“They went to bed an hour ago but, Harper, there’s no need to apologize. They understand why you left. They think the world of you. Can we sit down and talk?”
He started to put his hand on her lower back to guide her to the couch, but pulled back, unsure of just where she stood. For the first time since they’d met, things were awkward between them. He hated it, and he didn’t have the faintest clue how to fix it or even where to start.
She sat down, still fidgeting with her keys. Her hair curtained her face, making it hard to read her expression. The clinking of her keys amplified in the silence.
The alarm on Gavin’s phone went off, and Harper jumped. He grabbed the phone off the coffee table and turned it off. He took the keys from her hand and put them on the table with his phone. Then he covered her trembling fingers with his hand, and she curled her fingers around his. His emotions consumed him at that small touch.
“What was that alarm for?” she asked softly.
“You asked for space. I promised myself, and my father, I’d give you two hours before I went after you.”
She leaned into him a little, and it gave him hope.
“I hate that I caused this awkwardness between us, and I know saying I’m sorry isn’t enough to make up for the hurt I’ve caused you,” he said. “I know it’ll take time for you to trust me again, but if you’ll give me another chance—”
“Stop,” she whispered. “I think I understand why you kept it from everyone, including yourself.”
“You do?” Aw hell. He got all choked up again.
She nodded. “When I thought my life was ruined, I had a friend who helped me see how wrong I was. You didn’t have a friend like that back then. Someone to explain that Corinne’s actions weren’t your fault, or that you shouldn’t let one bad experience rock your foundation. That same friend probably would have reminded you that you achieved greatness in the eyes of your parents the day you were born, before you became anything other than their son. And that Beckett knows how incredible you are. That friend would explain that it wouldn’t matter if you chose a girl over your family for a day, a month, or even if you married her. They would always love you just the same.”
His chest constricted.
“You didn’t have a friend who would tell you that it’s important to be honest with the people who love you.” She held his hand tighter. “I’d hate to think about what I’d be like right now if I hadn’t had a friend to help me move past my bad experiences.”
He swallowed hard. “Harper…?”
She blinked away the dampness in her eyes and said, “You hurt me, Gavin, and that kind of hurt doesn’t just go away.”
“I know, and it kills me that I hurt you. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
“You don’t have to do that. We all handle love and grief differently. I’m hurt, but I love you for the man you are now. I just need to know if there’s anything else you think you might be hiding.”
“No. Other than that crazy shit that happened with Corinne, I’m a pretty boring guy.”
A relieved laugh came out soft and lovely, like music to his ears, as tears slipped from her eyes. “You’re far from boring.”
“Oh, baby,” he said as he pulled her into his arms. He buried his face in her neck and hair, breathing her in. “I’m so sorry, and I’m so glad you came back. I thought I’d lost you.”
“You probably should thank Violet and Andre, by the way.”
“Violet and Andre?”
She nodded. “I didn’t tell them anything. Don’t worry.”
He wiped the tears from his eyes and said, “I’ll tell them. I don’t want secrets, sweetheart. Not from you, and not hiding in our closet to bite us in the ass. I thought I’d dealt with all that stuff with Corinne a long time ago, but I guess I just swept it under the rug.”
A small smile curved her lips and she said, “It’s a good thing I’m fairly capable with a broom.” She took his face between her soft hands, her beautiful blue eyes imploring him to love her wholly and completely. “Please don’t hurt me again, Gavin. It’s too hard.”
“Never again, sweetheart.”
She pressed her lips to his, kissing him lightly, again and again. Every touch healed another broken piece of his heart. He wanted to steal away with her, to love her until she couldn’t remember ever being hurt.
HARPER GAZED INTO Gavin’s eyes, seeing relief and so much love it was inescapable. She knew he saw the same emotions in her eyes, because she loved him with every cell of her being. She kissed him again, loving the greedy way he kissed her back. She pressed her lips to his cheek and then she bit his earlobe. He hissed and turned his face so he could kiss her lips. She knew he would feel the need to be careful with her tonight, but she didn’t want careful. She wanted affirmation of their love. She wanted to give him that, because as much as she’d gone through tonight, he’d gone through even more. He’d relived the anguish and shame he’d fought to move past for so long.
She slipped off her sandals, rose to her feet, and reached for his hand, pulling him up beside her. She touched his face, drawing it closer to hers again. She slicked her tongue along his lower lip, loving the way his eyes darkened, and she whispered, “Let’s love our hurt away.”
“Thank you, sweetheart,” he said, his voice full of emotion.
He lifted her into his arms, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, want and need vibrating through her. Their mouths came together as he carried her into the bedroom, closing the door with one hand without breaking their hungry kisses. He lowered himself to the edge of the bed with her on his lap and they continued feasting on each other’s mouths. He nipped at her lower lip, kissed her jaw, her neck, and dragged the strap of her dress down her shoulder with his teeth. Oh, what that did to her! His gaze locked on the lace trim of her salmon demi bra with sparking gold embellishments in the lace. He inhaled sharply, growing harder beneath her. She’d bought the lingerie set special for his birthday.
She slid the other strap down her shoulder and untied the bow at her waist, opening her wraparound dress, revealing her matching panties. His eyes flamed as she slipped off his lap and her dress fell away, puddling at her feet. She turned around, giving him an eyeful of the cheeky heart-shaped cutout across her bottom. She looked over her shoulder, and her heart pounded at the heat in his eyes.
“Happy birthday, Gavin.”
He was on his feet in two seconds flat, stripping off his clothes, and then his glorious naked body pressed against her back, his hands taking their fill up front.
“Sweet Jesus, Harper.”
He bit down on her shoulder, and she pressed her ass against his hard length, gyrating slowly. His cock was hard and hot on her cheeks through the cutout in her panties. She pressed her palms flat against the wall, knowing how much he loved her ass. His mouth blazed a path down her spine, slowing to kiss the dip at the base. His hands moved rough and possessive along her torso, up her stomach, and—good Lord—between her legs. He pushed his finger beneath her panties, stroking over her wetness and making the guttural, manly noises that always made her lose her mind. He traced his tongue along the cutout of the heart, tickling her skin as he teased her into a wet, needy frenzy. The sensations collided, making her moan and thrust, and when he dipped his fingers inside her, she clawed at the wall.