by M Dauphin
She doesn’t waste any time digging into her food. Thank god. I hate girls that are picky eaters when guys are around. What’s the good in that, we all know they eat!
By the time her dinner is over I’ve successfully gotten her to smile a genuine smile at me about ten times and had plenty of laughter thrown in there. I think she’s getting used to me, because when we leave the restaurant and she sees a rowdy group of kids nearby, her arm immediately links in mine. I grin but don’t acknowledge it, knowing the minute I do she’s going to back away.
We stop at a corner, and waiting for traffic I take a quick glance down at her. She must have been thinking the same thing as I and the minute our eyes connect we get the identical goofy smile on our faces.
Oh she’s going to be easier than I thought.
I take her hand and we walk in silence back to the apartment. Past the nightclubs, bars, and locals using the sidewalk as a gathering place. The entire time she doesn’t take her hand from mine.
When we make it back to the apartment she pulls away for the key and lets us inside. I watch her set her purse on the counter, a million things probably running through her mind, and pause before moving.
“I’m heading to bed,” I say, giving her a slight smile and nod as I pass by her and on to my room.
“Oh.… Ok.”
I stop, almost to my room, and grin before turning to look at her from across the apartment.
“You ok?” A smirk comes across my mouth as her large, beautifully bright eyes find mine.
“Oh yeah. I um…I was gonna watch a movie. I hope it doesn’t bother you. I’m kind of a night owl.” She shrugs and slips her shoes off before heading to the couch. I watch her silently, enjoying the show of her ass while she looks around the room for the remote. It’s sitting on the table right next to me, but I like watching her bend and reach, looking in all the wrong places. It gives me a fan-fucking-tastic view of that ass in those shorts.
“Not at all,” I mutter as she bends to look under the couch. A low growl escapes me and I’m glad she’s all the way across the room. Good god the things I want to do to her.
“Great,” she huffs as she stands and looks at me. “Have you seen the remote?”
I grin and reach to grab it, holding it up while I smirk at her expression.
“I was enjoying watching you way too much,” I say, tossing her the remote and winking. “Night, Harper.”
She catches the remote with a stunned look on her face. Right before I close the bedroom door, I hear her behind me.
“You don’t want to stay up and watch one with me?”
I’m not certain why I’m acting so clingy around him. Maybe it’s the fact that I don’t like being alone at times, or that he’s just that good of company. It’s definitely not the fact that he’s beautiful and I can’t stop thinking what he looks like sans clothing.
Not at all.
Whatever the case, I’m standing here in the living room, pointing the remote at the TV but looking down the hall as he stops in his doorway. With his hand still on his bedroom handle, he turns his head and smiles at me.
Goddamn he’s sexy.
Each time he’s smirked, smiled, or winked at me tonight my panties have gotten just a little bit wetter for him. Right now, with the grin on his face, it’s like he can read my fucking mind.
I’m not even certain how, though, because I’m not entirely certain what I’m thinking at this very moment. I want to be thinking about jumping him and fucking him senseless…but he’s my roommate.
I shouldn’t do that.
But I really fucking want to.
No. Right now I’m supposed to be thinking about what movie I’m going to be watching while he sleeps two rooms over.
That is, until I invited him to watch it with me.
“What are you watching?” He asks, his handle still on the doorknob.
Fuck.
“Um, I haven’t decided yet.” I start flipping through Netflix to find something worth my while. “You can pick if you want to.” I shrug and stop scrolling, holding out the remote to him. He looks at it then looks back at me.
His eyes are so dark, his expression so tense. He’s so damn beautiful. After a moment of contemplation, he nods.
“Yeah, sure. Let me get changed.” He smiles and walks into his room, clicking the door shut behind him.
He comes back out after a short five minutes, changed into sweats and a t-shirt. This shirt is much looser than the one he had on before and I notice what looks like a tattoo on his back shoulder when he sits down.
Way too close to me. Holy hell he smells delicious.
“Here,” I say, shoving the remote at him.
He chuckles and takes it, comfortably starting to look at what Netflix has to offer.
“Close your eyes,” he says, and when I look over at him he’s grinning from ear to ear. “Come on, do it.” He nudges me.
“But why?” I can’t help but smile back at him. It’s damn infectious.
“I’m a dude. I don’t pick chick flicks; I pick damn good movies. So close your eyes so you don’t have any pre-conceived notions about the type of movie I’m going to pick.” He stares at me until I finally cave and close my eyes.
“Hands too. I don’t trust you.”
“What?” I snap open my eyes and see his grinning face and instinctively squeeze my thighs together to try to calm the pulsing between my legs.
“See,” he smiles, nodding at me. “You opened them way too soon.”
I huff and close my eyes, then cover them with my hands, before sitting back on the couch, cross legged, and wait. I feel like I should be upset about this, but I’m not. I’m kind of excited, for once, about something as small as a surprise movie.
I hear the clicks of the remote over and over until finally I hear the TV start to play.
“Ok. Open.”
I open my eyes and re-adjust to the room lighting, looking towards the screen to see what he picked.
“What is it?” I whisper as the beginning titles start rolling.
