Chapter 5
The bar was packed. Saturday night was usually busy, and Anders couldn’t be happier with how successful it was. Having a business that was a pillar of the community, was the culmination of his dreams. Coming from a family who struggled to have enough food to eat every week, he never dreamed this would be his life. He was still close to his parents, and he knew they were proud of him and everything he achieved in life. With all that he’d done over the years and who he was today, he never forgot where he came from.
Being the owner of a small business, where regulars could come in each night to drink, eat, and have fun, was not what he expected for his life.
After he joined the military and experienced the things he had over the years, Anders was positive that he would be a lifer. Someone who gave their life to the country. He knew when his life ended, it would be on a desert battlefield. His mission fulfilled. No wife. No kids. The life insurance from his death would sustain his family for years to come.
But he didn’t die. When he returned home, he did not know what to do with his life. He went to meetings with other veterans to deal with the feeling of no longer being needed. Even after speaking with Parker and Ian, his military buddies, he was still on shaky ground. He even toyed with leaving Virginia and moving across the country. Something stopped him. A pull to this city that he didn’t understand.
Then he saw this place. It was empty. Available for lease. There was nothing about it that would stand out as a place where he could build a future. Even still, he knew he had found his new calling. Anders had a new mission, and he was damn good at getting whatever he wanted.
And now, Anders wanted Harper.
She called to him in ways he never expected. He wasn’t too proud to admit that he was happy as fuck that she’d walked into his bar that night. As he thought about their outing earlier today, he knew they were getting to the point of no return.
The sly smiles she threw his way. She even walked with an extra twist of her hips. Harper may not think he noticed those things, but he did. And so did his dick. He had no problem showing her that he was aroused by her presence, but in the middle of an upscale clothing store was not the place.
His little lawyer had him tied up in knots, and he was almost to his breaking point. She never shared what she had bought earlier that day, but he had a good idea. Now, he just needed to make sure she never wore it for anyone but him. Just then, the entrance opened, and he saw a vision that stopped him in his tracks.
His Harper.
As she walked closer, an intense feeling of need came over him. He was tired of playing this game of cat and mouse with her. He wanted his woman, even if she didn’t realize she belonged to him.
The skirt she was wearing hugged her hips, ending just above her knees. Black ankle boots covered her feet. The blouse she wore was a myriad of colors, including red, blue, and yellow. Those long braids he couldn’t wait to twist in his hands as he pounded her from behind, were twisted in a loose updo. In a nutshell, she looked extra fuckable tonight.
“Hey. I didn’t expect to see you here tonight.” Anders watched as she smiled up at him and sat down in her usual seat.
“I changed my mind about staying in tonight.” He didn’t know it, but tonight, Harper had a plan. Nothing would stop her from putting it into motion. “Figured I would head out tonight. Someone I’ve been talking to asked me out to dinner. Since I wasn’t doing anything else…” she trailed off, shrugging her shoulder.
Anders saw red. What did she mean by that? A date? Nah, not this shit again. Tonight would not go the way she thought.
“Didn’t you already have an experience a few weeks ago? Is that something you really want to do again? Going out with these guys you meet online is not good.”
Inside, Harper was giddy with excitement. The only thought running through her head was, “Got ‘em.” She leaned closer and crooked a finger at Anders to draw him closer. Once he leaned in, she gazed into his eyes. “Well, who else is going to give me what I want? I’m lonely, Anders. Since you don’t want me, it’s time for me to find someone who does.”
And the bomb was dropped.
Curious to know how he would respond to her statement, Harper leaned back. Anders continued to stare at her with an incredulous look on his face. She could see a tic in his jaw as he clenched his teeth. Good. Maybe he would finally give her what she wanted most.
Him.
Anders was shocked at her words, but also happy. Now that he knew how she felt about him, there was no reason for him to wait any longer. He was free to do what he’d been thinking about for a while. Without saying another word, he turned away from Harper and called out to Cassie. “Hey, can you cover things tonight?”
Cassie nodded before she looked up and noticed Harper sitting at the end of the bar. “Yeah, boss. I got you. Take the night. It’s about time you do something for yourself.”
He nodded before walking out from the back toward Harper. Once he reached her, he put out one hand, taking the first step. “Let’s go.”
She smirked at him. “Where are we going?”
Of course, Harper knew where she wanted to go, but would let him take the lead. At least for the moment.
He smiled down at her before tilting his head. “Your place, sweetheart. It’s closer. I can always take you to my house, but I don’t plan to let you out of bed for a while. You would probably be more comfortable in your own space.” He lifted a hand and tugged on a braid hanging down from her updo. “We can order dinner if you want. But trust me, you’ll definitely need your energy.”
After she placed her hand in his, he pulled her close. The hand holding hers pulled her close. The other lifted to caress the soft skin of her face. Something melted inside him as he looked into her brown eyes. “Do you have any idea what you do to me? For months, I’ve wanted you. And I’ll be damned if you leave here tonight and go out with another man.”
In one swift movement, he leaned down to capture her lips with his. The kiss wasn’t long, but it was filled with so much promise. His cock hardened behind his jeans. As her lips moved against his, his head filled with visions of everything he wanted to do to her. Lick her. Suck her. Fuck her. Fill her with his babies. But putting a ring on her finger would be a part of that process.
