“We were,” she said. “We were just showing Ryske the sights.”
An arm slithered around her. Someone coiled around her to lick her cleavage, she didn’t need too many guesses as to who it was.
“We’ll be home soon,” Harlow said, hanging up the phone and tossing it back to Rupert. Trying not to broaden her smile, she ran her hands into Ryske’s hair. “Those are sights you’ve seen before.”
“He’s always on you,” Rupert said, not disguising his disgust.
Inhaling, Ryske lifted his attention. “Not true. Sometimes she’s on top.”
“Baby, I don’t think that’s what he meant,” she said in an attempt to calm tensions.
Rupert was about as interested in keeping the peace as Ryske. “Well, it is her favorite position,” her ex said, surprising her.
Ryske stood straight, his brows rising as he did. “On top?” he said and then smirked. “No, it’s not.”
“Okay,” she said, holding out a palm to each man. “Let’s stop talking about Harlow’s sexual preferences.”
Neither man was listening to her.
Rupert challenged Ryske. “It is.”
“It’s not,” Ryske argued.
“So, what’s her favorite?” Rupert asked, widening his stance.
This was an odd kind of pissing contest that she wasn’t sure she wanted either of them to win. “Actually, we like to mix it up. Variety is important. But, if she could pick just one way to take my cock for the rest of time, it would be flat on her back with my hand around her throat… or against the wall in the shower.”
Rupert laughed. “She hates shower sex.”
Ryske’s swagger grew. “Not anymore… Who do you think schooled her?”
“Okay,” she said, pointing at him. “You didn’t school nothing, buster.” She turned to Rupert. “You have more important things to deal with tonight than this bullshit.” Grabbing Rupert, she shoved him toward Lena. “Go talk it out.” Though Rupert glared until the very last second, he did eventually stomp away to speak with Lena. Once they were occupied, she moved in closer to Ryske. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“He started it.”
“Not the sex stuff, the other stuff. Why are you picking on him?”
“He fucked your little sister.”
“If I needed a man to look after me, I’d have married Rupert and I’d be the one carrying his child,” she said. “Cut it out, Ryske. I don’t need you fighting my battles.”
Grabbing her arm, he twisted it to present her stars between them. “This says different.”
“No, it doesn’t,” she said and pointed to the first star that she’d gotten. The one meant to honor the memory of him after his death. “Do you want to know what that says? It says I got along just fine without you.”
“So, in one breath I’m part of your family and in the next it isn’t my business?”
Stepping closer, she whispered. “You didn’t see him in the restaurant parking lot.”
His gaze darkened. “Oh, I did… You bet your fucking ass I did, babydoll,” he said and grabbed her arm to squeeze her tight. “Tell me he wasn’t trying to kiss you.” Harlow did her absolute best to keep her expression blank. Just her lack of a response was enough to make him start to vibrate with anger. “Oh… I’ll fucking kill him… This is an excellent spot for it.”
Slamming both hands to his chest, she used all her strength to push on him, moving him away from Rupert and Lena until she could shove him behind one of the rocky outcrops away from the edge of the cliff.
Pushing away, she put him against the rock and took a step back. “I love you, Ryske. You know I do. This jealousy—”
“No one will take you away from me,” he hissed, lunging down to get in her face. “You hear me? No fucking asshole will put his hands on—”
“Hey,” she said, clamping a hand over his mouth. “No more anger, okay?” Softening, she twisted her hand away from his mouth to caress his jaw. “I love you, Ryske. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Yeah? That’s what I thought when the cops came and slapped you in cuffs,” he said. “Probably what my dad thought before my mom fucked around on him too.”
That made her hand slide down to her side. “You… you think I’m going to cheat on you? Really cheat on you? Not the bullshit screwing around for a con stuff, you… You think I’d actually leave you for another man?”
“No,” he said, blowing out a breath and curling a hand around the back of his neck. “No, baby, I don’t think you’d do that. It’s just stupid, dumb, irrational—”
“Oh my God,” she exhaled.
