“I want to be worth it for you.”
Her smile is warm, and genuine as she looks at me. It’s the same one she gave me whenever she would see me in the audience as she came onstage. “I want you to be, too.”
Neither one of us mentions her being good enough for me, because it’s not necessary. She has never been anything but kind to me. Her former profession wouldn’t be considered “good enough” to some people I know, but in the grand scheme of things, unless you’re hurting another person, it shouldn’t matter.
It doesn’t matter—I won’t let it. I want to be with her too much.
“Will you have dinner with me tonight, Low?”
“I think that’s what we’re doing.”
“I want to ask you officially, so you know it’s a date, and not just me thinking I can hang out with you.”
“I’m not sure I can accept a date, after my last one was run off. Two dates in one night sounds pretty sketchy.”
“Yeah,” I say, rubbing my neck. “I guess it does. Can we can just eat tonight, and I’ll ask you out for tomorrow night?”
“I was hoping for tomorrow morning. Breakfast, if you’re okay with that.”
“In bed?” I blurt out before I can stop myself.
“Not tomorrow, but I wouldn’t rule anything out for the future.”
“I’m at your service. Whenever, wherever. Just so you know. In case you wondering.” And the babbling just goes on and on.
“I’ll keep that in mind. So, dinner as friends tonight, and a breakfast date in the morning?”
“As long as lunch and dinner are included, that’s a yes.”
“I may have to study while eating lunch, and since I suck at coding, I’ll probably still be working on my homework through dinner.”
“I can help, if you want.”
“An artist, and a computer programmer, too?” she teases.
I’m not ready to tell her about my family, or who they are. Not because I think she would care, but because the sooner she’s exposed to them, the quicker I may lose her. I can’t lie to her, though, so I’ll have to give a half-truth. “I thought about going into computers at one point in my life.”
“Oh, well yes please help me! I’m not going to turn down free help.”
“And I’m not going to turn down the chance to spend more time with you, so we both win.”
“I guess we do.”
4
Harlow
“It’s like Greek to me. Seriously, Bo, I can’t do this,” I tell him the next afternoon after he’s tried to explain coding to me for the fifth time. I’m a smart woman, but this is just beyond my capabilities.
“Let’s try again.”
“How crazy am I making you?”
“I could sit here with you all day, but in the interest of full disclosure, you are making me a little crazy every time your shoulder brushes mine.”
I feel myself blush, because being so close to him is driving me a little crazy, too. When he leans in to peer at the string of characters I’ve typed on the screen, I want to turn my head and kiss him. Every time. I want to do it, but I don’t. Despite what he said about not letting my past interfere with us, I still need him to make the first move, and show me he means it.
“I appreciate the help, I just don’t think I’m going to get it. Ainsley’s tried to help me too, but my brain just doesn’t get this stuff.”
“You graduated from college, which means you took math classes. You are going to understand this. Maybe not today, but one day soon.”
“I had help,” I admit. “I paid for tutoring.”
“No shame in that. Your tutors helped you, and now I’m helping you, too.”
“I’m hopeless.”
“You are not. I have an idea, or actually, Scott had the idea—I just asked him by text.”
He’s so freaking adorable. “You asked the guru for help?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“I thought guys didn’t like to ask for help.”
“Well, I don’t ask for directions, but only because I have GPS.”
I burst out laughing. “I totally deserved that.”
“You did,” he agrees. “I just told you I think it’s great you asked for help so why wouldn’t I do the same?”
“Point taken, and I apologize.”
“Accepted. Now, as for the help, Scott said there are some YouTube videos we can watch that explain coding math.”
“Really?”
“Really. You game?”
“Yes. Thank you, Bo.”
“You could thank me with a kiss,” he blurts out, then turns bright red. He also looks to be gasping for breath.
Like I said, adorable. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Before he can get even more embarrassed, I lean forward and press my lips to his. It’s just a touch at first, the brush of our lips moving over each other, but then it gets hotter. His hand moves to the back of my head, and when he tilts me the way he wants, and takes over, I have to fight to hold back a smile.
We kiss and kiss until my lips are beautifully swollen, and we’re both gasping for air. “I can’t believe that just happened. Did you like it?” Bodhi asks me.
“I more than liked it.”
“I should’ve…tongue…I should’ve put my tongue…oh God, I’m rambling again.”
I smile, and put both of my hands on his cheeks. “There’s plenty of time for tongue. What just happened was spectacular. If you’d given me your tongue, I might’ve passed out.”
“I would’ve caught you.”
“I’m counting on that.”
“We should probably watch those videos now.”
“Or we could just kiss some more.”
“Kiss between each video?”
“We’re negotiating kisses now?”
“Only because I know how much you want to pass your Society class. I’d love to just keep kissing you, but I don’t want to be the cause of you ignoring what you need to do.”
Could he be any more perfect? Probably, since we all could, but I like him just the way he is. “Thanks for keeping me on track.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Do you want to move to one of the couches. For comfort?”
“Just for comfort?” he asks, smiling.
