by RaeLynn Blue
Was that too much too soon? Talk to me, Harper.
“And no, I don’t say that to all the girls.” He didn’t like the spiral of emotions sprinting across her face. No clear winner indicated some confusion, and confusion bread chaos. Something Nathaniel had a bit too much of already in life.
“Are we ready?” the waiter asked, again making them both flinch. Nathaniel heard the waiter’s polite cough, and he finally turned his attention to the ancient man with the halo of puffed white hair. He gave Nathaniel a lip smile—no teeth and nodded at the menu.
Nathaniel’s mind blanched. “Yeah, sure,” he said, his eyes on Harper. She gave him a slight nod. But the somber expression didn’t leave at the prospect of delicious food.
The waiter faced Harper. “Excellent. Madam? For you?”
“I’ll have the chicken and spinach cacciatore,” she said in a small voice so hushed it hurt Nathaniel to hear it.
“Fantastic choice, ma’am,” the waiter said approvingly before pivoting to Nathaniel.
“I’ll have spaghetti.” And to his surprise, Harper snorted, smiling at him again.
“Yes, sir,” the waiter said and snapped up the menus. He shot a dark look at Harper before again heading off into the throng of waiters, waitresses, bussing personnel and arriving guests.
“What’s so funny?” Nathaniel asked, happy she laughed. “I enjoy spaghetti.”
“Nothing, nothing at all,” she said, before bursting out with a string of giggles. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“This is all so, so wonderful and awkward at the same time,” she explained, wiping her eyes from the tears of laughter gathered there. She rubbed her nude arms briskly as if cold. He’d warm her, hold her, and chase the chill from her luminous flesh, if she’d but ask.
“But?” he inquired, certain there was more. As much as it pained him to say the next two words, he had to know if he was wasting his time and hers. “Tell me.”
“But, I teach your son.”
He watched the flash of emotions ripple across her face and he despised the conflict this caused her. He never wanted to be the source of any discomfort or pain for Harper. To see her fine features marred by stress bothered him.
“Are you a teacher now?”
“No,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She hazarded a glimpse at him before putting her eyes back on the tablecloth.
“So, it’s not a full time gig?”
She blushed. “No, of course not.”
“Do all the teachers look as damn hot as you do right now?” he asked, smirking outright at her, and deliberating tracing her body with his eyes. She had to see how stunning she was and how damn hot she made him.
He waited. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t keep her happy and seated across from him. Those thick eyelashes brushed her lower eyelids as she thought. Soon she met his gaze and he realized some decision had been made inside Harper. His belly bunched up in anxious worry. Oh how she reduced him to an awkward, horny teenager.
I wonder if Scott feels this way around girls. Clammy hands and nervous stomach. I’m going to have to talk to him this weekend about the fairer sex.
“You’re absolutely right,” Harper said, folding her arms into her lap. “Let’s enjoy this.”
Her words were balm to his battered soul. The sparkle of mischief ignited once more in her eyes and Nathaniel wanted to spread his arms wide and embrace the light pouring from her.
“Whew,” he said.
She cracked up.
The rest of the meal went without hiccups or any heavy discussions. He ate slowly, savoring the garlic and herbs in the tangy sauce. He talked about Scott, his job, and his dreams. Harper shared her challenges, her classes, and her career goals.
It came so easily.
After the major plates had been collected, he nursed a coffee. She ordered the double chocolate piece of cake. She forked a chunk of the moist sweetness into her mouth with gusto. Without hesitation, Harper ate—she enjoyed her food the way people were meant to delight in food. Nathaniel couldn’t keep from staring our mouth, nor could he stop his phallus from stiffening.
Harper’s plush lips slowly skimmed the cake from the fork and he wanted to be the fork, gliding in and out of her mouth. Her tongue licked the fork and it instantly became his member, hard as the silver in her hands, he couldn’t stop seeing her pink tongue sliding over the head of his stiff erection.
Nathaniel failed to stem the groan, and Harper’s eyes snapped to his.
