Chapter 6
Harper
Imay not have much experience with the male anatomy, but I’ve read enough and heard enough about it to know a little something.
I wake up when I hear Ash moan softly behind me. Right behind me. He’s got his arm around me, his toned body perfectly melded to mine, and right in the middle of it all something hard.
“What are you…oh my God!” I throw his arm off me and stumble out of bed so fast I land on my ass. “What are you doing?”
“I didn’t…I wasn’t…” he stutters, but then he looks down at himself. “Fuck.”
That confirms it. I knew I wasn’t dreaming.
“Are you for real right now?” I snap, throwing a pillow at him. He bars his arm in front of his face and it bounces off.
“It’s not what you think,” he says defensively.
“Oh really?” I ask, hopping to my feet and crossing my arms over my chest. “And what is it you think I think?”
“That I was going to try something. Which I would never,” he says as he sits up. Our eyes go to his lower half, and he covers himself with the pillow I threw at him.
“Oh really? Because your dick says differently,” I tell him, and heat fills my cheeks.
“It was a dream, Jesus. I can’t control what I dream about,” he argues.
“Maybe not, but you can control where you put yourself while having your dirty dreams,” I snap, pulling a pair of leggings on.
“Is that the first time you’ve ever said the word dick? Out loud, I mean. I’m sure you’ve thought it. All those books you read–”
“Are you really making jokes right now?” I cut him off. “That is so like you. Well, I don’t think this is funny. I don’t think any of this is funny.”
“Harper.”
“No,” I shake my head as I rush over to the glass door.
“Harper, wait. Where are you–”
“Don’t follow me.”
He stops just long enough for me to get outside. It’s not raining anymore, thank God. In fact, the night is clear. It’s cool, but warm enough that I’m not cold. I am shaking, though. Shaking from the anger, frustration, and confusion of all of it.
I run across the patio, around the pool that is as still as glass, and down the wooden stairs that lead to the beach.
My feet hit the cool, white sand, and I sprint towards the water.
I want to run, to bolt towards the edge of the world because I’m so angry I could scream.
I’m tempted to simply cry out into the universe, but I’m afraid if I do that Ash will think something is really wrong and come out here. Right now, I need to be alone.
None of this makes sense. Why would he crash my wedding if Jaylen knew nothing about it? I know he’s a man, and men are pig-headed and prideful, but why is he here, really? It was my wedding day, for crying out loud!
But more than that.
If Daniel loves me the way he claims to, why can’t I get in touch with him?
Our entire relationship has been elaborate dates, luxury gifts, showing me off at his restaurants, and compliments about how sexy and smart I am.
So why hasn’t he texted me, called me, or come looking for me?
I don’t understand. The only thing I can think of is maybe he’s been threatened or blackmailed.
Jaylen.
That has to be it. Even though Ash denies it and claims Jaylen had nothing to do with it, that doesn’t add up. Because why else would Asher go to such lengths to see to it that I don’t marry Daniel?
As I stare out at the horizon to the line where sea meets sky, I feel small, but not in an insignificant way.
My parents never reached for better opportunities.
They were small town kids who got into small town things and ended up in small town trouble.
Drugs. Alcohol. After having Jaylen and managing to get him to young adulthood, they repeated the pattern and had me.
Except by the time I entered the picture, they were pretty much over college tries.
If it hadn’t been for Jaylen, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
He was a big brother in every sense of the word, feeding me, watching out for me, and making sure I went to school and did well.
He also made sure I understood that if I wasn’t careful, if I gave in to peer pressure and hormones, I would end up like them.
A destiny that felt more like a life sentence and a living hell.
He wasn’t the only one around.
Asher was there too.
Quiet. Witty. A dry sense of humor that he used to get under my skin. He drove me crazy in my younger years, but as I got older, he felt less like a big brother. His teasing felt like something else. Something sparked and curious. Something I wasn’t allowed to touch or even think about.
So I didn’t.
I’ve spent the last eight years of my life not thinking about it.
But right now, I’d be lying if I said that it wasn’t really, really hard right now.
I can’t bring myself to go back to bed with him.
As I make my way up the patio stairs, I can see his silhouette on the bed, sitting on the edge.
I’m sure he feels bad, but he kind of deserves this.
After all, he’s the one who brought me here with no explanation other than saying he doesn’t think Daniel and I are right for each other.
Needless to say, I opt for the couch tonight. I don’t even feel like making him sleep there because that would mean talking to him, and that’s just not something I am in the mood to do.
