by J. H. Croix
“Making Harper laugh takes special skills.” Daisy’s eyes flicked to Harper who was tapping in my password. “Is it that silly password that’s got you laughing? Why Queen34?” Daisy asked, her eyes swinging back to me.
“Because I like Queen,” I explained.
“The band?” Daisy asked next.
At my nod, Daisy grinned. “They’re one of Harper’s old faves, right Harper?”
Harper’s eyes bounced from my phone to Daisy to me, a slow grin stretching across her face. Damn. She could smile forever. I loved it that much. Only downside: my cock kept twitching. Harper’s smile, her real smile, not the polite one I’d seen before, transformed her face—her eyes held a wicked glint, her lush mouth softened, and a dimple appeared in one cheek. “True. Hard to find any band to compare to Queen, especially these days,” she replied before glancing back to my phone as she keyed her number in my contacts.
Harper handed my phone back to me right when Daisy said something else, but I didn’t hear her. If Daisy had been talking to me, she moved on, asking Ethan something about something. Harper caught my eyes. “I’m up early no matter what, but I don’t want you to think I expect you to meet me every day,” she said, a subtle flush cresting her cheekbones.
Oh, she’d be seeing me every bloody day now. Truthfully, I did run most days, so it wasn’t out of my way. I wasn’t ready to tell her I was bound and determined to see her every chance I could get now that I’d had a taste of her. Nor was I about to tell her I was determined to find out what lay behind her controlled façade. But I would tell her the simple truth. “Like I said, I’m there practically every day as it is. You’ll see me. Expect a text tomorrow morning.”
She nodded quickly and looked away, responding to something Olivia said. A bit later after we’d had our fill of drunken noodles and drinks, the impromptu gathering broke apart. Liam strolled out at Olivia’s side, his hand tucked in the back pocket of her jeans. The man was beyond besotted with her and didn’t even care to hide it. Daisy and Ethan had left a few minutes prior with Harper right behind them. I’d beaten back the urge to follow her. I returned to the booth to toss a tip on the table after a trip to the rest room and made my way outside. It had started to rain. There were many things I liked about Seattle, and while I couldn’t say I liked the rain per se, I didn’t mind it most of the time.
Tonight, I’d forgotten my jacket, so it was a slight inconvenience. Blocks from my flat, I wasn’t about to bother with a cab. I put my head down and walked through the rain. By the time I reached my building, my shirt was soaked through, but I felt refreshed. I stopped at the base of the stairs to my building and glanced underneath. A pair of eyes glittered in the light cast from the streetlights. “Hey Callie,” I said in greeting to the small cat who’d taken up residence under the stairs. I’d named her Callie because she was a calico and because I hadn’t thought she’d really stick around. Yet, she had. She’d been appearing under the front steps for two months now. My goal was to get her inside with my landlord’s permission already granted. But Callie was on the shy side. It had taken over a month to get her to the point where she didn’t bolt when I greeted her. I reached a hand under the steps and held it still. She carefully sniffed at it, but declined to move. It was damp under there, but she was out of the worst of the rain.
“What’s under there?”
The voice sent a prickle down my spine. I straightened to find Harper walking up behind me. Her flat was another two blocks past mine, so it made perfect sense she’d be returning home the same way. Yet, in all the time I’d lived here, I’d never seen her around. She had her hood pulled up over her head, the water running in rivulets down the sides and dripping on her cheeks.
I took a breath and eyed her. “A cat. She showed up a while ago. I’m hoping she’ll come inside soon, but she’s pretty skittish.”
Harper stared at me for a few beats before a slow smile spread across her face. Her smile was becoming a problem. I wanted to tug her to me and lay another kiss on those delicious lips.
Chapter 4
Harper
I looked up at Alex and fought to keep from laughing. This man, tall and so fit every inch of him appeared sculpted from stone, was trying to sweet talk a cat. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about our kiss—the recollection was seared into my body and brain. Yet, I’d somehow convinced myself in the intervening week that I’d imagined the chemistry between us. I’d been definitively wrong. The second I saw him, I was reminded he was like flint to stone. He struck sparks inside me that threatened to send me up in flames.
