“It’s amazing he trusts women at all after that.”
“I know,” Harper said. “And because of what he’s gone through, he understands me and what I went through. He makes enjoying life, being with friends, and reaching out to his family more of a priority now. Oh, and you’ll love this. How many guys do you know who actually make their bed every morning?”
“Oh no. He does not.”
“He does!”
Jana bumped Harper with her shoulder. “You have definitely met your soul mate. Hunter and I are too busy messing ours up for either of us to ever bother making it.”
“I’m sure you are. You know why this weekend was so wonderful? We were just living our lives, and it was like we’d always been together. We went out and had fun, but we also spent hours working on our separate projects and helping each other with ideas. He’s incredibly supportive of my writing. And he doesn’t hold anything back. He tells me when it’s bad, which most people wouldn’t do, and I appreciate that.”
“You’re so weird about that. If my dancing weren’t up to par, Hunter better lie to me about it. I don’t want him to hurt my feelings.”
“Well, it stings to be criticized, but trust is all about honesty for me, and knowing he could be that honest? That’s like the best gift ever. Now that I have found my voice, and my writing doesn’t suck, he’s encouraging me to start submitting my work again. I didn’t tell you this, but after my show was canceled, I basically wrote off the idea of ever getting anything sold again. He’s inspiring me in so many ways, bringing parts of me to life that I never knew existed.”
“Those sexy parts.” Jana waggled her brows. “He’s a keeper. Good sex is like ice cream. You can never have too much.”
“I’m learning that,” Harper said with a good dose of embarrassment. “I’ve never felt like I could share all of myself with anyone until Gavin.”
“Okay, I understand what you’re saying. You’re talking about your naughty side, right?”
Harper rolled her eyes. “It’s not all about sex.”
“I know, but physical attraction usually comes first, and since you were looking for a hookup at that festival you didn’t tell me about”—she gave Harper a disapproving look—“it was probably a purely physical attraction at first. You know, like you saw him and thought, He’s hot. I’d do him. That’s not a bad thing. Look at me and Hunter. We were all about each other’s hot bods and having great sex a long time before we were in love.”
“Okay, fine, yes, at first glance I thought he was hot, and we have a great sexual connection. Better than I have ever had with any other guy. If they gave out prizes for amazing orgasms, he’d win. Every time. But we have so much more than that.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“The problem is, I think I’m scared and I know I shouldn’t be. He wanted me to stay all week with him. I’ve been working on his dock lately, and we love being together.”
“He has a dock?”
“Mm-hm. He lives on a kettle pond in Brewster.”
“Sweet. You love writing by the water.”
“He taught me to fish.” She smiled with the memory of that wonderful, romantic night.
“Dad will never believe that. I can’t even picture you fishing, which means Gavin really has you hooked. So, let me get this straight. I’m not hearing anything to be scared of. Did you stay over this week?”
“I wanted to stay with him more than anything in the world. But I forced myself to go home Monday night, despite Gavin giving me dozens of delicious reasons to stay. And then last night we went out to dinner and for a walk on the beach. Then he took me back to his place to show me the mason jar lights he’d put along the path to the dock, which I’d suggested the other day.”
“He sounds perfect for you, Harper. He’s clearly a good listener, and if he’s making changes at home, he clearly cares about your happiness. We both know you wouldn’t be with a guy who wasn’t a good man. You’re too particular. So what aren’t you telling me?”
The cool, salty sea air reached them before the water appeared just beyond the trees. It felt good to be home.
“That’s just it,” Harper said. “I was with a guy who wasn’t a good man and I didn’t know it. Remember the guy who was engaged? What if I’m missing something? That’s why I went home again last night instead of staying at his place. I was scared to trust myself and lay my heart on the line, and then I spent all night berating myself for doing that, because whether I like it or not, my heart is already on the line. And I trust him, Jana. I trust who he is, the man he’ll be in the future. I just know. So why did I go home?”
