That was the question she wanted to ask of him. Surely he wasn’t concerned that her pussy or tits were sore because they’d made love days and days ago. “Good. Guess what?”
“What?” His caution hurt her feelings. Did he think she was about to tell him she’d found another man?
“My brother, Tatum, is going to be Brady Braxson’s new deputy.”
He whistled. “How did that happen?”
She wasn’t sure why he sounded so surprised. “He applied for the job, but we didn’t get the chance to talk about what prompted him to apply.”
She paced the living room and wiped her sweaty palm on her pants. This was the man she’d made fabulous love with, so why would she be nervous? Could it be that he sounded scared?
“I’d like to spend your birthday with you.” His words rushed out like someone had lifted a dam, causing the water to come rushing out in a roar.
“You don’t have to do that.” When he didn’t say anything, she slipped onto the sofa and bit her nail. Damn. Why did she say the first thing into her brain? “But if you want to, I’d love to see you.”
“You sure?”
Why was he acting so unsure of himself? “Yes.”
“Okay then. How about if I pick you up at nine tomorrow morning? Wear hiking boots and pack a bag.”
“A bag as in a suitcase or a bag as in a backpack?” They each implied a totally different type of adventure.
“Suitcase.”
She would have asked where they were going, but it would be more fun if he surprised her. “Conner’s coming, right?”
Once more, he didn’t answer. She could hear fuzzy sounds in the background like those of the casino. “I’m not sure he’ll make it. Is that okay if it’s just the two of us?”
She smiled. She could feel Conner’s hand in manipulating this whole date. “Totally. See you tomorrow at nine.” She hung up before either she said something she’d regret or Harper changed his mind.
* * * *
When Harper pulled up to Holly’s drive the next day, she stepped outside to greet him. If he came inside, he might feel obligated to kiss her, which might result in them ending up in bed. Not that she didn’t wish for that to happen, but she’d feel he was making love to her to make up for the fact he hadn’t called most of the week.
She set her case down and waited for him to get out of the car. Harper liked to be the gentleman.
“Happy birthday, sugar.” Harper drew her into his arms and kissed her tenderly then stepped back. “If I start, we’ll never get to where we’re going.”
She chuckled and studied his face to judge his sincerity, but he’d schooled his features. Damn military training.
He picked up her case and placed it in the back then opened her door. She slid in and buckled her seat belt before he climbed in.
“Ready for an adventure?” he asked.
“Are you going to get naked again and dive in a cold lake?”
He laughed. “One ice bath a month is all I can take.”
Who was this affable, charismatic man? He certainly seemed to have gotten over his snit. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“Yes, because if you’ve been there before and are tired of it, I have an alternate plan.”
That was so nice of him. “Where is it?”
“The Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.”
Her breath caught. “Oh, my God. Really? I never had the time to go when I worked in Denver.”
His smile lit up his face. “Then I’ll make sure you have a perfect day.”
The two-hour trip flew by. He explained why he hadn’t called, but she wasn’t sure she bought that he didn’t have minute to spare.
“Did you finally find someone to repair the machines?”
“Yes, but it wasn’t easy. They’re working well now. In fact, I’m convinced a lot of our machines were giving out too high of a return for too long. The computer chip was intermittent, whatever that means.”
She’d never heard of that either, but she knew very little about how slot machines worked other than she always lost her money at the damn things.
Since it was close to lunchtime, once they entered the park he drove straight to a picnic area where there were five tables. Only two of them were taken. He parked and pulled out a picnic basket from the back.
She skipped next to him. “What did you bring?”
“Just you wait and see. You know, too much curiosity isn’t always a good thing.”
“Uh-huh.”
They picked a table that overlooked the park with the Rockies as the backdrop. The view was magnificent. “I’ve been to Bryce Canyon, but this might be better. The rock formations are stunning.”
“Wait until we drive around and then hike. You’ll be amazed at what shapes the rocks come in.”
She was totally psyched. He unpacked the basket. While no alcohol was allowed in the park, he’d brought several different kinds of cheeses, a variety of crackers, and carrots to dip into hummus. “You really went all out.”
“You deserve the best, sugar.”
As soon as her gaze met his, he glanced away. What was up with that? After they feasted on the hors d’oeuvres, she was full, and he hadn’t even brought out the gourmet sandwiches.
Harper placed a wrapped sandwich in front of her. “I didn’t know what you’d like, but since you ordered the chicken Caesar, I had the restaurant prepare marinated chicken breasts. They said they’d taste good warm or cold.”
Harper had gone to so much trouble to please her that her heart overflowed. “It looks fabulous.”
Because the scenery demanded it, they ate in silence, taking periodic breaks to absorb all the beauty. She ate one small breast and hoped he wasn’t disappointed when she couldn’t eat more.
“Now for the pièce de résistance.” He fished out an icing-covered brownie, stuck a candle in it, and lit it. The flame died immediately. He tried again and again, but each time the wind blew it out.
She had to put him out of his misery. “It’s good.” She leaned over and lightly blew on the unlit candle. She glanced up at him and smiled. “Perfect.”
