Whatever You Do

by Stephanie Smith

  Tate and I swiftly wipe at our lips. I gesture to his neck, and he gruffly scrubs at it, too.

  “Don’t worry too much, buddy. At least it’s your colour,” Sax says in a familiar tone.

  “Fuck off, Reed,” Tate spits back. I look to him in confusion. They know each other?

  “I have a few people here for you to meet. Some very interested clients,” Saxon tells Tate. I watch on, unable to say anything, but letting the anger grow.

  Why is he lying to me? I told him how I felt about it. He’s well aware of my issues.

  Tate glances to me, and I leave my face blank. Whether he felt my body tense or he knows he got caught, I’m not sure.

  “Sure,” Tate says nervously. “Can we do it in a few? I’ll just get Harper settled.”

  “I don’t need you to get me settled. This is my work event. Or at least, that’s what I thought. Go and mingle.” I don’t wait for a response as I storm off to the bar.

  “Two champagnes, please,” I tell the bartender, knowing one won’t be enough.

  “Daisy,” Tate says quietly, stepping up from behind me.

  “Don’t,” I warn.

  The bartender places my two champagnes in front of me and I throw one back after the other. As I’m setting the second glass down, Tate grabs my hand and drags me towards the door. Brooke gives me an uncomfortable smile as we pass but doesn’t intervene. Thanks for your help, friend.

  Tate pulls me outside and presses me up against the wall. “Harper, I—”

  “No, I don’t want to hear it,” I interrupt.

  “Harper Lindell, you are going to listen to me. Whether you want to or not, you are going to fucking listen and then . . . you’re going to get over it. You can be mad and scream and shout tomorrow, but you are not ruining our night over this. Not tonight.”

  I’m stunned silent by the power and tone in his voice, and my mind boggles at the fact I’m a little aroused. I’m too aroused to respond, so he continues.

  “I didn’t tell you I knew Saxon because they were your friends, and I wanted you to introduce me when you were ready and because you wanted to, not because you figured I knew them anyway.”

  “Well, obviously he’s your friend, too.”

  “No, not really—”

  “Whatever,” I interrupt again.

  Tate leans right into my face, and his warm breath flowing over my lips sets me to silent instantly. “Are you going to listen? Don’t ask questions and then not listen to the answers.”

  I nod, concentrating on squeezing my legs together, trying to gain some kind of comfort from the build up of excitement that rests between my thighs. Angry and forceful Tate is hot. He’s normally always so gentle and careful with me.

  “They are not my friends. My sister and I were left with a lot of money when our grandparents passed away, and I had Saxon in charge of it all when he was at Argo.” Tate doesn’t take his eyes off mine as he continues. “When he left, I took my money and went with him. Saxon is a great guy but our relationship is strictly business, and I have barely met Brooke.”

  “Oh,” I breathe.

  “We aren’t friends but . . . well, I’m hoping now we will be.” Tate’s eyes plead with mine, and I feel like a total idiot.

  “I’m sorry,” I breathe deeply. I know I’m one sandwich short of a picnic, but I don’t know how to shut it off. I want to snap my fingers and have a different way of thinking but I can’t. It’s going to take some time. “It’s just, you know how I feel about lying, Tate. It threw me, that’s all.”

  “I know and I’m so sorry baby. I just wanted you to want me to meet your friends. I wanted you to be excited about it.”

  “I was.”

  “I know, and I loved seeing it.” He kisses the tip of my nose.

  “Well, seeing you only know investment banker Saxon and his polite business fiancée, let me go and introduce you to my friends Brooke and Sax.”

  “I’d love that.” Tate kisses me hard on the lips before pulling on my hand and leading me back inside.

  Once the proper introductions were done and Brooke fawned all over Tate and embarrassed the crap out of me, I left Tate to mingle with the businessmen while I helped Brooke with random jobs. Bless her heart, I think the opening was a lot more work than she’d anticipated. It was surprising, considering she spent most of her marriage to Nate organising events such as these.

