I ran my tongue across my teeth. “Damn it,” I muttered. I hadn’t wanted this conversation to happen. I knew I was on the edge of telling her already. But I could see the hurt in her eyes still. I’d seriously wounded her with what I said, and she deserved to know the truth. “That stuff I said was bullshit, okay? I was trying to get them off my back, and maybe I was hoping I’d believe my own lies, too.”
Harper stared, letting the meaning of my words sink in. “But if what you said wasn’t true, the opposite–”
“Yeah. Of course I have feelings for you. I’d have to be a fucking robot not to. The problem is I can’t afford to feel anything for you because I have to leave when my three months is up. Casual is the only thing I can offer you, and when I realized you overheard, I thought maybe it’d be easier for both of us if you just thought I was an asshole.”
Harper didn’t say anything for a few moments, then a faint smile formed on her lips. “Are you trying to imply you’re not an asshole?”
I grinned. “Fine. I thought it’d be easier if you saw me as the kind of asshole who would do something like that and refuse to apologize.”
“Again, that’s what you actually did, so…”
“I am sorry, Harper,” I said, holding her eyes. “I’ve felt like a complete fucking wreck ever since you heard that. I tried to tell myself you wouldn’t care, but I can see I was wrong. And just saying sorry isn’t enough, but that’s where I have to start.”
She smiled. “You’re right. Just saying sorry isn’t enough. You owe me, now.” Her eyes took on a mischievous glow. “I’m not sure when I’ll feel like you’ve paid your debt, but I guess we’ll just have to start one act of groveling regret at a time, won’t we?”
I shook my head. “You think you’re cute, don’t you?”
She flashed a sweet, innocent little smile. It was the absolute picture of cuteness. “I think you think I’m cute. And I think you’re going to come up with a fantastic first gesture.”
Objections swirled on the tip of my tongue. I could feel how easy this would be. She forgave me and I’d admitted I saw her as more than casual sex. If I started this little game with her, we’d be taking the first exit ramp off the casual highway and headed toward serious shit–the kind of serious shit that makes people think long distance relationships are a good idea. Worse, it might even turn into the kind of shit that makes a formerly good dad decide it’s okay to fly out to see his kids as often as he can instead of having them a few minutes away.
But I could remind us both of the boundaries tomorrow. Tonight, though? I’d been missing her body since the last moment I had her, and I wasn’t capable of letting her walk out of here untouched. Especially not after that asshole kissed her. I wanted my lips to be the last ones she tasted. I wanted to wipe every trace of that fucker from her body and mind.
I stood and approached her. “For my first act of groveling regret, I offer you an orgasm.”
She looked up, eyes large and blue locked on me. “Hmm. I don’t know. You might find I’m too upset with you to orgasm.”
There was a smoldering flame somewhere deep inside me that raged for Harper. Her words instantly turned it into an out of control inferno. I needed to have her. To taste her.
“Come here,” I growled. I lifted her from the couch and carried her to my room. I wasn’t going to just fuck her quickly on the counter this time. I wanted all of her. I wanted to watch her ride me and I wanted to feel her legs spread beneath me and watch the moans spill from her lips.
Harper let out a surprised noise but didn’t fight when I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder. The towel was damp, and her wet hair tickled the back of my neck as it swayed with each long stride I took.
I tossed her roughly down on the bed. “Take your clothes off. All of them.”
She was already breathing heavily, but she still managed to be a pain in my ass. She smirked. “I’d say the man who desperately wants to be forgiven should take them off me like he’s unwrapping a prize.”
I stripped off my clothes, hardly tearing my eyes from her waiting body. The towel had unfolded and her dress was hiked up just below her pussy. I could see the black of her panties forming a tantalizing “V”. Her chest was rising and falling, drawing my eyes to the perfect form of her breasts.