Chapter 9
Harper couldn’t remember the last time she’d spent this much time with Chase. And she’d never spent this much time alone with him.
It was surprisingly easy—for the most part. Little flashes of him in the shower kept popping into her brain and she ruthlessly shoved them away. Bad brain. You’re being completely inappropriate.
Sitting with him like this, watching a movie in the quiet coziness of the little cabin surrounded by trees, a blanket of snow outside, felt like a place out of time.
Nothing encroached upon them; no demands, no work tasks or emails or to do lists.
It didn’t even feel like there was any baggage between them.
She could easily pretend they were a couple on a romantic weekend getaway. That wasn’t anything Chase would ever want, no matter whose name he called in the shower. She was a nearby woman, that’s all.
Harper managed to stay awake until partway through The Return of the King, when her eyelids became too heavy to fight it anymore. But she didn’t want to disturb Chase, so she laid her head back against the couch and dozed.
When she woke, the room was dim, lit only by the dying fire. There was a blanket over her and she was leaning against Chase, who was watching her with a strange expression. He’d worn the same look earlier in the kitchen.
Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes dropped to his mouth. She bit her lip to contain a moan, wanting nothing more than to press her lips against his.
“Harper.” Chase slowly raised a hand to cup her cheek, his thumb stroking slowly, tenderly.
She was afraid to blink and wake up. But when his thumb brushed over her lower lip, she darted the tip of her tongue out and licked it.
He groaned and bent his head, his mouth taking hers demandingly.
Fighting against the blanket trapping her arms, she freed them and clutched the front of his dark blue henley, pulling him closer. When that wasn’t enough, she climbed onto his lap, straddling him and wrapping her arms around his neck.
With a growl, Chase slid one hand into her hair. The other one grasped her hip, his fingers curling possessively. He was warm and smelled of citrus from the shower, along with a woodsy smell that must have been from when he moved a freaking tree.
She rubbed her nose along the side of his before brushing her mouth lightly over his lips.
He gave her lower lip a little nip before using the hand cupping the back of her head to bring her mouth firmly against his own.
Harper softly laughed, and he took the opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth, stroking it silkily in and out.
Any further thought of laughter fled, and she rubbed herself back and forth along his cock, growing hard beneath her. Chase’s fingers bit into her hip but she didn’t care. She reveled in the way he was responding to her, in the power she would never have anticipated having over him.
Harper was nearly dizzy with pleasure when Chase suddenly tore his mouth from hers, panting hard as his hands gripped her shoulders. Confusion was replaced by dismay, then embarrassment. She tried to climb off his lap, but he held her in place.
“Let me go.” She pushed against his chest but he didn’t relent.
“I’m not letting you go, Harper. Not until you understand.”
“I understand, Chase.” She was mortified, but she wouldn’t fall apart in front of him. “If you don’t want to do this, that’s fine with me.”
He released one shoulder so he could take her chin with the gentlest touch, urging her to look at him. She didn’t want to, but he was being so careful and patient, and she knew he wouldn’t let her climb off until he’d had his say.
Steeling herself, she blinked back the urge to cry and met his gaze, those emerald eyes holding both concern and… something that confused her. Something that looked very much like heat.
“I absolutely want to do this. You wouldn’t believe how badly I want you. I’ve wanted you for years.”
Chase waited for Harper’s response.
He was met with the slow tilt of her head to the side, a little wrinkle forming between her brows. She looked like an adorably confused owl. “You have?”
He nodded.
“Then why didn’t you ever say anything? And why did you stop?”
He let go of her chin and ran his hand through his hair, deciding how to answer. “I didn’t say anything because I didn’t think you were attracted to me. I wasn’t sure you even liked me. Figured you thought I was some dumb jock your brother was always bringing around.”
Her face softened and she brought a hand to his cheek. “I could never think you were dumb. A jock, absolutely. But I always knew you were smart. And…”
He held his breath, forcing himself to remain silent.
“I’ve wanted you for years, too.”
Now he turned the question around on her. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe because you were a gorgeous badass pro hockey player, and I’m your best friend’s annoying little sister?”
“You’re not annoying.”
She smirked at him. “That’s not what you thought when you were nineteen.”
“I don’t remember what I thought when I was nineteen. Also, most guys are assholes when they’re nineteen.”
He was encouraged by her bark of laughter. “I like to think I’ve grown up a lot since then.”
Her fingers slid up his chest to his shoulders, stroking over them. “That you have, Chase.”
Capturing her roving hands with his before he forgot the reason for this conversation, he gave her a mock stern glare. “Not what I meant. And I still need to explain why I stopped you.”
Harper huffed out a sigh, but it didn’t disguise her look of vulnerability. “Okay then. Why?”
He brought both his hands up to cup her face and gave her a lingering kiss. “I need to know how far you want this to go, and what you want out of it.
“We’ve established that we want each other. Did you only want to make out? Are you looking for a one-night stand? Maybe more than a one-night stand?
“Because I need to be honest with you here: I don’t think I can stop at making out. If you don’t want more than that, we shouldn’t continue.”
Chase’s heart pounded as he pondered whether or not to lay it all on the line. But he hadn’t come this far to chicken out.
“And if you want more than that, you should know that I don’t want to stop at one night.
Her eyes rounded and her lips parted, and he resisted the urge to slip the tip of his thumb between them.
“I want to see if we can have something real, something lasting. I believe we can. I’d like to try.”
A slow, dazzling smile spread over her face. For the first time in several minutes, he could breathe deeply.
“I’d like to try, too.”
That was all the permission he needed. Slipping his hands under her lush, round ass, he pulled her to him and lifted as he stood, her shrieks of laughter ringing out as she clung to him.
“What are you doing?” she asked on a giggle.
“We’re not doing this for the first time on a couch. I want to see your gorgeous, naked body all stretched out for me. I want to take my time with you.”
“Okay,” she said, sounding breathless, and he bit back a smile.
Setting her down next to the bed, he slipped his hands underneath her sweater and T-shirt, peeling both off at the same time.
The little pink bow that rested between her breasts delighted him, and he bent his head to kiss the soft skin just above it as he grabbed her leggings and slid them down so she could step out.
Harper reached for the zip of his hoodie, but he brushed her hand away. “Nope. Up on the bed, and off with the bra and panties. I want to look at you while I undress.”
Her eyes flashed and he wondered if she’d balk. He almost hoped she would; he’d love to see how she’d respond to a light smack on the ass.
But she sat down demurely on the side of the bed and reached for the front clasp of her bra, flicking it open and peeling away the cups, and he forgot how to function. His hands froze as she lay back on the bed, reclining against the pillows and lifting her hips to wiggle out of her panties.
God, she was beautiful. Soft in all the right places, with thighs he couldn’t wait to get between with his mouth, his hands, his cock—anything.
He dragged his gaze back up to her face to see her watching him in amusement.
“See something you like?”
Chase gulped past the lump in his throat. “Everything. I like everything.”
Her smile grew broad. “I want to see everything, too. Are you going to show me?”
His cock throbbed inside his jeans, and he pulled off his hoodie and T-shirt before yanking at the zipper. He definitely wanted to show her everything.