As I stepped into her apartment, I understood why it would take under an hour for one person to clean it. There was a small entrance hall with a kitchen off to one side, a short hallway with two doors off it leading past it, and the living area on the other side. A round four-seater dining table stood near the window in her living area. The rest of the space was taken up by two couches, a stand with her television on it, a coffee table, and that was it.
The place was warm and cozy, though. She’d incorporated a ton of color in cushions, pictures on the walls, and other decorations. Brightly colored flowers sat in a vase on a table in her entrance hall, and the perfume of them gave that unique, floral scent to the entire open part of her apartment.
I assumed the two doors in the hallway led to a bathroom and a bedroom, and my suspicions were confirmed when she pointed in that direction. Once we were back in the entrance hall, she spread her arms out to her sides and smiled. “That’s it. Are you ready to go?”
“I am.”
We headed downstairs, and I offered her my arm when we hit the sidewalk outside, and she blinked up at me with surprise before taking it.
“So, where to?” I asked. “You said you had an idea for cheap and nasty.”
“I do.” She grinned, waggling her eyebrows at me. “The place is called Lucky’s. It’s a retro, hole in the wall kind of place, but they serve the best burgers in the city, and it’s not too far to walk.”
I knew Lucky’s well, but I didn’t say so. She seemed to be enjoying the prospect of showing me something new. Almost all the way there, she told me about the neighborhood the restaurant was in and how it had been rejuvenated by hipsters in the last few years.
A neon sign above the door was the only clue that there was an eatery in the alley, and she took a deep breath before she opened it. “If this place is too dark or dingy for you, just tell me. There are plenty of other places around here that are great.”
I knew that, too. But I smiled and nudged her forward. “Hamburgers, hot dogs, and beer sounds like a winning trifecta to me.”
Lucky’s had mismatched tables, chairs, and lights inside, and it smelled like grilling meat, garlic, and cheese. The patrons were loud and boisterous, sucking down shots or clinking their drinks together so hard that liquid spilled over the sides.
Alternative rock played over the speakers, and the servers mouthed along to the songs as they danced their way from table to table. We snagged a booth in the back, sipping on our craft beers while we waited for our food.
“How’s Hailey?” I asked once we’d finished with the small talk about our weeks. “I’m assuming she’s not dying to have another country experience.”
Keira laughed and gave a one-shouldered shrug. “No, I don’t think she is. She’s good, though. I know I’ve already told you that it was a crazy busy week, but it was made even crazier by all the emails I’ve gotten about the wedding.”
“Why are you getting emails about the wedding?” I frowned. “You’re not the bride.”
“No, I’m not, but she’s determined to have the day running like a well-oiled machine. I’ve received everyone’s itineraries for the day, reminders about what will be expected from me at the rehearsal dinner, and a ton of other stuff I haven’t even had the time to open.”
“Being a maid-of-honor is hard work, huh?” I took another sip of my beer, watching as she nodded and drank down a long sip of hers before she replied.
“Yep, I guess so. I’m not sure if every bride is as detail-oriented and keen to get everything in its place so far in advance, but my sister is desperate to show all of Nick’s friends that she can cut it in their world.”
“Their world?” I lowered my chin, looking right into her eyes. “What does that mean?”
“I’m sure I told you over the weekend that Nick is pretty well off,” she said, sighing softly as she tucked her hair behind her ears. “I’m not looking forward to being around all his rich prick friends, even just for the wedding, but Hailey’s already looking beyond that. Their wives and girlfriends are all involved in fundraisers and benefits and who even knows what else. She seems to think the wedding is the perfect opportunity to show them that she’s good at organizing and coordinating events.”
Although she hadn’t said it in so many words, her dislike of Nick, his friends, and their lifestyle was clear in the way her nose wriggled and her brow puckered. I’d been planning on telling her the truth about who I was tonight, to clear up the incorrect assumptions they’d made last weekend, and to come clean about the fact that I lived in the city during the week, but now I wasn’t so sure.
The last thing I wanted was to ruin my chances with her because of her obvious dislike of rich people. I wasn’t anything like what it sounded like they were like, but it wouldn’t have taken a rocket scientist to figure out that they’d definitely left a bitter taste in her mouth.
“It won’t be so bad,” I said. “At least if I’m with you, you’ll have one person to talk to who won’t be obsessed with their social standing or status around there.”
“True.” She sucked both her lips into her mouth, a contemplative look in her eyes before she released them. “Are you sure you’re really up for pretending to be my fiancé, though? My mom is a sweetheart, but she’d give the Spanish a run for their money when it comes to inquisitions. If she’d become a lawyer, she’d have been the best cross-examiner the profession has ever seen.”
“I’m sure I’m up for it,” I said. “I don’t scare easily and I can handle myself in the face of an interrogation.”
Her rich brown eyes moved from one of mine to the other, and I sensed that her hesitation over accepting my offer was still there. “You’re going to have a tough enough time with all your duties before and on the day. You don’t need your mother all over you in addition to everything else.”