“Oh, Harper. Because you’re you, and you believe in learning from your mistakes, which is usually a good thing. But sometimes you just have to say fuck the mistakes and put yourself out there.”
“You make it sound easy, and it wasn’t easy for you. You denied it even when Hunter wanted more of a commitment.”
“I had commitment issues. You never have, and that’s a good thing, Harper. You’re much better at relationships than I ever was,” Jana said as they crossed the parking lot toward the beach.
Colorful umbrellas flapped in the breeze as children played in the sand and by the water’s edge. There were a handful of people in the water, including a group of twentysomethings tossing a football and dunking one another. Jana and Harper kicked off their sandals and walked down to the water.
“I get that you’re scared,” Jana said as they strolled along the shore. “But do you want to be all in with him? Or is there some reason you think you need to pull away besides worrying that the other shoe is going to fall?”
Harper’s pulse quickened. “Honestly?”
“No, Harper. Lie to me,” Jana said sarcastically. “Yes. I’m your sister. I love you and I want you to be happy.” She laced her fingers with Harper’s and said, “And sometimes you stand in your own way.”
“I know. The truth is, I started falling for Gavin that night in Virginia, and then I spent months thinking about him, wishing I could see him and thinking he wasn’t interested in me because of the whole note-in-the-suitcase thing I told you about. Anyway, I convinced myself that I’d built him up to some unachievable fantasy. And then we reconnected, and he’s ten times the man I met that night. It’s like I’ve fallen off the side of a cliff and all I want is to land in his arms—and I know he’d catch me, Jana. It’s the scariest and most magnificent thing I’ve ever felt.” She shivered with emotion. “I have goose bumps all over just from admitting that to you.”
“I’m so happy for you!” Jana gave her a one-armed hug, trying to keep her hair from blowing into their ice cream cones. “Love is scary. There’s not much that’s scarier, except maybe this.” She rubbed her belly. “But it’s a different type of fear. I think you should forget about that other shoe that might drop and let yourself be happy. Think of it this way. You have spent your life being careful and doing the right thing. You had to have a few bad experiences to know how wonderful this one is, to appreciate Gavin for all he is and all you are together. I think you should stay at his house if that’s what your heart wants, or bring him to yours. Just don’t spend your time punishing yourself, or him, because you dated a jerk.”
“That makes sense,” Harper said. “When did you get so smart about relationships?”
“I had a great mentor. It just took me a while to slow down and hear all the things she said over the years.”
They walked along the wet sand, each lost in her own thoughts as the waves crashed over their feet.
“Thank you for listening. I appreciate it.” Harper finished her ice cream and said, “You’re scared about the baby? Do you want to talk about it?”
“I just want to be a good mom. What if I screw up our baby? I know what type of trouble kids can get into. What if I’m too overprotective or too lenient? Hunter is great with kids, and he thinks I am, too, but I worry, you know?”
“I think that’s natural, don’t you? M
om was overprotective.”
“And I rebelled. If we have a girl, I don’t want her to be afraid of commitment, or to need a thousand things going on at once to make her happy like I did. I made so many mistakes over the years.”
“Oh, Jana. You know what I think? The fact that you’re worrying will make you the best mother. You care. You’ll make mistakes—everyone does. But you could never screw up your child. You’re too loving, and I’ve seen you with kids. You’re patient and you’re a great listener. What was it you said to me about not waiting for that other shoe to fall?”
Jana looked out over the water and reached for Harper’s hand. “You’ll be there if I need you?”
Tears stung Harper’s eyes, and she noticed Jana’s were glassy, too. “Always. But I know you’ll be fine.”
“Thank you.” Jana sighed and said, “On another note, are you going to take a chance and submit your pages?”
“Yes—when they’re done. I’ll have to see if my agent will take me back, or I might try to get another agent. I know a few people who had friends and managers pitch for them. I have to figure that out. I’m working on writing the second episode, and then I have to read, revise, polish. You know the drill.”