“SH!” He eyes me with wide eyes and pauses the movie. “We don’t talk during movies, Harper,” he chides. “Do you have popcorn?” He stands, leaving me stunned that he’s taken it upon himself to make himself this at home here.
Already!
I mean, I guess it’s better than being creepy and awkward.
“Um, yeah,” I say. “Bottom cupboard.”
He starts whistling while I’m left alone in the living room, staring at the screen.
“You picked a movie I’ve already seen,” I lie, grinning.
“False,” he says, popping a piece of freshly popped popcorn in his mouth as he sits back on the couch. “This movie just came out. You wouldn’t have seen it yet.”
Looking closer, I see the title and furrow my brows.
“How are we watching this? This legit just came out in theatres last weekend.”
“I have my ways.” He grins at me as he tosses a piece of popcorn in his mouth then presses play.
We sit and watch the movie in silence, partly because I’m afraid to talk after being shushed earlier, and partly because it’s a really good movie. A war vet returns home without one of his limbs and has to learn to love himself before he’s able to move on with his life. I’ve never known anyone that’s been overseas in the war, but I also know I’m in the minority.
Half way through the movie our popcorn is gone and I’m tired as hell. It’s one a.m. and I’m running on fumes.
I glance over at Knox and he looks so perfect. I hate that about him already! In any situation he’s comfortable and perfect.
And here I sit with messy hair and dirty gym shorts, probably smelling like yesterday’s garbage.
I sigh and lean back on the couch, settling in for the rest of the movie.
“What the shit?” Tossing in my bed, I roll over to find my clock. It takes forever for my eyes to focus and when they finally do I realize it’s dark as hell outside.
Eleven a.m.
And still dark?
Groaning, I lay there and stare out my window, realizing it’s pouring down rain, hence the dark room still.
I barely remember him bringing me to bed last night. I don’t remember how the movie ended, I don’t remember how he smelled when he cradled me to his chest, nor do I remember walking down the hall and being laid in bed. I remember feeling safe and that’s it.
He fucking carried me to bed last night.
Like a child.
I should be mad, again, that he’s so comfortable with me already but I’m not.
Fuck! In one day he’s managed to completely get under my skin and make me second-guess everything. He’s a damn stranger. I don’t know him, and much as Leigh trusts him, I have zero reason to trust him yet. I guess I have zero reason not to trust him, too.
“Harper?” His voice comes from the other side of my closed door and my first instinct is to make sure I’m covered but I realize then that I’m still clothed from the night before. Chuckling to myself, I stand up and tell him he can come on in.
“Hey, I’m going to head out for a bit.” I hear his voice but I’m not looking at him. I’m too busy leaning over my bed, fixing the pillows and blankets. I’m not dense, I know men find me attractive. I’m simply using that to my advantage right now. I hear him clear his throat and smile to myself before standing and looking at him.
“Yeah,” I huff, putting my hands on my hips. “That’s good. I’ll see ya later.” I grin as I watch his eyes peruse me. I know my hair’s a hot mess and clothes wrinkled from sleeping in them, but the way he’s looking at me right now tells me he’s looking past the clothes. It’s like he’s trying his hardest to gain x-ray vision or something, and I love the power it gives me. I make sure the ladies are being supported nicely and cock my hip to the side while we stare each other down, both obviously thinking the same exact thing.
Eventually, after what feels like a lifetime of silence between us, he nods and grins.
“Later, Harp.” He spins on his heel and leaves, leaving me completely stunned that he used the one nickname I haven’t heard since I was a child.
“Dad, Stella’s mom and dad call her princess. Why don’t you call me princess?”
“Well…” he pauses to think. “Harper, you’re ten years old. Do you really want your dad going around calling you princess?” He grins at me and nudges me as I make a ‘gross’ face at him.
“No, I guess not.” I shrug. I don’t really like Stella anyway…maybe it’s the whole ‘princess’ thing that’s made her into a bully, but she’s not really that nice to be around.
“Harp,” my dad says. “A harp…not many people have mastered the harp. It doesn’t let anyone just walk up to it and play it, you have to be gentle and loving in your approach to a harp. Just like you, Harper. You don’t let people walk all over you and you never will. You live by your own rules, and that’s what I love so much about you. So I think Harp works much better than princess.” He winks at my huge grin and brings me in for a hug.
I’ll never forget that moment of my life. That was the day before we found out about my dad’s cancer that would eventually take his life. I was his Harp, and I’ve never let people walk all over me. He was right in that sense. I’m not easily played…but I feel like things are shifting now with Knox living here.
I’m trying my best not to fall for him, but every time I see him I melt a little more for the man.
Glancing at the clock, I hear my phone go off in the living room. Rushing for it, hoping it’s the job I applied for last week, I’m immensely let down when I see Leigh’s face grace the screen.
“Hey,” I answer.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I can tell by the tone in his voice that he’s rolling his eyes at me and I grin. I love getting on his nerves.
God, I miss him.
“Are we still having lunch today?” I ask, popping a handful of cereal into my mouth.
“Are you eating?”
“No,” I say with a mouth full of dry cheerios. These are way better when wet.
