Chapter 17 #2
She sighs and rubs her nose over my chest. “Okay. Well, then, I’d better get up if I’m going to get to Xander’s, change, and get myself to work on time. ”
“We have time for a quick breakfast,” I tell her. “If we hurry.”
“Right. Breakfast is our thing. Let’s do it.”
She pushes off me, but before she can leave the bed, I snag her wrist and tug her back to me. I grip her jaw and kiss her hard and deep.
“That’ll tide me over,” she whispers against my lips before I let her go.
Harper has made herself at home in the kitchen, which fills me with contentment. I lean on the counter as she whips up some scrambled eggs for breakfast burritos, watching her efficiently grate some cheese to add to the eggs.
She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and she’s dressed in leggings and a T-shirt. Her face is clean of makeup.
She’s mine.
Harper glances my way, then does a double take. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?”
She finishes grating and then starts to build the burritos. “I don’t know. I can’t put my finger on it.”
“I’m just watching you, sugar. I like having you in my kitchen.”
“It’s a great space. The countertops are freaking huge. I could make some really great sugar-free cinnamon rolls here. Greg would love those.”
Move in with me, and this kitchen is all yours, sweetheart. Hell, she can have whatever the fuck she wants .
She licks her thumb, then taps her phone to light up the screen.
“No news from the family?” I ask.
“No, and no news is good news.” She grins and leans over to kiss my arm. I love how physically affectionate she’s become with me as if it’s as natural as breathing. “I’ll check in with Greg this evening. I told him I’d come to his place for dinner. I think some of the others are coming, too.”
My eyes stay glued to her as she plates the burritos and passes me one.
“Cheers.” She lifts her breakfast and taps it against mine before taking a massive bite. “Mmm, good.”
She does make one hell of a breakfast burrito.
Before I’m ready, we’re in the car headed back to Xander’s house, and we’re both quiet as we drive in the predawn light.
“Thank you,” she murmurs, and I glance over to see her watching me. “I had a really good time.”
“Me, too.” I take a breath and let it out slowly. “I’ll see you later today. I’ll swing up on my way to the ER before my shift.”
Her lips twitch. “I’d love that. I can swing through the ER on my way home from Greg’s and bring you a bite to eat for dinner.”
I nod, already excited to see her later. This is just how it might be for us for a while. Stealing moments here and there.
“You’re on for three days?” I ask her .
“Yes, three on, then three off. What’s your schedule like this week?”
I try to mentally pull up my calendar. “Half day in the clinic today, ER tonight. I have two more days in the clinic after that. I think I have a couple of days off once those are done.”
Harper bounces in her seat, making me grin.
“The stars have aligned our schedules again.”
“Thank God for the stars.” I pull up to Xanders, then push out of my car and walk around to open her door. When she steps out, I tug her against me and kiss her long and slow. Her hands fist in my sweatshirt, making me groan. “If you don’t go inside, I’m going to fuck you against this car.”
She licks that bottom lip. “Rain check.”
With a smirk, I pull her bag out of the back seat, and she takes it from me. I kiss her forehead, breathing her in one last time.
“Have a good day, Harper.”
“You too.” She grins at me, then she jogs up the stairs to the door, keys in the code, and disappears inside.
Rubbing my hand over my chest, I get back in the car and drive off. But when I get home, the house smells like Harper, and it’s way too empty without her, so I fill a gym bag and decide to go lift some weights.
Bridger’s the fire chief, and he’s offered up the gym at the fire station for us siblings to use whenever we want, so I head there. It’s quiet this morning. The sky has lightened to gray with the predawn light, and birds chirp as I walk inside the fire station.
No one is in the locker room, and once I’ve changed and shoved my stuff into a locker, I walk out to the weight room and grin.
Brooks and Bridger are at the squat rack. Brooks is lifting, and Bridger’s watching, and I immediately feel good about coming here so early.
“Hey,” Bridge says with a smile as I stride to them.
“Good morning.” I shake my brother’s hand and pull him in for a man-hug, and do the same to Brooks once he’s racked the bar and stepped over.
We’re all tall in our family, well into the mid-six-foot range. We’re muscular and broad naturally and add in the workouts we all do, and well, we’re strong.
But Brooks takes it to another level.
The man looks like he could wrestle professionally. He could give the Rock a run for his money in the size department.
“How’s it going?” Brooks asks.
“It’s great. I just dropped Harper off at home and thought I’d come work out for a bit. I don’t have to be at the clinic until around noon.”
Bridger’s eyebrows climb in surprise. “You let her stay all night?”
“Don’t be a dick.” I shake my head and walk over to the barbells for curling. My brothers follow me over. “She’s stayed a few nights now. At my house.”
“Hold up.” Brooks crosses his arms over his chest. “This is a relationship.”
“Fuck yes.” I set the barbells down and wipe my hand over my face. “It is. And you two can give me shit all you want, but I don’t care. She’s great, and I plan to spend as much time with her as possible.”
They both stare at me, and Bridger sets his hand on my shoulder. “Good for you. I like her, you know that. I assume she’s on the same page.”
“Same page,” I agree with a nod. “I’d like to murder her ex for being a general asshole and giving her some insecurity issues, but otherwise, things are great.”
“Everyone has baggage,” Brooks says and starts doing curls of his own. Double the amount of weight that I just lifted.
Asshole.
“If you care about her, don’t give up on her.”
Bridger and I share a look.
“Brooks, I have to tell you something.”
“If it’s about someone with a J name, no, you don’t.” He glares at me, and I shuffle my feet.
“Yeah, I do because I feel fucking guilty. Harper loves her restaurant and wanted to eat there yesterday, so I took her.”
He blinks at me. “And?”
“And that’s it.”
“You feel guilty because you ate dinner at a restaurant?”
Bridger grins, and I scowl.
“That J name you won’t talk about owns the fucking place, brother. And she was there, and I had to say hi, and yeah. I feel fucking guilty.”
Brooks shakes his head. “It’s a small town, Blake. Eat wherever the fuck you want. I don’t care. ”
But I see the hurt in his eyes, and I hate it.
“Have you seen her since she’s been back?”
The smile leaves Bridger’s face.
“No.”
“Maybe you should rip the bandage off.”
Brooks shakes his head and walks to a leg machine, wearing a scowl on his face.
“You’re going to run into her,” I tell him. “Like you said, it’s a small town. You’re bound to see her at the grocery or the post office. Maybe her car will break down and need your shop?—”
“I’m not having this goddamn conversation with you.”
“Fine.” I hold my hands up in surrender. “I just love you, man. And this sucks.”
Bridger blows out a breath. “Did Connor call you guys about staying up at the new lodge for a few days this week?”
I frown and pull out my phone. There’s no call, but I do have a text that I missed over the past couple of days when I was with Harper.
Connor: The first phase of rebuilding the resort is almost finished, and I’d like to have the entire family up to stay for a few days to use the restaurant, the spa, everything.
Bring your girl. I’ve also invited the Wild family, hoping to fill most of the rooms to give my staff a trial run before reservations start. It’ll be fun .
He lists the dates, and I see that Harper and I will both be off work those days.
“This sounds like a good time,” I say, shoving my phone back in my pocket.
“We’re taking the kids up,” Bridger says. “Birdie’s excited about the pool. Dani not so much.”
“Hell, I’m excited about the pool. I’ll swim with Birdie,” I reply. “You in, Brooks?”
“I’ll go up for a bit,” he confirms. “The guys at the shop claim they can handle things without me.”
“They can. You’re just a control freak.”
A grin breaks out on my brother’s face, making me blink.
Brooks never smiles like that.
“You have no idea.”