  There are constant complaints and needs from suppliers, staff, and even guests. There was one point where I thought I was going to have to go get more ice myself—the catering company saying it was the bartending service’s responsibility, and the bartender saying it was the caterer’s job to bring enough. Finally, I put my stern face on and paid some kid twenty dollars to go and get more.

  Poor Brooke didn’t need to be dealing with those petty hassles on her important night. I was so proud of my friend. It had taken her nearly a year after Nate’s death to find herself, but once she did, it has been full steam ahead. She made decisions and then went and achieved every one of them. And I was so happy to be able to be a part of it all.

  Drifting off in my own thoughts, I stare at the beautiful statue in front of me—a fine piece of stone carved delicately into a man’s face leaning down and resting upon a woman’s head, her eyes off in the distance.

  What if I hadn’t been fired from Argo? I would be here as a guest only, instead of a staff member, and I’d still be going to a job every day I hadn’t really liked with people I didn’t respect. What if I hadn’t found Aiden cheating on me that morning? I’d still be stuck in a mediocre relationship, unaware of the betrayal behind my back.

  Because of all this, I am the happiest I have been in years. I’m content, sorted—stable. I feel right. Like everything happened for a reason, and I’m where I’m supposed to be.

  Warm arms wrap around me from behind and the smell of Tate’s cologne flows around me. His warm breath tickles my ear as he whispers, “Beautiful.”

  “Isn’t it?” I say, my eyes still on the statue.

  “I wasn’t talking about the art.”

  I pull in a breath and Tate turns me around in his arms. His face is serious and his eyes are dark and hungry. He doesn’t say anything, just leans forward and kisses me. He devours me in another strong and sensual kiss, and for a moment, I forget not only am I in a room full of people, but that this is a work function. I pull away, my mind hazed with lust.

  What is with his kisses tonight? I need some privacy to explore them more.

  “Let’s go home, Daisy.”

  Yes, my thoughts exactly.

  The limo drops us home not much later and we hop out, Tate shaking the driver’s hand and slipping him a tip. When he swoops me up in his arms again, I don’t question it and wrap my hands around his neck, resting my head on his shoulder. He kisses my forehead as we climb the stairs.

  Tate carries me so effortlessly it’s as if I weigh nothing at all. Carrying me up the first level, he doesn’t stop at his front door, only to continue on up to the rooftop. As he steps over the threshold, my heart stops at the sight in front of me.

  The whole rooftop has been decorated. There are potted trees and plants spread throughout the area and candles lining every available surface. In the centre is a plush patch quilt covered in different size cushions.

  “Oh, my God,” I whisper.

  Tate kisses my forehead again and carries me over to the quilt, gently laying me down. He moves over to the side where a trolley cart sits, which I didn’t see before. I can’t see exactly what he’s doing as he moves about the cart, banging and fiddling around, but I don’t really care as I stare at his hard body covered in that suit.

  God, I wish he’d remove the jacket so I could get a good look at his tight ass.

  Tate turns, and I smile sheepishly as he catches my gaze on his butt. He chuckles as he carries over two glasses of champagne and a plate of chocolate cake.

  “You missed out on dessert at the gallery.” He smiles, placing the pl
ate between us and handing me a glass.

  “Why do I get the feeling this isn’t exactly a last-minute dessert?”

  Tate smiles at me and winks. “I wanted to do something special for you.”

  “How did you do all this?” I ask as I look around at all the detail that has gone into it.

  “I had Lana set the finishing touches so it would be ready for us.”

  “Well, I’m going to have to thank the world’s best sister when I finally get the pleasure of meeting her.”

  “She can’t wait to meet you. I think she already loves you.” I smile, embarrassed, thinking of the things Tate has probably told her.

  He lifts his champagne in the air. “To you, Daisy. You came out of nowhere and turned my world upside down, and I have never been so fucking happy.”

  I melt at his words and fireworks erupt in my stomach. I don’t have the right words to respond so I get up on my knees and lean towards him, placing a light kiss on his lips. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” He kisses me. “Now, let’s have some dessert.” Tate reaches for the fork and picks up a piece of chocolate cake.

