She licked her lips as she just stared down at me. I waited for her to climb off my lap and leave.
“What happened to you wasn’t your fault. You were a kid.”
“So were you, princess,” I said, my voice soft.
Her eyes flared at what I was talking about, and she nodded. Swallowed hard. “You went to juvie because of your dad’s actions not your own.”
“I killed him,” I said, gripping her hips hard.
“Would you still call me princess if you knew I wanted Cam dead?”
Besides my dad, her brother was the only other person I ever wanted to see dead. What he’d done to Harper as a girl… fuck, and even now.
“You don’t want his blood on your hands.” I jackknifed up, so she was still straddling me, but we were nose to nose. “You’re too good for that.”
I wasn’t. I’d see her brother pay. Killing him would be a fucking pleasure. I’d only let out my anger, my violence in the ring now. I’d make an exception though.
Fuck, I never imagined there would be someone who meant enough to go back. Harper was the only one who I’d ever do it for. I’d kill for her. No question.
“So are you,” she said, lifting a hand to stroke over my head, down my cheek.
I didn’t say anything because we could argue about this all fucking day, and what a waste that would be. I’d take care of Cam, but there was no fucking way he’d get between us now.
Not here in my bed. Banding an arm about her waist, I rolled us, so she was beneath me once more. Eye to eye.
She’d never bared herself to anyone before. She’d do it with me now. I doubted she’d ever fucked in a bed. If she had, it had been quick. This wasn’t going to be fast. I had her where I wanted her, and I wasn’t letting her up for anything.
I met her dark stare. Held it. I saw into her so far. Past every wall she’d ever put up.
“There you are,” I whispered, staring down at her with wonder. “All for me.”
I lowered my head, kissed her. Kissed the fucking hell out her. She may have said the words, but I wanted to prove how different I was than the guys from her past. I wanted to wipe them from her mind with how good it was going to be.
I wanted to show her what it was supposed to be like. So I would, too.
My mouth slid along her jaw to the spot behind her ear. I licked down her neck, feeling how she shivered, how she caught her breath. When her fingers clenched on my arms. I wanted to know what got her hot.
Her skin was like silk against my lips, the upper curves of her breasts above her bra sweet heaven. With a flick of my fingers, I opened the front clasp.
“Beautiful.”
“Reed,” she breathed then gasped when I took a nipple into my mouth. It hardened against my tongue, her fingers rubbing over my scalp. My hair was too short for her grab, but she held my head there.
I looked up at her face, saw the way her eyes were closed, her mouth open, chin tilted toward the ceiling.
I kissed across the valley between her breasts to her other nipple. Played with them, back and forth, until she writhed beneath me. Her legs parted, and I settled between. I was in no rush to go past this. Fuck, I could play with her tits all fucking day. But it was all about Harper. My dick could wait, or I’d come in my fucking pants if I had to. She came first. Always.
I slid lower down her body, swirling my tongue around her navel, then along the edge of her panties. As I did the last time, I touched her through the sheer fabric. Gently, lightly, and I looked up her body to watch her reaction.
I had no idea if something would set her off, if I’d trigger a memory that might freak her out. “You good, princess?” I asked, looking up her body from the most perfect place in the fucking world.
She pushed up on her elbows, looked down at me. Flushed cheeks, hard nipples, taut belly. Fuck me.
Her eyes narrowed. “What are you doing down there?”
“You good?” I asked again.
“I’ll be gooder if you would get with it.”