Chapter 43
Chapter Forty-Three
Delaney
It’s getting increasingly difficult to sleep with this man without sleeping with this man. When I think about it, for the last few weeks, we’ve been spending more and more nights together—nights with boundaries.
Boundaries that I’m kind of over, especially when he looks so darn good while he’s asleep. He’s a gorgeous specimen of a man when he’s awake, but when the peace of a good slumber settles over his features, my God, I’ve seen nothing more beautiful.
After the park yesterday, when Harrison let me see his sorrow and misplaced guilt, if anyone deserves to rest, it’s him.
It breaks my heart that even though he knows he couldn’t have saved his father, he won’t forgive himself for not being with his dad when he died.
It also explains his near-obsessive need to take care of everyone.
I was going to tell him about my mom yesterday, but it seemed like too much after everything else.
Still, Lester’s words of caution about not waiting to let Harrison into the most guarded parts of my life run through my head.
The last thing I want to do is hurt him.
But if it changes how he sees me—if he pities me—it’ll devastate me.
I’ll have to rip the Band-Aid off and see what happens.
This is too much thinking for so early in the day, and I need coffee. One last peek at Harrison gives me no sign he’ll be waking up soon. I’ll go down and get a pot brewing.
I roll onto my back, and then, with the stealth of a ninja, I slither across the sheets to the edge of the bed.
When I go still, preparing to sit, I swear the mattress beneath me jiggles.
I lie perfectly stone-like, not moving a muscle until I’m sure I’ve imagined it.
I’m going to sit up on three. One. Two. Th—
“What are you doing?” The gravelly morning voice scares the heck out of me, and my body reacts poorly.
I jolt and am halfway off the bed, bracing for impact with the floor, when my forward motion halts, thanks to the quick reflexes and well-developed arm muscles of my bedmate.
Between the efforts of us both, I’m back on the bed in no time.
I’m lying on my back, and Harrison, on his side, leans over me, with a protective arm placed across my belly as a barrier between me and the edge of the bed.
“Hi,” I pant.
“Hey.” He grins at me. “Were you trying to sneak out of bed?”
I nod. “It looked like you would never get up, and I desperately need coffee.”
“You could have woken me up. I wouldn’t have minded.”
I stare at him for a few seconds, then reach and run my hand through his hair.
“Yesterday was a lot for you to go through, to share. I figured you could use the extra rest.”
A sad smile forms on his face. “Thanks for being there. It’s difficult for me to share that.”
I push up onto my side and stretch to give him a kiss. When he tries to change it from a simple peck to a full-on kiss, I squeal and pull back. I cover my mouth with my hand.
“I haven’t brushed my teeth yet,” I tell him.
“So,” he grins, leaning into me.
“No.” I hold a hand up in front of his mouth. “No offense, but neither have you.”
Harrison chuckles and rolls back over to his side of the bed, then up onto the edge. He looks over his shoulder at me. “I’m going to brush my teeth. Wanna come?”
Twenty minutes later, Harrison and I sit on the back deck of his home and sip our piping hot coffee. The morning sun isn’t yet hot enough to make it uncomfortable, and the peaceful quiet of the early day surrounds us.
“I have to tell you something, and I think it might make you happy and annoyed at the same time.” I watch his face for his reaction, yet see nothing telling.
“Well, that’s quite the intro, Bets.” Harrison follows it with a throaty laugh.
I place my coffee cup on the table between us, then maneuver my chair so I’m facing him.
“Okay, don’t comment until you’ve heard the entirety of what I have to say.
All right?” He nods. “I would like to rent the cabin.” A huge grin spreads across his face.
This I expected. “But… I don’t want to deal with you on the details.
” His brow furrows in question. “I want to deal with Henry. I’ve already been in contact with him, and he agrees.
I-I don’t want it to feel like my boyfriend is also my landlord.
” I pull my lower lip between my teeth and wait.
He shrugs. “I can live with that.” This reaction I did not expect.
I narrow my eyes at him. “Why are you so calm about this? I’m not complaining, but I thought for sure you’d be upset that I wanted to deal with Henry instead of you.”
“I don’t love that it’s not me. But I get it. If that’s how it needs to be so you’re comfortable staying, then that’s what we’ll do.”
“Wow. Okay. Just when you think you know a guy,” I tease.
“Can I ask one question, though?”
“Uh, sure. Go ahead.”
“Do you realize you called me your boyfriend? And that there are no takebacks.”
“Really, you’re going to waste your question on that? I figured after your chest-pounding, ‘You’re mine, I’m yours’ speech at Lester’s yesterday, it was probably a safe assumption.”
“Oh, it was, Bets. I’ve been your boyfriend for weeks, babe. You just had to come around.” His sexy smirk and a wink give me butterflies in my belly.
That’s the perfect segue, Delaney. Don’t miss it…
As fast as the butterflies came, they’re gone and replaced with a tightness that I get when I’m nervous.
“Since you’re my boyfriend, h-how do you feel about meeting my mom today?”