Chapter 5
CHAPTER
FIVE
HARLOW
At the end of the day, I fall onto my bed face first. When I breathe in deeply, there is something there…
I draw in again—I can smell him. I move my face over to another spot on my comforter where his smell is a little stronger.
The part his thigh pressed into as he leaned over the bed to smooth everything out.
I press my face in, sucking in greedy breaths of his scent, one that I try to break down into its parts, so I know what it is.
I breathe in deeper. Warm. Sweet. Spicy. Fuck, that’s good.
Vanilla. Cardamon. Forest.
The last time I saw him, I tried to not catalogue everything about him.
I tried to just keep it all at face value, but now.
I breathe him in again. His eyes are the palest blue.
Shockingly pale blue. When the light hits them, they almost glow.
I collect the comforter with my arms, pooling it around my face as I keep breathing him in.
I imagine him lying beside me, his arm up and hand wedged under his head as he twists to the side to look at me.
That boyish but deviant smirk he makes taking up residence on his gorgeous face.
His aesthetic is like the perfect partner to mine, add to that he likes to shop secondhand and knows about the problems with feeding into the fast fashion circuit…
this man is too fucking perfect for me. When he looks at me, I swear he is seeing me, not the picture of me I plaster on myself to present to the world—the real me.
I don’t really get what is going on with me, I have never felt like this, nor have I ever been so sure I was truly interesting to someone.
But that’s what it is. He seems genuinely interested in me.
In the things that come out of my mouth, curious to see what I am doing, he just seems… I am crazy.
I am fucking crazy. This man was just being helpful because I am Mint’s sister and Hanger’s daughter. I throw myself violently onto my back forcing my face away from the bedding. “You’re a fucking idiot.”
“Baby girl,” my dad’s heavy voice fills the room startling me. I jolt upright. He chuckles. “Didn’t mean to startle you. Everything good?”
“Yeah. Everything is great. Are you staying tonight?” Him and Roxy hitting it off so well was a surprise in some ways, and totally predictable in others.
Mint made it clear that Dad doesn’t fall, but we both can see he is head over heels for Roxy.
Rox is for him too. I have never seen her like this, they check every single one of each other’s boxes and they fit so well together.
“Yeah. You going to tell me why you called yourself a fucking idiot?” he questions. I shrug my shoulders. He chuckles pointing at my shoulder movement. “Still means shit.”
“Maybe so, but this is shit I’m keeping to myself.
” Raising my brow, I know I am challenging him, but I also know he will respect my privacy.
He has been nothing but amazing. I asked him shortly after meeting if we could do a DNA test, he said he would be happy to even though he didn’t feel like we needed it.
It of course came back as him being my dad.
I felt like I just needed that confirmation, he understood.
Calling him ‘dad’ started pretty fast after that, it was shocking at first because it felt so damn natural and comfortable.
“Fair enough. You calling it quits for tonight?” His eyes move around the space. I don’t have a ton left, but I am way too tired to keep going.
“Yeah.” Bobbing my head as I catalogue what is left and where I will start tomorrow.
“Alright, sleep well, baby girl.” He smiles and that right there is how he was absolutely sure I was his, our smiles are the same. Big, flashing teeth, we smile with our whole faces, and we both have these little divots in our cheeks below our eyes.
Once I’m alone, I find myself rolling back into the comforter to press my nose into Carbon’s scent. I do a deep draw, my eyes rolling back.
I wake in the early morning hours having forgotten to close the blinds, which ends up being a good thing because it’s raining, and I love the rain.
I bet Carbon does too. He totally seems the type.
A light tapping comes at my door, I push to my feet, pulling it open to find Mint standing there with a grin and coffee.
“Hey.” I reach up to my hair to check that it isn’t horrendous. It feels relatively tamed.
“Hey, I came by to help unpack the kitchen, brought coffee.” He holds the coffee out to me. “Milk and a single raw sugar packet.”
I collect it from him, pressing my nose to the little opening and taking in a deep breath. “Fuck yes. Thank you. Have I mentioned lately how much I love having a brother?”
“You can mention it anytime you like.” He chuckles.
“I think I lucked out, I didn’t have to deal with the ‘hate’ stage of parenting. You know, that stage where your kids can’t fucking stand each other.” Dad laughs as he heads toward the kitchen, a coffee already in his hand. “I rock at parenting.”
Mint rolls his eyes.
I lift my brow.
He rolls his eyes again. “It seems shitty to rub it in that I got the really good parent growing up.”
I lift and drop one shoulder. “I mean, it does kind of make me hate you, so does that mean Dad gets to enjoy that stage of parenting after all?”
“I heard that, and I reject it. You will learn to love each other and you will fucking like it,” he demands in a teasing tone.
Mint and I both, as if on cue, give a whining ‘awwwww’ then we both do the whining ‘Daaaaaaddddd.’ We both start to laugh.
Roxy comes out of her room, a big smile on her face. “Hey Mint.”
“Hey Rox. Hope you got some rest.” He smiles.
She stretches and yawns. “Are you about to be my favorite kiddo?”
He chuckles, pointing out a cup of coffee. “Damn right.”
“Baby girl, your brother has totally just edged ahead, you should start thinking of ways to topple him,” she calls over her shoulder as she beelines it to the coffee and my dad who is now holding it up.
Mint’s voice goes low, “I’ve been meaning to ask, did Roxy start calling you ‘baby girl’ because of Dad or?—”
“Completely independent of each other. Crazy, right?” I give a little shrug. My eyes move around the room, and that overwhelming sense of rightness fills me. It’s that feeling I have been told family gives off. “Which I should thank you for having your brothers all come help us yesterday.”
“They were happy to help,” he assures me. “Besides, they are the only ones I trust around you right now.”
