Chapter 52
FIFTY-TWO
We were both breathing hard when the kiss ended, but I couldn’t bring myself to let go of Harper.
My hands stayed framed around her face like I was afraid she’d disappear again if I loosened my grip.
“Come home with me,” I said against her lips. It wasn’t a question but a plea.
She nodded, her eyes bright with happy tears. “I want to see Rory.”
Goddamn, I loved this woman. There were too many things I loved about her to list them all, but at the very top was how much she loved my daughter.
“She’s been missing you.”
Harper’s face crumpled with pain. “I’m so sorry I left her too.”
“Hey.” I pressed my forehead to hers. “It doesn’t matter anymore. We’re good now. That’s what matters.”
I was reluctant to separate from her, but we couldn’t just leave her car here.
So with one more kiss, I opened her car door and then hopped in my truck.
She followed me back to the hockey house in Dunridge, but that didn’t stop me from regularly checking the rearview mirror, afraid I’d just hallucinated the last half hour.
We parked in the driveway, and I felt some of my anxiety ease when Harper got out of her car without hesitation. She was really here. This wasn’t one of the many dreams I’d had since she walked out two weeks ago.
I opened the front door and immediately heard Rory babbling from the living room, followed by Ava and Liam’s mixed murmurs before Liam’s voice became more clear.
“Come on, Ro. Your dad’s gonna kill us if you’re still awake when he gets home.”
“Yeah, ’cause that’s what he’s gonna kill us over,” Ava said
“Too late to worry now,” I called out, pulling Harper inside with me.
Liam froze where he was standing, gently bouncing Rory, while Ava was glued to his side rubbing Rory’s arm. His expression morphed from worry to thrilled in the blink of an eye when he caught sight of Harper beside me.
Rory’s head turned at the sound of my voice, and my heart clenched when her little face lit up with a big, gummy smile when she saw Harper. She let out a shriek of pure joy, kicking her legs and reaching out toward us.
Harper moved quickly to accept Rory from Liam, and she immediately grabbed fistfuls of Harper’s hair, babbling nonsense sounds while staring at Harper’s face like she was memorizing it all over again.
“Hi, baby girl,” Harper whispered into Rory’s short brown hair that was slightly lighter than mine. “I missed you so much.”
Rory responded with more excited babbling, her hands patting Harper’s cheeks like she was making sure Harper was really there. From her tone, I also got the distinct impression she was chewing her out for being absent for so long.
“I know, sweet girl. I’m sorry I wasn’t here.” Harper’s voice cracked on the last word. I rubbed her lower back, offering her comfort.
From across the room, Liam caught my eye and gave me a chin nod, and Ava was grinning like she’d personally orchestrated our reunion.
“Well,” Liam said, clapping his hands together. “I guess our babysitting duties are officially over.” He grabbed his keys from the coffee table.
Ava was still smiling wide as she walked up to me and gave me a hug. “Try not to traumatize the kid with all your making up, yeah?” she whispered in my ear.
“Shut up,” I said, but I was grinning.
Liam ruffled Rory’s hair as he passed, with Ava following close behind. “Night, Ro. Be good for your dad and Harper.”
And then it was just the three of us.
Rory was still chattering baby gibberish at Harper, who was nodding along seriously like she understood every word, saying the occasional, “Oh, really?”
“She got a new tooth,” I said. “Bottom front. Came in a few days ago.”
Harper gently touched Rory’s chin, and Rory grabbed Harper’s finger, trying to bring it to her mouth like she did with everything.
“Look at you, getting a new tooth,” Harper murmured. “What else did I miss?”
“She’s been extra fussy during teething. And she gets excited when we drive past certain places. I think she recognizes things, even if she can’t say it.”
Harper’s eyes filled again. “Really?” She focused back on Rory. “I guess people aren’t joking when they say kids grow up fast.”
We spent the next hour playing with Rory on the living room floor. Rory showed Harper all her toys by grabbing them and babbling at Harper, who responded like it was the most important conversation she’d ever had.
I couldn’t stop staring at my girls.
My family.
I would do anything to keep this. Them.
When Rory started rubbing her eyes and getting fussy, Harper automatically reached for her. “Come here, sleepy girl. Let’s get you ready for bed.”
The three of us made our way upstairs, falling into the routine we’d established months ago as if no time had passed at all. Harper changed Rory into her pajamas while I got her bottle ready. Then we settled into the rocking chair in my room, Harper holding her while I dimmed the lights.
Harper’s voice was barely above a whisper as she started singing the lullaby that never failed to soothe Rory straight to sleep. God, I’d missed hearing her voice over these past two weeks.
Sure enough, by the second verse, Rory’s eyes were drooping. Her little fist had curled around Harper’s finger, holding on tight even in sleep.
“She’s out,” Harper whispered.
I took Rory carefully and settled her in her crib. She stirred slightly but didn’t wake, her breathing evening out into the deep rhythm of sleep. Harper and I stood there for a moment, watching her. My arm found its way around Harper’s waist, pulling her against my side.
“I can’t believe I almost lost this,” Harper said quietly.
“I thought you needed space, but there’s no world where I wouldn’t have chased you and fought for you, Tins.”
