Cleo looked comfy in her lilac pjs as she curled up in the oversized armchair. “You betcha.” She dug into the small glass bowl resting in her lap and expertly tossed a couple of M&Ms into her mouth.
Such kick-ass abilities at precision candy throwing would cripple a lesser woman with jealousy. Harper was made of sterner stuff. Even though when she tried that same maneuver, peanuts invariably bounced off her nose or cheeks.
Jinx placed her red-sock-covered feet on the footstool. “Okay, we’ve changed into our jammies and are ready for our Angel marathon. Now’s the time you strip yourself emotionally bare and share with your girlfriends.” She gave Harper a pointed look. “Don’t be shy on our account.”
Right. So going to happen. “How about you ask me some questions, and I’ll answer if I want?”
Jinx snorted. “Fine. Just how fabulous is Seth in bed?” At Harper’s open mouth and shocked stare, she clarified. “Look, I know I should ask what he’s like at conversation or some other polite bullshit, but it was obvious the guy’s intelligent. And if you couldn’t talk with him, you wouldn’t have invited him back here last Wednesday.”
Hard to argue against that logic. “True.”
“And we know from the drama last Thursday that you’ve done the sexy bump and grind.”
Repeatedly. “Again, true.”
Jinx pursed her lips in thought. “Let’s put it in terms romance readers like us will appreciate. Seth’s all alpha and confidence. But is he a five-stars review, seeing-fireworks-behind-my-eyelids-as-I-climaxed awesome, or a four-star rating of I-orgasmed-hard-but-I-didn’t-ride-the-unending-wave-of-ecstasy?”
When she closed her eyes, she could still feel his touch, the way his hand gripped her hip, his cock inside her, filling her so her breath caught in her chest and stayed locked there until his deep voice told her to breathe, to ride every moment with him.
Seth didn’t just fuck her. He claimed her in a way that was visceral, that melted into her bones and stayed with her days afterwards.
“Five stars.” At her friend’s smiles, she added, “Every. Single. Time.”
Cleo sucked in a breath. “I don’t know whether to hug you or scratch your eyes out in jealousy.”
Harper’s burst of laughter woke Malcolm. He squinted in kitty disgust. “Sorry, baby.” She scratched behind his ear until he tucked his head back down and resettled. “You’ve got no reason to be jealous. Aren’t you seeing that guy from the publishing warehouse?”
Cleo grimaced. “Two stars. I-came-but-he-made-me-sleep-in-the-wet-spot-and-snored.” She sighed, running her fingers through her bowl of M&Ms. “Then later he said some other woman’s name in his sleep.”
Harper winced. “His loss, babe.”
“Cleo, look at you.” Jinx lifted her arm toward their friend. “You’re intelligent, funny, five-seven, all curves and have hair that Cher would kill for.”
Cleo rolled her eyes. “You’re right, and this isn’t about me. Back to Harper.” She placed her bowl of candy on the side-table. “So he’s handsome, great at conversation and sex. Beside the fact some wacko is impersonating him online and attacking his family, what, if anything, about him concerns you?”
Harper rolled her eyes. “Apart from that whole wacko business, nothing. Although I wouldn’t want to get in between him and his brothers when they’re having an argument.”
Sheesh, she could still remember the looks between Seth and Adam.
“It was obvious something was up with his brothers last Thursday, and I don’t just mean the clusterfuck of those posts. All of them seemed to be on edge with each other. And that big dude, Adam?” Jinx’s eyes grew wide. “A person would be crazy to piss him off.”
That she’d agree with. “Seth said they have things to sort out.”
Cleo’s perfectly shaped eyebrows drew together. “Sounds like it’s a complicated situation.”
“That’s why I told Seth I should give him some space, but he’s a determined guy.” That stare. The hardness of his jaw. And that voice…deep, resolute. “He’s giving me just enough space to let me breathe but not enough that I can get him out of my mind, or eyesight.”
“Damn.” Cleo bit her lip to hide a smile, but the twinkle in her eyes gave her away.
Jinx nodded, sending her gold loop earrings swaying. “You watch out, Harper. That guy’s going to wear you down. How many times have you seen him now?”
“Four times, but three dates.” Including two overnight dates, such as the one last night. Did that make her a slut?
“Mmm hmm. I got to say, I like the sound of this one. He doesn’t scare easy, and he’s willing to work hard for your attention. So do me a favor. Don’t judge him by the jerks you’ve dated before.” Jinx grabbed the TV remote. “And remember, he’s dealing with your father screwing him over in their deal.”
Harper shared that gem with her friends when they’d made their plans for tonight.
“I hear you.” Harper traced Malcolm’s tail with her finger. She smiled as the silky tip flicked and curled back around his hind legs. If only she could find the kitty’s contentment for herself. “I know it’s not my fault, but I feel bad about that happening.”