He finally lets go of my arms, massaging them up to my neck, then lifts his head and finds my mouth. And it’s as if he didn’t just have me. As if he can’t get enough of me, and somehow, I mean something to him.
I want it to be true. More than anything I’ve ever wanted, I want to know I’m special to this man. That with all the women in the world, he chooses me and no one else.
As if he can read my mind, he mumbles, “No one makes me feel how you do, Harper.”
We don’t sleep. When morning comes, he doesn’t even seem bothered with keeping his schedule. Hope wakes up around five thirty. We take care of her together, and he makes me breakfast while I feed her. When it’s nine, he finally leaves, tearing himself away from my lips with a happy grin on his face.
And it shouldn’t be possible, but for the first time ever, I feel alive and wanted.
10
Steven
When I come out of the bedroom, Harper is tickling Hope. She’s still in her silk robe and sitting on the floor, cross-legged, and I have the urge to lick her calves.
Get your head into work mode.
She glances up, and her eyes shine bright. “Wow.”
“What?”
She carries Hope on her hip and grips the knot on my tie. “I’d reposition your tie, or pick some lint off your suit, but you’re so GQ perfect right now, I’m rethinking your no-office-sex rule.”
I’m rethinking it, too.
I cup her face in my hands and kiss her. “What are you going to do today?”
“I don’t know. I might explore the city with Hope. Quinn said the stroller is in the closet, or I could wear the baby carrier.”
“Give me your phone.”
“Why?”
“So, you have my number, in case you get lost.”
She hands Hope to me and disappears into the bedroom.
“Hey, sweetie. Are you going to have fun with Auntie Harper today?”
Hope reaches for my nose and squeezes it.
“Ouch. Easy on the grip,” I tease her.
She grabs my nose again.
Harper comes out. “What’s your number?”
I tell her, and she programs it in. “Is this your company or personal cell?”
“Both.”
“How does that work?”
“I don’t like carrying two phones. So I have an app downloaded where any work calls or texts come through that.”
“So your personal is private, and your company can’t access it?”
“Yeah. Why?”
She trails her fingers seductively down my arm. “Wanted to know if I needed to censor my messages.”
I can’t help the perma-grin growing on my face. My cheeks hurt from it. “Are you into dirty texting?”
“Mmm... I might be with you.”
“So, I would be your first sexting recipient?”
“Yep.”
I lean down to her ear. “If you distract me at work, there will be consequences.”
Her green eyes blaze. She whispers, “Like what?”
I fist her hair, tugging her head back, then kiss her so deeply, I get an erection. I groan. “I have to go.” I peck Hope on the cheek, hand her to Harper, and cop a squeeze of Harper’s ass on the way out.
“Say bye-bye Uncle Steven,” she tells Hope and picks her hand up and waves it in the air.
I wave and am almost to the elevator when she comes running down the hall. “Steven.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you like lasagna?”
“Love it.”
“Okay. Should I make some for dinner?”
“Dumb question. The answer is always yes.”
She smiles. “Okay. Should I plan for us to eat at eight?”
“Perfect.”
I kiss her again and leave.
I wish I could take the week off.
I have more vacation days rolled over from years of not using them than probably anyone on the planet. But there are deadlines on several projects. I’m the only one who has the skills to complete them, and I’m already behind from not working. I had expected to spend Friday night after the rehearsal dinner, Saturday night after the wedding, and Sunday most of the day, preparing for meetings and finishing things up. But then Harper entered the picture.
She’s like a force field, continually pulling me toward her. She can’t see it and doesn’t even realize it. But every second I spend with her, I want to know more about her.
Harper seems to understand me. She’s fun and impulsive and makes me question things in my life, which is scary and also surprising.
I’m not sure what to do with the thoughts running around in my head, so I shove them away and tell myself to focus on my day.
Usually, I wouldn’t care it was Monday. My world is my career, working out, and limited personal time. Leaving Harper makes me feel dread about my job, and that’s never happened before. But I also feel giddy with happiness. I’m not used to it nor sure what to do with it, and it uncomfortably swirls in my veins.
I get into the car and my phone rings. “Good morning, Shira.”
“Are you sick?”
“No.”
“You’re not here?”
“I’m on my way.”
“Did something happen? Are you injured?”
“Ummm...no.”
She releases a big breath. “That’s good. Everyone is worried about you.”
“Why?”
“It’s almost nine thirty. Our meeting with Metro Insurance starts at ten.”
I cringe. “I thought it was at noon?”
“Did you not look at your schedule?”
“Apparently, not,” I mumble, put her on speaker, then pull up my agenda.
My gut drops. My entire day is packed with important meetings, and I’m not prepared for them.
“I sent you an email Friday after you left. Did you not read it?”
“No.”
“You didn’t get it, or you didn’t check your email all weekend?”
I ignore her question. “Shira, I need you to either move these meetings or get me up to speed. I’m not ready.”
Silence.
“Hello? Did I lose you?” I ask.
“Did you say you aren’t ready?”
“Yes.”
“But...”
“But what?”
“You’re always ready.”
I scrub my face. “Well, I’m not today. So what options do we have?”
“Let me get on it. I’ll brief you when you get here.”
I hang up and put my head against the seat. I’ve had barely any sleep and was running on pure adrenaline this morning, but suddenly, I feel the lack of rest.
Why didn’t you stick to your schedule?
This is what happens when you deviate.
I get into the office, and Shira follows me into my personal space. She sits at my desk and points to eight different folders.
“All the numbers are in each folder. I highlighted the changes and ran some other analytics. I think it’s all you need to get through the meetings. I can reschedule if you want, but people have flown in.”
My stomach twists. “No, you can’t cancel, then.”
“If you want, I can pull the data team together and have them sit in your meetings.”