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Leni holds up a hand. “Right back. It’s Debajo.” She lifts the phone to her ear and heads for the living room.
Ash rises with his glass, bound for the kitchen.
A low whining from the floor has me looking under the table. Barney licks crumbs off his nose. His brown eyes shine with hope. I take a piece of meat off the platter, offering it to him.
“Sucker,” Harrison murmurs so only I can hear.
My hand closes over his, my fingers stroking his palm as I tilt my head back to peer up at him behind me. “He’s your dog.”
Harrison’s expression softens, his mouth curving up despite the weight of the day. He bends closer, his nose bumping my chin as he kisses me. My fingers thread into his hair, holding him to me when he starts to pull back, and I deepen the kiss.
Something shifted between us last night at the beach. He apologized for leaving, explained why he did, and I believe he wants to be better. I’m not throwing my heart in just yet, but for the first time in a long time, I have hope for us.
The coffee machine starts in the kitchen. “Anyone want…” Ash starts, but trails off when he spots us. “Yeah.”
“Never kissed a woman upside down before,” Harrison murmurs against my lips.
“Don’t worry. You’ll get better with practice.” I move my hands down his shoulders, not letting him back off as I smirk.
Harrison’s soft groan is tight.
A huff of breath and pressure on my thighs has me looking down. Barney’s planted his face between my legs, staring up.
Harrison chuckles. “I knew I was doomed the second my dog fell for you.”
“Really? That was early days.”
“You ruined my favorite jacket. I couldn’t very well ignore you.”
“You tried, though.”
“Mmm. Hard to ignore a woman who takes center stage at your club and flips you off like it’s her job.”
He crosses the room away from me, and I twist in my seat to watch him. “Pretty sure it was in the contract.”
He laughs. “I know we have a ways to go, but I will prove I’m the man you need. And I have something I hope you’ll wear.” He tosses me a secretive smile over his shoulder as he heads upstairs.
A dress?
A moment later, Harrison returns with a small box. He hands it to me, and I open the lid.
“My bracelet.” I lift the cuff, my heart skipping. I’d left it with him before we parted ways. “You were keeping it for your next girlfriend?”
“I’m never buying jewelry for a woman who’s not you again.”
My chest tightens as I look at him.
“I haven’t forgotten our date tonight. In fact, I’ve got a private location at one of my favorite restaurants.”
“Private because you want to eat me rather than the food?” I taunt lightly.
“Private because I want the world to fuck off while I focus everything I am on you.”
He fastens the cuff around my wrist, but I can’t look away from his face.
The ball of emotion in my throat threatens to overtake me.
“So, I’m going to have to babysit the manager tonight,” Leni calls, rejoining us from the other room and pocketing her phone.
Ash returns from the kitchen, his coffee half-consumed, as if he’s decided it’s safe.
“Sebastian’s probably right. Mischa will retaliate,” Harrison says at last.
“And we don’t know how,” Ash presses.
The cuff glints against the black of my tattoo, its cool weight grounding me as I rise from my chair. “We can get through it together.”
I say it firmly enough even I believe it.
