Chapter 9 #2
He leaned in, his lips hovering near my ear. “You know what I think?”
My traitorous hands came up to rest on his bare chest. “What?”
His lips lingered near mine, a mere breath away from kissing. He ruined the moment when he said, “I think you should brush your teeth before breakfast. Your morning breath could clear a room.”
I shoved him away with a groan as he erupted into laughter. “You’re such an asshole.”
“An asshole you can’t seem to keep your hands off of,” he retorted, rummaging through his overnight bag for clothes.
I busied myself with finding socks, trying to ignore the view as he dressed. But my eyes staged a mutiny, determined to sneak peeks at him. I had to wage a full-scale international war just to keep my gaze fixed on my sock drawer.
Before yesterday, I’d only acknowledged Harley’s body as objectively attractive. Now, I couldn’t stop noticing the way his muscles moved under his skin or how his monster cock responded to my touch.
Harley waved a hand in front of my face. “You zoned out. Were you thinking about me naked again?”
“No.”
He grinned, tugging on his jeans. “Bullshit. Your face is red as a tourist on the beach who thought SPF 15 was plenty.”
“It’s hot in here,” I muttered, shoving my phone into my pocket.
“It certainly is.” He eyed me up and down in a way that made my knees forget they had a job to do.
Once we were both dressed, I hesitated at the door. “We should talk about…”
“About how you came so hard this morning you almost passed out?” Harley suggested with a smirk.
I punched his arm. “I did not.”
“You did. It was cute.”
“I meant we should discuss our game plan for downstairs. My family already thinks we’re together, but after last night and this morning, it feels different.”
Harley’s expression softened. “We’ll just be us. Nothing has to change because we had a little fun.”
“A little?” I raised an eyebrow. “You had your hand on my dick less than ten minutes ago.”
“And I’d happily put it there again,” he said with a cheeky grin. “But for now, let’s go get breakfast.”
I took a deep breath and nodded, trailing behind him out of the bedroom. As we headed downstairs, the aroma of chocolate chip pancakes wafted up to greet us. My stomach growled, making Harley snicker.
“Sounds like someone worked up an appetite,” he teased, bumping his shoulder against mine.
“Shut up,” I growled, trying not to combust from embarrassment.
We entered the kitchen to find my mom at the stove, flipping pancakes while my dad plated them. Sawyer and Gia were already digging in, their plates piled high and dripping with whipped cream and syrup.
“Well, look who finally decided to grace us with their presence,” my sister called out, a mischievous glint in her eye. “We were starting to think you two might have overslept.” Her tone dripped with innuendo.
“Good morning to you, too, brat,” I replied, taking a seat across from her.
Harley slid into the chair beside me, his thigh pressing against mine under the table. The casual contact felt charged with new meaning now.
“Morning, everyone,” Harley greeted cheerfully. “The pancakes smell incredible, Jacinta.”
My mom turned from the stove with a beaming smile. “Thank you, Harley! I put extra chocolate chips in yours. I know they’re your favorite.”
“You spoil me.” His charming grin made my mom glow with happiness.
“Someone has to,” she replied, setting down a fresh stack of pancakes like a culinary trophy. “Since my son clearly doesn’t appreciate what a catch you are.”
“Mom!” I protested, my face on fire.
Harley laughed, draping his arm over my chair. “Oh, I don’t know about that. He seemed pretty appreciative last night. And again this morning.”
I choked on air as everyone burst into laughter.
“Harley,” I muttered, elbowing him in the ribs.
He grinned. “What? I’m merely saying you were grateful when I gave you a helping hand with that thing you needed help with.”
“You mean his dick?” Sawyer joked, setting off another round of snickers at my expense.
I pouted. “You guys suck.”
“Almost as much as your boyfriend,” she retorted, causing Harley to double over with laughter.
My mother placed a steaming mug of coffee in front of me, patting my shoulder. “Don’t be embarrassed, biscuit. We’re just happy for you both.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I mumbled, drowning my pancakes like a sad little island in a sea of sweetness.
“So, what are your plans for today?” Dad asked, heroically shifting the conversation as he refilled his coffee mug.
Before I could respond, Harley jumped in like a bodyguard getting paid to save me from myself. “Actually, I was hoping to take Ryker into town. There’s that little bookstore he always talks about, and I’d love to see it.”
I turned to him, surprised. “You remember that?”
“Of course.” His smile lacked its usual swagger. “You mentioned it has that fantasy series you’ve been trying to track down their elusive first editions.”
“Veilwalkers of Aelthar,” I confirmed, oddly touched he’d remembered such a trivial detail.
