by Tess Keeler
Once Bella left me to rest, I texted Harper to check in with her.
Hey babe, wow, today has been long. Hah. What are you up to?
I hoped she would be down to video chat later if I could stay up long enough to make it worthwhile for her. Now that I had gotten all of my family interaction out of the way, it made me even more excited to see her. Five weeks was way too long to go without seeing the person you couldn’t stop thinking about.
How are you still functioning? I just finished packing up. I’m in bed, reading. Are you in bed?
I was pulling off my boots when she responded, and I pushed my thumb against the home button to read it from where it was laying on my bed. I pulled my socks off and tossed them into my empty basket before picking up my phone.
Honestly? I’m not sure. Between Asher and Bella, I stood no chance but to make myself push through it. It’s 6am as far as my body is concerned.
Not yet. I was thinking about taking a shower, but maybe I’ll just do that in the morning after I work out so I can look nice for you. And honestly, I’d much rather video chat with my favorite girl before I pass out. :)
I hit send and moved into the bathroom across the hall. I loved the set up of our house. Bella’s room was down the hall on the opposite side, with the bathroom between us. It was great because I could write and play guitar and never disturb her too much. Plus, our rooms took up the entire second story of the house. Our parents occupied the ground floor. I tossed my hat onto my dresser before leaving my room. My phone dinged as I relieved myself, but I finished up and washed my hands before checking it.
I’m ready whenever you are.
My heart swelled. It did incredible things to me when she seemed to want to talk to me just as much as I did her.
I’m going to brush my teeth and wash my face, then I’ll be ready.
After finishing my bathroom routine, I stripped down to my boxer briefs, put ointment on my new tattoo, and made sure all of my clothes were in the dirty basket with my socks. I locked my door behind me and turned on my television.
Once I was comfortable and situated, I pulled out my laptop to FaceTime with her on there. It was resting on the pillow next to me, my eyes already heavy once my body relaxed into the mattress.
The rattling of the call didn’t last too long before I saw her face on the other side. She looked so relaxed and so happy. It made my heart expand.
“Hey, babe,” I greeted her, my lips always pulled into a smile when I laid eyes on her. Man, I was pathetic.
“Hey, you.” Her gorgeous, full lips were curled into a smile too, her eyes just as happy. My heart staggered in my chest. “I missed that smile,” she sighed, her eyes dancing all over my tired features. I loved how she looked at me.
I could feel my cheeks lifting as my lips spread further across my face. “Only a few more hours, and you’ll get to see it in person,” I started, letting my face bury into my pillow a second. I could feel the longer part of my hair tickling my forehead. “My sister is so hyped to meet you. It was a majority of what we talked about.”
“I’m excited to meet her, too.” Her smile only grew from there. “I can’t believe I’m meeting your family tomorrow. Will I be meeting Asher, too?”
I laughed softly. “Whether you want to or not, apparently.”
Her laugh mirrored mine. “Oh man. What am I getting myself into?”
“I can only hope you still like me after dealing with the mess that is my personal life.”
“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” she teased, her eyes sparkling as they met mine through the digital screen.
“I don’t want to get rid of you, so that’s good to hear.” I took a moment to admire her, enjoying the way my body reacted to her. “Did I tell you I got a new tattoo?” I playfully lifted my eyebrow, waiting for her reaction.
Shaking her head, a curious smile pulling at her lips, “No, what did you get?”
I lifted my hand, showing off the small, nerdy tattoo I had gotten with my pain in the ass best friend. “I got it with Asher. Mine’s Hufflepuff and his is Slytherin.”
“I wish my best friend was as cool as you.”
We shared a laugh, and I felt obligated to warn her about the possible war-zone she would witness. I proceeded with the thought bouncing around in my head, “So, I’m a little embarrassed, but I want to be honest with you.” Taking a deep breath, I forced the words out of my mouth, “My parents fight, a lot. I’m hoping they’ll tone it down while you’re here, but that’s doubtful.”
“Are they okay?” I could hear the hesitation in her voice, her face telling me she didn’t know how to respond.
“My dad would always tell my mother that once Bella was 18, he was gone.” I sucked in a deep breath. I never told anyone about the nights I held Bella while they had screaming matches. How my sister still calls me crying occasionally when the fights get too bad. “I’ve told them both that we would rather them not be together than deal with their fighting. It’s a big reason Drew doesn’t come home, ever. Yet, they always wonder why.”
“I’m really sorry, Nix.” The frown that pulled at her lips actually hurt me. “I hope that they work out what’s best for them.”
“Me too.”
I ended up falling asleep on her, and I felt so bad. That happened so much lately, but I had every intention of making it up to her once I had her here with me.
The Tulsa weather was cooler than I expected for the middle of September. After I showered, I decided to wear the new yellow hoodie I had bought before I came home— yellow was Harper’s favorite color, and it was definitely the reason I got it. Wearing the hoodie and a pair of my black skinny jeans, I decided against a hat before saying bye to my parents and heading out to get breakfast with Bella then drop her off at school. After that, I was heading to the florist to get white and yellow roses, and then it was off to the airport. My nerves were trying to get the best of me. As much as I tried to not think about it, I knew this was a big step for us. Integrating her into my world meant being completely cut open and vulnerable, but I was ready to commit to her and only her.
