I pull myself away from my daydream as we walk out into the main room. I hold up my hands.
“Team, thank you for your incredible effort over the past week. I’m happy to say the Latif proposal has just been sent. I know many of you have families and friends to go back to, and you’re free to go.
The half dozen employees cheer and clap. Harper is beaming.
“If any of you are like me, with no friends to speak of,” laughter ripples through the team. “Then please join me downstairs for a few drinks, on me. Happy New Year!”
“Happy New Year!” Comes the answer, echoing through our small holiday team. Harper goes over to Rosie and the two of them hug each other. Rosie says something I can’t quite catch and Harper laughs before waving her hand dismissively. The two of them glance at me and Harper blushes.
I can’t help but grin. I love the way her white skin flushes so easily. I can’t wait to make her blush even more tonight.
28
Harper
This is the hardest I’ve ever worked, but it doesn’t feel like it. I’ve never put so many hours in to finish a project but the only real memory I have from this week is my time in Zach’s arms. His voice is deep and triumphant as he announces to our small team that the proposal has been sent. I watch the way his shirt pulls against his shoulders as he raises his arms toward the employees. He turns to me and smiles and I feel my knees go weak. That smile knocks me out every time.
I turn to Rosie and congratulate her.
“Couldn’t have gotten this over the line without you, Rosie,” I say. She smiles and opens her arms up for a hug.
“Stop, Harper. You know you carried us all this week.”
She lets go of me and I take a step back. She cocks her head to the side and I see a mischievous gleam in her eye.
“Plus,” she adds. “I’m impressed you’ve been able to do it considering you haven’t been getting any sleep at night.”
I can’t help it, I start laughing. I can feel the flush in my cheeks creeping from my face out to my ears. I don’t say anything, because she’s right. I haven’t been sleeping much but I feel more energized than ever. Every time Zach touches me or looks at me it’s like a bolt of lightning right through me.
We all gather our things and head down into the cold New York winter. We make it to the same bar we go to for all our team events and stumble in the door. It’s already half-full of people in sparkly hats, drinking as the New Year approaches.
Zach makes his way to the bar and speaks to the bartender, who produces half a dozen bottles of champagne. It’s almost one bottle each and I start laughing.
“Don’t you think this is a bit much? There’s only eight of us!”
“We have a lot to celebrate!” Zach says. He turns to me and it almost looks like he’ll lean down and kiss me before he catches himself. He hands me a champagne flute and pours them for everyone else. We all raise our glasses. Zach clears his throat.
“To a successful proposal, and a healthy and happy New Year!”
“Happy New Year!” We respond, echoing him before clinking our glasses together in a circle and taking a sip. I look around the team and I can’t help but feel a burning in my heart. I’m proud of our work, proud of our team, proud of myself. For the first time I feel like I get to share that pride and happiness with someone else.
The bubbles explode on my tongue and I feel a small shiver travel down my spine. I love champagne. I glance up at Zach and find him looking at me. His eyes are deep and I see something like a current of happiness in them. He lets his hand drift to the small of my back and I lean into him ever so slightly. From where we’re standing at the bar, no one can see the movement and it feels like our little secret. Even just standing next to him feels more intimate than I could imagine.
He fills up my glass and the bubbles rush and climb up the sides, trying to escape out the top. Right before they bubble over, the liquid turns golden and settles down. I giggle. Everything about champagne is excited and happy, and it’s exactly how I feel right now. Zach’s hand presses into my back and drifts down. His fingertips brush the cleft of my ass and I shiver. The wetness between my legs soaks through my panties in an instant as his fingers ever so gently travel down the line of my ass.
I take a sip of champagne to hide my constantly blushing cheeks. With my nose buried in the glass, I close my eyes and lean into him a tiny bit more. His hand cups my ass and gives it a soft squeeze. The warmth of his hand as he squeezes sends a jolt of desire coursing through my veins. I don’t think I’ll make it to midnight. All I want to do is ring in the New Year with his cock buried deep inside me.
