“Levi is a cameraman,” Harper supplies.
William’s brows arch up. He’s about to say something when Harper’s mom joins us.
“Levi! Hello.” She wraps me in a motherly hug, meaning she hangs on for a minute, like she might not get another chance before I’m out the door. “I’m so happy to see you.”
“It’s nice to see you, too.”
“Don’t they make an adorable couple, Bill?” Harper’s mom is all smiles as she tilts her head to study Harper and me.
I smile back because I was taught to be respectful of my elders. Harper, however, tenses next to me. I don’t think her parents notice, since she’s doing her best to act calm so her love life isn’t under scrutiny this weekend, but I can feel her nerves like pinpricks on the skin of my arms. I’m not sure how I feel about it.
“Harper!” someone calls from across the restaurant. “You ready?”
She holds up her pointer finger rather than yell back.
“We’ll let you guys go,” Harper’s mom says as she wraps her arm around her husband’s to tug him away. “Levi, we’ll see you at the wedding. Harp, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Bye.” Harper gives a little wave to her parents before she turns to me. “That’s my ride.”
“Your ride?”
“A few of Colleen’s second cousins or first cousins twice removed or something like that, are staying at the guesthouse and they want to continue the party there. They got in this morning from New York, and we drove here together.”
“You don’t sound very happy about it.”
Her shoulders slump. “I’m not, which is why I owe you an apology. I took out my annoyance with them on you, and I’m sorry about that.”
I run my finger down her bare shoulder. That’s why she was grumpy when I got here. “How about I drive you home?”
Her face brightens. “I don’t see why not. Be right back.” There are still quite a few people enjoying themselves around the restaurant, including Colleen and George and their friends. Harper grabs her purse off the back of a chair and speaks with a small group of girls. They nod and then say hello as they pass me on their way out. Harper weaves around the rest of the room to give her good-byes.
My phone buzzes with a text. I pull it out of my pocket. Fuck. It’s Kayla. She’s been texting me every day since she showed up at my house. She wants to see me.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
I startle at Harper’s return and almost drop the phone.
“Is something wrong?” she asks.
“No. Let’s go.” I put my phone, and thoughts of my ex, away.
We hit the sidewalk and a warm SoCal evening breeze greets us. This part of town is lit with streetlights, car lights, and iron lanterns on the side of the building. The valet sees me and gives a little salute to let me know he’ll grab my car key.
“Have your valet ticket?” Harper asks.
“Didn’t need one.”
“Here you go,” the valet says. He hands me the key fob. I hand him a ten.
Harper looks up and down the street. “Where’s your jeep?”
“I lent it to one of the producers on the show I’m working on. He was meeting his girlfriend’s young daughter for the first time and taking them both on a date tonight, and he wanted to pick them up in something a little more family oriented than his regular ride.”
Harper turns her head toward the curb. There’s only one car sitting just beyond the valet sign. “No fucking way!”
“Way.”
She bounds over to the silver convertible Aston Martin. I follow close behind as the valet opens the passenger side door for her. “This is an Aston Martin,” she announces all breathy, like she ran ten miles, not took ten steps, to get here.
“I didn’t know you liked cars.” I walk around to my side and climb in.
“I like fast cars.” She runs her hands over the leather, admires the interior lines, the detail. “This is James Bond’s car,” she adds, her eyes meeting mine over the center console.
I lean over, cup the back of her neck, and kiss her with lips, tongue, and teeth. She kisses me back with equal enthusiasm before settling into her seat and reaching for her seat belt. I needed that. Needed to remind myself the girl sitting next to me is not a crazy person who likes to make me miserable.
“Sure is, Bond Girl.”
“Take the long way,” she says, looking out the windshield as I rev the engine.
“What?”
“Take the long way to get me home.”
“How long are we talking?”
She pulls her phone out of her purse and texts someone before saying, “As long as you want.”