He stood before me, his presence strong and quiet. His shirt was wet and outlined every inch of his muscled chest and arms. He was all corded muscle and sinew. Once again, I wanted to lick him all over—he looked so deliciously sexy. I was used to being around athletes and generally found myself unmoved by them. As a physical therapist, my days were a mix of working with patients who were recovering from various injuries. When it came to the male athletes, they were so often arrogant, it was annoying. Alex was a different beast altogether. Despite his stature as a professional soccer player, internationally renowned before he ever landed in Seattle after helping his team in England win a World Cup, Alex was low-key. He conveyed an intense level of confidence, but not an ounce of arrogance.
I realized I was doing nothing other than standing there staring at him in the rain. With a mental shake, I dragged my thoughts off of their lascivious turn. “A cat, huh? How do you know she’s a she?” I managed to ask.
He cocked his head to the side, his mouth curling up at one corner. Oh. My. My pulse went from fast to racing and my low belly clenched. I’d thought myself permanently over anything resembling lust. Yet, all Alex had to do was grin and it felt as if fireworks had been set off inside of me.
“I don’t know actually. She just seems like a she. She’s never let me close enough to check.”
I leaned down and peered under the stairs to see a small, bedraggled cat nestled into a blanket under the bottom step. ‘She’ was wet, but seemed comfortable enough. I straightened and looked back up at Alex. “Did you put that blanket under there?”
He lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “Maybe.”
A small laugh sputtered out before I could stop it. “We’d better not let it get out that the Stars goalie is such a softie he put a blanket out for a cold kitty.”
Unbothered, Alex simply shrugged again. “Feel free to make fun.”
“Have you tried luring her out with food?”
He nodded, his brown eyes twinkling. “Sure did. She ate the food, but wasn’t coming out. She used to run off anytime I got close and now she doesn’t, so I’m figuring eventually she’ll come inside.”
I nodded just as a small gust of wind blew my hood back and sent drizzle pelting against my cheeks. A car rolled to a stop at the stoplight, and I reflexively glanced over, my gut coiling with dread the moment I saw the driver’s profile. In the shadowed light from the streetlights, the man’s face was illuminated. I’d recognize Joe Schmidt anywhere. This was now the second time I’d seen him in the neighborhood. I wished I’d known he lived nearby before I signed the lease on my new apartment. For the first time since he raped me four years ago, I hadn’t tried to find out where he was. I didn’t like thinking about Joe and had finally believed I’d made progress when I moved to a new place. I forced my gaze away and tried to beat back the icy cold anxiety knotting in my chest.
I pulled my hood back up and focused on breathing to try to stay calm. Alex’s voice broke into my awareness. I glanced up to see his eyes flick from the car at the stoplight where Joe still sat in his car and back to me. If he happened to notice anything, he didn’t let on. “How about some tea?” he asked suddenly.
“Tea? Now?”
“Sure. It’s cold and rainy. I’ll walk you home after.”
I couldn’t bear to tell him I didn’t want to walk home alone all of the sudden. As out of the blue his invitation for tea se
emed, I grabbed onto it. “Tea would be great,” I said, forcing some cheer into my tone.
Alex slid his arm over my shoulders, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do, and guided me up the steps. Moments later, I followed him into his apartment. I knew he’d once shared this place with Liam, but I’d never been here. Until I’d encountered him at the park last week, I didn’t know he lived anywhere near where I’d moved. We entered into an actual entryway with closets on either side and a tiled floor, convenient given my jacket was dripping wet. Without a word, Alex hung my jacket on a coatrack by the door once I peeled it off. I followed his lead and kicked my shoes off before stepping into the living room. In the living room, a large sectional couch faced a television mounted on the wall with a cushioned ottoman in between. Beyond this area was a kitchen against the back wall with a half wall serving as a divider.