I cupped her face in my hand, wanting to soak in every moment with her. The longer I held her, the harder it became to ignore the heat simmering between us. And her eyes—Christ, her eyes burned with hunger that mirrored the ache in my gut.
“I missed you,” she breathed, palms sliding up my chest like she was re-mapping familiar territory.
My voice came out ragged. “Every time I closed my eyes, knowing you weren’t next to me…” I caught her wrist and pressed my mouth to her frantic pulse. “It felt like dying.”
Her own voice sounded broken. “Drew—”
“Shh.” I backed her toward the bed, hands spanning her waist, thumbs digging into the soft dip above her hips. “Don’t make me think about being without you anymore. I can’t bear it. Tell me you want me.”
Her fingers hooked in my belt loops, yanking me flush against her. The heat of her seared through my clothes. “Only you.” Her lips brushed mine. “I only ever want you.”
Her words snapped the last thread of control. My mouth crashed down on hers as if I was a man starved. Her moan vibrated against my tongue as I slid it against hers, and her hands tore at my shirt.
I broke the kiss only long enough to strip us both. My shirt hit the floor, her leggings and shirt followed, then her lace underwear, and finally my pants and boxer briefs. When she stood naked before me, my throat tightened. “Look at you,” I rasped. “Fucking perfect as ever.”
My palms covered her breasts, thumbs scraping her nipples into tight peaks as she released a moan. “Fucking missed these tits. Missed how they fill my hands.”
She arched, crying out as I pinched gently. “Yes—”
“Missed this.” My hand slid down her stomach, through the slick heat between her thighs. Two fingers plunged inside and curled until I rubbed against the fleshy spot that always made her shudder. “So wet for me, aren’t you, dirty girl.”
“Only you.” Her hips jerked as she rode my hand, her own hands gripping my biceps so hard, I could feel her nails leaving marks. “Always for you.”
I withdrew my fingers, shiny with her arousal, and sucked them clean. Her taste exploded on my tongue—musky and addictive and mine. “Fuck, Tins. No one has ever driven me as wild as you do. I need to feel your tight little pussy come all over my cock.”
She whimpered, her body grinding against mine. “Please. It’s been too long.”
Fuck, she begged so prettily.
Faster than I’d ever moved in my life, I grabbed a condom and slid it on before laying her on the bed and following her down.
My mouth claimed hers again as I settled between her thighs.
She was so wet, the head of my cock slid easily over her entrance, teasing her until I was notched right where I needed to be.
“Please, Drew,” she moaned again, writhing underneath me.
Hadn’t she figured out by now that I’d always give her whatever she wanted?
I slammed into her, hips snapping, and pleasure coiled tight in my gut as her inner walls clamped around me, hot and velvet-tight. “Fuck.” My breath rasped against her ear. “You take me so damn well. Like your body knows exactly what I need.”
She locked her legs around my hips, heels digging into my ass, silently urging me to move.
I set a brutal pace, hips pistoning, each snap of my pelvis dragging a gasp from her lips. The bed rocked beneath us. “That’s it,” I growled against her ear. “Take all of me, like I was fucking made for you.” I caught her nipple in my teeth, biting just shy of pain. “You feel that? How deep I am?”
“Y-yes. Oh God.”
“You gonna come for me?” I slid a hand between us, my thumb finding her swollen clit. “Fuck, baby. Please come. Missed the way you squeeze me. Come for me. Show me how good my cock makes you feel.”
Her body bowed, and she pulled the pillow to her mouth, screaming into it to muffle the sound. Her pussy clenched around me tight, the convulsions milking my length, and it took everything not to follow the pleasure over the cliff.
“Good girl.” I didn’t slow, fucking her through the tremors. “That’s one. Gonna give you another.”
I flipped us and pulled her on top. She straddled me and sunk down until I was buried to the hilt. “Ride me,” I commanded, my hands gripping her hips. “Show me how much you missed this.”
Her hungry gaze met mine as she rose and fell, taking me deep with every drop.
Her breasts bounced, and sweat glistened over her chest. I sat up, capturing one nipple in my mouth, sucking hard as my hand returned to her clit.
“So damn beautiful when you fuck yourself on me. Fuck. You’ve got me so fucked up for you, Tins.
” My voice was ragged and I was fighting my release, but I desperately wanted her to come one more time.
“That’s it. God, you fucking own me. My cock, my body, my heart—it’s all yours. ”
Her motions stuttered as she gripped my face and kissed me hard, whimpering when I thrust up again.
“So close,” she moaned before kissing me again, our bodies finding the perfect rhythm.
She shattered with a gasp, inner muscles clamping down around me as she buried her head in my neck. I thrust deep, my orgasm hitting me like I’d just been bodychecked into the boards.
We collapsed back on the bed, both of us slick and trembling. I gathered her against me, and she rested her head on my pounding chest. My fingers traced the sweat-damp curve of her spine. “Christ,” I breathed. “I’m never letting you go again.”
Her lips brushed my collarbone. “I’m not running.”
“Better not.” I tilted her chin up. “I love you, Harper.”
“I love you too.”
We fell asleep holding each other tight.
It was the best night’s sleep I’d had in weeks.