As if he can read my mind, he leans over and whispers in my ear. The heat of his breath tickles my neck and I try to focus on his words instead of the warmth radiating between my legs.
“Let’s get out of here,” he breathes. “You are driving me wild.”
“So are you,” I reply.
“I’ll go first,” he says. “I’ll wait for you in the car. Don’t be too long this time.”
I grin. It’s our usual routine. To avoid gossip, we never leave the office together. We typically stagger our exit by ten or fifteen excruciating minutes. As soon as he makes his goodbyes, I know I won’t last that long. Five, six minutes tops. The seconds drag on one by one as I wait for my opportunity to leave.
Rosie slides in beside me. “So I guess you’ll be leaving in what, seven or eight minutes? Do you guys have a timer set?”
I glance at her sideways and start to laugh. “Is it that obvious?”
“Only to me,” she grins. “I don’t think anyone else knows.”
“Good.”
“They’ve only just gotten over the tree incident, I think an affair with New York’s sexiest boss would be too much. You’d never recover,” she says with an exaggerated sigh.
“I can’t believe this is all happening.”
“You deserve it, Harper. You’ve worked your ass off and been through so much. Why not you! Why not be happy!”
Rosie turns to me and puts her glass of champagne down on the bar. She puts her hands on my shoulders and gives them a squeeze. Her eyes are shining and it looks like she’s about to cry. My throat tightens as I wait for her to speak.
“You’re the best friend I could ask for, Harper. When all that stuff with Greg was happening last year it scared me and broke my heart. The way you and Zach look at each other just makes me so happy for you. Don’t be afraid of this. You are amazing, and you deserve an amazing man by your side.”
My eyes start prickling as the tears gather in the corner. My throat feels like it’s almost completely closed and I try to swallow before answering.
“Rosie, that’s such a nice thing to say.” She smiles and blinks a few times, trying to hold back her emotion.
“I mean it. Now go,” she laughs. “If you’re able to walk tomorrow I’ll be very disappointed. You have some celebratory sex to have!”
I laugh and wrap my arms around her. She’s right, we have lots to celebrate so we might as well get started as soon as possible. There’s a bounce in my step as I walk out of the bar. I check the time before laughing to myself. I barely lasted four minutes in there on my own. My body wants what it wants, who am I to deny myself that kind of pleasure?
Zach is in his car. The passenger’s side door swings open as I get close and a wave of heat falls out of the car. I climb in and close the door before turning to him and crushing my lips against his. The taste of champagne is still on my lips but his kiss tastes a million times better.
“Let’s get out of here,” he says when we pull apart. His eyes are shining in the dim light and all I can do is nod. That’s exactly what I want to do.
29
Zach
Harper’s body feels like a dream. She feels small and perfect underneath me, both our bodies sinking into the bed together. Her skin is incredibly soft, and my hands run all over her from top to bottom. My lips kiss her ear, her neck, her should
er. I trail my kisses down between her breasts before taking one of her nipples between my lips. I open my teeth and bite gently as she whimpers and moans. Her fingers are tangled into my hair and I feel her squeeze a little bit tighter. It sends tiny thrills of pain and pleasure through my skull.
Her stomach is white and soft. Every inch of her skin has a sweet smell that invades my nostrils and makes my cock impossibly hard. I move down and run my hands from her feet up her legs, closer and closer to the glistening slit between them. I resist the urge to plunge my cock straight into her, as much as my body is screaming for it.
Our bodies know each other and she moves as if she knows what I’m going to do a second before I do it. It’s intimate, it’s magic. Her hands are on my back, my arms, my chest. She wraps her fingers around my cock and I have to close my eyes for a second to regain control over my own body. I drag my fingers through her wetness and bring them up to her mouth just as she parts her lips to accept them.
