"I’m not seeing him per se."
"Is he married?"
"No.” At least I didn’t think so. But who the hell knew? “But he does have a child he’s caring for." I was still not sure if Mo was really Noel’s son although I was having a hard time figuring out what sort of security scheme he was involved in that he needed a baby to carry off.
Then again, perhaps the child was under his protection. The idea that he was taking care of Mo to keep him safe made my heart soften.Stop it,I commanded.
Anne was quiet on the line and I'm sure was waiting for me to spill more details, but I wasn't ready to tell her that I had twice fucked my neighbor who I was sure Bran hired to spy on me.
Finally, she said, "If you can't trust him, Harper, then that is your answer. Trust is the bedrock of the relationship."
"You say that, but then I remember that at one point you hated my brother as much as I did." Okay, so I didn't really hate Bran. He was my brother after all. But I hated how he treated me, and for a time I couldn't be around him.
"Trust isn't something that you have right off the bat. It’s something that grows and is earned. Being around your brother, I realized that there was more to him than I thought there was. I came to understand that his behavior, while annoying, was due to his deep commitment to family."
"You can tell me the truth. You just found him sexy and wanted to jump his bones."
She laughed. "Well, there was that too. And to be honest, we did things backwards. I think having sex is what started changing my opinion of him. It forced me to take a closer look at the man he was."
I considered what she was saying. Did I need to take a closer look at Noel? I quickly dismissed the idea.
"Listen, I know that I've been busy with Bran and the baby, but I'm always here for you if you need me. I mean that, Harper. If you need to talk or a night out on the town, I will make it happen. I promise."
"I know. We can try and set something up for next week maybe."
"Definitely."
Once off the phone, I put on a pair of shorts and a tank top, went to the kitchen for a glass of wine, and spent the evening out on my terrace soaking in the sight and sound of the ocean. This was why I was here. To relax, reflect, and find my way. It was time to put Noel out of my mind and life for good.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Noel
The next day I was feeding Mo and rehashing the events with Harper the day before. I was beginning to regret the way things played out after I fucked her on the table.
I'd been confrontive and, in her words, vulgar, and it didn't sit well with me.
But to have a mind-blowing orgasm and look into the face of the woman who gave it to you, only to see regret took a toll on my ego. I acted out in defense and came away looking like an even worse asshole than she already thought I was.
Then again, this woman had cameras facing toward my house. Plus, all she had to do was say no and we wouldn’t have fucked at all. She hadn't said no. She'd run her long fingers over my body. She wanted it as much as I did.
My thoughts were interrupted by a buzzing indicating somebody was at the gate.
"Hang on, little buddy." I set the bottle on the counter and carried Mo to the intercom, hoping he didn't cry before I could get back and finish his feeding. I poked the button on the intercom. "Yeah."
"Hello. We're with Cruz and Langmore, contractors for the city to survey natural gas metering in the neighborhood for a new project planned up the road. Would it be possible for us to come in and trace your meter to the intake inside to make sure they're getting accurate readings?"
Mo began to fidget, and his face crumpled up, preparing to let out a wail.
I poked the button to open the gate. "Come on up." I went back to the table, picking up the bottle and rubbing the nipple over Mo's mouth until he realized it was there and began to suckle. I looked out the window, seeing two men the size of Mack trucks walking to the side of my home. Focusing on Mo, I let them do their business.
Mo had just finished his bottle and I’d put him over my shoulder to burp him when there was a knock at the door. I opened it to the two bouncer-size men in overalls with Cruz and Langmore embroidered on them and tool belts slung around their waists.
"We finished checking the exterior. We'd like to come in and check the meter inside.”
I opened the door and directed them toward the basement then resumed burping Mo. As I paced the foyer, patting his back, a tingle of concern tickled the back of my neck. I couldn't explain it, but there was something off about the men.
"What do you suppose they’re up to?" I asked Mo. Chances were they were exactly what they said they were, but years as a mercenary and security expert taught me that I needed to pay attention when something felt a little bit off.