“You want some?” she asked, eyes wide and round in complete innocence of the question she posed and the effect it had on Nathaniel.
Damn, do I ever want some of you. “Yeah, I do,” he croaked.
“It is so good,” she said and gently set the plate in front of him.
He took a small nibble, imagining the sweet chocolate icing to be her nipples. Though he swallowed and nodded that it was good, he knew that what he really longed to taste was her.
Chapter Ten
Harper’s hand rested against her satisfied stomach. The inky-black A-line dress hid her excessively round, content belly bulge from Nathaniel’s roaming eyes. Since she arrived, he hardly looked at anyone or anything else. Unsettled by the hunger growling from his stare, she’d tried to make light, breezy conversation, but when he said she was beautiful, all the air zipped from her lungs.
He’s incredibly smart to be a construction foreman. Each word sounds like he means it, but am I being conned here?
Carlita had talked her into the pricey dress and shoes, did her hair and makeup, and told her to have fun. Judging by the open mouth gap on Nathaniel’s face, Carlita did excellent work. She totally missed her calling as makeup artist.
Harper risked it and looked at him. She saw the fire burning inside his brilliant blue eyes.
“This has been wonderful, Harper,” he said, voice stroking her clit as if he was right up on it. She watched him pay and once done, he rose, extending his hand to her in a princely gesture. “Let’s blow this joint.” He gave her a devilish grin as his steady gaze raked over her, lighting her wick.
Her heart leapt as her hand touched his. He pulled her to her stilts for shoes and she trailed behind him as he guided her through the myriad of tables, booths, waiters and hosts, a dingy in a sea of uncertainty. Somehow he steadied her wild emotions. Emerging into the velvety night, Harper shook her head to try to ground out the rising joy inside of her. Sailing light as a balloon untethered and free.
He gently followed her to her car. For the first time since she’d scrimped and saved for the sporty red two-door, it was not the object of her smile. No, tonight she smiled for one thing—Nathaniel. Her cheeks already ached from the massive grin plastered on her face.
“I had a really nice time,” she said meekly. Her voice was nearly unrecognizable as she searched his handsome visage for any hint of unhappiness or worse, apathy. Please don’t be kidding with my feelings, teasing them the way a cat toys with a mouse.
He grinned down at her, and pulled her close. She let him. How things had progressed so fast, she didn’t really know. A silence crept around them, thickening with sensual mystic.
“So did I,” he breathed, his fingers caressing her face, guiding her chin upward with the faintest touch of his index finger. His hands, tender and rough, shot quakes to her core.
“I’m going to kiss you. Okay?”
“Yes,” she hissed, snatching him to her and surprising herself. Her back bounced against her car’s door. Her eyes drooped closed. The biting flash of pain disappeared beneath the smolder of his kiss. He let go of her hand and locked his arms around her waist, pulling her ever closer.
Yes, this is heaven. So soft, tangy and wet from the pasta sauce and coffee, sweet and bitter.
His tongue tangoed with hers, seducing her. The heady kiss exposed her to his hot mouth, and created a humming in her body, making it vibrate. He broke free first, stepping back.
Her eyes s
prung wide at the loss of his touch, and she found his burning stare intense. Her own eagerness melted to wet cravings, drenching her panties, making her thighs slick. At that moment, he stepped toward her again, unable to be away from her. He dropped tender, feathery kisses down her neck and onto her collarbone.
“Say something, Harper,” he said, hugging her to him and shooting her a compassionate smile. “Don’t be angry with me. I got carried away. You are so delicious.”
She squeezed him to her shuddering body as his warm breath skated across the outer shell of her ear. This close, his body’s fire blazed through his clothes torching any restraint she possessed.
“I liked it,” she confessed, placing her head against his chest. “It was nice.”
“Nice?” he scoffed. His torso shook with amusement.
She looked up at him, her chin resting comfortably on his chest.
“Very nice.”
“And you teach English?”
She laughed. “Thanks to you I’m pretty speechless night now.”