A slow smile spread across her lips. “Where did you even come from? I didn’t know guys like you, who actually care about girls they just met, existed.”
“We’ve hardly just met anymore,” I said. “Sure, we haven’t known each other very long, but we’ve spent much more time together than people usually have when they’ve only known each other for a week.”
“I suppose that’s true,” she agreed. “I think I’ve spent more hours with you so far than I have with the last three guys I tried dating.”
“Tried dating?” I chuckled and raised my brows in question. “How does that work?”
“Well, you know.” She waved a hand, but her cheeks flushed slightly. “It never got so far as actual dating with the last few guys I’ve been out on dates with. Therefore, I think of it as having tried to date them. We went out, but it never went any further than that. How about you?”
“The last woman I’ve been out with?” I asked, then sipped my beer as she nodded. “I don’t mean to sound cavalier or like a player or something, even though I know that’s exactly what I’m going to sound like, but I haven’t really dated much recently. My last few relationships have been purely physical.”
“I see.” She shot me a curious glance, then averted her gaze to study the bubbles rising in her beer. “Is this a date? We’ve gotten physical too, so I guess it’s only fair to ask.”
“This is definitely a date.” I reached across the table to cover her hand in mine, tapping at one of her fingers with one of my own until she looked back into my eyes. “I don’t break out the button-down shirts for just anyone.”
A quiet laugh slipped out of her, but she still looked curious. “Why me then? I’m not asking because I’m fishing for compliments, but if you haven’t dated for so long, why are we on a date right now?”
“Because I like you,” I said simply. “You’re someone I want to get to know better and who I feel wants to get to know me better too. That’s the point of dating, or at least trying to date someone. Isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is.” She turned her hand over underneath mine and threaded our fingers together. “I like you too. I’m really gl
ad we’re doing this tonight.”
“So am I.” I held her gaze before raising my glass with my free hand. “Here’s to being fake engaged before we even had to try dating.”
It was strange how much I was looking forward to doing this with her. Maybe it was the idea of being tied to her in some more concrete way, but I liked it.
A part of me was even starting to wish it was just a little bit real.
18
KEIRA
My door had hardly closed behind us when Harrison and I were on each other. I wasn’t sure if I kissed him first or if he kissed me, but we were suddenly kissing, and it was just as amazing as it had been before.
Dinner had gone spectacularly well, and walking around after, showing him sights I was sure he’d never seen before, had been fun as well. Regardless, I’d cut the tour short and brought him back here when the way he kept touching me had become too much to keep walking around.
Since he’d taken my hand from across the table back at Lucky’s, we hadn’t stopped touching in one way or another. His skin on mine was like an aphrodisiac and the way he looked at me like he wanted to devour me had gotten me all hot and bothered hours ago.
On the last part of the walk, we’d started kissing each other spontaneously and holding each other even closer. The result had been a raging inferno of need deep inside me, which was why I’d decided to give up on the tour and bring him back here instead.
From the way he pushed me back up against the door and kissed me until I was entirely breathless, he didn’t mind that we hadn’t quite gotten around to seeing everything I’d told him I wanted to show him. He was already hard against my stomach, his mouth hot and hungry as he ground his hips into me.
Soft moans and whimpers escaped me, but I didn’t let that stop me from kissing him back like I meant it. Because I really, really did.
My nipples were rocky peaks inside my new bra, and a shiver of anticipation ran through me as I imagined his reaction when he saw the underwear I’d bought for the both of us. The dress Jamie and I had found matched the color almost exactly, and the boy-cut lace panties we’d chosen with the bra framed my ass like a motherfucking picture. I was ready for this. I just hoped he was too.
Then again, he’d brought his A-game himself. In dark gray slacks and a white button-down shirt, he looked nothing like he had last weekend. In a way, I preferred him in jeans and T-shirts, but I couldn’t deny that he looked unbelievably good like this. He might not have been wearing a suit, but he still wore it darn well.
I can’t wait to take it all off him.
With that thought in mind, I started working on making it a reality. Starting with the buttons on his shirt, I undid them one by one. His hands wound around my back until his fingers hit the tab of my zipper, and once he had it, he pulled down on it slowly.
When it was all the way down, he put only enough space between us that it could fall to the floor once he’d pushed the sleeves off my arms. The metal chains around my neck were cool against my heated, newly exposed skin, but somehow, even that added to all the sensations turning me on more than ever before.
Finally reaching the last button of his shirt, I let my fingers drift back up to his shoulders and pulled the material down until it joined my dress on the floor. When he moved to unhook my bra, I pulled back and looked up at him, hoping I wasn’t about to sound like a vapid girl who was more interested in what she looked like than she was in him.
“Wait,” I whispered against his lips. “Before you take that off, I want you to see me in it. I bought it earlier today.”
Mentally taking stock of what I knew I probably looked like—left only in my underwear, jewelry, and boots, with my hair messy and my lips swollen—it took everything in me to remain calm when he took a step back.
I’d left the light in my entrance hall on before we left, but it was only a single standing lamp in the corner. It wasn’t too bright and would definitely be more flattering than the lights in the fitting room had been, but it was still enough that he’d be able to see every inch of me.