After parking my forest green Nissan Rogue, I checked her flight status. It was arriving on time which meant I only had fifteen more minutes before she would land. I decided to clear out my emails while I waited— I only had 786 to go through.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when her name popped up over my screen. My heart began to throb as I read her text:
Guess who just landed?
1
Make You Mine
CHAPTER EIGHT
Harper
My flight was short, and before I knew it, I was walking through the Tulsa airport, backpack strapped to my shoulders. I followed the crowd, hoping it would lead me to Nixon. My boyfriend? We hadn't said the words yet, but I knew that's what he was. The emotional investment from each of us had already surpassed all of my previous relationships. I was practically floating as I walked through the mostly rundown terminal, my eyes searching for any sign of him. It was my first time exploring Tulsa, and I was glad he was my guide.
I didn't know if anyone would be with him, and if I was being honest, I was looking for a crowd. He went unnoticed very little. A bright yellow hoodie caught my attention as I looked past all the travelers heading toward the baggage claim. I looked over to see white and yellow roses positioned in front of the man's face, but I could feel his energy. I knew it was him. He was wedged in between a trash can and a pillar, doing his best to hide in plain sight. He revealed his eyes as I advanced toward him, and I flashed him a grin. My beating heart picked up just as my legs did, closing the distance between our bodies. Talking constantly on a digital format only made me crave his embrace more. He held the flowers to the side as I gained momentum, going in for the glomp. Running into him was like colliding with a brick wall--all fucking muscle. I wouldn't have had it any other way.
I buried my face into his neck, beneath the hood protecting his identity the best it could. Hi
s clean scent reminded me of cedar wood. I let it invade every corner of my head before I pulled back a little and pinned him into the surface behind him with my weight. My eyes locked with his, and I brushed our noses together before pressing my lips to his, so full and warm. His free hand was holding my back, urging my hips closer to his. My hands pushed up and over his chest until they were holding his face, my lungs fighting to hold on. Just a little longer.
"Nixon," I gasped. Reluctantly breaking our lips' contact. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too," he breathed before capturing my lips with his another time.
I hummed in approval as our kiss deepened, my lips parting and our tongues meeting sensually. His taste set me on fire, the passion behind his kiss causing my bones to shake. There was a certain urgency in him that wasn't present before his trip. Distance was difficult.
When we finally parted, he presented the flowers to me with a bright smile outlined by swollen lips. I loved the way his skin flushed red and blotches extended out from under his hoodie. I hoped I would never tire of the little things about being with him--the differences his chivalry and cautiousness gave him from the men I was used to.
The backpack was all I needed to get through my trip, giving us no reason to wait for them to unload the luggage from the plane. Our fingers tangled together as he led me out of the doors, the cool fall air similar to Kansas's as it met my face. I was thankful I didn't dress in anything too warm, my Bermuda shorts and long sleeve white shirt enough to keep me cozy. There were so many cars that I couldn't pinpoint which one he was taking me to, but that didn't matter when a girl his age approached us.
Hearing her shaky voice say his name caused my heart to fall into my stomach. I dropped his hand out of respect for him and his image. We hadn't talked about publicity yet.
“Hey, how are you?” The way he spoke to her was sweet enough for me to melt. I couldn’t imagine how this poor girl was feeling.
“I’m a big fan and didn’t want to bother you, but can I get a picture?” she asked politely, and I smiled as I stood back a little further.
Watching him with fans still made my heart swell. Not too long ago, I was just his fan. I had always admired him.
“Sure, of course. What’s your name?” he fluidly asked as he moved to her side, already smiling his picture smile. I loved that smile, but not as much as the smile he gave me. His eyes squinted more in our pictures.
It took her a moment to answer him, her hands visibly shaking as she handed him her phone. “Brooke."
He took the picture quickly and handed it back to her, giving her another smile as he stood by me once again. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt you and your friend." Brooke's face was as red as a tomato.
“This is my girlfriend, Harper. She's here for the show.” Girlfriend.
His hand moved to my back, possessively. The shock was almost handicapping. It was my turn to blush. Her eyes met mine, and for the first time, I felt anxious about impressing a stranger. I refrained from chewing my lip and instead extended my hand out, giving her a small smile. "It's nice to meet you, Brooke."
Her jaw was slack, and she had an even worse delay before shaking my hand. "It's...uh...nice to meet you, too."
We both looked at Nixon, and he looked proud of himself. He was almost glowing.
"Thanks again, Nixon," she said.
"Thank you. Have a good day."
With a wave, he led me away from his fan. Not even a few feet ahead of us, he was sliding the backpack off my arms and opening the passenger door to a really sleek SUV. The hunter green color was perfect for him. He waited until I was comfortable before securing me inside. I heard my backpack get placed behind his driver's seat, and then he was beside me, pressing the button to bring his vehicle to life. The doors locked, and I released the breath I didn't know I was holding. What if his fans didn't like me?