“Good,” he said playfully. “I want to make you happy, make you feel good and to hug you.”
“Uh huh.” Sure, hugging is all he wants to do, and I’m Martha Stewart.
“No?” he rotated her around so that her ass brushed the stone staff making a sizable impression in his jeans.
Yes, Nathaniel’s hardware’s width wound Harper’s lust even higher. He wasn’t just interested in hugging her either. That thick rock was proof. And she wanted all of that hunk of hard cock filling the emptiness that stretched out in a needy ache from the apex between her legs.
An ache that both scared and pleased her. Where did that come from?
“I can’t hold you like I want to here in this parking lot. Besides, we’re displaying a lot of public affection right now. Are you nervous? Should I let you go?”
“No!” she said firmly and snuggled closer to prove it. Unable to stop her ass from rubbing against the object of her delightful torment, Harper sighed. Her long dormant pussy twitched in eagerness to grab hold of its counterpart. Relishing the rush of warm pleasure flowing over her, she ground her buttock against him again. “I don’t care that it’s not right to have your arms around me.”
“Who said it was wrong?” he breathed, the faint flicker of concern slithering forward through the dense layer of lust in his voice.
Tara.
Harper pushed it out of her mind. “No one,” she said quickly wetting her suddenly dry lips. She added, “But we can’t stay here, not like this.”
Now I’ll be a monkey’s uncle if that didn’t sound like a proposition to take me to his house. He probably thinks I’m desperate and lonely and easy to…
He let go and moved around to face her. She leaned against her car. Chilly, she instantly wanted his arms back around her. An emptiness she never noticed before made itself known.
Pacing restlessly, hands shoved into his pockets, he turned to her with a pinched expression. He rubbed his face and said, “I—Harper, you should go home. Now, I had a fantastic evening, but I think its time we headed on.”
She frowned.
He didn’t want her? He was kicking her to the curb? Didn’t he hunger for her as much as she did him? Harper’s head began to spin. She glanced down at his crotch and noted again the tangled swell of horny hunger there. A perplexed expression stained her face, and it was so vivid she felt it.
Well, he’s stoked about someone.
“Okay,” she said, standing up straight and putting her nose into the air. He didn’t want her. S’okay, but physically he did. “I’ve got to teach tomorrow anyway.” She threw her shoulders back, adjusted her purse on her shoulder, and said, “Thank you.”
With her heart fluttering and a bout of sadness looming, Harper reached the driver’s door before he yanked her backward into his embrace.
“I can’t help it, Harper,” he growled across her ear. His voice was lush with liquid heat. “I want you.”
Instantly he released her. She spun around, the boiling anger spiraling across her face. Heart racing at his touch, she couldn’t stand it. Her sex stirred, but fury fed her words now.
“What!” she cried, close to tears of immense frustration. “Want me? Are you sure? You just told me to get going on home. Now you want to be with me?” She avoided his eyes, voice trembling in anticipation of his response. “Why?” she bristled.
“I’m trying to restrain myself, Harper,” he muttered fiercely, and she heard the thick layer of control breaking in his tone. “I’m not going to lie to you. I like you a lot. And my God, I want to tear that beautiful dress off of your fine ass.”
Harper’s breath caught. There it was out in the open. Nathaniel’s real feelings.
What a gentleman. He’s trying to be honorable. How had I been so blind, not to see the writing on the wall? Carlita had pegged it the moment he approached the parent-teacher conference table.
She draped her arms around his muscular neck, and kissed his cheeks. Instantly, he locked his arms around her waist and moaned.
“Harper, don’t kiss me there…”
His voice wrenched something primal and animalistic from deep within her. So thrilled with his declaration, she dove into his chest, planting kisses against the thin layer of his shirt and rubbing the hard muscles there. Within Nathaniel, a dam must have broken, because the next thing Harper knew, she was pressed against the driver’s side door, her legs wrapped around his waist.
