6. Harle
HARLE
I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, glancing at the clock on my dashboard for what felt like the hundredth time. Three thirty. Cassidy was half an hour late, and I was starting to wonder if she was okay. From the little I knew about her, this was pretty out of character.
My eyes darted between her empty driveway and the quiet suburban street. Had something happened? Should I call? I was about to reach for my phone when her car rounded the corner, barely managing to stay under the speed limit. Her tires squealed slightly as she pulled into the driveway and came to a stop next to my truck.
Cassidy practically tumbled out of the driver’s seat, her usually neat blonde hair a mess and her cheeks flushed. She stumbled slightly, catching herself on the car door. Even though I’d braced myself for it, my heart still did a slow, painful roll in my chest. Fuck, she was gorgeous. She wore a crisp dark suit and a cream business shirt. A vision flashed in my mind of undoing those buttons, pushing the shirt aside and… And we’re not having those thoughts about the woman we’re donating our sperm to. We’re just not.
“I’m so sorry!” She slammed the door shut and rushed towards me. “God, I’m never late. I swear I’m not usually like this.”
I climbed out of my truck, holding up a hand to stop her frantic apologies. “Hey, no worries. Everything okay?”
She ran a hand through her hair, somehow making it even messier. Which in turn only made her look hotter. Fuck.
“Work was absolute chaos. We had a last minute emergency meeting with a client right as I was packing up. I should’ve texted, but time got away from me and I just... I don’t know, I panicked. I’m really sorry, I?—”
“Breathe, Cassidy.” I fought the urge to reach out and smooth down her hair. “It’s all good. These things happen.”
She dragged in air, visibly trying to calm herself. “Right. Yes. Thank you for being so understanding. I just... I hate being late. And this is important, and you’re doing me this huge favor, and?—”
“And we’re both here now,” I interrupted gently. “No harm done.”
“At least let me make it up to you. Come in for a coffee?”
“Sure.”
I followed Cassidy, my eyes inadvertently dropping to her backside as she climbed the porch steps. The tailored suit hugged her curves in all the right places. I caught myself and quickly averted my gaze, feeling a pang of guilt.
Once inside, Cassidy turned to me, still flustered. “Do you mind if I get changed real quick?”
“Of course not. I’ll just be in the kitchen.”
She nodded gratefully and disappeared down the hall. I made my way to the kitchen, dropping my delivery on the small round kitchen table next to the fruit bowl, trying to push away thoughts of Cassidy changing. I leaned against the counter, drumming my fingers on the smooth surface. The sound of running water drifted from the other side of the house, and I pictured her slipping her skirt off, dropping her silk shirt to the floor…
Shaking my head, I moved to the window, staring out at her backyard. This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t be thinking about her like this. We had an agreement, a contract. Nothing more. Never mind that when I’d jerked off today, I’d come while imagining Cassidy doing what she was going to do the minute I left today. Take my jar of cum into her room and… Another thought I refused to finish.
I heard her coming back down the hall and my heart rate picked up. I sucked in a breath, steeling myself. Keep it together, asshole. You’re here to help her, nothing else.
Cassidy walked into the kitchen with a shy smile on her face, looking like she was ready for a cozy night in. Her yoga pants clung to her curves and the oversized sweater hung off one shoulder, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of skin. I swallowed hard, forcing my eyes away from that patch of honey-colored flesh.
“Much better,” she sighed, running a hand over her messy bun. “Now, about that coffee. I should remember, but it’s been a day. How do you take it?”
I cleared my throat. “Black’s fine.”
“So, how’s your day been? Less chaotic than mine, I hope.”
Light chit chat. That’s exactly what we needed. “Pretty quiet, actually. Just some work around the house.”
“Oh yeah, what kind of work?” As she spoke, she reached up to grab mugs from a high shelf. The action caused her sweater to ride up, exposing a sliver of her lower back. I averted my gaze, focusing intently on that damn fruit bowl.
“I’ve got a shipment of chickens coming in, so I’m building a coop for them”
“A shipment?” She glanced at me over her shoulder as she moved back to the coffee machine. “I thought you were a handy man. Are you a farmer as well?”