“Of course,” I reply, trying and failing to look innocent as he laughs and holds out a hand to me while getting to his feet.
We spend the next two hours kissing, watching videos, and tentatively exploring each other over our clothes. I know there are cameras in here, so we keep the making out under control, although we’re both wanting more. We don’t say it, but I know he can feel how stiff my nipples are when he runs his hands over my breasts, and I can feel the hard length of him against my back as he cradles me in his arms. It’s a sweet torture, but I appreciate him not asking for more just yet.
He’s been caring, and slow, moving from one small thing to another, as he seduces both my mind and my body. Currently, he’s sucking lightly on my neck as his hands move up and down the front of me. My hands are roaming over his long legs, as my head is thrown back, giving him better access. A cleared throat has us both bolting upright, and I barely catch my tablet as it falls from my lap.
“Reina, hi.”
“Hello. I’d say I’m sorry to interrupt, but since you’re supposed to be studying…”
“We were,” Bodhi says. “I found some videos for us to watch.”
She smirks at that. “I really don’t want to know.”
“Coding math videos, Rei,” I tell her with an eye roll.
“I know. I was just messing with you. Ainsley saw you watching the videos on your tablet, and since I stopped home after my doctor visit, I was tasked with seeing how they worked for you.”
“Oh, they’re good. I kind of understand things. Not totally, but I’m closer than I was.”
“In more ways than one.”
“How’s the baby?” Bodhi blurts out, his face so red I’
m a little bit afraid of him passing out.
“The baby is perfect,” she says, rubbing her big belly. “I’ll let you two get back to ‘studying’ now, but we need to have a meeting later when everyone’s back here.”
“Okay,” I tell her, because what else can I say?
She hasn’t pushed me too hard on X, but I know it’s coming, and I know there’s nothing I can tell her. Coding may be hard, but it’s nothing like what I’m going to be facing once Reina decides she’s been patient enough. I’m physically ready for any torture I may have to endure, but emotionally? Yeah, having someone I respect and admire dole out my punishment is not going to be anywhere close to easy.
Bodhi
Sitting in a room filled with twenty female badasses, plus the “Studkateers” as Owen called them—and I’m including all the guys involved with the Society in some way, and not just the original four—is pretty damn intimidating. I’ve been in all kinds of situations where people try to intimidate with wealth or power, but it was nothing like this. These women and men command power because of what they do, and who they are as people. Most, if not all, have bank accounts putting them well into the famous “1%” but it wouldn’t matter if they were living in boxes on the street; their power is that real and potent. I’m thankful to have Harlow on one side of me, and Owen on the other, right now.
“Harlow, we need to know where your cousin is, so we can protect him,” Reina tells her, the look on her face saying there’s no room for argument. I wouldn’t argue with her, but I’m not Harlow.
I also don’t know what they’re talking about. Harlow’s cousin in involved in all of this? Admittedly, I was an ass just a couple of days ago, but being kept completely in the dark is not sitting well with me. I’m definitely going to be bringing this up with her once we’re alone.
“The fact that you can’t find him should tell you he doesn’t need your protection.”
“But you do, and so does Bodhi.”
“You want to threaten me, go ahead, but keep Bodhi out of this. I’ll leave if that’s what this has come to, but we both know you wouldn’t send an innocent person out on their own when you could protect them. So, don’t try and use him to get me to cave.”
Reina rubs her belly, and a look of pain crosses her face. I think maybe she’s going to go into labor, even though she’s still got a couple of months, but then she straightens her spine, and looks Harlow in the eye.
“This baby is making me more empathetic than I normally feel towards people who refuse my help, but it’s not stopping me completely from being who I am. If you won’t tell me what I need to know willingly, your friends will get you to tell me whether you want to, or not.”
“My friends?” Harlow asks, swallowing hard, and I’m freaked out a little, too, because I think I know what she means.
“I think it’s about time for us to start your lessons on torture.”
“I’ve already told you I won’t break.”
She smiles, and I’ll admit, it scares me. Harlow looks resigned, but still a little defiant. “You might not break for me, because I don’t let emotions interfere with what I need to do, but I doubt you’ll feel the same way about your friends. Sierra, can you break Harlow’s fingers without caring? Or Kali, how about pulling out her back teeth?”
I look from Harlow to her friends, and see the horror on their faces. I’m sure they all knew they’d have to torture people, but I’m also pretty sure they didn’t plan to have to do it to a friend. Before she says a word, I know Harlow won’t hurt her friends by forcing them to hurt her. She’s just not made that way. Reina knows that as well as I do, and this is why she’s in charge.
“You know I won’t put them through that.”
“Yes.”
“You’re good.”
“I have to be, Harlow. Your lives depend on it.”
“I have a way to contact him, and I’ll do it, but I can’t tell you everything. That’s the best I can do,” she tells her.
Reina nods. “You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t trust you. You tell us what we need, and then you do what you have to.”
“I need to be out of here to do it.”
“Leaving the building puts you at risk.”
“It’s the only way.”