“Stop eating before our lunch date! I need the scoop on your first night! You can’t be too full for lunch with me!”
“Trust me, jerk, I’ll be fine. I’ll see ya in an hour.” I hang up before he can yell at me even more and grab a bowl of cereal while I start getting ready. It’s a thousand frigging degrees outside again today so no makeup it is. The hair is going up and the shorts are being changed into a new pair after I shower. I may sweat all damn day, but at least it’s going to be a fresh sweat and not yesterday’s stinking up my armpits. Plus, it’s raining, and as cool as that sounds, Midwest rain in the summer heat just adds to the horrid humidity.
I think I’m the only girl in existence that can’t find a deodorant that works.
While I wait at our table at Fitz’s, I watch the families around me struggle with their kids to eat their meals. Why would you bring your kid out to a restaurant, pay crazy money for a corndog, just to have to fight them to eat it? I’ll never understand that.
Seeing as I never want children, though, I will never need to understand it.
“Slut,” Leigh announces as he walks across the crowded room. I laugh as I see some of the nearby parents’ glare at him. That’s what I love about him…he doesn’t give a fuck what other’s think about him.
“I thought I was going to be late,” he huffs as he sits down.
“Um…you’re thirteen minutes late, Leigh.” I grin, checking my phone.
“Fifteen minute rule. I’m still on time.”
I roll my eyes and order when the waitress comes by. Even after that bowl of cereal, I’m still starving.
“So spill,” he says, taking a sip of his cream soda.
“On?”
“Shut up, bitch. I know you have a shit ton to tell me after your first night with a new roommate.”
“I slept with my clothes on last night.”
His eyes grow big and he grins.
“For the first time in…” he trails off, trying to remember the last time I haven’t slept nude.
“I know, right?” I smile. “He carried me to bed and covered me up. I woke up just a couple hours ago.”
“He carried you to bed?!” His shriek can be heard throughout the entire restaurant and I can’t help but laugh at him.
“Yes, now shush!” I lower my head as a waitress walks by and grins to herself. “We watched a movie and I must have fallen asleep. It was late after we got back from dinner.”
“Dinner and a movie on the first night! That’s a fucking date, Harper!” He’s smiling wide now as I glare at him.
“Leigh, we did movie and dinner plenty of nights and never, EVER, was it a date. Can I not hang out with my roommate?”
“I don’t like pussy, Harper.” He states, loudly. He’s going to get us kicked out of here. It’s happened before. “And from the way you two were eye fucking each other the other day, I can most certainly tell you he wants yours.”
“Here ya go.” Our waitress sets our plates down with a knowing smirk on her face. She winks at me right before spinning on her heel and heading to the back, making Leigh almost spit out his drink.
“Eat. Not another word about my roommate.”
“Oh, you mean the one you want to fuck?”
“Leigh!” I shriek, making a table of teens next to us erupt in a fit of laughter.
“Not another word,” I growl.
It’s dark by the time Leigh and I finish up and finally head home. Somehow all of our lunch dates end up being full day events.
“Wanna come in?” I step out of his car and wait for him to get out too.
He doesn’t, though.
“I need to get home to John. Night two at the house, if I’m not there he’s not going to be too happy.” He grins and shrugs. “I’ll text ya later.”
With a wink, he pulls away from the curb, leaving me alone on a dark street.
It’
d probably bother some girls.
Not me.
I grab my cell and start walking up the steps to the apartment. I don’t know if Knox is in there right now, but I do know I need a break from him; a break from the intensity of our little game.
Whatever it is.
Pulling out my phone, I dial a friend’s number I haven’t seen in a long ass time. Too long.
“Hey Stella,” I say, opening the door and noticing the lights on.
He’s here.
“Hey Harper, how are you?!” I hear the noise in the background and know she’s already out.
“Good. Just seeing what you were up to.” I toss my purse and keys on the counter and start walking to my room. Not paying a lick of attention to anything else around me.
Until I blow straight into a wet, bare, beautifully strong chest. The phone still at my ear, eyes wide, staring straight into Knox’s face full of amusement.
“Harper? Are you gonna meet us?” Stella’s voice rings back into my ears. I’m not even certain if she’s been talking this whole time.
“Um…” Knox’s grin is shining back at me and all I can think about is running my hands down his incredibly well sculpted abs.
“Harper I…I gotta go! Call me!” Stella hangs up the phone, leaving me and my sexy as hell roommate in a stare down.
“Hey.” He grins.
“Hi. So—sorry,” I stammer. “I’m sorry, SO…just…” I back away and try to move around him but he doesn’t budge. Resting his hands on his hips, his grin doesn’t fade, nor does the amusement on his face.
“Why are you coming out of my bathroom?” I manage, quietly, as my eyes peruse the goods in front of me.
“I like your water pressure better.”
“Mhmm,” I mutter. I think I’m losing brain cells just staring at something this good looking!
“Whatchya up to?” He cocks his head and eyes the phone in my hand.
“Um. Nothing. Now.” I watch a bead of water run down his chest, finding its path in the ridges. Those delicious ridges. I want to run my tongue along those ridges.
Mmmm