by Laura Pavlov
“Ewww. I think I’ve got the visual. I don’t need the nauseating details.”
I laughed. “Yeah. It wasn’t pretty. But I never lied to anyone. Hell, everyone in Napa knew us as Harrison and Laney, so I think everyone was aware I was just trying to get over you.”
“You dumped me. I just assumed you were over me.” She looked away.
“I’ve explained that to you. I was heartbroken, Laney. And then you told me you moved on, which is ironic now that I’ve learned you weren’t dating anyone.” I bumped her with my shoulder.
“Okay. So, you slept around and tramped it up. And then what? Who’d you date?”
I winced. “I briefly dated Bree Becker. The girl was relentless.”
She pushed to her knees and gasped. “You did not. That little tart had been after you since fifth grade. She hated me in high school because she wanted you so bad. Remember how blatant she was at parties? She’d try to rub up against you right in front of me. Then we had that girl fight junior year in P.E. when she chucked the ball at my head in dodgeball. Let me tell you—she never tried that again. I dropped her ass right on the gym floor. Ugh. I can’t believe you dated her.”
We both burst out in hysterical laughter. “Yes, you got a two-day detention for that one, although Principal Donovan appeared to be pleased with you. I don’t think you were the only one that wanted to take her down. Bree was a lot in high school. Who am I kidding—she was a lot even after high school. The whole thing was an epic failure. And your shoes were impossible to fill. It was super awkward, and she wanted it to be serious right off the bat. She surprised me and took me home to have dinner with her parents on our second date. She started talking about marriage and kids, and well, I jumped ship. You can only imagine how well that went over.”
“Shut up, right now. You walked right into that. Serves you right. So that was a short relationship, huh?”
“Yeah. I hung in there for a solid month. I was miserable after day two, but I was actually afraid to break up with her. She’d gone so far into the future that I didn’t know how to get out of it.”
“Did you take her to Sunday brunch at your mother’s?” She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for an answer. Laney had always joined us for Sunday brunch. It was a family ritual.
“I brought her once. She freaked everyone out talking about how she’d start taking every other Sunday and hosting at our house. Jack nearly fell out of his seat and Ford told her to slow her roll. That didn’t sit well, so it was the beginning of the end.”
She fell back on the blanket laughing. “You’ve got to love the Montgomery boys. So, who was your next victim?”
“I went back to playing the field for a few years, and then I dated a girl I met through some friends in the city. Nice girl. But she wanted more than I could give her, so we called it quits.”
She nodded. “And now what? You just sort of sleep around?”
“I have some ladies I see on and off. They want the same thing as me. Nothing exclusive.”
She covered her ears. “Okay, that’s good. We’re good. I’ve heard enough.”
I smiled. I liked seeing her jealous and worked up because it meant she felt something. Or at least I hoped she did. I started packing up the leftover food and tossing our trash in the brown bag that had held the sandwiches. “Hey, you want to come see my house? You’ve never seen it. It’s right up the road.”
She bit down on her full bottom lip, and I looked away before my body started reacting to her again.
“I need to FaceTime Charlie, but I guess if it’s close, I could see it before I head home.”
“Cool.”
“So, when did you buy your own place?” she asked, as we cut through the vineyard and made our way to my house.
“Three years ago, after I graduated. I couldn’t very well bring women to my mother’s house, and this one popped up for sale.”
We stopped in front of the Parkers’ old ranch house. I’d renovated the whole thing, but it was a house Laney was very familiar with. “No, you didn’t!”
“Yes, I did.”
So, maybe I bought the house that Laney always said we’d live in one day. Mrs. Parker was our school librarian and her husband had been the mayor of Napa for years. We’d go over every Halloween and they’d have hayrides and their yard was always decorated for the holidays. The house sat on a full acre of land, much more than I needed, but when it came up for sale, I snatched it up. There was a wraparound front porch with a swing, and I’d updated both the exterior and the interior.
