Callum & Harper (Sleepless 1)

“Let’s get to Charlie’s,” he said but stopped short. “Wait, I’ve got to pick us up a few chargers for our stupid phones first. Then, we need to call our insurance company about the fire. I’m afraid that will be your job, love, because I have no idea who we go through.”

“God forbid something ever happen to me,” I said, not thinking.

He stopped short once more and glared at me fiercely. “Don’t say things like that, Harper.” He positioned himself in front of me and held my face in his hands. “If you left me, for whatever reason, it would be the death of me.” He let out a shuddering breath, and then gripped my hand, like he couldn’t stand the thought of breaking the touch.

Oh my God, I had it so bad. I loved him more than I thought I could ever love another. When we first met, it had been a new love, a genuine love but not as deep as it became with time. As the years passed, Callum became my everything. My happiness was tied to him in strands of transparent steel cables, nothing could break those ties except for Callum himself and I trusted him so implicitly. Callum was as selfless a man could be and in a world where an attribute of that caliber was more rare than a pink diamond, I clutched him tightly to my heart, fully aware of just how priceless he doubtlessly was.

Unexpectedly, as we walked to the phone store, I knew that time was as precious as his selflessness. I promised myself to reveal all despite the possible consequences.

“What are you thinking about?” He asked softly, as we held hands walking the sidewalk, like our lives weren’t in mortal danger or that our home hadn’t burnt to a crisp.

“I’m thinking,” I teased, “that tonight is going to be an amazing one.”

“Is that so?” He questioned, one brow strategically raised, his head cocked back a bit, adding a tiny, sexy oomph to the way he swung our hands.

I loved flirting with Callum. He was dynamite at it but he always kept it in check, like he was afraid to lead me on. Suddenly, I wasn’t so sure about my plan to reveal all but just as quickly, I steeled myself again. I had to do it. I needed to do it.

“Yes, most definitely,” I thought but also said out loud.

His cheeks pinkened a bit and he fought a smile, making him gorgeous and humble all in one blow. His teeth were white and perfect and, dang, if I hadn’t just heard a bell tinkle as the sun shone off them like a mirror. Damn, that boy is going to be the death of me. All my worries evaporated when he smiled at me and it was more than welcome. I tamped down all my irreverent thoughts, focused again on walking instead of tripping on the random crack in the sidewalk I always ended up falling over because I was too busy ogling my husband like a complete and utter goofball.

Chapter Fourteen

Electric Feel

Callum

Back at Charlie’s, Harper called the insurance company and arranged for an adjuster to come out. They would issue us a check on the spot the following Tuesday. That made both of us feel a heck of a lot better about getting our lives somewhat back to normal. We decided to get a new place as soon as possible but we’d put it in a different name not associated with us personally. Also, we wrote our professors and let them all know what was going on. Ninety percent of them were already aware and agreed to send our assignments to us via email until we returned so we wouldn’t get too far behind the progress of the other students.

We laid down around four in the afternoon, exhausted, but not even an hour later, our crew came piling in, in droves, and we knew that would be it on sleep. They came bearing gifts and by gifts, I mean a meal fit for a king and a ton of red wine to ‘take our minds off the fire’ but, the truth was, they just loved their wine as these ‘gifts’ were a Saturday night staple if the band didn’t have a gig.

Harper and I rarely drank and if we did, it was only a glass or two with dinner and we were set. I had no idea if Harper would partake that evening due to the stress. I hoped she wouldn’t. I needed her sober for my confession.

“Time for dinner!” Cherry called to the group as she laid a very large bowl of pasta in the center of the table. We all gathered around the presentation but before we sat, Cherry spoke up. “I think we should start a new tradition!” She announced to the group. “And Charlie’s in agreement. In fact, it was his idea. Charlie?”

Charlie stepped forward and wrapped a hand around Cherry’s. “I’m not sure why we never did this before as we’ve got an incredible amount to be thankful for but I just want to start off our meals in a prayer, if that’s okay with everyone?”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Lord, we are humbled by your generosity. You have given our entire family here tonight something to be truly thankful for. We thank you for this food. We thank you for our health and life. For all this, we thank you and ask that you continue to watch over each one of us, especially Callum and Harper as they are going through a particularly harsh time. In Your name, we pray.”

“Amen,” the group sounded and it was abruptly obvious that hearts were lighter, eyes brighter.

“Let the merriment begin!” Charlie sang.

We both got caught in group conversation until very late at night as the wine poured freely and the food was plentiful or maybe it was that I was nervous and avoiding the inevitable. Enough! I told myself. I stood up when Cherry left her seat to join Charlie at his end of the table, leaving the seat next to Harper vacant. I practically sprinted to the empty chair and sat beside her, eager to profess it all. I noticed a rather full glass of wine beside Harper’s plate and hoped it was Cherry’s.

“Hey,” I said with a wink.

“Hey,” she said back, boldly threading her hand with mine. “I thought you’d never come over here.”

“Why? Did you have something you wanted to say to me?” I asked, a brow cocked over one eye.

“I have an unbelievable amount I’d like to say to you,” she said, bringing her mouth to my ear, “but nothing I can say here.”

I shuddered, making her laugh sexily in my ear. An incredible warmth spread from her mouth to my ear and down my neck.

I leaned into her ear and whispered, “Then what are we still doing here?”