He grinned then made a big deal of cutting the two-inch-square brownie in half and placing her half on a paper plate. “Hope you made a wish.”
“I did.” Surely he had to know he was part of that dream.
Harper cleared his throat, and when he sang a very bad rendition of “Happy Birthday,” she cracked up. “That was wonderful. Thank you.”
They shared a quick birthday kiss because during the course of their meal two more families had arrived. Kissing him as much as she wished in front of the children wouldn’t have been cool.
They cleaned up the meal, and then he pulled out a small box from the bottom of the picnic basket and handed it to her.
“What is it?”
He laughed. “Sugar, where’s the fun if I tell you?”
“Bringing me here was a present in and of itself.”
Harper placed a hand over hers. “You don’t want my gift?”
A flash of pain sliced across his face. “Yes, I do.” Now she felt bad. Why couldn’t she act gracious and take what he offered?
She tore open the box and sat stunned at the most beautiful jade-colored teardrop-shaped pendant. Her mouth gaped open. “Harper, it’s exquisite.”
“When I saw it, I thought of you and how beautiful it would look around your neck. I knew you’d look good in green. I’d put it on you now, but it might get in the way of hiking. We’ll have a necklace ceremony later.”
She hoped he planned on placing it on her neck only after she was naked. “I’d like that.”
Chapter Twelve
Harper was quite pleased with how well the day had gone. Even the picnic had been more than he’d hoped for. He’d been drawn into her humility many times during the meal, and especially when she blew on the unlit candle to help him save face, but he’d stayed strong and kept his heart tucked away. He’d be
en tempted many times to give into the feeling, but he refrained. Taking her out on the group horseback ride had been genius on his part because being surrounded by a large number of people had prevented him from dragging her off the horse and ravishing her. The outdoors definitely helped to control his libido.
Holly threaded her arm through his as they entered the stone archway into the lobby of the Lodge. He supposed he could have driven the two-hours to Freedom and kissed her good-night, but what kind of birthday would that be? He wanted to show her a good time and to prove to her she was special. Harper had already decided that she could have his time and his cock, but not his heart.
Nope, not my heart.
She squealed as they entered. “This is amazing.”
“I’ve not stayed here before, but the photos looked nice.”
He’d made a reservation for two queen beds. Sleeping with Holly snuggled up against him all night would make him lose his resolve. He was a soldier first and a lover second. He would stay strong.
They checked in and went up to the room. As soon as he opened the door, she rushed in and headed straight for the balcony. Hands on railing, she leaned over and lifted her head. Holly loved being outside more than anyone he’d ever known, and her passion had become contagious. He, too, was learning to appreciate the subtle shadows and colors on the rocks in contrast to the mountains in the distance and the blue of the sky.
They were on the top floor and the air seemed cooler up here. Not giving any thought to the consequences, he slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her tight against his chest. She fit perfectly.
“This is amazing. It’s the best birthday I’ve ever had.”
He twisted her around, their lips inches from each other. “You had a large family. They didn’t celebrate?”
She glanced down for a moment then met his gaze. “Since Tatum and I are twins, Mom would bake a cake sometimes if she was home long enough.”
He guessed she wouldn’t be inundated with presents then. “How about grandparents?”
The ache skipped across her face and was gone in a flash, but he didn’t miss it. His heart ached as he could relate. At least Conner’s family stepped up and had celebrated with him.
“My dad’s parents didn’t want anything to do with him, so I never met them. My mom’s mom died young and her father lived on the East Coast. We all visited him one time when we were little.”
“When you went to college, surely you celebrated with your friends.”
She shrugged. “Only Dani knew my birth date. When she left I thought it better not to celebrate it anymore.”
A piece of his heart broke. “I think we should start a new tradition then. Once a year, Conner and I will take you out.”
Her hesitation lasted a split second before she smiled. “I’d like that.”
“I made dinner reservations for eight and I know I need to shower.” He smelled not only of horse but of perspiration from climbing the rocks to get a good view. “How about we both shower then eat?”
“Sounds good.”
He closed the door to the balcony, and when he spotted the gas fireplace, he turned it on. The added warmth would be nice for after they’d cleaned up.
He shucked his jacket then helped Holly with hers. He’d expected her to change after she stepped into the bathroom or ask him to turn his back, but as casually as could be, she took off one top after another. His cock grew with each layer she removed. Was she really planning on teasing him like this?
She caught him staring. “Don’t look,” she said with more sass than he thought her capable of.
What happened to the shy woman he’d first met? He’d barely been able to resist that person—you didn’t resist her—so how did he expect to keep his hands off her now?
Oh, boy. Staying the night might not have been such a good idea. Keeping her gaze on his face, she kicked off her hiking boots and then turned her back to him. She lowered her pants only to expose a hot-pink thong. Jesus. He wasn’t strong enough.
He cleared his throat. “You can take your shower first.” Don’t you dare take off your bra and panties in front of me.
She slipped off her pants without responding and placed them folded on her suitcase. He thought he had his libido under control until she faced him, reached behind her back, and unhooked her bra.