  Holding the fork to my mouth, I part my lips, and he slides the cake inside. I moan as he kisses the side of my mouth, across my jaw, and down my neck, licking and nibbling under my ear before pulling my lobe into his mouth and sucking hard.

  Moving his attention away from me, he scoops up another piece of cake and repeats the painstakingly erotic torture all over again. This goes on until every bit of cake has vanished from the plate, Tate not even tasting a crumb of the sweet delicate treat.

  “Good?” he asks.

  “Perfect,” I breathe.

  Tate and I kneel in front of each other, staring into each other’s eyes like two lovesick puppies. Which, I guess, we are.

  He makes the first move and reaches around my back to the long zipper on my dress. His fingers fiddle with the zip and then he slowly drags it down, his fingertips grazing my spine as they go. Tate slips his hands inside the shoulder straps and pushes them off my shoulders and down my arms.

  The dress pools around my waist, leaving my upper body in nothing but a pale lavender lace strapless bra. Tate closes his eyes on an exhale, and my body shivers at how I can affect him. Leaning down, he trails soft kisses over the tops of my breasts.

  Taking the opportunity, I slide my hands inside his jacket, running them up his hard abs and chest. I slide them over his shoulders, pushing his suit jacket off then undoing his tie and buttons on his shirt as he continues his kisses down my sternum and over my stomach.

  My hands fumble and I lean back, pushing my chest in his face, my breasts begging for more attention. Tate doesn’t miss my body’s cues and he lowers me down on the quilt, ripping the bra from my body and moving to suck on my nipple.

  I moan and writhe beneath him, desperate for more. My hands go back to Tate’s shirt to get my man perfect and naked, just as I like him. My haste causes me to fumble and Tate leans back, pulling the dress shirt over his head in one smooth motion. He groans deep in his chest as my fingers make contact with his warm skin.

  Running my hands all over his chest, he undoes his buckle and zipper, pulling a condom out of the pocket before he pushes down his slacks, my mind taking note he’s not wearing underwear. My hands follow his movements and I grab his hard, straining cock tightly in my hand. “Oh fuck, Harper,” Tate moans, his body stiffening as I work my hand up and down his shaft.

  “Enough,” he says, pushing me back down onto the quilt. He slides my dress off the rest of the way and raises his eyebrows at my own lack of underwear. “Well, well, well. Daisy, will you never cease to surprise me?”

  I giggle as Tate sheaths himself in the condom before laying over me, pressing his hard body into my soft one. He kisses me, long and slow, while he pushes inside me, inch by slow inch. Widening my legs, I wrap them around his waist, causing him to go deeper.

  Tate makes sweet love to me. Slow and sensual. Something I’ve never experienced before, and everything I’ve ever hoped for. Except it’s more. More than I ever imagined it would be.

  He kisses me hard and deep, never faltering until I’m screaming out in toe-curling ecstasy. Tate follows me over the edge soon after. “Harper . . . Fuck . . . I fucking love you.”

  His body grows heavy on top of mine and he holds me close, rolling us over onto our sides where he pulls my body into him.

  We lie content, holding each other, feeling one another as we run our hands up and down each other’s body. Nuzzling my face into his chest, I breathe in his signature scent.

  The scent that has come to bring me peace, love and . . . trust.

  We’re snuggled in absolute bliss, and I know I have never been so happy in all my life. Harper completes me in a way I didn’t even know existed. She keeps her cards pretty close to her chest and I know she finds it hard to trust after everything she’s been through, but she’s let go for me. Not fully, but a lot more than she was first willing to.

  “I love you, Daisy.” I bury my face into her neck.

  “I think I’m going to visit my parents next weekend.” My body freezes at her words. That’s weird. Why would she bring it up like that? Bring it up now?

  “Okay,” I say, unsure where this is going.

  “I’d love to introduce them to my wonderful boyfriend.”

  Pulling my head out of her neck, I look to her face. She’s giving me the sweetest smile and my shoulders relax.

  “You want me to meet your parents next weekend?” I ask, looking for confirmation.

