EMBER
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
I groan at the sound of my alarm going off. It’s still dark outside the windows, and I stretch my arms above my head.
I look over and find Harley’s side of the bed empty.
I lean up on my elbow and look around. The bathroom light is off, so I know he’s not in there.
Right as I'm about to throw the blanket from my body, Harley walks through the door, holding my favorite coffee mug, with the sweetest smile plastered across his face.
“Good morning, sunshine,” he says, getting close enough to hand me the mug and grab my neck, guiding my chin up to kiss him. I take a drink of my coffee, and realize the smile is still stuck on his face.
“Did you poison me?” I ask before leaning up to get out of bed. “What’s with the creepy smile?”
Tossing the blankets back after I take a small sip, I set the coffee mug on the bedside table and head into the bathroom, flipping on the light and lightly closing the door. I sit on the toilet to pee, just as the door is pushed open and Harley peeks in on me.
“Babe, I'm literally peeing,” I tell him as I wipe the sleep from my eyes.
“I was literally inside your body less than twelve hours ago, I can handle hearing you pee,” he says before coming in, leaning his butt against the counter. “The coffee, how was the coffee?” he asks me, excitement clear on his face.
“Oh! It was good, babe,” I say before finishing my business and bumping him with my hip. He shifts, giving me room to wash my hands and do my morning skincare routine.
“I know you love the blonde roast, so I’ve been playing with that this morning and wanted to see if it tasted any better?” he says with a question in his tone, his hands and face animated with excitement.
I finish washing my face before walking out to grab the cup. I bring the cup to my lips and watch the pure happiness spread across his face as I sip the coffee.
“It's sweeter than the last time you made it,” I tell him. I take another sip. “Definitely smoother than the last batch.” I walk back into the bathroom, setting the coffee cup onto the counter before nudging Harley’s legs apart so I can stand between them.
I bring my arms up around his neck, standing on my tiptoes, as he brings his arms around me.
He grabs my waist and hoists me up so I can plaster a kiss on his soft lips.
I use one hand to grab a small handful of his hair at the nape of his neck, tugging just a little bit, making him moan.
I feel his dick harden against my stomach and I let out a small laugh, resting my forehead against his mouth.
“I have to get ready for work,” I tell him as he sets me down.
“You started that, Ember Rose,” he says, adjusting himself into the waistband of his sweats before walking out of the bathroom. I let out a laugh, and I hear him mutter something that sounds like “the death of me.”
I finish my skincare routine and put some makeup on. The sun is finally shining through the windows, light leaking in from between the curtains.
I head into the kitchen, in search of another cup of coffee before I head to work. Harley stands there, looking at his phone as he takes a sip out of his own cup.
I lean against the door frame, watching my hot as fuck boyfriend, shirtless in gray sweatpants, drinking coffee in my kitchen.
“Smash,” I say before walking further in and reaching for the coffee pot that now resides on my counter.
“Smash?” Harley repeats, looking at me with confusion written across his face.
“Hot boyfriend in my kitchen plus gray sweatpants means I'd smash.” I explain as I laugh into my cup.
“Oh that smash,” he says, chuckling. “I wasn’t sure if you were being a psycho and wondering who was on my phone and had my attention.”
I turn and look at him. “Well I wasn’t, but I am now. Is it your other girlfriend?” I place the coffee cup on the counter and cross my arms over my chest.
“Ooof Ember, jealousy kind of looks hot as fuck on you.” He grabs my waist and I turn into him, reaching my hand into his pocket where he had placed his phone.
My hand goes just a tad deeper than necessary and I run my knuckles up his dick through his sweats before yanking the phone out.
I look up at him, seeing there’s a code on his phone.
He bends down, his mouth next to my ear, and whispers “1015.” I roll my eyes and put the numbers in, unlocking the phone. My birthday, October 15th.
I open the phone and see he was searching for more ways to roast coffee beans. I set his phone on the counter and turn back to my coffee.
“What are your plans today?” I ask him, watching him over the rim of my coffee cup.
“I’ve got to run home and do a little clean-up there, and then I have to head into the roastery to get some paperwork done.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “I plan to start going in every morning, try and get a regular schedule in place,” he says, running a hand down his face.
I am more than positive I've been a distraction in his plans, and suddenly find myself feeling bad. That day at Atlas and Asher’s, he’d talked with so much passion in his voice about the roastery and what he wanted for its future.
