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“Maybe?” I balked. “Fuck maybe! I need to know these things. Did he leave a mess? Did he floss his ass with my pillows? Exactly how much bedding do I have to wash?”
Harper began laughing so hard she almost spit up her shake. Personally, I didn’t see what was so funny.
“Do I have to go out and buy a blacklight today, or—”
“You really want details?” she asked coyly.
I thought about it for a butterfly-inducing moment. “Yeah, sure. Give me details.”
She took the straw from her mouth again, looked over both shoulders, then leaned in close. So close I could smell the vanilla on her breath.
“You don’t need a blacklight,” she whispered huskily, “because I didn’t miss a drop.”
There it was again — that surge of adrenaline, tinged with jealousy. It was followed immediately by a distinct physical movement, somewhere down in my boxers.
And for some reason, I loved it.
“I still mostly hate you, you know,” I told her.
“No you don’t.”
Harper laughed, leaned in, and kissed me. It was a sweet kiss. A sexy kiss.
“At least three-quarters,” I murmured against her lips.
“Nope.”
“Definitely halfway?” I sighed.
“Nah-uh.”
She kissed me again, this time more deeply. Her tongue was pleasantly cold, and tasted like vanilla.
“At least a little, then,” I offered.
“Fine,” Harper agreed, “Maybe a tiny bit, sure.”
Before I could do anything else, she bit my lower lip playfully between her teeth. Forehead to forehead our eyes locked, and she chuckled into my mouth.
“But I think that’s the part I like the most.”
~ 38 ~
HARPER
I’d been on dates that were fun and exciting, and dates that unequivocally sucked. Dates that brought me to places that were pretty or romantic or outright beautiful, and one date that took place on the trash-strewn cement dock of a garbage compactor, replete with the accompanying smell.
But I’d never had a date on a thousand-foot cliff overlooking the ocean at sunset, while walking through a field of beautiful wildflowers, bordered by a thick green forest. Gorgeous, multicolored butterflies surrounded us, and the distant sounds of buzzing cicadas along with the crickets provided a rhythmic background hum.
Until now.
“This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
I turned my head to smile at Preston, who was still open-mouthed and gaping in awe. He had been since we’d gotten here, only a few minutes ago.
I reached out and slid my hand into his. Preston squeezed my fingers gently, sending a tingle of excitement up along my arm all the way to my shoulder. I even slid closer to him, and I could actually feel his presence. It was warm and comforting and reassuring.
The best part of all though, was that Preston wasn’t there. Not even close.
