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Harper’s hazels eyes narrowed.
Jasper pointed a half-eaten banana at Milo. “He told me if I caught him googly eyeing you or the likes to whack him upside the head. I was walking back to my room and saw duty called.”
Harper laughed. “You really told Jasper to smack you?”
“Drastic times call for drastic measures.” He flashed her a smile before turning to Jasper. “You are officially relieved of your duties, and I thank you for your service.”
“Does that mean no more googly eyes?”
“No, it means that I’m going to be doing a lot more of it, and I don’t want to lose any more brain cells.” He stepped toward Harper, snaking his arm around her waist and yanking her toward him. “Because like I just told Harper, I’m in love with my best friend and I’m ready for the world to know.”
A laugh slipped from her mouth.
“Anybody with eyes and ears already knew. Now if you’ll just admit that you’re in love with him we can all move on with our lives.”
Harper looked into his eyes, the beautiful hazel orbs that grounded him, warmed him, and felt like home.
“I already did privately, but if we’re going public. I love you. I do. And maybe I always have too, but now I know and—” His lips cut her off. He’d heard enough. She loved him and that was all that mattered.
“It’s about damn time,” Jasper said. “Now don’t mess this up. I don’t need to be out a roommate.”
Without taking his lips off Harper, he shoved Jasper out the door and kicked it closed.
“I see how it is.” Jasper’s voice echoed outside the door, and Harper laughed against Milo’s mouth.
“I think Jasp feels left out.”
“Too damn bad,” Milo growled before scooping her up into his arms and placing her on the bed. He put his knee in between her legs and hovered over her.
She reached up cupping his cheek, her thumb rubbing along the stubble on his jaw. “I know we just had a moment, and we’re probably going to have amazing sex, but before we do, how are you doing? And don’t lie to me.”
He closed his eyes and dropped his forehead to hers. He tried so hard to protect her, but maybe what he really needed was to give her more credit. She was stronger than anyone he knew, and it was time he leaned on her. “Truthfully? Not good. But I will be okay.”
“I hope so, but how do you know that for sure?”
“Because I know you’ll help me figure it out.”
“Always.”
He kissed her forehead. “Now can we get back to the amazing sex part?”
She grabbed his face and pulled his lips to hers, answering him with a searing kiss, and it was the only answer he needed.
Chapter 24
After his meeting with his therapist, who was helping him with the nightmares and coping with the fear that had been clinging to him, Milo brought Tom to buy the game he’d been saving for. Tom couldn’t get home fast enough. With a quick thank you, Tom ran into the house, and Milo met up with Harper to help her deliver the boxes of glasses to Sofia’s graduation party.
Maria was so thrilled with how they turned out, she grabbed a glass from the box and ran to her husband to show it off. Antonio nodded his approval and flashed Harper a smile. “These look great. You captured my daughter’s beauty.” A tear filled his eye, and he ran off to the house, muttering something about getting more ice.
Maria swatted her hand in his direction. “Don’t mind him. He’s all upset his baby is growing up.” Harper’s heart clenched. She wondered if Sofia realized how lucky she was. Harper’s dad didn’t even stick around for her middle school graduation, let alone high school.
Milo’s hand slipped into hers as if he knew exactly where her mind had wandered off. He squeezed gently and stroked her knuckles with his thumb. The ache in her heart eased. She didn’t need her dad. She’d done just fine without him. She had a mom who was a work in progress, the best of friends, a brother she adored, and a man who’d been at her side every step of the way.
How she hadn’t seen it before boggled her mind yet made perfect sense. She and Milo had needed each other all these years, but a relationship would have complicated the purity of what they had. They didn’t need complications; they needed each other, and that’s exactly what they had. Now that they were older, stronger, more mature, and ready for the complications a relationship could throw their way. They’d survived hell and now officially together, they would survive anything.
“It’s a beautiful day for a party.” Harper glanced at the cloudless sky. It was a warm eighty-two, but the humidity was low. With all the umbrellas set up across Maria and Antonio’s backyard, no one would be uncomfortable in the heat.
“We lucked out,” Maria said. “The beginning of the week they were predicting rain.”