The living room had wall-to-wall carpeting of soft gray, while his couch was charcoal gray. The only dash of color in the room was a bright blue blanket thrown on the back of the couch. Alex glanced my way as he headed toward what appeared to be the bathroom. There were three doors leading off the living room. I ascertained the other two were bedrooms. Before I realized what he was doing, he’d peeled his wet shirt off and tossed it in a hamper just inside the bathroom door. Given his shirt was wet, this was the logical thing to do. Nothing wrong with a guy changing his shirt. Knowing Alex’s life as a professional athlete, I knew he was likely oblivious to changing in front of anyone, seeing as he did it day in and day out in the locker room.
When he turned through the door into what must be his bedroom, my mouth went dry. Okay. It’s not like I didn’t know he was handsome and built. I’d gotten a sense of how amazing his body was when I kissed him. The failure of my imagination was revealed just now. Oh. My. God. He was beyond perfect. I could actually count his abs. There were, in fact, six clearly visible. His soccer player’s build wasn’t mere bulk, rather it was toned perfection, every muscle outlined for me to see. Even his back was a work of art, his shoulders flexing as he turned back to face me, a dry t-shirt in hand. Watching him toss it on might as well have been porn. I was hot and bothered by the whole thing.
Meanwhile, he was oblivious, canting his eyes my way as he walked to the kitchen. “Now for that tea,” he said, his hand beckoning me to follow.
Next thing I knew, I was sitting at a small round table in the kitchen while he started a kettle. I couldn’t quite believe that only minutes ago, I’d laid eyes on a man who’d haunted me from afar for too long. Miraculously, I’d completely forgotten about Joe when usually I’d be in a mental tailspin for a bit. I didn’t know if Alex’s crazy strong effect on me was a combination of my heightened state, or if it was just him. Either way, I welcomed the distraction he offered.
Alex was quiet for the several minutes until the tea kettle whistled. He poured two cups of tea and sat down opposite me, sliding one mug across the table. I curled my hands around it, savoring the warmth. His eyes landed on me, his chocolate gaze assessing. I felt suddenly self-conscious, masking it with a giant gulp of tea, completely forgetting that the water had just boiled moments ago and could’ve used a few minutes to cool. With a sputter, I spewed tea all over the table.
I looked up to find Alex’s shoulders shaking slightly, his eyes glinting with mirth. “Bit too hot?” he asked with a low chuckle as he stood and stepped to the counter, returning to wipe the table with a paper towel. He handed me a clean one and tossed the other one in the trash can.
After I wiped my chin, I stood and dropped the wet paper towel in the trash. Alex stood by the counter, his hands curled over the edge. “Need a dry shirt?” he asked, gesturing toward my shirt.
I glanced down and sighed. Wet splotches covered most of the front of my shirt. I was dressed in typical style this evening, jeans and a cotton shirt, this one a rich blue and fitted. I looked back up at Alex, trying not to blush, and shrugged. “Thanks for offering, but no need.”
He barely nodded, his eyes locked to mine. The air hummed to life around us, and heat suffused me. All Alex had to do was look at me, and I wanted him. My nipples tightened, and it occurred to me it was probably quite obvious, seeing as my shirt was damp and sticking to my skin. I couldn’t seem to move and stood there, maybe a foot or so away from Alex.
I wanted to step close to him again and feel his hard, muscled body against mine. I wanted to lose myself in the wild beat of this desire between us. You have seriously lost it. Take a step back and think. You can’t…
My body, which suddenly seemed to have its own voice, loudly overrode my usual cautious, wise (or so I thought) voice. Why? Why should you take a step back? The most delicious man you’ve ever kissed is standing right here in front of you. You know you can trust him. Caution tried to make herself heard. How do you know you can trust him? This other side of me, driven by an overwhelming desire to explore every facet of the need Alex elicited, was quick to answer. Because you know. He’s Liam’s best friend and so trustworthy Liam teases him about it. Aside from that, you can feel it. He’s a rock, the good kind—strong, quiet and steady. Oh, and hot as hell. You finally have the chance you’ve been hoping for. Do something with it.
I looked over at Alex, my mind lobbing points back and forth. At the moment, this emboldened voice, one that seemed borne solely out of my body’s burning need for Alex, was definitely winning the debate. I wanted Alex. I wanted him badly.