Ryske was the most confident man she’d ever met. In bed and out. He could command a room, be anyone, do anything. She’d never considered it could be a smokescreen. An overcompensation for a masked fear he’d never admitted aloud.
It made sense. So much made sense.
For years, he’d screwed around without any concerns. He’d never settled down, never let himself love or commit. Even when she came along and their feelings consumed both of them, he’d fought giving into it.
“If I didn’t trust you a hundred percent, I wouldn’t be with you,” Ryske said. “Shit, weren’t we just talking about you sleeping with the guys?”
“Yeah, but is it them you trust or me?” she asked. “What if I slept in a bed with Clyde or with Rupert?” His jaw ticked. “Oh my God, Crash.”
“It’s not you I don’t trust, it’s them. The sap I just don’t fucking like,” he said. “I’m your guy. It’s my responsibility to keep you safe and if some bastard corners you—”
“Like Hagan did?” she asked, losing some of her incredulity. “I can take care of myself, Ryske. You know I can. You did see how fast I subdued Ophelia, didn’t you?”
“You shouldn’t have to,” he said, grabbing for her arm, but she tugged it from his reach. “Trinket—”
“No, I have watched you kiss other women. I’ve heard you proposition them. I hear you flirt all the time, and you know what? I like it,” she said. He blinked in surprise. “Yeah, I do. Do you know why? Because the whole time I’m thinking that’s my guy. I am so confident and sure of your love that I could probably walk in on you balls deep in another woman and I wouldn’t even think for a second that it meant a thing, or even that you’d chosen to be there. You’d be doing it for a purpose. I like seeing you charm other women. I like watching you touch them and seduce them, because I know that no matter what, you’re coming home to me. They can’t touch that part of you that belongs to me.”
“I don’t want to see any guy take advantage of you.”
She scoffed. “If you think I’d let a man take advantage of me, you don’t know who I am at all.”
“Harlow!” Lena called.
The fear in her sister’s tone made her go around the end of the rock to stride back over to the car where Lena was waiting.
“Are you ready to go?” Harlow asked, rubbing Lena’s arms to heat her up. “Are you okay?”
“I think we’re ready,” Lena said.
Rupert was already standing inside his open car door, his hands on the roof. “What’s wrong?” he called to her.
“Nothing,” she said, and kept smiling even after Ryske touched her hip. She knew better than to let their relationship issues show to anyone. “Let’s get back.”
15
Everyone got into the car again. The return journey to her parents’ house was silent. Noon’s car in the driveway was so tempting that if she’d been wearing Ryske’s jacket, Harlow might have jumped in and sped off.
But, she was in this, and had no choice but to face the drama with her sister.
Rupert went inside first with her and Lena behind him. Ryske was at the rear of the party.
“We thought you got lost,” Jean’s voice carried from the foyer beyond the entryway. “Where have you been?”
“I was showing Ryske the best make-out spots,” Harlow said as they all fanned out in the foyer. She he
lped Lena take off Ryske’s jacket, which she handed back to him.
“Oh, Harlow,” her mother chastised her. “Come into the living room. There are drinks for everyone.”
Her parents sat in their usual seats in front of the window. Harlow reached behind her for Ryske’s hand and took him with her to the loveseat. That left the larger couch for Lena and Rupert, which, incidentally, was closer to her parents.
There were glasses of alcohol on the table for each of them. She went to retrieve hers and Ryske’s. When she sat back down, he took her hand onto his lap and left it there to touch the underside of her chin with a single finger.
Bringing her focus around to him, Ryske admired her. “Thank you, baby,” he murmured and guided her mouth up to his for a light kiss.
“Ryske,” Jean said. “Are your parents living?”
Typical that she should ask a question like that when his parents had just created contention between them.
“As far as I know, yeah,” Ryske said. “We’re not what you’d call close.”
“I thought perhaps your parents were your connection to the Rowe’s.”
“Harlow and I are close to their kid.”