“Wow. It looks amazing. I love the crisp white with the black shutters. Gorgeous. I can’t believe you bought this place. What happened to the Parkers?” she asked, her eyes scanning every inch of the house.
“They moved to Florida to be closer to their grandkids. I made an offer the day it went on the market. I’ve just been slowly making updates.”
“Amazing,” she whispered, as we walked toward the front porch.
We stepped inside, and she stood in my entryway gazing around the room. I’d knocked a few walls down and opened up the living space. A knock on the door startled us both, and we laughed in response. I turned to open the door, and Jenna Gates stood on the other side.
Jesus. Her timing was terrible.
I’d been avoiding her texts and calls over the past few weeks. She’d grown up in Napa too, but attended a different high school than Laney and me. Since Napa was a small community, we all knew one another. I’d run into her every once in a while over the past year when I was out, and we had a casual thing going where we’d hook up every now and then.
Since Laney’s return, I hadn’t seen anyone.
Other than Laney.
“Jenna, hey,” I said. Awkward didn’t begin to describe the moment.
Her eyes doubled in size when she saw Laney standing beside me.
“Laney Landers? I heard you were back in town…I just didn’t know.” She motioned her hand between us. “I didn’t know this was a thing again. I just, well, you haven’t responded to my calls, Harrison, so I thought I’d check on you.”
“Oh my gosh, no. No. This is definitely not a thing. I’m engaged.” Laney held her hand up and flashed her engagement ring before she tripped over her own feet as she made her way to the door. I caught her arm and steadied her. “And wow. I didn’t know this was a thing. But yes. Good for you. Okay. This is unbelievably awkward. Take care, Harrison. And it’s good to see you, Jenna. Well, enjoy, I guess. I need to go.”
I left Jenna on the doorstep and chased Laney down the walkway. “Hey, hold up. You don’t need to leave.”
“Yes, I do. What are we even doing, Har? I need to go call Charlie, and you need to—do whatever it is you do with Jenna Gates.” She stormed away.
She was jealous. And that could only mean one thing.
She still cared.
I spoke to Jenna on the front porch and told her I just wasn’t feeling it tonight. She asked if it had anything to do with Laney and I made it clear that it didn’t.
Laney was engaged to another man. We were rebuilding our friendship.
And that was enough for me.
It had to be, right?
Chapter Nine
Laney
I laughed as Charlie continued to tell me about his crazy workday. I propped the phone on my desk and studied his handsome face. I’d just had the world’s most awkward encounter with Jenna Gates. She and Harrison had a thing, apparently. He hadn’t mentioned her. Jealousy had gotten the best of me, and I’d had a hard time hiding it. I hated the idea of him with Jenna. Hell, I hated the idea of Harrison with anyone. But that was natural. We had a history. Of course, I’d be protective over him.
“So, you worked late, huh?” he asked.
Guilt flooded through me. I’d had dinner with Harrison, again. I’d been hanging out with him
more than I’d told Charlie. Unlike me, my fiancé wasn’t a jealous guy. He trusted me. And I hadn’t crossed any lines. Harrison and I were friends. Friends who got jealous over the other being with someone else, but still, friends. So why was I hiding it?
“Yeah. It’s crazy busy at the winery. And then Harrison and I grabbed some sandwiches after, and I just got home.”
He studied me through the phone screen, and my cheeks heated. “How’s that going? You guys getting your friendship back on track?”
A part of me wondered at times if it was okay that Charlie never got jealous. I mean, he had no reaction to the fact that I was hanging out after work with Harrison. He didn’t demand an explanation. Didn’t appear fazed by it. Nothing. Nada. Was that normal?
“Yeah. It’s kind of nice not to hate him, you know? We grew up together, so there’s a lot of history there. He was such a big part of my life for as long as I can remember, so it’s nice to catch up and hear what he’s been up to.”
