without sex and he was pretty certain if a sheep had rubbed up against him, he’d have the same reaction. Probably.

  The cold shower wasn’t working. His dick was still hard and now cold. He thought they were supposed to shrink in cold temperatures. Leave it to his second brain to defy all…including Harper. He reached over and turned the hot water on. Still angry with himself and now his dick, he lathered his hand with soap and stroked himself until his anger turned into a happy release.

  When he walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, he headed toward the bedroom to get some clothes. He smelled something delicious and hoped Harper was in the kitchen making breakfast, because he was starving.

  He plopped on the bed and reached for a pair of socks when Harper walked into the room. Not wanting to look at her, he acted like he hadn’t seen her yet. He figured she’d seen right through him and knew what he did in the shower while thinking about her and he was too embarrassed to face her.

  Just when he was about to sit up and take his punishment, she kneeled on the floor in front of him. He looked at her, but she didn’t look at him. He wanted to say something, but what?

  Turns out he didn’t have to say anything. He couldn’t because his breathing hitched when she undid the towel around his waist.

  “I can take care of your problem for you,” she said quietly.

  “Harper,” he said in a girly, high-pitched voice as he tried pushing her back.

  She slapped his hands away then stroked him once. And, damn if his dick didn’t defy him again. He called out to her again, this time as a low throaty growl, but she held his hand at bay with hers. Not like she could hold him down if she wanted too. Joe could overtake her in a heartbeat, but he didn’t.

  She stroked him again. “Harper,” he growled, but she didn’t stop. Just when he was going to push her away, she bent over and took him in her mouth, which made him place his hands on either side of him to keep from falling over.

  Her mouth sliding down the length of him nearly made him come right then and there. Her tongue moved side to side in the perfect rhythm that had him clenching the covers of his bed. He wanted to tell her to stop, but there was no way he could speak. Not now.

  When she pulled back up, her mouth opened and her tongue circled the tip, teasingly, before she savagely came back down. Her lips met her hand that was wrapped around him and they began to move quickly in sync with each other. He couldn’t think and then his brain exploded when she began to hum. The added vibration sent him over, embarrassingly quick.

  Harper continued to stoke him gently to ride out his pleasure before getting up and leaving the room.

  He was a lot of things at the moment. Satisfied completely. Sated. Regretful. And, mostly an asshole. He should have stopped her. And when he hadn’t stopped her, he should have offered to satisfy her with his own mouth, but he didn’t. He just let her get up and walk out of the room.

  Chapter Ten

  Harper took a quick, hot shower and was back in the kitchen before Joey came out of his bedroom. She wondered if he was hiding from her. He didn’t need to be. She knew guys got a hard-on at a change in wind. She also knew that it was simple to relieve them. It was her way of thanking him for all he’d done for her. Joey had always been there for her. Always.

  The pancakes were warming, the omelets were almost ready and the sausage links were covered, keeping them warm. She slid the omelets onto plates then put them on the table and poured orange juice for her and Joey. Then she waited.

  After a few minutes passed, she decided to go see what was taking him so long. She knocked on the door instead of barging in. She didn’t hear any movement and the mystery grew. Opening the door slightly, she stuck her head in and called out his name.

  “Yeah, be right there,” he said coming out of the closet.

  “Everything okay?” she asked with a raised brow.

  “Yeah, I just wanted to get these boxes out of your way if you needed more room for your other stuff,” he said as he put a box on top of another next to his dresser.

  Harper moved into the room all the way. “I don’t nee
d any more room, Joey. All I have is my suitcase.”

  His eyes quickly connected with hers. “What do you mean? What about furniture and…I don’t know, girl stuff that girls collect?”

  She laughed at him. “You mean knick-knacks or decorations? I basically rented a room with a co-worker. I never had any of that stuff.”

  Looking into his eyes, she saw the sadness he had for her. She didn’t need pity. Not anymore, because she was taking a new lease out on life. It’d started a year ago when she gave up drinking every night and replacing feeling with men. She knew people had called her a slut or a whore, but they were just words. Those people didn’t know her and they were hypocritical. Men who sleep around get congratulated, but women get looked down upon. She was always careful. She never had unprotected sex. Ever.

