“In three days,” she answers, and I nod. “You could…” She pulls in a breath and lets it out. “If you want… I mean, if you want you can hang around here until I get off,” she offers, and I know by her tone she wants that, and fuck if I don’t want the same thing.
“Sounds good.” I kiss her neck then let her go to grab the sugar that’s across the kitchen.
“I’m going to tell my parents,” she warns, and I stop halfway to her and her eyes come to me. “They’ve been asking about us and, well, if this is happening, I don’t want to keep it from them. That didn’t go over too well when my cousins kept their relationships from their parents.” She bites her lip then mutters, “Unless you don’t want me to tell them.”
“Not hiding us, Angel, but heads up. I’m not going to let your dad intimidate me. He’s tried that before, and as much as I respect him, I won’t like it if he tries that shit again.”
“He tried to intimidate you?” she asks, and I study her, wondering how she missed it when he made it obvious he wasn’t happy she was spending time with me, even if there was nothing happening between us at that time.
“Yeah, keyword: tried. I’m not easily intimidated, especially when I want something. And now, after we shared what we shared last night and this morning, I know I want more of that. And your dad isn’t going to get in the way of me having it,” I tell her, watching the look from earlier come back, this time stronger than before.
“Okay,” she agrees quietly, opening the creamer and dumping some in her cup, leaving mine black but adding sugar. Handing me a cup, she leans back against the counter with hers. “Is this weird?” she questions, and I rest my hip against the counter opposite her.
“Weird how?”
“I don’t know. This just feels normal. Even when I’ve been with a guy for a while, I feel anxious. With you…” She shakes her head. “I don’t feel that. It’s weird.”
“We’ve spent a lot of time together,” I point out, and she nods, taking a sip of her coffee. “You know how I like my coffee without me having to tell you, know what kinda shows I watch, what I do with my free time. And I know the same things about you.”
“I guess you’re right,” she replies.
“All that means is now we getta move onto the good shit without the anxiety.”
“Good stuff?”
“Yeah.” I grin, and her eyes drop to my mouth. “Now I get to find out how wet I can make you just by whispering in your ear, find out how fast I can make you come with just my fingers. I get to discover things, like I found out this morning that you’re just as beautiful when you wake up as when you go to sleep. Good shit,” I finish, seeing her mouth is softer and her eyes are darker than they were before I started speaking.
“Right,” she whispers, taking another sip from her coffee.
Sipping from my own cup, I watch Dizzy run into the kitchen and jump up, placing his paws on her bare leg. Reaching down, she picks him up. “You ready to eat?” she asks him, and he answers by licking her jaw, making her laugh. I lean back and watch her wander around the kitchen in her robe. Knowing I can kiss and touch her whenever I want, all I can think is, Yeah, this is the good shit.
Chapter 5
Harmony
SEEING AT LEAST A DOZEN missed texts on the screen of my cell phone, I bite my lip and start going through them one by one. Apparently, no one missed Harlen tossing me over his shoulder and leaving with me last night. Obviously, they were all okay with him taking off with me, since no one even attempted to rescue me from him.
I need to finish getting ready for work, so I send everyone a quick text letting them know I’m okay and will call as soon as I have time to explain everything that happened, and there is a lot to explain. I lift my head when I see a shadow fall over me and watch Harlen, who’s still shirtless, wearing only jeans, put a hand on the bed at my hip and his face close to mine. “Gotta get to my place, shower, then get to the shop.”
“‘Kay.” I study his eyes and handsome face up close, loving that I now know exactly how his lips feel when they are pressed against mine and how his beard feels against my skin.
“I’ll see you when you get home tonight.”
“‘Kay,” I repeat, watching him smile.
“Kiss me, Angel.”
“‘Kay,” I breathe, lifting my hands to his warm, rock-solid bare chest then sliding them up to his shoulders, using the leverage to lift myself up to kiss him. I may start off placing my mouth against his, but before long, he takes over and turns the kiss into something else… something better… something hotter. God, I didn’t know anyone could kiss the way he kisses. I had no idea a kiss could take the oxygen out of your lungs while at the same time filling you up with life.