Just the idea of Maze as a child was amusing. Opening her hand on his thigh, where he’d put it, she appreciated being close to him. When they got in each other’s faces, both of them reacted with emotion either in the positive or the negative.
Ryske was her man and his confidence got her every time, even when she tried to push back against it.
Her fear of losing him wasn’t about other women, it was about death. She’d been through that and didn’t want to repeat the experience. If he was worried about losing her to another man, she would have to address that.
She’d never had to think about anything like this before. Ryske had full confidence in her around the guys who he trusted. Harlow didn’t know what to do with the guys he didn’t know. She couldn’t cut them out. Men like Costello and Clyde were her friends. No matter what, she had to respect Ryske’s boundaries and his vulnerabilities. Just like she’d expect him to respect hers.
Pressing his hand on top of hers, Ryske was trying to mend their rift with a physical connection. Opening her fingers, she accepted his between hers and hoped that he knew just how true her love for him was.
“I haven’t met the Rowes’ boy,” Jean said.
“You don’t want to,” Harlow said. “He’s an asshole.” Ryske laughed and kissed her hair. “No, not really, Mom. He’s wonderful. Nicer than Ryske most of the time.”
She didn’t want the conversation to get too in-depth and didn’t want it to get too late either. Jean Sweeting wasn’t often up late. If Lena or Rupert didn’t speak soon, their news would be delayed again because her mother would go to bed without hearing it.
Making deliberate eye contact with her sister and with Rupert, Harlow was trying to encourage one of them to say something and missed that her parents were looking at her.
“Harlow, is something wrong?” her mother asked, glancing back and forth between her and Lena.
“Not with me,” Harlow said, patting Ryske’s knee. “Me and my man are just fine. No news over here.” She tipped her chin up. “Right, honey? We’re fine?”
“We’re in bliss, sweetheart,” Ryske said. “No news here. Not yet.”
He took her cue, as always, and was probably eager for Rupert or Lena to get on with it.
“I feel like we’re missing something,” Jean said. “Brysen?”
“Yes,” he said. “I feel the same way.”
Jean gasped. “Oh my, Harlow! You’re pregnant!”
Even in spite of all her time spent working, Harlow was beginning to think that maybe she should be paranoid about her weight.
“Oh my God,” she said. “I’m getting goddamn buttons made. No, I’m not pregnant! Yes, we have a lot of sex. Yes, we live reckless lives. But we are responsible fornicators.” Holding up a hand to God, she followed it by crossing her heart. “We’re not pregnant!”
“You don’t think,” Ryske said. “We’ve had sex today. The doc hasn’t gone in to check, has he?”
She prodded his leg. “You’re not helping… and we are not the ones with news.”
Being less subtle this time, Harlow presented her hands toward the other couch making her parents turn to Lena and Rupert who were sitting at opposite ends.
“Yes, uh…” Rupert started when Lena made no move to speak. “I have something to say… Uh… In a moment of weakness, I gave in to something I shouldn’t have. I let desire overtake my good sense and my great respect for this family. In a low moment when we were both in need of comfort, Lena and I sought refuge in each other… and… uh… We made love…”
Harlow couldn’t believe it, Rupert was using Ryske’s words, almost exactly. He’d missed out a few details, but the speech was the same. For all his complaining, Rupert didn’t mind using Ryske’s skills when they suited his needs.
Lena was looking at Rupert and wouldn’t face her parents. Harlow could understand why. There wasn’t horror or outrage there, they were just dumbfounded. Blank and still, barely reacting at all.
Ryske turned over his hand, so they were palm to palm.
When there was no response, the awkwardness of the silence prompted Rupert on. “I know I shouldn’t have done it. I disrespected you and what I have with Harlow. Lena and I agreed it wouldn’t ever happen again. But, the universe had other plans and we’ve found ourselves in a forced position.” Well, that wasn’t a very nice way to say it, but Harlow didn’t want to jump in. Probably as another tribute to Ryske’s mock run, Rupert moved along the couch to touch Lena’s stomach. “We’re expecting a child.”