  “It’s no big deal. I have the rest of my life for knick-knacks. I’ll have all that stuff when I get the block house all fixed up,” she said cheerfully. “Now let’s go eat breakfast….at almost dinner time,” she said looking at her wrist as if a watch was there. “I really need to get back on a normal schedule. Staying up and sleeping with you during the day is keeping me from getting a lot done at the block house.”

  Joey took her hand and pulled her into a hug. “Well, you’re in luck. I have today off, so I can help you at the house.” There was a slight pause before he said softly, “And, thank you…for…you know.”

  Harper took in the smell of him as he pressed her against him tightly. He smelled like woodsy soap and a whole lot of male. She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes. “I’d do anything for you, Joey. Anything.”

  He pulled her chin up to look at him. “And, I’d do anything for you. How about we go eat and figure out what we need to get done at the house.”

  She smiled wide at him. “Sounds great. I hope you’re hungry, I make tons of food.”

  “I’m always hungry,” he said with a laugh and followed her into the kitchen.

  They sat down at the little table, and ate the small army of food, while discussing the next move. Joey would stop at the hardware store to check on his grandpa and pick up drywall, and piping for the plumbing. He told her he’d save her a lot of money if he did it for her. His grandpa had taught him a lot about house improvements and those skills would come in handy.

  After cleaning up, Joey left for the hardware store and Harper went to the block house to meet a contractor for the roof. First, she stopped at an appliance store to quickly look at kitchen appliances. After leaving, she was more confused on what she needed than when she walked in. Since when had there become so many different types of everything?

  The next stop was for something she hadn’t discussed with Joey. The small gun and knife store was just outside of Harpers Ridge, tucked away in the woods. She walked into the store and was amazed at the quantity of guns and knives in the tiny place.

  An older gentlemen and younger man greeted her. They were obviously related with their blonde hair and similar features. Father and son.

  “Hello,” they both said simultaneously, and then they looked at each other and laughed.

  “Hi,” Harper said giggling with them.

  “Is there something in particular you’re looking for?” the older gentlemen asked.

  She looked around again at all the stuff they had. She had no idea what she was looking for. “Um, I’m not sure. I have an amazing friend...a guy friend, who I want to buy something special for. Something useful he can use. Not a knick-knack.”

  The older gentleman looked at the younger version of himself and said, “I think you can help her out, Jimmy. I have inventory to get done.” He then turned toward her and said, “You’re in good hands with Jimmy. He knows everything there is about great gifts for guys.” He winked at her and walked away.

  Jimmy looked at her with a big smile. “Well, you’re in luck,” he said with a chuckle. “No knick-knacks here. So, tell me about your amazing friend?”

  Her lips curled into a smile just at the thought of Joey. If she’d ever loved a person, which she didn’t because she didn’t know what love was, it was Joey. He’d never judged her and was always there for her. This was her way of showing him how she felt about him.

  “He’s an EMT and works third shift. He helps with search and rescue sometimes and…I don’t know what else. I’m sorry,” she said realizing it’d been seven years and she really didn’t know much about his life now-a-days.

  “Perfect,” he said enthusiastically. “I think I can show you just the right thing.” He escorted her to a showcase of knives. A million knives. “If he does some search and rescue, then he’s an outdoorsman, probably.” He reached into the case and pulled out a knife. “This is an Ontario Blackbird SK-5 Survival Knife. It’s the one Creek uses on his television show. And, this is a sheath like the one he uses as well.”

  Harper took the knife from him to inspect it. Which was a joke because she knew absolutely nothing about knives. She then looked over the leather sheath. “Yes, I think he’ll like it. I’ll take it.”

  “I think he’ll more than like it. He just might get down on one knee and propose,” Jimmy said with a smile.

  “Oh, we’re not like that. We really are just friends,” Harper said feeling awkward.

  “My apologies. Either way, I’m sure he’ll love it. I can ring it up for you down here,” he said as he moved to the end of the counter.