  “Yeah . . .” she says, her voice wavering.

  Rolling over, I kiss the absolute shit out of her, and when I pull away, she looks up to me with wide, questioning eyes.

  “I would love to meet your family, Harper.”

  “Really?” She wrinkles up her nose.

  “Yes, really.” I chuckle. “You’re my family now. I want to meet your parents and get to know them and have them be a part of our life.”

  “I told you about my parents, didn’t I?”

  “Yes.” I smirk. “Don’t worry, babe, I have a gift for winning over parents. Trust me, parents love me.” She smiles and nods but I can see the mirth in her eyes. She doesn’t think they’ll like me.

  “Are you laughing at me?” Placing my hands directly on her hips, I dig my fingers in to let her know what’s coming.

  “No, I wouldn’t dare.” Her body tenses.

  “I think you are.” I dig my fingers in and run them all over her sides, tickling her hard until she’s throwing her body around underneath me.

  “Tate . . . please . . . stop,” she begs.

  “Are you laughing at me, Daisy?” I tickle her even harder.

  “No, I’m not, I swear I’m not. My parents will love you.”

  I give her one last tickle before relenting and bending down to kiss her. “Of course, they will.” I smile.

  Rolling off her, I pull her back into my arms as we were before. “So, what are the plans?” I ask her.

  “I was thinking we could leave Friday afternoon and come back Sunday.”

  “Sounds good. Maurice can take care of the café.”

  “I think we’ll probably need to hire a car.”

  “Why?” I ask, offended.

  “Because Tate . . .” She laughs. “We’ll have all our stuff to pack and the bike probably won’t be that comfortable on such a long trip.”

  “I guess so.” I pout, dropping my bottom lip out.

  Harper leans forward, grabbing my bottom lip between her teeth and then bites down, hard.

  “Ouch.”

  “Don’t pout. I think the minister has enough to deal with, with the tattoos. Rocking up on a bike isn’t going to help your case.”

  “Fair call.” I guess she’s right. “But I’m really not worried about meeting your parents.”

  She kisses me sweetly. “That makes one of us.”

  “Daisy, you have no faith in me.”


  “No, I just have a lot of faith in the minister,” she answers with a serious expression.

  Laughing at her, I pull her tighter against me and kiss her head reverently. We lie in comfortable silence for another hour or so until it becomes too cold on the rooftop and we decide to venture inside my apartment. Well, what I hope will soon be our apartment.

  The week goes quickly and I try not to dwell too much on how this meeting with my parents and Tate is going to go. I want him to meet them, I want them to know I have someone special in my life, and I want it to go well. But mostly I want Tate, and if they don’t approve, well, what else is new?

  I’ve never introduced anyone to my parents before, and I don’t know what came over me when I asked Tate to come home. I just know I want him to be a part of all facets of my life.

  There’s a knock at my apartment before the old door swings open and bangs into the wall behind it.

  “Shit, sorry,” Tate calls from the entry. “I’m ready when you are.”

  “Five minutes.”

  I left the gallery early today so we could leave in the afternoon and make it to Mum and Dad’s before dinner. Of course, Brooke had no problems with me leaving early. She was way too excited about Tate meeting my parents. Should I be excited? No, she’s way over the top. I’m sure she’s already planning the wedding.

  “Come on, Daisy, I don’t think the minister would be one to appreciate tardiness.” Tate pops his head in my bedroom door.

  I smile at Tate taking to calling my dad ‘the minister.’ He is looking as fine as ever in his dark wash jeans, Chucks, and a tight, white T-shirt. All his colourful tattoos stand out brightly against the stark-white material.

  “It’s okay, I have a shirt to put on over the top,” he says, reading my mind. I look him up and down and realise you can also see his array of tattoos through the white shirt.

  “I didn’t notice. Although, it’s probably a good idea.”

  “Come on.” He chuckles.

  “I’m ready, I’m ready.” I throw the last few things in my duffle bag and zip it up. Tate moves to the bed and gives me a long, slow kiss before picking up my duffle and walking out of the room as if he didn’t just shake the earth’s axis.