My heart pounds. Not only do I have a kick-ass sports car at my fingertips, I’ve got an amazing girl in my passenger seat. I probably shouldn’t do what I’m about to, but fuck it. “Hang on.”
With the wind in our faces and the smell of the ocean teasing our noses, we drive in comfortable silence. When the road allows it, I exceed the posted speed limit. More than once we glance at each other at the same time. When it happens again, Harper reaches over and runs her fingers through my hair.
“I thought when I first saw you at the restaurant your hair looked sexier than normal. Now I know why.”
“You think my hair is sexy?”
She nods and hums an agreement at the same time. “I love touching it.”
Aaand my dick twitches. By the innuendo in her voice, she means more than my hair. I want to put my hand on her thigh and tiptoe my fingers under her skirt and into her panties so fucking bad, but Harper’s safety is more important, so I’ve got to keep both hands on the steering wheel as I navigate the canyon road to our destination.
“This is the longest way to my house ever,” she says, dropping her hand to my lap.
The car gives a sudden jerk when I startle. “Harper,” I warn. If we were in my car, I’d be all for a hand or blow job while I drive. But I’m used to my jeep. I know the exact way it handles and runs. The machine we’re in now is a whole other very expensive story. And she doesn’t belong to me.
“What?” Harper responds innocently while she rubs her hand over the growing bulge in my pants.
I slow the car and carefully lift her arm away from my body. “We’re almost there.”
“Spoilsport.”
“When I’m carrying precious cargo, yeah.”
She thinks she hides her smile by turning her head, but I catch the happy curve at the corner of her mouth. As tough as she likes to pretend she is, there’s softness at her core.
I turn right off Sunset, make a couple more turns down residential streets, and we arrive at the empty lot at the end of a cul-de-sac. I drive slowly onto the dirt parcel until the unobstructed view of the ocean drops in front of us.
“Wow.” Harper unclicks her seat belt. “It’s beautiful.” She stares out at the sea then tilts her head back to gaze at the stars. Away from commercial lights and traffic, the stars shine brighter than normal.
“Recline your seat back,” I suggest.
“Good idea.”
We stretch out, hold hands, sneak peeks at each other. “This is much better than hanging out with Colleen’s cousins. Thank you.”
“They’re staying with you until Sunday?”
“Yeah. Two are crashing in Teague’s room since she’s out of town, and one is sleeping on the couch. It’s not that they aren’t nice; they’re just a little too nosy for my comfort level. And they talk nonstop.” She rolls her head to the side so we’re face-to-face. “My ears are literally going to fall off.”
I reach over with my free hand to gently rub my finger along the rim of her ear. “That would be terrible. I like these ears.”
“They’re good ears,” she asserts.
“You could come stay with me.” The invitation is out of my mouth with zero thought, but now that the words are there, I really want her to say “yes.”
“Stay with you?” She double blinks in confusion.
“At my place. Mateo is out of town with Teague, and Elliot is leaving tomorrow morning for a work thing in Chicago for the weekend. I’ve got the house all to myself.”
Her eyes dart back and forth between mine, like she’s trying to figure out my true intentions. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah. Mi casa es su casa if you want it. No strings attached. You can even stay in one of the guys’ rooms. Wherever you’re most comfortable.” Okay, that’s a lie, because she is staying in my bed even if I have to carry her over my shoulder to get her there.
“Umm…”
“Think about it. It’s not a big deal.” It’s a fucking big deal if she agrees. This isn’t smart, but apparently I excel at being stupid when I’m around her. “But you would have your own bathroom. And peace and quiet, if you want it. And have I told you that I make an excellent pre- and post-wedding breakfast?”
She wiggles her mouth back and forth in indecision.
“I’m also very good at delivering orgasms any time of day.”
“So is my vibrator.”
“Excellent. Bring him over, and we’ll work together.” Now I’m competing with myself and want her to agree for no other reason than my pride.
That’s a lie. I want to be skin to skin with her again, to hear her say my name when I make her come.