That had me chuckling. “No, far from it. But these girls are retired and past laying. That means they’re on the chopping block. I can’t stand that, so I’m taking them.”
“How many?”
“Around a hundred.”
“All this work and you won’t even get eggs out of them?”
I shrugged. “It’s no hassle.”
“So this is a habit of yours, is it? Helping chicks in need?”
She shot me a sideways look, her eyes alight with amusement. It was then that I realized the double meaning and I barked out a laugh. “Cute.”
The smile she gave me shot straight to my heart. Holy fuck this woman was gorgeous.
Moments later, the coffee was done. “Here we go,” She handed me a steaming mug. Our fingers brushed as I took it, sending a jolt through my system that had nothing to do with the hot ceramic.
Cassidy leaned against the opposite counter, cradling her own mug. She took a sip, closing her eyes briefly in appreciation. When she opened them again, I could see the hesitation flickering in their depths. Finally, she said, “I really am sorry about earlier. I promise I’m usually much more put together.”
I frowned. “Do you always do this?”
Her guard went straight up, making me regret the abruptness of my question. “Do what?”
“Feel so bad at slightly inconveniencing people?”
“Well, it’s rude and um…”
I gave her a gentle smile. “That’s a yes.”
“I guess it is.”
“You wanna know what I think?”
“I’m not sure, but hit me anyway.”
“Sometimes you need to give yourself permission to not be on your A-game. Life doesn’t always go as planned and the world won’t come crashing down because of a little hiccup.”
She was watching me closely now and I had to ignore the way her serious green eyes pulled at me. I had her undivided attention and I needed to make the most of it.
“I mean, how do you feel if a friend fucks up when you know they don’t mean to?”
The little head tilt, the focused concentration. Yeah, this woman was something else. “I guess I just say no problem. These things happen.”
There we go. “How about you give yourself the same grace.”
“Hmm, you might be right.” She bit her lip and there was that hesitation again. Like she was warring with herself about whether or not to say what she was thinking. Then, “But it’s not easy. A lifetime of being chastised for stepping a millimeter out of line is hard to get over.”
Pain flickered in the depths of her eyes, quickly masked.
The pull was too strong to resist. Without thinking about it, I reached out and pushed her hair back from her forehead. She went perfectly still, gazing up at me with wide eyes. Her skin felt warm beneath my fingers, and for a moment, I forgot why I shouldn’t touch her at all. Her breath hitched slightly, and I couldn’t shake the way her stillness made my heart race. I forced myself to let my hand fall away. Weird, to feel like I just lost something. Something I never had. Certainly something I wasn’t supposed to want. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…’
“No it’s okay, I know you were…”
“I should probably go.”
“Oh. Alright.”
I stepped back, trying to shake off the heat between us. “No need to see me out. I’ll let you get on with it.” I gestured to the sample on the table, my heart pounding in my chest.
Cassidy nodded, her expression a mix of uncertainty and something else I couldn’t quite place. I made my way to the door, my heart rate still high. I could feel her eyes on my back, and I fought the urge to look over my shoulder.
Once outside, the cool air hit me like a splash of cold water. I needed a moment to collect myself. My heart still thudded like a drum, the heat still coursing through my veins.
What the hell just happened? I’d come here to help her, and instead, I felt like I’d stepped into a whirlwind. It was one fucking touch. But that’s all it took. Cassidy was captivating and complicated, and I couldn’t deny the pull I felt toward her. I rubbed my hands over my face, trying to wipe away the lingering thoughts of her sad green eyes and the way she looked in that oversized sweater.
As I got into my truck and backed out of her drive, I knew I needed to get a grip. Focus, Harle . This was supposed to be simple. A straightforward arrangement, no strings attached. But standing in her kitchen, I had felt something shift, something electric that I hadn’t expected. Fucking hell.
With a sigh, I grabbed a water bottle, taking a long swig to cool my head. I had to keep my distance, maintain the boundaries I’d set. But as I drove, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something far more complicated.