“Thank you for letting me put thirty behind me and greet thirty-one with a bang.”
He cracked up, not because what she said was particularly funny, but because he needed to release the steam building in his body. Looking at her standing there so beautifully and submissively, he realized he couldn’t resist her. “Are you prepared for a lot of touching and kissing then?”
Her eyes shone. “Yes.”
He swallowed his groan. He’d packed a butt plug and lots of lube, wanting to stretch her out. Good thing Conner wasn’t here because he’d say they needed to spend months loving her before sharing her intimately, but Harper was good at reading people, too. Holly wanted him, so who was he to deny her?
“Harper?”
Fuck me. Holly was naked and he hadn’t even blinked. That was bad. “Shit, sugar. I was dreaming about what I was going to do with you in a minute.” That got a smile out of her.
She approached. “Does a certain someone need help getting undressed?”
The second her hands touched his skin he’d be a goner.
* * * *
Holly had never been so bold in her life, but having spent the day with Harper, all of her insecurities had fallen away. Even though she hadn’t needed help getting on her horse, she let him help her onto the saddle, and every time the group stopped, he’d listen to her go on and on about the beautiful colors and the majestic peaks. Most men would have grown tired of her bubbling with joy over the fantastic scenery, but not Harper.
She couldn’t have had a more perfect day, and as much as she loved being with Conner, having Harper to herself was a dream come true.
She unzipped his hiking pants and pulled them down only to realize he still had on his boots on. “Whoops.” Holly looked up at him. “Wanna help me?”
He laughed, and the thrill of hearing that sound stirred something inside her. Making a big deal of having his pants down at his ankles, he hopped over to the bed and collapsed back. “Oof.”
She laughed. In a flash, the boots, socks, and pants disappeared. He stood, hooked his thumbs in his briefs and raised his brows. “You want the honors?”
“Yes. How about you come over here?” She was three feet from the end of the bed.
He didn’t move for a second as if he needed to decide if he was the type of man to follow directions. “You come here.”
Damn. In a way, she liked when took charge. She still had on her thong panties, but nothing else. His gaze latched onto her tits. It might have been the air conditioning or the excitement racing through her, but her nipples pebbled.
Holly wagged a finger at him. “Remember, we’re going to shower.” She was a little stinky and didn’t want to gross him out.
He sat upright on the bed. “Just thought it easier for you to take off my shirt off over here.”
She laughed. That was total bullshit, but she’d go along with it. She stood at the foot of the bed, leaned over, and lifted both of his shirts over his head. As soon as she tossed them to the side, he pulled her on top of him and rolled them over, making sure to keep most of his weight on his elbows.
The kiss started out sensual, but as soon as their tongues touched, it turned desperate. His groan came out loud and full of passion, and his cock pressed almost painfully against her pussy.
A full minute later, they broke for air. “Shower time?” Her breath sounded ragged.
Harper grinned. “You just want to get your hands on my cock.”
And your shoulders, chest, ass, legs, and every other body part. “As if you’re going to be good and not touch my tits and ass?”
He scrunched up his nose. “Nope. Not touching you.”
If he were serious, then it would be the worst birthday ever. “Okay. Fine.” Despite being on her back, she lifted her chin.
He cocked a brow, rolled over, and jumped off the bed, taking her with him. “Fine, you say?”
“Yup, fine.” She was going to have a good time convincing him otherwise.
Before he started his exploration, she hurried into the bathroom and turned on the water. She would have preferred just a shower instead of a shower in a tub, but she would adapt.
Harper strolled in, and when he stepped out of his briefs, her gaze remained focused on his cock. It was truly a work of art. She got rid of her thong, too.
After collecting the Lodge shampoo, conditioner, and soap, she slipped into the shower, pretending her only intention was to soap up before changing places with him. Then he’d wash. She’d just lathered the shampoo in her hair when the curtain opened.
“Need help?” he asked.
She faced him, closed her eyes, and dropped back her head under to water to rinse. “It will be hard to help if you refuse to touch my body.”
“Maybe I can make an exception.”
She cracked open an eye and found him two inches from her face. “I’ll let you rinse first then you can help.”
“Do I smell?”
She laughed. He didn’t have an offensive odor, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of telling him that. She stepped around him, careful not to make contact. She bet Harper was going crazy as his hard cock was bouncing up and down.
Holly grabbed the bar soap, reached around him to wet her hands, and rubbed the bar over her palm. “Turn around and face the wall.”
Just because he said he wouldn’t touch her didn’t mean she shouldn’t have the pleasure of enjoying him. She put down the soap and dragged her hands from his shoulders to his ass. “Did you get all these muscles in the service?” She dragged one finger across his powerful shoulder blade.
“I have muscles?”
She slapped his ass for being silly. A split second later, he had her bent over on the receiving end of three smacks. He didn’t hit very hard, almost as if he truly feared he’d hurt her, but the whole ridiculous situation made her laugh.
Freedom to Love [Freedom, Colorado 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 11