“I’m so glad. Are you going to submit to the guy you chewed out on the plane?”
Harper had almost forgotten she’d told her about him. “Only if I get desperate and everyone else turns me down. The last thing I need is to be reminded of that day. God, I was such a bitch to the poor guy. You know what? He might have lied. Maybe he’s not even in the business. In any case, please don’t mention that I’m going to submit to anyone yet. I haven’t even told Gavin I’m definitely going to do it yet. I don’t want to jinx it, and I don’t want to disappoint him if I get turned down. You don’t think that counts as lying, do you?”
Jana shook her head. “Definitely not. Wait until you get good news to celebrate.”
“And if I get bad news?”
“Then you tell Gavin, cry on his shoulder, and get great cheer-up sex.”
Harper laughed. “You have it all figured out.”
As they headed back the way they came, Harper realized she was getting ready to take a leap of faith with her script, and that felt right, even if it was scary. Maybe it was time to take one with Gavin, too.
Chapter Fifteen
SUNDAY MORNING HARPER lay on Gavin’s bed in her underwear, reading on her phone and listening to Gavin pacing the living room. He was on the phone with his brother. Every few minutes he’d laugh or exclaim, “No way!” or “Holy shit.” They’d been staying together every night since she and Jana went to the play a week and a half ago, and she loved their everyday life. Gavin had cleared space for her clothes in his closet and drawers, and when they’d stayed at her cottage, she’d done the same for him. Their days were busy with work, and sometimes they hung out with their friends and other times it was just the two of them, but they always fell asleep wrapped up in each other’s arms. It was the best feeling in the world. She was surprised at how the blending of their lives had eased her worries. When they had dinner with Harper’s family, Harper had confessed that to Jana, and her sister had said it was because Harper was born to be married and that maybe Gavin was, too. That had started Harper thinking about the future in a bigger way. She imagined celebrating the holidays together, attending Brock and Cree’s wedding, ringing in the New Year, and maybe even toasting the success of her new script. She was getting ahead of herself, but she felt blessed to be with a man who she wanted a future with.
Her phone vibrated with a text from Chloe. Are you still coming to the inn for breakfast? Over the past few days, Chloe and the girls had told her all sorts of funny dating stories, giving her new ideas for her script.
Harper thumbed out, Yes, added a smiling emoji, and sent the message.
Gavin was going riding with Justin, Dwayne, and a few other guys, and Harper had plans to join all the girls for breakfast and then hang out on the beach for the morning with Steph, Chloe, and Jana. She couldn’t believe she’d been in LA for months and had never just relaxed on the beach. Her life had been go, go, go, and she’d never slowed down. But between Gavin treasuring his downtime and her girlfriends’ pursuit of the perfect tan, she was falling back into the laid-back lifestyle of the Cape and loving every second of it—and every second of this cohabitating thing they were doing. Later that afternoon, she and Gavin were going shopping for new living room furniture. He was still figuring out exactly what to do with the sunroom, or maybe he was holding off because she’d been using the floor to organize her papers, though he didn’t seem to mind. Every few days he brought home flowers and refilled the vase they’d brought from her cottage. It was still in the sunroom, along with two others they’d picked up last weekend.
Gavin’s laughter floated into the room, and her thoughts returned to last night, when they’d gone out on the rowboat. Gavin had wanted to do some night fishing, and she’d brought her Kindle so she could read the next novel for their book club. She’d read the sexy passages aloud to him and was surprised she hadn’t been the least bit embarrassed. They had fun critiquing the scenes, and when they’d eventually gone inside, they’d acted them out. Or at least they’d started to, but they’d quickly gotten lost in each other and forgotten to think at all.
Another text from Chloe rolled in. Serena said please ask Gavin for the Wharf folder and bring it with you.
