Where We Belong (A Touch of Fate 1)
“They are.” Her eyes are smiling at me, her straight, white teeth framed by her dimples.
I look at the papers and then back up to her. “For whatever I want?” I ask with a hint of
suggestion. One eyebrow raised, she slowly nods at me.
Suddenly, I feel the need to confirm. “Like anything, anything?”
“Apart from giving you Max,” she laughs, “they’re good for absolutely anything.” Her hand slides up my chest and wraps around my neck, tangling in my hair. She strokes my scalp several times, her tiny nails causing the hair on the back of my neck to stand up. “I trust you,” she whispers against my mouth. “So yes, they’re good for anything.”
Her soft lips close over mine and her tongue enters, instantly tangling with mine. I groan into her mouth and gently fist my hand in her hair at the nape of her neck.
“TY! COME ON!” Max yells through the back door. Harley giggles as she pulls back, and I close my eyes, dropping my forehead to hers.
“Cockblocker,” I murmur. Tossing her head back, Harley lets out a throaty laugh that makes my cock twitch.
Her phone pings and she slides off the couch, grabbing it from the coffee table. A smile spreads across her face as she types furiously on the screen. "Who is it?" I ask, curious who put that look on her face.
She glances at me briefly before turning her attention back to her phone. "It's my friend, Celeste. She was just checking in to say ‘hi.’"
"Do I know her?" I ask. "I don't think I've ever heard you talk about her."
Harley's face softens before she says, "We met in an online support group."
A heavy weight settles in the pit of my stomach and I cock my head her. "I didn't know you were in a support group."
She takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly. "There’s still a lot you don’t know, Tyson.” And there are some things you’ll never know. “It was a long time ago. Celeste and I connected almost instantly, bonded by the fact that we’ve both been through some terrible things."
My stomach rolls with regret. I wasn't there for Harley when she needed me most, and I'm not sure I’ll ever be able to forgive myself for that. "I'm glad you have one another," I say sincerely.
She smiles, but there's no humor in it. "Me too. Quinn and Levi have been unbelievable, but my friendship with Celeste has definitely been another silver lining."
I nod, at a loss for words. Seemingly done with the conversation, Harley reaches a hand out to help me up. Her words spark something deep inside of me, but I can’t give it much thought... right now, I have a birthday present to cash in on.
“IT’S OKAY, MOM, DON’T worry about it…yes, really…no, I’ll find someone…Quinn, maybe…okay…love you too, bye.” Rolling her eyes, Harley tosses her phone on the table.
“What was that about?” I ask, bending down to pull Max’s shoes off. The second I’m done, he jumps up and runs to the refrigerator, grabbing a bottle of water.
“Can I take this in my room?” He’s looking at me, but I’m not sure why. I glance at Harley and she cocks an eyebrow and shrugs. Max is still watching me, waiting for an answer. “Can I?” he asks again.
“Uh…sure, buddy.“ I look at Harley and she nods. “Just be careful, don’t spill it.”
“I won’t!” I watch, frozen in place, as Max bounds off down the hall. He asked me for permission to do something. Me—not Harley. I rub a hand across my chest where I feel my heart flipping over.
Harley pats my arm. “You did great.”
“Yeah?” I confirm.
“Yeah.” Pushing up on her tiptoes, she kisses my cheek before moving to the sink.
“Who were you talking to when I walked in?” Pulling a towel out of the drawer, I grab a plate and start drying it.
“My mom,” she sighs, handing me another plate. “She was supposed to watch Max for me this Saturday since I have to work, but she had something come up and she can’t do it.”
“So what are you going to do?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know.” Glancing at me, she frowns. “Maybe I’ll ask Quinn.”
Hello? Am I invisible? “I’ll keep him.” Harley’s eyes snap to mine and she hands me another plate, her eyes roaming my face as though she’s trying to gauge my sincerity.