“That’s so thoughtful,” Mom cooed, looking at us with misty eyes.
“Very thoughtful. Almost suspiciously so,” Dad added.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I demanded.
“Nothing,” he said, raising his hands in surrender. “Just that Harley seems to know exactly what makes you happy.”
“Unlike Ryker’s ex-girlfriends,” Sawyer added, smirking over her coffee mug. “Remember Lacey? She took him to a tattoo parlor for a ‘surprise birthday gift.’”
I groaned at the memory. “Ugh, don’t remind me.”
“What’s so bad about a tattoo?” Gia asked, looking confused.
“Nothing,” Sawyer explained, “except she had already commissioned the artist to draw her portrait as the design. She wanted it on his chest, right over his heart, after dating for only two weeks.”
The table erupted in laughter as I buried my face in my hands. “I hate all of you.”
“Not all of us,” Harley murmured.
Desperate to escape the awkwardness, I changed topics. “We should probably get going soon if we’re going to make it to the bookstore.”
“After you finish your breakfast,” Mom insisted. “You need to keep up your strength after…well, you know.” She winked at Harley, who grinned like the unrepentant pervert he was.
“Kill me now.” I shoveled pancakes into my mouth as if they were my only means of escape.
“Don’t worry, Jacinta,” Harley said. “I always make sure he gets plenty of protein.”
Sawyer snorted so hard she almost spilled her coffee.
“That’s it.” I stood up fast enough to make my chair scream bloody murder against the floor. “I’m taking a shower so we can go.”
“Want company?” Harley called after me, his voice dripping with innuendo.
“No!” I shouted over my shoulder, ignoring the fresh round of laughter that chased me up the stairs.
Halfway through my shower, the bathroom door creaked open. I peeked around the curtain to see Harley slipping inside and closing the door behind him as if he were entering a secret lair.
“What are you doing?” I clutched the shower curtain to my chest like a scandalized Victorian maiden glimpsing a dangerously attractive rain-soaked gentleman.
He leaned against the sink, arms crossed casually. “Checking on you. You seemed a little flustered down there.”
“Because you and my family are ganging up on me!” I ducked behind the curtain, rinsing the shampoo from my hair as if it would wash away my embarrassment.
“We’re just having fun,” Harley said. The sound of his clothes hitting the floor made me gulp. “Your family loves you.”
“I know that,” I grumbled, jumping when he stepped into the shower with me, as if I hadn’t seen it coming a mile away.
Harley studied me with an unreadable expression as water cascaded around us. “Are you really okay?”
The genuine concern in his voice threw me for a loop, as did the sight of him, wet and gloriously naked. “I guess the teasing hits different when there’s something to tease about.”
“You mean when we’re actually fooling around instead of only pretending?” He took my hand, pulling me closer until our bodies connected. The sensation of his slick skin against mine turned my brain into the soup they served in Hell’s cafeteria when the devil was feeling generous.
“Exactly.” I ran my fingers through my wet hair, sending droplets flying. “It’s making this feel too real.”
“Does the idea of dating me for real bother you?” Harley asked, suddenly serious.
I shrugged. “Honestly? I don’t know what I think right now. I feel like my brain got drunk-dialed by my heart at 3:00 a.m., and now they’re having a screaming match in my skull.”
Harley brushed the wet hair from my forehead. “Let me give you some insight, then.”
Before I could retort, his lips were on mine, gentle but insistent.
The warm water fell around us, making everything slick and heated as he deepened the kiss.
It was unexpectedly romantic, like kissing in the rain.
His hands wandered, roaming down my chest, my stomach, my sides.
Each touch left a trail of fire in its wake, making me gasp against his mouth.
“Harley,” I breathed, not sure if I was trying to stop him or encourage him.
“Shh,” he murmured, lips moving to my neck. “Don’t talk. Just feel.”
Harley continued exploring, mapping my body as if he were committing it to memory.
He caressed my shoulders, my back, dipping lower to squeeze my ass.
I jerked in surprise but didn’t pull away.
The combination of the hot water, his skilled touch, and his mouth on my skin had me hardening embarrassingly fast.
Once satisfied with his exploration, Harley dropped to his knees in front of me, water streaming down his face as he looked up with those intense blue eyes.
“What are you doing?” I hissed, bracing myself against the shower wall for support.
His wicked smile was the only warning I received. “Giving you some clarity.”
My heart hammered against my ribs like it was trying to break out of prison using only a plastic spoon and sheer determination. “Are you about to give an oral presentation?”