The Wharf was a restaurant Gavin and Serena were redesigning. Gavin had shown Harper some of the designs they’d come up with, which were gorgeous. It was fun to learn more about his job and to watch him in action. He was as passionate about finding the right products and themes for his clients as he was about everything else he did, including discussing Harper’s work. She loved that about him. She was getting closer to submitting her script, and her articles were coming along well, though her editor had delayed the article about Harvey Fine in order to fit in other articles about events that had popped up. She was glad for the extra time. She wanted the article to be perfect, something Harvey would be proud to read, and she’d been endlessly tweaking it.
She typed, Will do, and sent the text to Chloe.
Gavin glanced into the bedroom as he passed. He stopped, took two steps backward, and then his big, sexy body filled the doorframe, wearing only a pair of black boxer briefs. His eyes raked hungrily over her, causing her insides to sizzle.
Harper quickly thumbed out another text, I might be a little late, and sent it to Chloe.
Gavin covered the mouthpiece of his cell phone and said, “I thought you were getting dressed to meet the girls.”
He wasn’t leaving for another hour to meet Justin, so she rolled onto her side, giving him a view of her bare breasts. “I was, but I lay down on the bed to read a chapter or two for the book club, and then Chloe texted. Serena wants me to bring the Wharf folder to breakfast.”
He stepped into the room and said, “Uh-huh.”
She wasn’t sure if that was meant for her or Beckett, but when his eyes trailed down her body again, he got hard, and she decided to tease him a little more. She set her phone on the nightstand and rolled onto her back, stretched her arms above her head, and sighed dramatically. “I told Chloe I’d be a little late.” She trailed her fingertips between her breasts and down to the edge of her panties.
His jaw tightened and he said, “Beck, I gotta go.” He set his phone on the nightstand and crawled over her with a sinful look in his eyes. “You are such a tease.” He lowered his lips to hers, giving her lower lip a tug between his teeth.
She slithered down the bed and hooked her fingers into his briefs, pulling them down as she said, “I’m only a tease if I don’t follow through.” She had never realized how much of herself she’d held back until she’d been with Gavin, and now she never held back at all.
He kicked off his briefs and she slicked her tongue along his hard length. He made one of those purely male sounds that drove her wild. When she took him in h
er mouth, he moaned, his hips pulsing in a slow rhythm. She gripped his hips, urging him to move faster and harder, and he willingly complied, fucking her mouth good and hard.
Just when she felt him nearing the edge, his taut muscles hard against her hands, he withdrew and growled, “I need more.” He tore off her panties and lay on his back. As she moved to straddle him, he said, “We’re not done feasting, sweetheart. Turn around. I need to taste you.”
Lord…
Hearing him say that heightened her arousal and her senses. She straddled his shoulders, and as he brought his mouth between her legs, she lowered her mouth over his shaft, moaning around it. She tried to concentrate on finding her rhythm, but his every lick and stroke sent thrills rushing through her, and when he brought his fingers into play, one teasing her bottom, the other teasing those sensitive nerves up front, she lost all control. Her orgasm tore through her. Her limbs trembled and shook as fireworks went off inside her. It was all she could do to try to remember how to breathe. When she finally came down from the peak, she tried again to pleasure him, working him with her hand and mouth. But he was on a mission to make her lose her mind, and if she’d learned one thing about Gavin, it was that he never fell short of his desires or his promises.
He was relentless, and oh, how she loved it!
After the third time she came, her limbs felt like wet noodles as aftershocks jerked through her. Her head hung between her shoulders, and he slapped her bottom just hard enough to make her want more. They’d discovered her little kink by accident, and she’d been shocked at how much she’d like it. He’d teasingly slapped her bottom when they were making love one night. The sting had done something wicked to her sex, and she’d asked him to do it again. The sexy little slap while they were fooling around was hot, especially since Gavin loved her bottom so much. He was always patting it, touching it, kissing it.
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