The muscles in his neck are corded as beads of sweat roll off his forehead, and his eyes are lost to desire. The sounds he makes are primal, raw, and I feel utterly devoured as he works at me.
I want to feel this way forever.
I want Harrison forever.
“I’m coming,” I cry out softly, my voice raw, trying to keep our eye contact. He stares back, his eyes watching in fascination as I give in.
Then I’m twisting and turning as the orgasm crashes over me again and again, and I’m swept out to sea, floating there, warm and blissed-out and full of joy. Nonsensical sounds fall from my mouth as I swirl around in place.
Harrison isn’t done quite yet. His labored breathing, the rough sound of his groans, the slap of his damp skin against mine, all fill the air. I can only hope we’re being quiet enough.
Then he lets out a long, raw moan that he tries to bury, his arms shaking from the strain as he comes.
His movement slows, his body relaxes.
He collapses against me, his gaze drifting over my face, his breath heavy.
A tear escapes the corner of my eye, everything I’ve been feeling and trying to deal with, all my wants and needs and fears, it’s all coming to a head now. I can’t hold back.
“Are you okay?” he whispers, his breath heavy, his words kind.
I nod, pressing my lips together for a moment, trying to regain my breath. “I’m fine. I’m just . . . I’m happy.”
He frowns at me for a moment, the line between his brows deepening, and then he smiles. “I’m happy too.”
It sounds like such a simple emotion when you hear it, but when you feel it, really feel it, you know it’s anything but.
I close my eyes, letting that wash over me.
Our happiness.
“Piper.” Harrison’s voice slides into the haze of my thoughts. I think I was close to drifting off in his arms.
“Mmmm,” I say, snuggling into him deeper.
“What now?”
The question is so stark and loaded it makes my eyes fly open. I’m officially no longer asleep.
I twist in his arms to look at him, his arm now draped across my waist. “What do you mean, what now? Like . . . now, now? As in, do you go to sleep here or go to sleep in your own bed?”
He shakes his head, swallows. “No.”
I completely turn around, and he props his head up on his elbow. I’m searching his face for any signs of anguish or bad news, but there’s none to be found. His expression is quiet and thoughtful, plus a little bit sated from the sex.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, for us,” he says, reaching out with his other hand and brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Now that it’s all out in the open—far more open than I ever would have expected, to be honest—don’t you think we should figure out where we stand? Our future.”
I worry my lip between my teeth for a moment. The fact that he wants to have this conversation, that he wants to know what our future is, means more to me than he can know.
“I realize I may be too forward,” he goes on. The corner of his gorgeous mouth quirks up into a small grin. “But I don’t really care. I’m not letting go of you, Piper. I’m not pretending that I don’t want more for us, more than this.”
I swallow thickly. “I want more too,” I admit, feeling shy all of a sudden. “But I know you have your job, and the last thing I want is for it to come between us. You said it would take time to figure out how to make it work and balance, and I believe you. I’m by your side as it all gets sorted. I’m not going anywhere.” I pause, hit with the sudden weight of realization. “But I suppose . . . you are. You’re not meant to be here forever.”
“We’ll make it work.”
“And I can’t leave my mom, not now, even though she’s starting to come around. And my job . . .”
“Piper,” he says imploringly, holding my face as he stares into my eyes. “We’ll make it work. No matter what . . . I can always stay here.”
I blink at him. “Even when Eddie and Monica go back home?”
He nods. “Maybe a break will do me good. Maybe it will be more than a break. Look, I know this is all a bit fast and a bit much, but you have to understand . . . I’ve never felt this way in my whole entire life. You’ve opened up a whole new part of me, like . . . it’s like I’ve discovered a whole new solar system. And I can’t believe it’s been out there this whole time, just out of sight, just out of reach. But now I have it. I have you. And I’ll do anything not to lose you.”