“They won’t say nasty things about you.”
He growled. “I won’t let them say shit about you, either.”
She looked at him, eyebrow arched. “Sorry to burst your billionaire bubble, but you can’t control what everyone thinks or says.” She flopped back on the couch. It was surprisingly comfy. “I can’t believe this all happened.” She felt a tight knot in her chest. “My dad. Antoine. Whoever the hell those kidnappers were.” Everything was caving in on her. Then she felt a horrifying prickle behind her eyes.
No. She wasn’t going to cry. It wouldn’t make anything better, and she wasn’t a crier to begin with.
“Don’t cry,” Easton bit out, sounding a little desperate.
“I’m not.” A traitorous tear slid down her cheek.
“Harlow—”
She sniffed. “I can’t help it. It’s been a really shitty day.”
He made a sound and yanked her into his arms.
She was too weak to push him away. He smelled good, felt good. So strong and solid. She wrapped her arms around him and held on.
But soon, her emotions morphed into something else.
Something far hotter and steamier.
Harlow swallowed. She needed to let go. She needed to get away from him and leave his million-dollar house. She’d go somewhere, and find a hotel for the night.
She gripped him tighter.
His hands slid up her back, then into her hair.
She didn’t let herself think, just feel. She turned her head and kissed the side of his neck.
He made a sound and tugged her head back.
Then his mouth was on hers.
Harlow moaned. Tongues stroked. He tasted like wine and dark, sexy things. She pushed closer and he devoured her lips.
Gasping, her head fell all the way back. “See, this is why I can’t stay here,” she panted.
“This?” He nipped her neck. “Or this?” One big hand cupped her breast.
She pushed into that electric touch. “Yes. Yes.”
Then his mouth was on hers again. She matched each nip and stroke of his tongue. They kissed like they’d both been deprived for far too long.
Then suddenly, he pulled back. They were both breathing heavily.
Easton rested his forehead on hers. “You’ve had a rough day. You need some sleep.”
She sucked in a breath. “You’re being noble?”
His gaze bored into hers. “I won’t take advantage of you. You’re vulnerable, emotional, tired, and coping with a lot of crap.”
Damn him for being nice.
“When I finally make love to you…” He nipped her lips, making her gasp. “When I finally slide inside you, you’ll be focused on nothing but me.”
Her belly contracted and her panties were soaked in a second. “I’m adding arrogant to your list of faults. Bossy, arrogant, autocratic.”
He raised a brow. “It wasn’t on there already?”
“I’m also adding nice.”
He grimaced.
“I mean that in a good way, Easton. Not a boring way.”
“Shut up.” He pulled her against him and leaned back on the couch. “Let’s just lie here for a minute.”
Harlow kicked her heels off, and settled against him.
Mmm. This felt really good. She soaked it in, his strength, his scent, his warmth. She’d let herself switch off for a bit before she had to face the mess of her life again tomorrow.
Chapter Eight
Easton woke up, and for a second, he wasn’t certain where he was.
He wasn’t in his bed.
He blinked. His face was buried in a cloud of blonde hair. He was flat on his back on his couch, with a sleeping Harlow stretched out on top of him.
Damn.
He stayed still and appreciated the feel of her. She wasn’t quite snoring, but she was making cute little snuffling noises. He found them outrageously attractive.
He’d had plenty of women in his life. Beautiful, elegant, and accomplished women. But he’d never slept on the couch with any of them.
Harlow stirred. She lifted her head, and her eyes were heavy with sleep. “Hey.” Then she stiffened, her eyes going wide.
Before she panicked, he clamped an arm around her to hold her in place. “Good morning.”
She stayed silent, but he could practically hear the wheels turning in her mind.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” he asked.
“I’m wondering if I ignore you, if you’ll disappear. Like a figment of my imagination.”
“How’s that working out for you?”
She groaned and shifted. Her body brushed against his.
Which had his wakening cock jabbing into her belly.
Those eyes got wider.
Shit. “I really want to kiss you.”
“No. No kissing.” She rolled off him and stood. She thrust her hands into her hair. “I can’t believe we slept together.”
“Fully clothed. On my couch.”
“I don’t—”
Easton reached up and grabbed her arm, then tumbled her back on top of him.
“Easton!”
He kissed her. She resisted for about half a second, then she fisted a hand in his hair and kissed him back.
Fuck. He wanted to tear that dress off her. He reached down and bunched the fabric, and started pulling it upward. She moaned into his mouth, then bit his bottom lip.
“You should come with a warning label,” she complained.
He dragged his hands up her thighs. “Oh?”
“Yes. Hot, potent, and causes women to make bad decisions.”
“You want to be bad, Harlow?”
A cell phone rang.
She froze. “That’s mine!”
She leaped off him, and he narrowly avoided a knee to the groin. As she dashed to her handbag, he tried to get his aching cock under control.
“Shit, my battery is almost dead.” She thumbed the screen. “Dad?”
“Harlow.” Charles Carlson’s flustered voice came through the speaker.
Easton sat up.
“Are you okay?” There was slick panic in Carlson’s voice. “Where are you?”
Harlow flicked Easton a glance, worrying her bottom lip. “I’m fine, Dad.”
“I went to your apartment and you weren’t there.”
“Um, I stayed with a…friend.”
“The dinner went all right?”
Her nose wrinkled. “It was bearable. Dad, we need to talk about the next steps.”
“There have been some developments,” her father said.
“For me, too. Some men tried to grab me off the street, Dad. And Antoine swore it wasn’t him.”
“No.” Her father’s voice was a harsh croak.
Easton frowned and moved closer. Her father’s voice showed signs of stress. Easton looked at Harlow. He hated seeing the worry lining her face.
“Princess, meet me at your place in thirty minutes. We’ll talk then.” The line went dead.
Harlow fished around in her bag and found a hair tie, then pulled her hair up in a messy knot. “I need to get to my apartment. I need to shower and change, and meet my dad.”
Easton nodded. “Let me change first. Help yourself to something to eat.”