“Taste yourself,” I breathe. My voice is hoarse and I watch in amazement as her lips take my fingers. Her tongue swirls around them and she moans as the flavor of her pussy touches it. My cock pulses as I watch her. I’m jealous of her tongue, I wish that taste was on mine. I slide my fingers out and see Harper’s eyes burning with carnal desire. Slowly, deliberately, I taste what’s left of her on my fingers. I close my eyes and savor the sweet saltiness as it hits my tongue.
I want more.
Harper’s legs squeeze me as she wraps them around my waist. I can feel the heat pulsing from between her legs and my cock is pressed against her hipbone. She wraps herself around me and pulls me in closer, crushing her lips against mine. She lets out a soft moan. I catch the sound between her lips and take it into my own. My hands find the back of her head and I wrap her hair around my fingers to pull her in closer.
I can’t let her go. I don’t want to let her go. I want every inch of me inside every inch of her. As if she reads my mind, she shifts her hips and my cock slides down between her legs. Even with just the tip of it grazing her slit, I feel the wetness of her desire.
When I finally enter her it’s like the first time. No, it’s better than the first time. This is the pure Harper. She and I are completely free and flying as our bodies pant and grab and groan together. Her smell is intoxicating, her touch is electrifying. I plunge myself into her and she arches her back in response. Every sound she makes vibrates through me and sends new waves of pleasure coursing through my veins.
We turn and thrash. She’s on top, I’m on top, our lips are interlocked, I’m taking her breast in my mouth. My hands grab at anything and everything—a hip, a leg, a hand, a breast. It’s frantic. We tear at each other like animals. It’s more raw, more real than anything I’ve experienced before.
Harper gasps as my cock plunges into her again before I take it out. It feels naked and all I want to do is dive back into her, but I grab her hips and turn her around. She tilts her ass toward me and glances over her shoulder with a devilish grin. I push my cock into her and gasp as she accepts it. My fingers run down her spine until I can grab a handful of that honey brown hair, pulling it back as she yelps and gasps. Her back is arched and she grabs onto my headboard before slamming her ass back into me.
“Harder,” she says in a raspy voice. “Fuck me harder.”
I’ve never heard her sound like this. It sends a current through me and I raise my hand to bring it down on her ass. The sharp crack of skin on skin sends a thrill through me and Harper makes the sexiest noise I’ve ever heard, halfway between a yelp and a moan.
“Again,” she pants, and I comply. I leave a bright red handprint on her ass and then I smack it again. The only sound in the room is our two bodies colliding together and the sound of my hand spanking her over and over.
I feel her come. Her pussy spasms and floods with wetness. It grips my cock like never before and she starts moaning, grunting, screaming. She’s screaming my name and I tighten my hold on her hair, slamming my cock into her again and again.
Finally my balls tighten up into me and I feel the sweet release of orgasm. I’ve been holding on, resisting, trying to make this moment last but I can’t wait any longer. The electricity passes through me like a shock and I let go. I come, shaking and screaming as Harper backs herself onto my cock. I tighten my grip on her hair until my orgasm reaches its peak and then all energy leaves my body. I lean forward and the two of us collapse down until my lips connect with her back. I pant against her and kiss her skin, trying to regain control over my limbs.
I roll over onto my back as my chest heaves up and down. My arm falls over against her and she slips her hand into me. We say nothing to each other. We don’t need to. I don’t know what’s just happened but I know it feels different. It was more intense than anything I’ve ever experienced before. It wasn’t just sex. It wasn’t just fucking. It was something more.
Turning my head, I open my eyes and see Harper collapsed on the pillow. Her hair is a mess where I was grabbing it and I can still see the red marks on her ass from my hand.
“You’re a mess,” I say with a grin.
Her green eyes sparkle as she looks at me. “So are you,” she replies.
“I don’t care.”
“Neither do I.”