“Good, Laney. I think that’s important. What about your mom? You have an appointment at the surgeon’s office tomorrow, right?”
He was such a good listener. And that was important in a relationship. Did Charlie and I have off-the-chart chemistry? No. But we were solid. If he were a flavor, he would definitely be vanilla. I’d learned that vanilla wasn’t such a bad thing. There were no surprises. No risk. You knew what you were getting with vanilla, and that worked for me at this point in my life.
“Yes. I’m taking her to the city tomorrow morning, and hopefully, we can move forward and get everything scheduled for the reconstructive surgery.”
“I miss you, Laney. I can’t wait for you to be back,” he said, carrying the phone with him as he moved through his apartment.
A heavy feeling settled in my chest. My mom was doing well. Dad was not teaching this next block of summer school and he could easily handle the caregiver position. But I wasn’t ready to leave Napa. Sure, I wanted to be here for Mom. But that wasn’t the only reason. It was good to be home. I felt like my old self again. And the guilt was all-consuming because I didn’t want to rush back to Chicago. Guilt that I wasn’t missing Charlie the way I knew I should be. Guilt that I missed lunch dates with my best friend, Natalie more than I missed spending time with my fiancé.
What’s wrong with me?
“Yeah. I just can’t leave her yet.”
“Well, how do you feel about coming home next weekend for the annual company party? Everyone is hoping you’ll be there. But only if your mom’s surgery isn’t scheduled before then. I’ve got miles, so I can get your ticket.”
My stomach twisted, and anxiety coursed through every inch of my body. I should go. It was the least I could do. He’d been so supportive. Why was I feeling so panicked about leaving here? Maybe it was just because I was afraid to leave Mom? But my gut told me it was something more. Even more reason for me to do it.
“Yeah. That sounds great. I’ll let you know after her appointment tomorrow. I would love to come visit and be there for you.”
He chuckled. “Come visit? You mean come home?”
I waved my hand in front of my face and laughed. “Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean.”
“All right. Good luck tomorrow. Call me after her appointment. I have a bunch of meetings in the morning, but I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. I love you, Laney.”
“I love you too,” I said, ending the call. And I meant it. I loved Charlie. I really did.
My phone vibrated with a text from Harrison. I couldn’t escape the guy. He was everywhere.
Harrison ~ Hey, I’m heading into the city tomorrow. Do you and your mom want to take the helicopter with me to save you the commute?
Shit. It would help because I could get to work sooner. But I needed to put some distance between us.
Me ~ Thank you for the offer, but I think we’re going to drive. I could use the time with her in the car to talk and see how she’s feeling. I’ll let your mom know that I’ll be in a bit later tomorrow afternoon.
Harrison ~ Are you sure that’s the reason you don’t want to go with me?
Me ~ I don’t know what you’re talking about?
I chewed on my fingernail as I waited for his response.
Harrison ~ Did it bother you to see Jenna at my house?
Me ~ Don’t flatter yourself. Why would I care? We’re friends, Harrison. I’m getting married, remember?
Harrison ~ Just making sure you aren’t upset.
Me ~ Not even a little.
Harrison ~ Okay. Well, for the record, I sent Jenna home. She didn’t come in.
My shoulders dropped in relief and I flopped back on my bed. Which only made me more uncomfortable. Why did I care? We were friends. He could sleep with whoever he wanted.
Me ~ You can do whatever you want with whoever you want. You’re single, after all. I mean, obviously I want the best for you. I don’t think a cheap fling with Jenna Gates is necessarily it, but you’re a grown man, so you’ll figure it out.
Harrison ~ Thanks for looking out for me. You always did know what was best for me.
I sighed.
Me ~ Goodnight.
Harrison ~ Goodnight, Laney Landers. Sweet dreams.
Something startled me from sleep. Harrison Montgomery was climbing through my window and striding over to my bed.
“What are you doing in here?” I pulled the covers up and clutched them to my chest.