“I’m sorry, Harley.” I bite the inside of my mouth, feeling guilty. “I know you have big plans for that place.”
Harley looks over at me with his eyebrows pinched. “Ember, no,” he says. “I haven’t done a single thing I didn’t want to do.” He comes to stand beside me, bumping my hip with his own. “It’s called priorities, princess.”
“How far is the roastery from here?” I ask him, a very spontaneous idea popping into my head.
“Its about fifteen minutes from here,” he tells me, “about thirty from my house.”
“Damn, not too bad,” I say, my eyes sliding to the ground. “But, what if it was just fifteen minutes?” I ask him, nervous to make eye contact.
“Huh?” he says, nothing clicking for him.
“Move in with me,” I say blatantly. He doesn’t say anything, and I grow more uneasy with each passing second. It’s probably too soon for that. I finally bring my eyes to meet his, and a breathtaking smile is plastered on his face. His eyes are literally shining.
“A thousand times yes, babe.” He wraps his arms around me, and I nuzzle into his chest. He plants a kiss on the crown of my head. I lean my head up, and he presses another kiss to my lips.
“Okay, change of plans,” he says before letting go and heading out of the kitchen.
“What’s the plan now?” I ask as I follow him into the bedroom.
“Well, I am still going to head to the roastery,” he says as he pulls a shirt over his head, “but instead of heading home to clean, I'm going to call Chase and the rest of the boys to help me pack up.”
He pulls a hoodie over his t-shirt and rounds the bed, grabbing his shoes and sitting down to pull them on.
He has a glow to him, which is so funny to me because usually the woman is the giddy one in this scenario.
Granted, usually you don’t get the chance to move in with your first boyfriend after seventeen years, but here we are.
“I don’t have time to make room in the closet right now, but I can do it as soon as I get home tonight.
” I grab my tennis shoes from inside the closet.
I have lots of lifting and things to do today, so comfy attire over cute is necessary.
“I’ll give you the key before I leave, and you guys can just come and go as you please,” I tell him as I tie my shoes.
“Just let me know if you guys will be around when I'm off and I can pick up a couple pizzas and beer on my way home.”
“I’ll get a copy of the key made and drop it back off to you, just in case we have to make a couple trips to and from the house.
” Harley bends down and kisses me, sliding his tongue into my mouth and grazing the roof of my mouth, before pulling back and pressing a quick soft kiss on my lips.
I grin at him, loving the happier mood we’ve created for ourselves.
Harley is in the living room, grabbing some of his things and moving other things around, as I walk through into the kitchen. I grab my to-go mug, and pour in a fresh cup. Harley comes in, wrapping his arms around me from behind.
“I love you,” he says as he squeezes me. “I’ll see you in a little bit with the copy of the key.”
I return the small squeeze, resting my head on his chest. “I love you, too, babe.”
And with that, he turns and strides out the door. I smile to myself before grabbing a snack from the refrigerator and throwing it into my bag.
I finally head out the door, pulling it shut, and watch as Harley backs out of the driveway, giving me a small wave before he pulls out of sight.
I go to get in my car, and the hairs on the back of my neck raise. I get the door unlocked and hop in quickly, making sure to secure the lock once I'm inside. I press the key start button and the gas pedal to start the car. I sit for a few minutes, giving my car time to warm up.
I haven’t completely shaken the feeling from the back of my neck yet, and my mind starts to wander. I know that Dean had taken off before the cops arrived the other day. He’d been startled when he saw Harley and Asher running at him, and he hightailed it out of there.
I don’t really know what happened after that. I back out of my driveway and dial the cop who had responded to the call.
“Officer Ulrich,” he answers in a stern voice.
“Hi Officer, my name is Ember Alden. You responded to a call pertaining to my ex who was stalking me, and wanted to follow up on the status of that and see if we were able to do anything?”
“Oh Miss Alden, yes,” Officer Ulrich speaks clearly in a firm tone. “Based on all the evidence Mr. Blackwood submitted, you have a valid case to put a protection order in place.”
I breathe out a sigh of relief, one I didn’t even realize I was holding in. It feels like a weight has lifted off my chest.
“We went to serve him. However, his last known address, the one that Mr. Blackwood supplied, seems to be under someone else's name and looks to be abandoned.”