She licks her lips and toys with the ends of her ponytail. “You’ve got yourself…a maybe!” She sits upright and climbs out the passenger door.
I laugh to myself. She is so coming to stay with me. I join her at the front of the car where we stand in silence to look over the bluff. After a few minutes, she leans on the hood and scoots back so her feet are off the ground. The ocean is a sea of inky blackness, but it still commands attention.
“C’mere,” I say, joining her on the hood while tucking her under my arm, our backs against the windshield.
“How did you know about this spot?” she asks.
“Found it when I was driving around looking for a hiking trail a friend recommended.”
“One day there will be a house here.”
“Probably. Which makes every time I visit special.” I lightly rub my hand over her shoulder.
“Exactly how many girls have you brought to this spot?”
“One.”
I love when I render her speechless. I continue to tickle my fingers over her bare skin, dipping lower and lower until I reach the elastic topline of her sweater. She sucks in a breath but arches her back the smallest measure to let me know I’m good to keep going.
“You look amazing tonight,” I whisper in her ear. “When I walked into the restaurant you literally stopped me in my tracks and all I could do was stare.” I slide my hand over her sweater and palm her breast, cup it, rub my thumb across it. “I swear you get prettier every time I see you.” I smooth my hand down her stomach to the apex of her thighs. She squirms, kicks off her shoes. Her legs come up and she drops her knees to the side so the soles of her feet touch.
I lift the hem of her skirt so I can make contact with her underwear. The second I touch the silky material, she lifts her hips. Every little move she gives makes my dick twitch and satisfaction swell inside my chest. I’ll never get enough of touching her.
I stroke her the way I know she likes, coaxing inarticulate murmurs and little sighs of pleasure. I’m about to sink two fingers inside her when she twists out of my hold. She faces me on her knees, her eyes sparkling with arousal.
Without a word and without breaking eye contact, she lifts her skirt and positions her pussy over my face. She pulls her panties aside with one hand, exposing her swollen flesh, and braces her other hand on the windshield.
It’s sexy as hell when she takes what she wants from me. Confidence glitters in her eyes now, too.
I palm her ass to keep her steady. She watches as I dart my tongue out to lick her. One swipe compels her eyes to close. The hand on her panties moves to the back of my head. She brings me tighter, rocks against my face, unrestrained, needy. Beautiful.
I love doing this, making her feel good. Burying my nose and mouth in her most intimate spot. Feeling her legs squeeze around me, her sex grow wetter. She vibrates under my hands and grips my head more firmly, like she’s hanging on for more than balance. She can ride my face for stability anytime.
“Oh my God. That feels…” She trails off, her breath quickening.
She’s almost there, and if we weren’t in a public spot, I’d back off to make this last longer. Instead, I slide a finger inside her, suck on her clit.
“Leeee Viiieee.” She hugs my face to her center and lets go. Unrestrained. Loud. Her orgasm lingers, so I keep going, savoring her sweet taste.
When she stops shaking, I free my mouth but don’t release my grip on her backside. She’s limp and I don’t want her to slip off the car. I slide her underwear back into place and kiss the inside of one thigh, then the other.
Her hold on my head softens further. She runs her fingers through my hair. The scrape of her nails on my scalp sends heat down my spine.
I lift my chin. Her eyes are heavy-lidded, but I get a peek at their rich, brown-green brilliance. “You are insanely good at that,” she says.
“You taste insanely good,” I say in return.
“Now it’s my turn.” She drops down between my legs. “I want to suck you off and taste every drop.”
Jesus, with the way she’s looking at me, and the sexy sounding dirty talk, she’s about to get her wish in no time.
She unzips my pants and reaches inside my boxer briefs. My cock springs up, ready for her full lips and wet tongue.
I’m a goner the second she takes me inside her mouth.
Chapter Eighteen
Harper
“Stop! What are you doing?”
