Callum & Harper (Sleepless 1)

“It’s Friday, babe,” she said, poking me with her bare foot in the ribs.

“Don’t! That tickles,” I said, laughing and grabbing my side. “I know, should we see if The Ivories are playing tonight?”

“That’s a really good idea. I’m tired of staying in and I haven’t seen Cherry in a week.”

“I think Charlie will be there as well,” I stated absently.

“Good, maybe he can jump off his ‘dumb stool’ and get with the program already.”

“I know! It’s been two years already. Make a move!”

She laughed. So did I, but it wasn’t out of humor. It was out of stupidity at my own statement. I was a massive hypocrite.

Harper put on a short skirt, not too short, I made sure of that. Yeah, I’m a Neanderthal but a sane Neanderthal and that’s all I cared about. She wore her boots and a tight vintage tee. She let her hair down and it flowed to the middle of her back. As she put on her make-up, I walked by her open door to the kitchen and did a double take as she was slightly bent over. I couldn’t help myself. I came to stand behind her and watched, running my hands through her copper strands. She closed her eyes lazily and swallowed hard.

“Stop,” she said breathlessly. “You’re making me sleepy.”

I didn’t listen, just kept right on threading my fingers. She slowly tried to apply lip gloss but I could tell her arms felt heavy and a deep, exciting blast of warmth shot through my legs and pooled in my stomach knowing I had that kind of effect on her. Her eyes drooped closed as she stood, then leaned back into me.

“Keep doing that and I’ll end up spending what’s supposed to be a fun night out in that bed instead,” she said, making me close my own eyes at the unintentional double meaning. I wish.

I started to run my hands over her shoulders but wasn’t able to stop them from running along her ribs and down to her hips, squeezing the bone. She let out a little gasp, her eyes still closed, the back of head resting on my shoulder, her mouth slightly open. I stared at her mouth and wished I could kiss her again the way I’d kissed her on our wedding day. Run, I told myself.

“Alright,” I barely spit out and left the room, practically sprinting to the bathroom.

Once inside, I ran the cold water in the sink and splashed my face and neck. I stood and looked at myself in the mirror. How long are you going to be able to do this? I flushed the toilet to make it seem like I was in there for a reason rather than trying to gain some semblance of composure. I heard a knock at the front door, then Harper making her way to the living room, then opening it.

“Callum! Charlie’s here!”

“Tell him I’ll be right out!” I yelled through the door. I turned off the water, grabbed one of Harper’s ridiculous guest towels and wiped my face dry. A few drops landed on my t-shirt but it was dark and I hoped she wouldn’t notice. Charlie and Harper were laughing when I entered the living room.

“Alrighty,” I said, trying to ignore the woman standing next to my best friend, my wife. “Let’s go.”

The Ivories were amazing that night. At least, I think they were amazing. I couldn’t really concentrate because Harper was leaning against the bar top, facing the stage, talking to SO. They were just chatting. That didn’t bother me. What I cared about, was the punk on the opposite side of her that couldn’t keep his eyes to himself. Of course, Harper hadn’t noticed, too engrossed in whatever she was talking to SO about.

I stood in a dark side of the room, watching her, like a freak. A cold shiver ran up my spine with no idea why. An ominous feeling crept through my veins. Get a hold of yourself, Tate. I clenched my hands in fists and released, over and over and over, pretending to watch the stage but every five seconds my eyes gravitated back toward her. She absently placed the back heel of her right leg on the foot rest behind her, making her left leg’s muscle tense under her shifting weight and the hem of her skirt rise a tiny bit. I wanted to fall on my knees in front of her and worship those legs.

The punk’s eyes shifted to her thigh and I had to physically restrain myself from running over there and punching him in the face. Then he did the unspeakable. He turned toward her and tapped her shoulder. SO didn’t notice and I wanted to yell at him to intervene. She turned toward him with a sweet smile on her face. ‘Yes?’ She mouthed. He said something to her and she laughed, sending a jealous, coursing storm through my veins. He shifted closer to her and I made a move to break it up but she moved back from his invitation and into SO. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing SO would now intervene but a young blonde across the room had caught his attention and he was entranced.

Harper shook her head back and forth with the same smile still plastered across her face. She raised her left hand and showed him her ring. ‘Married’. She mouthed again. Ugh! Good girl! I felt my heart start to slow a little bit but pick right back up to ridiculous speed when the guy shoved her hand away and tried to push himself into her by her hip.

I’d had enough. I started shoving people as I made my way across the room to the bar. A few people shoved back but I didn’t care. They could follow me if they wanted to do something about it. SO had left the counter to talk to that girl, not noticing Harper’s predicament. By the time I reached her, Harper was frantically pawing at the guy to get him off of her.

“Stop!” I heard her yell.

Finally, I was within reach so I grabbed the guy and shoved him back.

“Didn’t you hear my wife?” I asked him. “She told you to stop.”

Harper was wiping tears from her cheeks when she sidled up closely to me. I wrapped an arm around her waist.

“Sorry, dude,” the guy said, throwing his hands in the air. He was drunk and could barely stand. He immediately noticed another girl he fancied and made his way over to her.

“What an idiot,” she said laughing, trying to make light of the situation.

“He was drunk,” I offered. “That was the only thing that prevented me from shoving him to the ground.” I thought twice and remembered how scared her face looked. I began to charge him again.

“Don’t,” Harper said, flustered and pushing me back a little. “It’s not worth it. Come dance with me.”