All he wanted in this moment, and the next, was to be with her. Wake up next to her every morning. Crawl home to her each night. If he had never been forgiven for the things he’d done while in the military serving his country, then he knew this was his redemption. Her. Harper. Because he must have done something right in his life to have this chance with her.
The kiss lasted a few more seconds, and he heard Harper moan. Hands clenched his t-shirt as she pressed tighter against him.
Harper was ravenous and didn’t care who was watching them. With every second that passed, she wanted to wrap her legs around him and pull him close. But then the clapping started, breaking them apart. Everyone in the bar was staring at them. Their eyes remained locked on each other, not daring to look away. Harper was dazed, and a bit confused by the intensity of the emotions flowing through her from the contact.
After a few seconds of standing close to each other and breathing the same air, Anders clasped her hand tighter. “Sweetheart, I’m gonna break your fucking headboard,” he growled. He turned them toward the door and walked through the crowd staring at them. Some faces held smiles. Others shock. As they made their way through the crowd, he lifted one hand and waved to his staff. As they left the restaurant, their steps didn’t falter one bit. They had some place to be, and Anders was not stopping for anything. Destination: Harper’s apartment.
As he led the way, she almost giggled out loud. Something that was completely unlike her. Being this free and fun was a hidden part of herself that she rarely showed to others. Growing up in her family, she had no choice but to stay out of the way. Hidden from the sibling rivalry of her mean-spirited brother. She stayed under the radar just far enough so her mother and father would almost forget she was there. But with that, she also learned how to understand what made other people tick. What their triggers were.
Of course, she knew telling Anders she had a date tonight would garner a response. What she got was exactly what she had hoped for.
Neither spoke as they quickly made their way to her apartment. Words were unnecessary. They both knew what this was about. Need and desire had formed an undeniable connection between the two of them. Harper had come into his bar because she needed something different. A place to call her own when things became too tough with her family.
But she found something so much more. Six feet, four inches of man. Blond. Blue eyes. Sexy as fuck and all hers.
They made it to the apartment in record time. Opening the door, she walked in first, and Anders followed. She placed the keys in a bowl on the table. “Want something to drink?”
“No. I want something else.” He pressed up against her, his hands gripping her waist tightly. Leaning down, his lips devoured hers. His tongue, hot and demanding, thrust inside her mouth and tasted her sweet, unforgettable flavor. Anders was hooked.
One taste would never be enough.
He wanted more. Needed more.
Anders was pleasantly surprised when she pressed her soft body against his harder one. Lifting his head for a moment, he stared down at her as she gazed up at him. That one look was enough to drive him insane. Any remaining thoughts of walking away left his mind. He claimed her lips again, and any further resistance was futile. The sensations that careened through his body were intense. Unending. And he never wanted the feeling to stop. The rush of desire was overwhelming.
His hands grabbed her under her ass and lifted her up. “Wrap your legs around me,” he demanded. Carrying her, he walked toward the back of the apartment. “Where is your bedroom?”
“Straight back on the left.” She then began to place soft kisses on his neck and face. “You smell good.” Whatever cologne he wore, she wanted to roll around in the scent.
“I have a feeling you’ll taste even better.”
Her pussy gushed at his words. Anders was definitely a slick talker. She kissed him again, unable to stay separated for long. Without breaking contact with her lips, he laid her down on the bed and followed her down. His body lay between her legs as his hands roamed up along her waist and cupped her firm breasts. The feel of her soft globes in his hands made the passion swirling inside of him explode. His desire for her was unstoppable. His fingers kneaded and pressed on her soft flesh.
Anders used one hand to push up her skirt. His fingers skimmed along the soft skin of her thick thighs. The touch of his calloused hands, rough yet gentle, provoked a high-pitched moan of pleasure from the brown-skinned beauty beneath him. As she responded so sweetly, his dick thickened ever more underneath his pants.
He lifted his head to look down at her. “You look so fucking beautiful. This feel good to you, baby?” Their eyes locked in a heated gaze, and the air became dense with sensuality. Her only response to his words was a whimper; her hands grabbed and clawed at his muscular arms. Thick fingers slipped underneath her panties to touch and tease her plump lower lips. Wetness coated the skin, which he used to slick up his fingers as he ran them through her soft folds.
As his digits tantalized her body, she exhaled deeply. He lifted his gaze back to hers and stared into her eyes. She was dazed. Out of her mind. And the more he touched her, the more her body responded. More wetness pooled around his fingers. Her legs widened in need.
He could wait no longer. Lifting from her body, he stood at the edge of the bed. He had barely gotten a taste of her and knew he needed everything she had to give. Possessing her was the only thought running through his mind. He needed Harper as much as he needed air to breathe. There was no way in hell he could walk away from her tonight. “Strip. I want to see all of you. Naked. For me.”
Harper was turned on beyond anything she had ever experienced before. Her legs were almost trembling. The whimpers escaping her mouth were low, but needy. “Anders,” she pleaded, her voice filled with need. “Help me.”
What else could he do but give her exactly what she asked for?