I freeze at the sound of terror in Levi’s voice. “I’m cleaning the dishes.”
He reaches around me and flicks off the garbage disposal. He made us a delicious breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast, so the least I can do is the cleanup.
PS. He cooked shirtless. Ate shirtless. Is still shirtless. Sigh.
“Are you trying to lose a finger?” he asks. His brows are furrowed, his face a little pale.
I lift my arms out of the sink and grab a paper towel to dry my hands. “Don’t be silly. I always push food down into the drain like this.”
“With your hands?” A shiver visibly racks his body.
“Usually.” The groove between his eyebrows deepens. I’m not sure if he’s trying to look appalled or worried, but both are cute. Then it hits me. “Are you…are you afraid of the garbage disposal?”
“No,” he answers quickly. Too quickly.
He is! I cross my arms over my chest.
“Maybe,” he amends. “Okay, yes.”
I twist around. “I’ll just put the rest of this down while the disposal is off then.”
“No!” He grabs my arm. “Please don’t.” He picks up a wooden spatula. “Use this to do that.” He is totally freaked out over this.
“You know it can’t suddenly turn on by itself, right?”
“It could.” He is dead serious. And I realize he’s terrified of even the idea of the disposal hurting me.
“You don’t ever use the garbage disposal?”
“Sometimes I do, but usually I dump everything into the trash can. I know it’s ridiculous.”
I put my hand on his chest. His heart pounds underneath my palm. “It’s not, and I’m sorry if I scared you.” This strong, capable, confident man has fears just like the rest of us. It makes him even more endearing. He’s human, just like me.
“I can think of a way for you to make it up to me.” He traps me against the counter. Gone is his anxiety, and in its place is playfulness.
I duck under his arm and make a run for it. We’ve been naked together for almost twenty-four hours, and do I want to rub my body against his again? Hell, yes. He’s wildly addictive. But… “Can’t! I need to get dressed and head out.”
He gives chase. “Five minutes.”
“Ha! You know that won’t be long enough.” I run around the couch, giggling.
We eye each other over the leather sofa. “I’m going to catch you, Ham.”
“No, you’re not.” I take a little step to my left.
“Want to bet?” He takes a little step to his right.
“Sure. What do you want to lose?” We circle the couch, both of us grinning like fools. His faded jeans hang low on his waist, and he’s not wearing any underwear. It’s very distracting.
He laughs. “Funny thing. With you, I never lose.”
“What does that mean?” I edge closer to the hallway. One more step and I’ll make my escape.
But Mr. Pants Charming is also Mr. Athletic. He springs over the couch and captures me around the waist before I can bolt. “Gotcha!”
I try and squirm out of his hold. “You cheated!”
“How do you figure?” He brings me flush against his chest so the more I wiggle, the more I feel all that hard, sexy muscle through my thin tee. My heart beats faster. I don’t hate that he makes my heart race. I like it, which is so much worse. I know what to do with hate. I don’t know what to do with feelings of want. Desire. Need so strong I want to beg him to touch me.
Which is why all I manage to say is, “Huh?”
He grins and walks me back against the wall like we’re one four-legged person, connected in all the right places. “You smell really good,” he says, nuzzling my neck as his hands move down to cup my butt. All I’m wearing with my tee is a thong.
“Levi.” I scrape my nails over his back, gaining some composure. “I really don’t have time for this. If I’m late, my cousin, aunt, and mom will all kill me. Then I’ll be triple dead, and there is no coming back from that.”
“All right.” He backs off, leaving me immediately in want of his body on mine again. He’s like a second skin, warm and protective.
“Thank you.” I give him a quick kiss on the lips. He gives me a little spank on the ass when I turn to go get dressed.
It’s a good thing he doesn’t follow me into his bedroom, because I would probably cave and pull down his pants. I lean against his bed to change my shirt, pulling deodorant out of my toiletry bag to swipe more under my arms first.
Lips Close to Mine (Wherever You Go) Page 17