“I can’t stay away from you, Laney. I miss you.”
“You need to leave,” I whispered, but the smell of mint and sandalwood settled around me and I only wanted more.
“If you really want me to leave, I’ll leave. But your body is telling me something different,” he said against my ear, leaning forward to hug me. His lips grazed my skin, and I gasped.
I pulled back to look into his dark eyes. Eyes that had always been able to see into my soul. “I can’t do this. I can’t.”
“Do you ever think about us, Laney?” he whispered.
“Yes,” I admitted, because I was half asleep and wasn’t thinking straight. I’d lost all control of my senses. All control of my body. “All the freaking time.”
He swiped at the single tear running down my face with the pad of his thumb. The contact set my body on fire. I hadn’t wanted anyone like I wanted him since the day he asked me to leave.
I wanted him.
I needed him.
“I think about you, Laney. Every time I’m with anyone, all I see is you. All I feel is you. All I want is you.”
“Harrison, please. We can’t do this.”
“I want to feel those lips against mine.” He leaned over me, his hand moving up the back of my neck and tangling in my hair.
“You do?” I whispered, my lips skimming his.
“I do,” he said, before he covered my mouth. He took control. Owning. Claiming. “Fuck, Laney, do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?”
Before I could stop myself, I pulled him closer. Needing more. I hadn’t felt this kind of passion since the last time I made love to Harrison Montgomery. Like he owned every part of me. He was the missing piece. The flame to my fire. The heat to my very core. He was it.
He was everything.
His tongue tangled with mine, and I couldn’t get enough. It was too much. And not enough. I rolled him over, taking control. I was on top, straddling him now, as I sat up, and looked down at his beautiful face. He reached for the hem of my white baby doll night shirt and pulled it over my head. Exposing me in every way. His hands covered my breasts, and chills spread across my skin. The light from the moon shined through the opening in the curtains from my window, illuminating his handsome face. I rocked my hips back and forth, grinding against his desire. It was impossible to miss. I watched as his eyes rolled back in his head.
“Jesus, baby.
This is what you do to me.” He thrusted forward, and I trembled at the feel of all his hardness beneath me.
I tugged at his T-shirt and he yanked it up over his head, tossing it to the floor.
I continued to grind against him, as my fingers traced every hard line and muscle on his abdomen. My god. Harrison had always been in incredible shape, but this was ridiculous. He was chiseled and tan and hard. Everywhere. He reached for my head, pulling me down, his mouth claiming mine once again.
I kissed him hard. Our tongues fighting for control, as our bodies grinded in desperate need of relief. Even through my thin panties, I could feel his erection growing with each thrust. His mouth moved down my neck and I arched toward him before his lips covered one hard peak and I nearly came undone. He gripped the other with his hand.
“God, I missed you Laney.”
That was all it took. I cried out my release and fell forward, dropping down beside him and rolling on my back, panting. I hadn’t orgasmed in years. Harrison was the only man that ever brought that out of me, and we weren’t even naked this time. Talk about hot and heavy make-out sessions. It took me a minute to catch my breath and when I opened my eyes to look at him, it wasn’t his dark brown gaze that met mine.
It was the green gaze that I despised most in the world looking back at me and smiling. I shot forward. Gasping. Pushing back until my back slammed against the headboard. My skin was covered in a layer of sweat. It took me a minute to realize that it wasn’t real.
My nightgown was still on.
No one was in the room.
It was all a dream.
I’d just dreamed about another man—and he wasn’t my fiancé.
I was in deep shit.
I’d managed to avoid Harrison all afternoon. I couldn’t look at him. Not after he’d starred in the most erotic sex dream of my life. I was heading home after a long day. I’d been in the city with Mom, we’d scheduled her reconstructive surgery in ten days, Charlie had booked my trip home to Chicago next weekend, and I was exhausted from my disturbing dream, slash nightmare.