  Harper paid for the items and hoped like hell he loved it for what she paid for it. But, he was doing work at the block house, saving her money, and let her stay with him. He deserved it.

  As Jimmy handed over her purchase he said, “He’s a very lucky guy to have a friend like you.”

  She blushed and looked away from him. “Thank you,” she said softly and left. A year ago, she’d have asked him out for a drink and possibly a rumble in the sheets. He was tall, blonde with a couple day old beard and a killer smile. The lady’s-man man.

  By the time she got to the block house, the contractor was already there and on the roof looking around. As she headed toward the house, Joey pulled into the driveway so she waited.

  “Hey, how’s your grandpa?” she asked, happy to see him. She was excited to give him the gift, but she’d wait until after she talked to the contractor.

  Joey smiled at her. “He’s holding down the fort, so I’d say he’s doing well.” He looked up toward the roof. “Is that your contractor?”

  “Yeah, he had the best reviews and he could meet me today,” she said hoping it was a good call.

  He stepped around her and yelled, “Hey, Vinny,” up to the guy on the roof.

  The man stopped what he was doing and began to laugh. “Hey Joe, what the hell are you doing here? Trying to steal a job from me?” Vinny climbed down the ladder and met Joe with a handshake. “What are you doing here?” he asked Joe.

  When Joe had left the hardware store, he’d been excited to go see Harper. Then when he pulled into the driveway and saw Vinny there, he wondered if he’d tried putting the moves on her. He had to play it cool, otherwise he’d probably punch Vinny, as he had Bobby.

  “I’m helping Harper with the house. How long have you been here?” he asked trying to hide his rising anger.

  Vinny rubbed his chin in thought. “About twenty minutes.”

  Damnit. “You been up there the whole time?” he asked feeling his blood boiling.

  Vinny gave him a strange look. “Yeah,” he said then turned toward Harper. “Hope you didn’t mind I started without you.”

  Yup, it was official. He was an ass. He let his fears get in the way and now felt like a loser because of it. He was surprised that Harper hadn’t been here sooner. Where did she go?

  “Um, no problem. Sorry I was a little late. I stopped to look at appliances and got overwhelmed on how many different styles and brands there are,” she said with a frustrated look. “Do you know there’s refrigerators that you can see what’s in them from your phone? That’s some crazy shit!”

 
; Make that a big, fat ass. He needed to quit obsessing about what Harper’s doing, what she’s done and where she’s going. They were friends and he had no holds on her. He had to get himself put together before he made a bigger ass out of himself. If that were possible.

  “I hate to tell you,” Vinny said nervously, “but the roof is old. It should all be replaced. The shingles have weakened over the years and the water damage is extensive.” He looked at Joe apologetically. “Sorry man. I can give her a good deal.”

  Joe looked at Harper whose eyes grew big. He knew she was thinking the worst, that it’d suck up a big chunk of her money, but it didn’t have to. “I know you will, Vinny. How about you take me up there and take a look?”

  Vinny nodded and while he headed back toward the ladder, Joe took Harper’s hand. “Vinny’s good. He works at the station with me, but he and his dad and brothers have been doing this a long time. I know he’ll give you a good deal. I’ll unload this when I’m done looking at the roof. I’ll be right back,” he promised.

  Harper smiled wearily at him and nodded. He watched her walk, somberly, into the house. She’d looked so happy when he first arrived and to see her like this now pinged at his heart. He climbed up the ladder and Vinny showed him the damage. It was just as bad as Vinny had said it was. They discussed a few things and then climbed back down.

  Joe said he’d talk to Harper, but he was sure she’d go with him. They said good-bye to each other and then he went to find Harper. She was in the kitchen peeling up the linoleum flooring.

  She looked so adorable sitting on the floor with a screwdriver peeling it up. Her hair was piled on top of her head again with pieces escaping. It always looked messy, but it was an adorable messy.

  “You know there’s tools that make that job a lot easier, don’t you?” he asked her, startling her.

  She turned and pulled her earbuds out. “You scared the crap out of me.”

  He wanted to roll his eyes. “How could that scare you when you listen to that stuff so loudly?”