I doubt that, but I’m not going to question Harlow in front of everyone. She has her reasons, and that has to be good enough for me, and everyone else. If not, I’m sure Reina will call her on it.
“We’ll have to work out the logistics. Where do you need to go?”
“The Neon Boneyard.”
“You have something hidden in one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city?” Ellie asks, looking at her like she’s crazy. I think I have the same look on my face.
“Where better to hide something you don’t want found? No one’s going to look for it there, especially when they don’t know what they’re looking for.”
Reina nods, a smile on her face now. “Darcy, can you work something out? I can call in favors to get us in, but that would bring attention to what we’re doing.”
“Piece of cake,” Darcy tells her.
“Okay. Be ready to go in tonight. Ellie, you’ll go with her, and so will Jade.”
“I’m going too,” Aiden says, and I’m not surprised. I mean, if my wife was putting herself in danger, and I had the skills to help her, I’d be doing it, too.”
“I’ll be ready,” Harlow assures her.
Everyone starts to walk out, and I wait for them to hug Harlow, or offer their thanks, before I take her hand and lead her outside. She willingly goes to the pool house with me, and curls her feet up under her as she faces me on the couch.
“This feels right—telling them where my cousin is, but then again, it also feels wrong. He’s not going to be so easy to forgive me, even if what I’m doing might save us all.”
“I can’t tell you if it’s right or wrong, since I don’t know what’s going on. I want you to trust me with everything, but I understand if you can’t yet. From what I’ve learned about the Society, there is no one else who could protect him better than they can.”
“No one else is going to find him, and I’ll tell you more as soon as I can. I promise.”
“Maybe they won’t find him, but would he want you to be in danger? Or me?” He doesn’t know me, but I think that’s a point in my favor, because who would want someone they didn’t know to be in danger because of them?
“No. He wouldn’t want that.”
“Then you’re doing the right thing.”
“I needed to hear that.”
“Can you tell me why you have to go get whatever it is you’re getting, and not having Darcy or Ellie get it for you?”
“I could have someone else get what I need, but that would expose him, because what it is contains more than just his contact information, and I can’t do that to my cousin. Reina said she trusts me, and I trust everyone in this room with my life. Mine, but not my cousin’s or his little boy’s. They aren’t mine to speak for.”
“He has a little boy? I didn’t know. Hell, I don’t know anything.”
“I just can’t tell you, Bo. Not yet. Please trust me to do what I need to do.”
“I’m trying, Low, but I’m scared. Not just for me, but for you, too. I don’t know if that’s okay to tell the girl I like, because it might make me look like a wuss, but it is what it is.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being scared, and I think you’re plenty manly.”
“Yeah?”
“Well, now that you mention it, I might need you to take your shirt off so I can check out your muscles. I’ve felt them today, but seeing them again is at the top of my wish list.”
I reach behind me, and pull my t-shirt over my head, knocking my glasses askew. She reaches out to fix them as I blush, because under the muscles I know I have, I’m still a clumsy nerd. “I probably shouldn’t try to be sexy.”
“You don’t have to try.”
Great, so I�
�m not sexy to her. “I want to be for you.”
“What I meant, was that you already are sexy to me. From your hair to your glasses to your lips, and yeah, your muscles, you are a walking fantasy of sexy.”
“Oh.” I should say more, but what can I say to that?
“Yeah, um, well, I should go get ready for later.”
What? She just asked me to take my shirt off, and now she’s leaving? I guess I should’ve said more. “You’re my fantasy, too. But, you already know that, right?” How could she not know that?
“Stripper Harlow, or spy Harlow?” she asks, and I see the vulnerability in her eyes.
I tell her the truth. “To me, there’s only one.”
“I want to kiss you.”
“You never have to ask.”
She leans forward, and when her lips touch mine, I feel a jolt of electricity course through my body. It happened earlier, but I thought it would be just a one-time thing. Apparently, it’s not, and somehow that makes me happy. I don’t want to get used to Harlow’s kisses, or anything else about her. I want to always react to her, and how she makes me feel. Sexy, wanted, and maybe just a little bit loved.
5
Harlow
There’s no hiding my swollen lips as I make my way into the lobby to meet Darcy, Ellie, Jade, and Aiden. Aiden smirks at me, and I flip him the bird. “Hey, don’t blame me because you’re looking all sexed up.”
“I’m blaming you for pointing it out, and to set the record straight, I’m ‘kissed-up’ and not ‘sexed-up’. Not that it’s any of your business either way.”
“Do you need me to talk to him? Dude’s probably intimidated by you, but I could give him some pointers.”
“Shut up, Hawk,” Ellie tells him, smacking him on the back of the head.
“You saying I don’t know what I’m doing, Doll?”
“No. I’m saying you need to leave Harlow and Bodhi to whatever it is they’re doing. I’m sure they’ll be just fine without you trying to meddle your way in to their sex life.”
“You mean lack of sex life, right?”
“There is no lack of anything,” I say, reminding them both I’m right here. “There’s nothing wrong with taking things slow.”
Harlow (Society Girls #7) Page 5