“You… you slept with Lena?” Jean asked, her pallor quite bleak.
“I understand that you’re surprised,” Rupert said. “We didn’t expect it. But, we’re going to do the right thing. We’ve agreed to get married.”
Agreed to get married didn’t sound romantic. “You’re with Lena?” Jean said and turned to the loveseat. “Harlow?”
Making sense of this wasn’t really her job, though she’d do whatever she could to help her family. “I know it’s unexpected, Mom. I was shocked when they told me too.” She smiled. “But, it’s okay. Rupert is a good man. He’ll take care of her and we know he fits with the family.”
“But… he was with you,” Jean said. “How can he… how can he be with Lena? When did this happen?”
Harlow shouldn’t be surprised that she was the one answering questions. Lena was focused on her knees, ignoring everyone and their father was completely still.
“While I was in jail,” Harlow said. Jean gasped in a squawk. “Mom, you have to sit with this. Let it sink in. Don’t react too quickly.”
Her father got to his feet so suddenly that Ryske moved her aside like he was preparing to jump if he had to. Harlow slid away to give him space.
Except her father didn’t say a word. He strode across the room and out, with the direction of his footsteps taking him upstairs.
Jean leaped up and rushed to the door. Spinning around when she got there, she was flustered and didn’t quite know what to say.
“Everyone stay the night,” Jean said in a hurry. “There are towels in the closet upstairs and linens for the guest rooms and…”
Harlow got up and went to take her mom’s hand. “We’ll take care of it, Mom.”
Breathing in, Jean seemed to hold the oxygen in. “We’ll talk about this at breakfast.”
Offering a comforting smile, Harlow nodded once and then Jean spun to scurry off after her husband. From the living room doorway, Harlow watched her mother disappear up the stairs. After hearing her parents’ bedroom door close, she whirled back around to face the room.
“Okay, well done everyone,” she said. “That wasn’t so bad.”
“Daddy didn’t say a word,” Lena wailed.
“Neither did you,” Harlow said and extended a hand to Ryske. “Naked time?”
“I was just thinking you’ve been wearing those clothes too long,” Ryske said, leaving the couch and swiping the bourbon off the table as he passed.
“You can’t go to bed,” Rupert said. “Don’t you want to talk?”
Ryske tossed his arm around the back of her neck, giving her some of his weight.
“The last thing I want to do is talk, Rupert,” Harlow said. “Stay in Lena’s room or the guest room, I don’t care. You guys know where everything is. We’re going to bed. We’ll see you in the morning.”
16
Ryske swept her around in an arc to guide her upstairs and into her bedroom. The moment the door was closed, she unzipped her dress and stepped out of it. Ryske toed off his shoes and put the booze on the floor. Grabbing for his belt as soon as he straightened, she unbuckled it and backed him toward the bed, stepping out of her shoes on the way.
Ryske didn’t argue or object when she pushed him down on the bed and climbed on top of him. She’d only undone a few buttons on his shirt, but she gave up on that and rose onto her knees to grab his cock. Guiding him inside of her, she breathed out and sank down, feeling better the moment their bodies were fully engaged.
Rocking back and forth, she just let herself feel him long and thick inside her. Having him occupying her body made her whole.
She moved her hips in circles. With her eyes closed, her head went back, her hair was so long that it probably tickled his thighs.
Ryske crunched up and grabbed his shirt at the back of his neck to pull it off. While he was still half sitting, he grabbed her hands and pulled them to his chest. When they were flat on his pecs and he was lost in her hair, Ryske encircled her with his arms and swung her onto her back so he could take control.
Harlow needed this, she needed them to be them. With him, when they were together, everything beyond them became oblivion.
His kisses were brief and his caresses more like demands. Somehow, he knew that she didn’t need a seduction or a paint by numbers experience. She needed it hard and fast and in its most basic form. Penis, pussy, bliss.
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