Her replies are quick but her voice is soft and seductive. She doesn’t take her eyes off me and it seems like she’s looking through me, like she can see something inside me. I’m more exposed than I’ve ever been in my life. It’s not bad though, it’s the opposite—it feels better to be here like this, with her… better than I could have ever imagined.
30
Harper
I fall asleep feeling like I’m living a dream, but reality comes crashing down when I wake up and rush to the toilet. The nausea is overwhelming, and all I can do is stumble out of bed and sprint to the bathroom. I just barely make it in time, emptying the contents of my stomach into the white porcelain.
My stomach heaves and the bile burns my throat as I retch. My eyes water and I wait for the feeling to pass before flushing the toilet. I’m so consumed with nausea that I barely hear Zach get out of bed and follow me.
When the episode has passed, Zach’s hand comes down onto my shoulder. The warmth of his large hand is comforting, and I wipe away the tears that escape my eyes.
“You okay?” He asks. His voice is deep and filled with worry.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’ve been feeling a bit nauseous for the past couple of weeks.”
“Weeks? Have you been to the doctor?”
I turn to see Zach squatting beside me, lines of worry drawn on his forehead. He reaches over and strokes the side of my cheek. I close my eyes and lean into his hand.
“No, not yet. I was waiting to see if I’d get better.”
“It might be some sort of stomach bug. Two weeks isn't normal. I’ll take you to my doctor, he’s really good.”
“That’s okay, Zach, really. All I need is some rest. We’ve been working like crazy I’m sure that’s not helping.”
Zach shakes his head. He runs his fingers over my temple and into my hair. His other hand grabs my hand and he helps me stand. After I rinse out my stale mouth, he brings me over to the bed. I lay down and close my eyes, focusing on the softness of the bed and the warmth of the blankets instead of the roiling in my stomach.
In a couple of minutes a cup of tea materializes beside me with a few crackers.
“Eat something, and then I’m taking you to the doctor.”
“Zach, really, I’m fine! I don’t need a doctor.”
He shakes his head and crosses his arms and I know I’m not going to win this one. I can’t help it. Ever since my many appointments and tests, poking and prodding leading to the news that I was infertile, I’ve developed a strong dislike for doctors. Even the smell of the offices, the sterile plastic beds and crunch of the white paper, it all makes an uncomfortable feeling crawl down my spine.
Still, looking at Zach as he sits on the bed and
hands me the cup of tea, I know he won’t change his mind. I see real concern in his eyes and as much as I hate doctors, I can’t help but feel comforted by the fact that Zach cares. He really cares! He wants to take care of me. It’s not a chore at all.
He’s putting my tea back on the side table and stroking my head as I lie back in bed. The nausea has passed and I feel a bit silly.
“I feel fine now,” I start. Zach shakes his head.
“You’re not getting away that easy,” he grins. I can’t help but smile back. “Why are you so against going to the doctor, anyway?”
I hesitate. I feel comfortable with him. I could tell him everything, about the months of tests and trying to have children only to find out I couldn’t. The heartbreak of it all, and how it destroyed my relationship. I could tell him about the miscarriages and finally that doctor’s cold, unfeeling word: infertile.
I could tell him, but I don’t. I just shrug.
“Don’t like doctors,” I say as a weak explanation. Zach looks at me for a few moments but doesn’t press me any further. He just gathers the dishes and stands up.
“Come on, babe, get dressed and I’ll take you. Might be as simple as taking a round of antibiotics.”
Babe.
My heart flutters at the word and Zach didn’t even seem to notice. He turns around and brings the mug back to the kitchen as I lie in his bed with my heart thumping and my head spinning. I swing my legs off the bed and start putting my clothes on.
Looks like it’s time to face my fears and go to the doctor. As much as it makes me nervous, there’s also a warmth in my chest and a fluttering in my stomach when I think about Zach’s eyes, his touch, his voice when he called me babe. He cares about me—truly cares about me.
Unexpected (Complete Accidental Pregnancy Box Set) Page 10