Chapter 15 #2
“And why was it frustrating?”
“Because I wanted to see you, and we couldn’t make it happen.”
She’s quiet as she takes that in. In fact, she’s quiet for so long that she’s starting to make me nervous.
“What’s on your mind, sugar?”
“I don’t know how we make this work.” The words are whispered quietly as if she’s afraid to speak too loudly. “I guess we just take our couple of days where we can get them.”
My stomach clenches at the thought of not being able to work this out with her, and then she’s turning and straddling my thighs, her arms around my neck and those gray eyes rock me to the core.
She takes my breath away. Her nipples are hard and dripping with water as my hands glide over her hips and around her back.
I want to ask her to move out of Xander’s house and in with me. Then we might get more stolen moments together between shifts. I’d at least see her every day, even if only for a few minutes.
But even I know that it’s too soon for that. I don’t want to scare her away.
“We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing,” I say instead and drag my hands up and down her slim back. “We’re going to talk as much as possible, see each other whenever we can, and take it day by day. We’re going to figure it out, Harper, because being without you isn’t an option for me.”
She blinks and bites her bottom lip. “I don’t want to be without you either.”
“Good. Then the rest will work itself out.”
She leans her forehead against mine. “I hope so.”
Armed with a tray full of fruit, oatmeal, bacon, and scrambled eggs, I walk into the bedroom and smile when I see my girl still asleep in my bed.
She should be in my bed every fucking night.
It’s no surprise to me that she’s still asleep. I kept her up most of the night, talking and fucking until we were so exhausted that we couldn’t keep our eyes open.
But I was awake with the sun, and since this is the first time I get to enjoy breakfast with her, I got up to make her the meal in bed.
I set the tray aside and climb over her, peppering kisses over her warm face and neck.
Harper stirs and loops her arms around me.
“Good morning,” she murmurs with a sleepy voice that has me hardening again.
I can’t get enough of her.
“It’s the best morning I’ve had in a long while,” I confirm. “I made you breakfast.”
She smiles. She still hasn’t opened her pretty gray eyes, and she stretches beneath me, pressing her naked breasts against my chest.
“Yum. Is there coffee?”
“Of course.”
“I smell bacon.”
I grin and kiss her chin. “If you opened your eyes, you’d see everything.”
Slowly, she blinks them open and smiles up at me. “You’re the best thing I’ve ever woken up to.”
And just like that, here at this moment with that sleepy declaration, I’ve slipped right into love with this remarkable woman. There’s no going back for me. She’s everything I never knew I needed in my life.
“Same goes, baby.” I nuzzle her cheek and then roll away before I spill all of my heart and soul at her feet. “Come on, I finally get to enjoy breakfast with you. I’ve waited a long time for this.”
She scoots up on the bed and pulls the covers over her breasts, tucking them under her arms. I pass her a mug of coffee, and she takes a sip.
“So good,” she says. “What else do we have here?”
I run through it all, and when I hold up a slice of bacon, she bites off the end and grins while she chews.
“Delicious,” she says. “I didn’t realize you were such a big breakfast lover.”
I shake my head as I settle in next to her and take a bite of oatmeal.
“I’m not. I’m a big fan of the idea of you still being here for this meal.” I offer her a spoonful of oatmeal, and she takes it. “And I have to say, I’m hooked. Breakfast should be our new thing.”
“Wow, we have a thing.” Sleepily, she sips her coffee. “I like that.”
She pops a strawberry in her mouth.
“I want to hike with you today,” I tell her, and her eyebrows climb, her eyes brightening at the idea. “If you’re up for it.”
“I’m always up for a hike. Where should we go?”
“There’s a spot on the Wild River Ranch that’s really nice, and I have permission to hike there whenever I want to. I’d love to show it to you.”
“Sure, that sounds nice. Is that Millie’s family?”
I nod and eat some eggs. “Yeah. Most of them live out there. The only one who doesn’t is Ryan because he has his own ranch not too far away.”
She nods thoughtfully. “His wife, Polly, goes to book club. She owns the dress shop in town. She’s really sweet.”
“They’re all good friends,” I reply. “What do you think of Bitterroot Valley, sugar? Now that you’ve been here for a while.”
She chews more bacon and tips her head to the side, thinking it over. “It’s really great. I mean, I can’t find it in me to root for the high school football team here because they were our biggest rivals, but aside from that, I love it.”
I grin and lean in to nibble her lips. “That’s fair. Although we kicked your ass my senior year.”
“Did you play? ”
I nod and reach for a slice of peach. “I was the quarterback.”
“Of course, you were.” She snorts, and I narrow my eyes at her.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m just not surprised. You probably also dated a cheerleader and were prom king.”
My brows pull together in a frown, and she bursts out laughing.
“I knew it.”
“There’s nothing wrong with any of that,” I tell her.
“Nope. Not at all.”
“Okay, what about you? What were you like in high school?”
Harper laughs and turns to face me, bringing her legs up toward her chest. “I was not popular. I was a book nerd, and I was scrawny and a little shy. Once, this idiot in my study hall decided it would be funny to shove me in a locker?—”
I growl low in my throat, and she shakes her head.
“And Xander ended up shoving him in a locker and got suspended for it.”
“I need to buy Xander a beer.”
“Everyone knew that Ava and I had three older brothers who would kick their ass if they messed with us, so mostly I was a wallflower. I liked it that way. I don’t like being the center of attention.”
“You’re the center of my attention,” I remind her.
“For two days.” She nods, but I lean in and press my lips to her ear .
“Even if I’m not physically with you, you’re the fucking center of my attention. You’re never far from my mind, sugar.”
She bites her lip and shakes her head.
“You’re too good to be true.”
“What does that mean?”
She moves to scoot off the bed, but I keep her next to me, my hand on her arm and because it’s physically impossible for me to keep my hands to myself, I tuck her hair behind her ear and drag my fingers down her jawline.
“What does that mean, Harper?”
“The other shoe is going to drop. Something has to be wrong with you. You’ll be sweet like this for a while, and then when we’re alone, you’ll tell me I’m stupid. Or you’ll sleep with someone else. Or you’ll remind me that I’m a shit nurse.”
“Whoa.” Shaking my head, I pull her onto my lap and wrap my arms around her, keeping her against me. “None of that is going to happen. You’re not stupid in the slightest, baby. You’re an amazing nurse. I’ve seen you in action. And I already made it clear that you’re the only woman I see.”
“For now,” she breathes and nuzzles her sweet face into my neck. Her sigh has my heart aching.
“Not for now.” I pull back and hook my finger under her chin, bringing her gaze back to mine. “Who the fuck put this shit in your head? The guy you ran away from?”
She simply nods.
“You need to tell me what he did, baby. I need to know so I understand what demons I’m navigating through here.”
She sighs again and closes her eyes. “I know. Maybe we can talk while we hike?”
“That’s fine.” I kiss her lips and push my hand over her neck and into her hair. “No shoe is dropping. I’m not that idiot. Not even close.”
“Okay,” she whispers. “Let’s go hike.”