Callum & Harper (Sleepless 1)

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?”

She leaned back a bit, taken aback at how open we were being.

“Lead the way, Callum.”

I picked up her hand and lead her to the window that opened to the balcony garden that Cherry had grown for Charlie. I scooped my arm behind her knees, reveling at her sharp intake of breath, and sat on the sill before working our bodies through. I swung my legs over and stood up, still holding Harper. Her mouth was open slightly in curiosity. I slid her body down mine to set her upright again. If I’m doing this, I’m doing this. No turning back.

I inched my face closer to hers, our mouths an inch apart, a repeat of that day in front of The Hope House. I couldn’t believe I was about to confess all. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply through my nose in preparation but her delicious scent sent me reeling forward into her mouth, devouring every square millimeter of her lips.

I breathed out years of pent up frustration at having tasted her once but denying myself every day that we were married and she kissed me back. I consumed a passion from her I’d never known could exist. She threaded her fingers through my hair and I nearly whimpered at the feel of them, my eyes rolling to the back of my closed eyes. I clutched her waist tightly, inhaling her breaths as I practically swallowed her beautiful tongue. We traded control, back and forth, back and forth, kissing in undulating waves and she tasted incredible, like honeydew and strawberries. I couldn’t stop myself from licking her bottom lip to savor the flavor.

I lifted her by the back of her thighs and pushed her into the bit of wall near Charlie’s window and as we collided, our breaths rushed out in a huff. She wrapped her legs around my waist and purred with satisfaction, practically giggling. I broke free from the kiss, both of us panting from the exertion. I feverishly kissed below her jaw, her neck, and along her collarbone as she ran her nails along my shoulders, a moan barely escaped from her lips earning a light chuckle from me. She amused me. Oh, how she amused me.

“What’s so funny?” She wheezed, the back of her head resting against the wall, giving me better access to her neck, her eyes closed but her mouth smiling.

“You’re so amazing,” I whispered into her neck between kisses. I squeezed her hips between my thumbs and forefingers.

I kissed her mouth again, in disbelief. She smacked intensity. It made me want to bow in acquiescence, to bend prostrate before this woman, if she let me. I would worship the ground she walked on.

“Take me home,” she whispered without thinking.

“You are home, Harper,” I answered, running my hands up her sides, feeling her beautiful ribs, stopping just below her breasts.

She looked at me like she’d just woken, sleepy and confused. “You’re right.”

“I want to yell at everybody to leave,” I laughed into the crook of her neck.

“Why don’t you tell them we’re tired?” She said between soft, caressing kisses along my jaw line.

“I am feeling a bit sleepy myself,” I joked, squeezing her thighs and contradicting my words. She gasped lightly and, again, married her lips with mine.

I knew I would never get my fill of Harper, never.

“Callum?” We heard Sam calling through the apartment.

“Damn it!” I exclaimed, letting Harper down, really not wanting to let Harper down.

I kept her pinned to the wall as we tried to steady our labored breathing.

“We’re here!” I yelled in frustration, never taking my eyes from Harper.

I leaned about six inches from her but kept her restrained with my arms on either side of her face. All she could do was stare at me, breathless, making me want to attack her with everything I had. I kissed her softly on her cheek, making her shudder. I smiled in flirtation, a promise of things to come.

“I want you, Mrs. Tate,” I whispered in her ear.

“I want you more, husband,” she countered, making me shiver as well in ecstasy.