He put only enough space between us to be able to take me in, and I tried to stand as still as possible while he did. His dark hair was tousled from my fingers and his shirtless chest heaved on labored breaths. He was so freaking cut that, again, I wanted to lick him all over. From the V above his waistband, to the washboard of his abs, to the small flat disks that were his nipples.
My attention was drawn up to his face when he let out a rumbling sound, and the look in his eyes turned me into a ball of liquid heat. The next thing I knew, his mouth slammed back down on mine and his hard, warm body pressed me up against the door.
In between fervent kisses, he spoke against my lips. “You’re so fucking sexy. Did you really buy that for me? Because I love it.”
“It was a gift for both of us,” I managed to get out before his mouth slanted over mine again.
“It’s not my birthday for another few months, but if this is the kind of gift you give, I better still know you by then.”
I chuckled softly, but my heart soared. I knew he’d said it in the heat of passion, but he’d still said that he wanted to know me a few months from now. That seemed like a good thing. I sure as hell knew I still wanted him around for a good long time.
Surprising me when his hands skated down my arms before linking with mine, I glanced up to see a smirk forming on his lips. “I’m about to show you just how much I love my gift, but this time, I think we’d better get to a bed for it.”
Without waiting for my reply and still holding on to my hands, he led me to my bedroom. It was the first time that I was genuinely happy to have such a small place. I’d never thought of it as a benefit before, but I’d also never wanted to get to my bed quite as desperately before.
When we got to my room, neither of us bothered to switch on any lights. My curtains were sheer, so there was enough light filtering in through the single window I had that we didn’t trip over anything.
My back hit the mattress, and then he was on top of me. He caressed me slowly, dragging his fingertips over my skin and leaving goosebumps in his wake. Bringing his head down, he sucked my nipple into his mouth right over the bra, using his tongue to press the lace into me.
I nearly went up in flames. Moaning and writhing, I arched my hips and spread my legs. His lips moved against my skin, adding fuel to the fire he was stoking deep inside me.
The rest of our clothes disappeared by some kind of magic. Reading my body like an open book, he didn’t need to be told what I wanted or when. He gave it to me without hesitation, his mouth and hands working together to send me flying over the edge twice before he finally rolled on a condom and sank into me.
With slow, deliberate movements and his lips on mine, he drove me to the brink all over again. When he felt me starting to spasm around him, he broke the kiss and groaned at whatever expression he saw on my face. That tiny sound from him was all it took to send me rocketing to the stars again.
My orgasm rolled over me like a slow wave of the purest pleasure imaginable. Eyes slamming shut, my muscles tensed up and I let out a loud cry while muttering incomprehensible words.
Harrison pressed his lips to my forehead as he shuddered. His hips jerked a few final times, and he choked out my name before his body stilled. When we were both spent, we collapsed back onto the mattress and he pulled me close while we caught our breath.
Once his breathing evened out, he climbed out of bed and went to dispose of the condom. A minute later, he was back and sliding in beside me, pulling me closer.
“What are you doing tomorrow?” he asked, his voice still husky as his breath ghosted over the bare, sweat-dotted skin of my shoulder.
“I don’t have any plans,” I said, pressing kisses to his chest as I fought against the urge to close my eyes. “Why? Do you have any plans?”
“I was wondering if you wanted to come out to the farm with me,” he said. “Molly will be happy to see you, and Ashton won’t hate that
you’re there.”
I smiled and burrowed deeper into his arms. “I’d love to. You’re staying tonight, right?”
He tightened his grip on me and rested his head on top of mine. “I’m not going anywhere unless you want me to.”
“Definitely not,” I murmured into his chest, my lids heavy before I finally let them close. “Sleep well, Harrison. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He kissed my forehead. “Sleep well, babe.”
Within minutes, sleep dragged me under. The last thing I was aware of before it did was the rhythmic beat of Harrison’s heart under my palm. I didn’t know if his heart had ever belonged to anyone, but I wondered if someday, just maybe, it might belong to me.
19
HARRISON
Keira stirred beside me when I started waking up. Wrenching my eyes open in the hopes of seeing her when she did the same, I was rewarded by the sleepy softness of her gaze when it landed on mine. She smiled lazily, stretching out before rolling on her side to face me.
“Sleep well?”
“If I can quote you, I slept like a drunken sailor after a bachelor party.” I reached for her, winding my fingers into her hair as I brought my mouth to hers.
She kissed me once, then suddenly pulled back and crinkled her nose. “We both have morning breath. You must be disgusted by me right about now.”
“Are you disgusted by me?” I asked, stroking my fingers along her scalp.
Her eyelids fluttered closed and she leaned into my touch. “Not even a little.”
“Good, then you know why I’m not either.” I leaned in for another kiss, and this time, she responded.
It went from soft and sweet to urgent and hungry in about sixty seconds flat. Less than five minutes later, I had a condom on and was buried balls-deep inside her. My orgasms with her had been fucking spectacular every time, and it wasn’t any different this morning.
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