"I'm sorry I didn't run that by you first." Nixon was always worried about upsetting me. His concern brought a soft smile to my lips. "I can't call you a friend, because you're more than that."
"You're ready for the world to know?" I asked.
He chewed his lip a moment. "Yes." Glancing at me, his eyebrows pulled up as he added, "Are you?"
I nodded before he turned back to the road. "Yes."
My phone went off in my back pocket, and I lifted off of it to fish it out. Grace. She wanted to know that he picked me up. I quickly told her that I was safe before placing it down on my leg. When it went off again, I ignored it. I watched him reach for the radio, turning up the song playing and immediately singing along. His positivity was contagious, and it made him more attractive. He was already everyone's type, so imagine those powers.
I'm pretty sure I wanted to worship him like a god.
I would. I had to, or I might explode. With my left hand extended, I ran my fingers over his flexing knee. My fingers danced up his thigh, drawing patterns over his black jeans. He probably had hundreds of the exact same pair. I laid my hand down as my eyes fell to the motion, and I squeezed as much of the mass as I could. His thighs were massive, so strong and sexy. I felt him watching me, and I looked up to meet his hazel gaze, one eyebrow raised.
"What?" I asked playfully.
He swallowed hard, a smile still evident on his lips. "You drive me crazy." His voice was low, his chest falling with the breath he was releasing.
The tone created a shiver down my spine, my center radiating torturously. I didn't need sex, but I needed him. A physical bond was all that was missing between us--everything else felt like magic. That would, too.
"Do I?" I asked, rubbing my full hand in slow circles toward his inner thigh. Higher and higher...
His full lips parted, taking in short breaths as my hand moved further up. "Oh, yes," he admitted shakily.
I was satisfied with his reaction to me and our obvious tension. I backed off wearing a confident smirk, leaving my hand planted just above his knee as I heard him try to regain his composure. Me too, Nixon. Me too.
I blew out my frustration through my lips and looked at my phone again. It wasn't Grace who had responded. I had a text from Blake.
You're in Tulsa? How serious is this?
I realized I hadn't been paying attention to anything around me. I had tunnel vision with Nixon; it was difficult to tear my focus away from him sometimes. I forced myself to look up at the scenery around us. It was more small town than city, but I enjoyed the calmness of it all. There were large stretches of grass and trees between clumps of buildings.
"Did you tell Blake I was coming?" I asked, assuming that's how he knew.
"No. Why?"
"He just texted me, and he knows. Would Mason tell him?"
"He and Mason don't talk unless absolutely necessary." I was looking at him again, his eyebrows lowered as he turned his gears for possibilities. It was like a lightbulb went off, his entire face lifting some. "Information spreads fast on the internet."
I pursed my lips and opened Twitter. I searched Nixon's name, and there we were, walking away from a camera. I didn't even have to scroll down the page. It was next to the selfie he had taken with his fan, Brooke. Did someone put it there to prove it was really him or did Brooke herself out us? Maybe it was for the attention. His hand was on my back. It was taken right before we climbed into his car.
"She couldn't wait to be the first to tell everyone, I guess. It's a good thing my back end is flattering."
When he laughed, all I could think about was how my insides reacted to it, twisting and turning. It was full of life and never half-ass. He followed it with an apology.
"You don't have to be sorry, baby,” I reassured him with another squeeze of my hand. "This is part of it, right?"
"It's just the beginning."
We wasted time taking the scenic route to his home. I enjoyed every second of it. There were nature statues lining their major river. People were riding bikes, running, and hanging in hammocks along the entire le
ngth. He promised to take me hiking in the most popular spot, eventually. Turkey Mountain was what he called it. I didn’t think it was large enough to be a mountain, but that didn’t make me any less excited. We stopped for coffee and a bite to eat to hold us off until dinner. Shortly after, he took me over the bridge leading us to his stomping grounds. Nixon confessed that he didn’t want to take me home until Bella was there; she would be upset if we beat her. I sighed in a way that only meant I couldn’t believe he was real.
“This is technically Jenks,” he told me as we walked up his parent’s driveway. “A suburb of Tulsa.” I was walking up to a two-story house that looked like it had been in his family for a long time. It was well taken care of, but not what I would have expected; it was modest. It was a deep blue color with brown and white accents. Yard decorations were placed around the plants and an American flag hung on the porch.
He insisted that he carry my bag, even though I was capable. I held his hand in mine, tightly. I was nervous about meeting his family—I had never done this before. The door swung open as we walked up to it, a young girl greeting us with a grin twice Nixon’s size. She shared his rectangle face shape, but hers was much softer. Her eyes were darker than his, but still brown, along with her long, straight hair. The tan color of her skin made her stand out most—Nixon’s skin was almost like porcelain.
“You must be Harper,” she said in a singsong voice. It carried on in a pleasant way.
I leaned forward to be more at her height, returning her smile. “And you must be Bella,” I said in the softest voice I could manage. “I heard that you’re going to help me set up a Pokemon account.”