I also wanted to banish the nightmares I’d been having for the last four years. They’d lessened in frequency and intensity, but they still happened every once in a while. I’d somehow gotten it in my head if I could find the right guy, I could have the fling to beat all flings and wrestle back control of my life. I hadn’t had sex in four years for perfectly good reason, all things considered. Rape smashes desire with its fist. I’d begun to think maybe I wouldn’t ever feel desire again. It was an odd sort of loss, an emptiness chased by anger. Anger that something had been stolen from me, maybe permanently. I wanted it back, to claim it as mine again.
Then came Alex. I’d watched him from a distance when I’d encounter him at gatherings with Olivia and Liam. He’d been tempting, but I hadn’t spent any time with him, or gotten close enough to notice him the way I had last week. Only a few minutes alone with him and he’d shredded any worries I had about never experiencing desire again. I wanted to rip his clothes off and explore every inch of his perfect body. I wanted to see his eyes go dark again, his gaze so hot it made me wet just from a look.
Like now. His dark gaze held mine before his eyes dropped down. He might as well have touched my nipples. They tightened and stood at attention, aching to be uncovered. I wanted to lick him all over and wanted the same in return.
I stared back at him. I kept waiting for that feeling to come, the one I knew so well, where I got anxious inside, so anxious that I could hardly breathe and my chest felt as if it was about to be crushed from the weight of my fear. With Alex, that feeling didn’t come. On nothing other than my gut and the knowledge that my dear friend’s fiancée trusted this man implicitly, I trusted Alex completely.
The air around us was heavy now, reverberating with the beat of our desire. I held Alex’s gaze as I closed the distance between us, stopping a whisper away from him. He tilted his head forward as I looked up.
“Harper, what are you…?”
“I want you,” I said, my words coming out raspy. I spoke the raw truth because, well because when it came to Alex, it seemed that’s all I had.
His eyes widened slightly. He stared at me, his gaze searching and darkening at once. I lifted a hand, because I couldn’t help it, and traced along the edge of his strong jaw. His jaw tightened under my touch. His gaze went from hot to scorching, all the while he didn’t say a word. My pulse had gone wild and I could hardly breathe. I traced down along his neck and over his chest, swallowing at the hard muscled planes under my palm. I wanted to feel his skin. So I did. I slipped my hand under
his shirt and sighed at the feel of his skin—hot and smooth. His shirt bunched over my wrist as I pushed it up.
Alex suddenly moved, grabbing both of my hands fast in one of his large, strong hands. One easily held both of mine. My gaze had wandered down and slammed back into his. Dear God. If it was possible to get burned from a look, Alex’s gaze almost did it. My skin prickled with awareness, and hot liquid need throbbed between my legs. A reckless feeling pushed at me. I was afraid he was going to make me stop, and I couldn’t bear it. It felt so good to let something other than my cool intellect drive what was happening. It felt as if I was standing on the edge of a precipice, and I could either take control and fly into what was before me, or stay back, teetering on the edge and wondering what I might be missing.
In the grip of his hand, I fisted mine in his shirt and yanked him closer as I stepped flush against him.
“Harper.”
His voice was edged with warning.
Heedless, I leaned up, tugging him further down to meet me. He didn’t resist when he could’ve. He was stronger than me by a long shot. His lips were but a whisper away.
“What?” I asked.
Restless, I shifted my legs, feeling the moisture at the apex of my thighs when I did. His hot gaze held mine, searching and hungry at once. “What are you doing?” he bit out.
“I. Want. You.” My words came out raspy, but clear. Beyond feeling dizzy with need, I felt emboldened with Alex.
Shimmying one of my hands free from his grip, I slid it up around the nape of his neck. I could feel his heart pounding against the hand still held in his. His heart beat hard and fast, its rhythm solid and strong and imbuing me with more boldness. If I’d stopped to think right about now, I’d have lost it over what I was doing. But I wasn’t thinking and I didn’t want to. Well, it wasn’t that I wasn’t thinking at all—just that I was thinking only about one thing. Alex and more of the way I felt when I kissed him last week. It was such a relief not to feel controlled and cautious, that feeling alone was a bit of a rush. Throw in the most potent man I’d ever met, and I was on fire—inside and out.