I choke on a sip of coffee. “Wha-what?”
He gives me an annoyed look. “None of them will bug you, they know better.”
“Bug me?” I question wanting to make sure I fully get what he is suggesting.
“You know, hit on you and shit. I made it clear you were off limits at the clubhouse, so you are safe to come around without worrying anyone is going to make you uncomfortable.” He smiles like he is proud of what he did.
Meanwhile, I’m not sure how I feel about it.
Part of me loves that I have someone who cares enough about me to worry, but part of me can’t help but fear what this means for me and Carbon.
I mean… I think he felt the draw between us… or maybe he was just trying to be nice?
Shit. Now I’m confused.
“That is a mighty big scowl. You don’t have to worry Harry, everyone will show you respect and keep their shit to themselves. You don’t need a ton of guys chasing after you or making you uncomfortable with their shitty behavior.” He winks at me.
“Yeah… thanks.” I look down at my coffee still not sure how I feel about this because does this mean I can’t pursue Carbon? If he doesn’t want them hitting on me, then that means they won’t be reciprocating if I hit on them.
Carbon and I are dead in the water.
I feel a deep sense of loss which seems ridiculous.
I am confused by my own feelings toward Carbon, I don’t normally get so obsessive over someone, I mean I was practically huffing his scent off my bedding—okay, nothing ‘practically’ about it, I totally was.
I was hoping to fish for information on him today.
Like what he does for work, and if his parents are still around, and what his favorite music is, and if he likes chicks with tattoos.
You know… the normal shit.
I scratch my nails against the inside of my elbow as I make my way to the couch. My thoughts racing over how I can still get that information without asking about Carbon specifically. I smirk, throwing my shoulders back, I got this. “Hey so, your brothers… what do they all do?”
Mint looks over at me. “Uh, well you know what Wall and I do, and that Virus works for us. Hemmy’s family owns a cemetery and mortuary.
Then there’s Mouse, he’s a registered dietician, he mostly does contract work.
Uh… then Kev is a medical doctor, Gracie is the accountant for his practice.
Jolt is… well it is hard to explain, maybe not, uhm, he co-owns a couple businesses.
One is HVAC, his brother runs it, and uhm he has a sheet metal business, he basically does all the books, and the business side of shit, his brother runs the people and works the jobs. Oh, and then Carbon, he’s an attorney.”
I nearly choke on my coffee again. “An attorney. Carbon?”
My brother chuckles. “Yeah, crazy, right? He mostly does real estate law, like contracts and stuff. He’s a partner at his dad’s firm, they specialize in contracts, estate, and real estate, but he is remote. He isn’t good at the whole sitting at a desk in one place kind of thing.”
“And just Kevlar, you and Wally are spoken for?” I try to play my question off as casual curiosity.
Mint laughs as he kicks up his feet. “Shit, yeah. I mean, one has a woman that he won’t ever be over. One day he is going to find her.”
“Who?” I ask hoping we aren’t talking about Carbon.
“Her name is Paige. Hem fell head over heels for her, and I know he will never accept anything short of her as his forever.” Mint shrugs.
Slowly releasing the breath, I was holding in so my brother doesn’t notice, I feel like I can relax a little. “Just a lot of dating going on then.”
“Nah. I mean, for Wall and me, it has always been Meads and Hem it has always been Paige. But the rest of them? Oh, and Kev has always been Gracie’s, but yeah… the rest of them, pretty much just single.” He tips his own coffee back, glugging it down.
I rock my head, not sure what else I can ask without it seeming obvious that I am fishing for information on this man that I cannot for the life of me get out of my head.
Sadly, it is three days before I see him again.
My thoughts have endlessly been on him, it feels like an obsession, but I try to convince myself it’s just excitement.
My first day at the new tattoo parlor has me pretty stoked to work with some local clients.
I have several Portland clients on the books still—they plan to come see me here in San Jose and I am so glad.
It is really tricky to change cities, but with my family being here, it was the right call, short term pain for long term gain.
I’m working on a walk-in when Carbon shows up, our eyes meet across the space. He gives me a little wink and my heart seriously fucking flutters. Flutters. I have it bad for this man and I know this is going to be a damned problem, but right now I can’t find it in myself to care.
Felt Tip meets up with Carbon at the front and they talk quietly for a bit.
Wrapping up my walk-in, I let her know how to take care of her new ink for the next bit, she pays, and I wave bye to her.
I make my way to the front, deciding to nose into whatever Carbon and FT are talking about since there is no one on my schedule until later when I am just going over designs, unless someone walks-in.
Carbon bumps his chin in greeting. “Bored?”
I shrug but wonder if he is fishing. “Want a tattoo?”
“Yeah.” He holds his arm out. “Dealer’s choice.”
Raising my brow, I look over his arm as FT thanks Carbon and steps away. “Right there.” I point to a blank space on the inside of his bicep. “What do you want?”
He smirks. “Dealer’s choice.”
I stare up at him. “Alright.”
Bringing him back to my station, I prep him and my inks.
He watches me work in silence, propping his arm how I ask.
I lean in, going full freehand on this. The best part is his eyes on me the whole time.
It’s so weird how his intense gaze on me makes me feel alive instead of uncomfortable.
Usually, I hate when people stare at me, instead I feel the most beautiful I have ever felt.
I shade it just right and then add little bits of color.
I wipe it clean, checking it over when I’m done. My eyes meet his. “Done.”
He nods, sitting up as he holds his arm out to look for himself, a little surprise shows on his face, but washes away quickly. His eyes meet mine and we just stare. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” I can feel my cheeks burning up a bit, but for some reason the fact that he isn’t gushing over it makes it so much better. I can feel his appreciation for it. His eyes move back to the tattoo. It isn’t large, quite small actually, but it’s a bat done in the traditional style.