I wake up the next morning, not because the sun is shining in my eyes or the smell of breakfast coming from the kitchen, but to the sound of grunting.
I scramble to a sitting position as my eyes pop fully open. “What are you…what do you think you are doing?” I demand.
“Burpees. What’s it look like?” he asks, and I clutch the blanket. He’s in shorts; tight, short-shorts and nothing else save for running shoes and a layer of glistening sweat, making his abs shimmer in the morning light.
“I just thought…you sounded like…”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” he grunts again as he lunges across the floor.
“Can you…can you not?” I ask, and Ash looks over at me with a half smirk and wild eyes.
“Let me guess, this is bothering you too? You seem to be very easily bothered.”
“I…I…” I stutter, not sure how to finish the sentence, so I change routes. “I have been thinking, and I decided that you are lying to me.”
“Am I now?” he asks as he switches to push-ups. “About what?”
“About why you–” my words catch in my throat as I watch his back flex with each rise and fall. His shoulders arch into an M shape as he presses. “Why you did this?”
“Are we really having this conversation again?” he asks through the strain of the push-up.
“Yes. We are. Because you haven’t admitted to anything, but I know the truth,” I tell him, trying not to stare and failing.
“Which is?” he groans.
“Jaylen.”
“Harper,” he shakes his head.
“No. I know he had something to do with this. You literally have no other reason to go to this extent. No matter what is going on between you and Daniel, all of this–”
“Harper…”
“You and Jaylen both hate Daniel, and because the two of you basically share a sixteenth of a brain cell and always have, he sent you to stop the wedding.”
“That’s funny,” Ash says as he comes to his knees, switching back to burpees. “Riddle me this: why wouldn’t he just come out here and stop the ceremony himself? Why go to the trouble of sending me?”
“Because, you’re–” I stop talking when Ash stands in front of me, towering over me like a sweaty, heaving, breathing statue of male pheromones. “Bigger.”
Ash grins down at me with a slow head nod, and I let out an exasperated sigh and storm off. If he’s not going to admit it, I am going to prove it.
“Hold that thought,” I say as I grab my phone and punch in Jaylen’s number. He answers on the second ring.
“Hey, sis. It’s early. Can I call you back in a–”
“This was all your idea, wasn’t it?” I snap.
“I’m not following,” he says. I can tell by the sound of his voice that I woke him or interrupted something. Either way, he’s in a bed and probably not alone.
“Don’t play dumb, Jay. I know you sent Asher here to kidnap me.”
Jaylen lets out a confused laugh, and I can hear sheets rustling. “What are you talking about?”
“You sent Ash to Costa Rica!” I say. But I’m sure he already knows.
“Costa Rica? Why would I send Ash to Costa Rica? Jesus, sis, are you drunk?”
“To ruin the wedding!” I blurt out.
“I told you he doesn’t know anything,” Ash chimes in as he lunges across the room.
“Harper, what’s going on?” Jaylen asks.
“What’s going on is Daniel and I came to Costa Rica to elope and your sidekick here barged in and ruined everything,” I say.
“Hold up,” Jaylen says, and based on his tone, I’m starting to think maybe Ash was telling the truth. “Put me on speaker phone.”
I let out a breath and do as he says. The cat is out of the bag now, I guess, and I’m the one that freed it. This just keeps getting better and better.
“Ash, is that true?” he asks. “Was Harper really about to marry Colby?”
“Yep,” he answers mid-lunge.
“And you stopped it?”
“I did.”
“Thanks, bro,” Jaylen says.
“No problem.”
I roll my eyes, practically hearing the verbal high five. “Are you two and your bromance done yet?”
“No, I’m not done,” Jaylen says. “What the fuck are you thinking marrying that slimeball? You understand what kind of man he is, don’t you?”
“He’s a better man than either of you! Neither of you care about my happiness at all!”
“No, just your future,” Ash says, and I glare at him.
“He’s right. It would have been a major mistake,” Jaylen agrees.
“You know what? Screw both of you,” I snap, and I hang up on my brother before the conversation can go any further. Then I march over to Asher, stopping him mid-burpee.
“So if Jaylen didn’t have anything to do with it, then why?”
Asher stares down at me, breathing heavily, not a hint of teasing or sarcasm in his expression.
“You really want to know?” he asks.
“Yes!”
“I couldn’t let you marry him, not because I hate him, but because I’m in love with you.”