Without warning, his hands slid down the hem of her dress, and drew it up to her mid-thigh, damn close to her waist. Slipping his fingers through the curve of her panties, his fingers brushed her swollen and moist outer lips. Eyes at half-mast and burning in lust, Nathaniel tickled the pulsating tip of her clit with one hand. He held her firmly in place with the other. Thick digits slipped through her slick folds, and she heard him grunt into her ear.
“Oh!” she squeezed her eyes shut.
“Damn, Harper! You’re so wet. You ready like this for me?” He stole her answer, swallowing it in his deep, soulful kiss. He cupped her ass, before his fingers zipped around to her pelvis. Thrusting his fingers into her moist, aching tunnel, Nathaniel whispered as he released her lips. “I can’t wait to be inside you—so tight, so wet, damn Harper. You’re driving me crazy.” He leaned his torso into hers pressing his solid muscles against her soft breasts with their pebbled peaks.
“Please, Nathaniel,” she pleaded, snatching fistfuls of his shirt and her hips matched the slow rhythm of Nathaniel’s thrusting fingers.
“Please what?” he mumbled against her mouth, tugging her lower lip between his teeth and nibbling. He brushed the tips of fingers over the wet spot between her legs.
“I…oh my, God!” Harper shrieked, seizing his shirt as her hips’ rapid thrust froze; the rush of pleasure plowed through her. Her inner muscles clutched and massaged his fingers until she could stand it no longer and whimpered in pleasure, the beginning of another orgasm mounting. She rode the waves of rapture until her breathing dipped down to normal again.
“Yeah, gimmie that lovely moan. Do you like how good you feel? I want to make you feel good all the time, Harper. Do you want me to do that?”
“Yes,” she cooed.
The light displayed his muscles tensing under his shirt as he cradled her against the car. Several people cast curious glances in their direction making her ears burn in embarrassment. Nathaniel removed his hand from her still quivering cove. She unlocked her legs and stood, grabbing the car for stability. He squatted down and adjusted her panties. He even fluffed out her dress.
That was so impulsive! And not at all like me. What was I thinking? In a public place! My goodness, a parking lot? Her logical mind rebuked her actions and it sounded amazing like her mother.
I’ve got to get out of here and home. Maybe I’ll be able to save face.
“Harper,” Nathaniel held her by the shoulders. Perhaps he anticipated or read the urgent need inside of her to flee from the situatio
n and speed on home to safety. “That was so sexy.”
Despite her nervousness, his compliment made her smile. If he had treated her like a whore, then the entire incident would’ve been worse. Looking him in the eye would’ve been out of the question.
As it was, he hadn’t. So she met his gaze without embarrassment.
“I want to see you again,” he said, one hand resting lightly on her waist. His fingers curled under her chin, titling her face up to his gaze. “May I?”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation.
“Thank you,” he muttered and brushed her lips with his.
Undaunted, she yanked him in deeper, pushing through the tiny part in his lips. Breathless, she broke the kiss before they both became too involved in it. With a croak, she whispered, “Goodnight.”
“I will, now,” Nathaniel said.
And as Harper’s feet finally touched the ground, she climbed into her car. She saw Nathaniel watching her, rooted to the spot where her car had been, until she couldn’t see him anymore.
Chapter Eleven
Friday evening, outside Tara Pearson’s Home
Nathaniel switched off his truck and waited for his son to come out of the dilapidated structure with its peeling paint and weather worn front screened-in porch. He sighed, leaning his head back against the leather seat and relishing, once more, the feel of Harper in his arms. He’d spoken to her on the phone a handful of times and those conversations lasted for hours. His ears devoured her voice, her words, and her laugh, committing all to memory.
I miss you, Harper.
The two days between that first date and now had done little to reduce her scent from his nostrils, her voice from his ears, and her kiss from his lips. Her full lips ghosted his own and he licked his lips, hoping to taste her again. Longing for her wouldn’t make her appear, and he sighed in disappointment. He had, at minimum, two more days until he could see her again. The past two days had been too long for him to wait to see her again. Adding two more to the wait seemed horribly cruel.