CHAPTER THREE EMBER
CHAPTER THREE
EMBER
I must have passed out hard in the car, because I wake up when Harley puts the car in park in my tiny driveway. I look over at him, smiling with sleepy eyes.
“Let’s get you inside,” he says, before getting out and coming around to the passenger side to open up the door for me. Holding out his hand to offer support, I unbuckle my seat belt and grab it, getting out of the Honda.
I can’t wait to get these clothes off and get into my bed. I fumble with my keys, trying to find the right one, as we walk up the stairs to my door. Once we reach the door something thumps loudly on the other side.
Harley goes stiff, and looks down at me with an indescribable emotion flashing in his eyes.
I was ready to run at the sound that came from the other side of the door—but the way he’s looking down at me, eyes on fire, I can’t move.
I stand on my tiptoes just as he bends down, one hand coming around the small of my back, tugging me in close so that our bodies are flush.
His other hand comes to rest on the side of my neck, tilting my chin up, and then our lips meet and it's like saying “hello again” without speaking a word.
His lips are fuller and rougher than they used to be.
I put a little force behind my kisses, grabbing his bottom lip and sucking it into my mouth.
My hands are on their own adventure. One hand runs up his chest outside of his hoodie that he’d put on at some point, the other hand hanging on to the back of his head, pulling his hair slightly.
I don’t know if it’s the fear of not knowing what is behind the door, or if the alcohol just makes me not give a fuck, but I can’t get enough of him. I need to get closer.
Another thump comes from behind the door, and Harley breaks off the kiss.
“Give me your keys and get back in the car,” he says.
I stand there, in my own little world of lust, not registering the words he is speaking to me.
“Now, Ember,” he says roughly. “At least until I can make sure nothing and no one is here.”
I pass him the keys and retreat back to the car, nervously waiting to see what’s causing a ruckus inside.
For a second, Dean’s face flashes in my head.
Dean has never broken into my home before, but anything could set a psychopath off, I conclude.
I watch as Harley unlocks the door and disappears inside.
I hold my breath, hoping that it’s nothing.
I don’t see Harley as being the scared type, even if Dean is bigger.
Dean is taller than Harley, but I think Harley has more muscle mass on him.
Nonetheless, I don’t want anything malicious to happen in my home.
I'm rubbing my hands together in my lap, nervously waiting, when I see a light come on from the back of the house—my bedroom I think. I haven’t heard anything since Harley entered the house, just seen shadows dance around.
A few minutes later, the door opens and Harley walks out, my fluffy calico cat in his arms sniffing his chin. I laugh as I open the door to the car.
Maggie, duh.
I guess in the buzzed haze and the charged tension between us, I forgot it could have been my fluffy feline house companion. I get to the steps, saying “Maggie, you kind of suck for that.” I laugh as I scratch her ear, still in Harley’s arms.
He laughs. “I figured if it was a bad guy, he wouldn’t rub up on my leg.”
“You never know what some of these creeps are into.” I laugh as I walk past him, gesturing to signal he can come inside. He walks past me, Maggie still in his arms, and sets her on the small black couch near the door. Maggie takes off with the zoomies towards the other end of the house.
Harley turns around, putting his hands in his pockets. “I checked the closets, bathrooms, even behind the curtains, and under your bed,” he says, rocking on his heels a little bit, almost looking nervous.
It's a decently small house since it’s just me and Maggie, not much to check, but I appreciate it nonetheless. I lowkey like that he was feeling a little possessive over me and my safety. His possessiveness doesn’t make me feel strangled like it always did with Dean.
A yawn escapes my lips. I am exhausted after today, especially ending on the foot we did tonight. “I really appreciate you getting me home safe, and checking to make sure it’s all good,” I say quickly, suddenly nervous with the energy surrounding us.
He smiles softly. “I wouldn’t have been able to sleep tonight if I hadn’t driven you with my own hands.” I believe him. He leans down, and kisses me softly on the cheek. “Get some sleep, pretty girl. Don’t forget to take some aspirin and drink some water.”
Before I can say anything, he is out the door, walking towards a car that I hadn’t noticed was there before. Once he gets in the passenger side and shuts the door, he smiles at me through the window, rolls it down, and says, “Get inside and lock the door before I leave, Ember.”
“Have a good night, Harley,” I call back, leaning against the doorway, before closing the door and locking it with a smile.
Once Harley is out of sight, I walk into the kitchen in search of a glass of water. I grab a glass from the cabinet and fill it with water from the tap. I lean my hips against the counter and smile to myself, clutching the water against my chest.
I think about the way Harley held me tightly when he kissed me on the porch. My body fit perfectly into his, despite our height difference.
I laugh to myself as I walk into my bedroom, remembering how judgmental I’ve always been about the instalove trope in books.
I always believed it took time and effort to fall for someone.
Maybe this isn’t that, though. It isn’t love at first sight.
It’s meeting again, and our bodies syncing up right where we left off sixteen years ago.
I head into the bathroom and half ass scrub my makeup off.
A text comes through from UNKNOWN and I don’t have the energy to interact with it tonight.
I strip off my leggings and slide under the warm comforter.
I pull up Shrek on my TV to fall asleep to and pull out my phone.
I scroll Facebook until my eyes start to feel too heavy to keep open.
Maggie hops up on the bed, and takes up residence in her normal spot in the bed next to me.
Once she’s done her circles and stops moving around, I let sleep take me with a smile on my lips, thinking about Harley Fucking Blackwood.