Tears welled in her eyes, leaking down her cheeks onto the pillow. “Yes, I know.” Chase’s honesty was love. His respect for her was love. His wanting her to be happy was love. His heated touch was love.
One of his hands slid around her nape, holding her to him, then his thrusting picked up more speed, and this was love.
Feeling closer and more connected to him than ever, she tucked her legs around his thighs, urging him deeper, needing to feel all of him. He growled in her ear, and the rough masculine sound speaking of lust and hunger made her shudder, her breath hitching.
The strength of his body encased her all the same when his mouth returned to hers. His kiss became so much more than anything he’d ever given to her. There were no barriers between them anymore, just the two of them, in the darkness, their bodies being connected in this moment, their souls and hearts exposed.
The truth finally laid bare between them.
She sensed herself slip away beneath his kiss, losing a bit of herself to him that she would never get back. Something that would forever belong to Chase, and only him. Maybe he felt it too, because then he growled, a sound full of hot possession, and he pumped his hips hard and fast.
She froze beneath him, her breath catching in her throat as his cock hardened. And with his pleasure came hers. Deep inside her, he rubbed against the perfect spot, over and over again. Her eyes shut, chin lifting to the ceiling, toes pointing as he rode her hard. His deep groans filled her ears as he thrust feverishly and frantically, grunting his pleasure. And in that high of him releasing all his stress, strain, and finding everything he needed to ground himself again, she crashed over the edge alongside him.
When they were left a tangled mess in the sheets, she lay breathless, watching him slide off her, grabbing a tissue and removing the condom. She tingled from head to toe, movement of any kind impossible now. He returned to her, shifted her back onto her side as if he hadn’t ever woken her, and wrapped her in the strength of his arms.
“Are you okay?” she asked before they drifted off to sleep.
He snuggled his face into her neck, locking his arms around her. “I am now.”
Chapter 11
When Harper woke the following morning, it was to an empty bed. Luckily, her disappointment faded fast when she rolled over, spotting a note on Chase’s pillow in his handwriting.
Can’t wait to see you tonight.—C
Right, today was Brody’s wedding.
With thoughts of all the things she needed to do for the wedding, on top of getting ready, as well as packing the final boxes for her flight tomorrow, she made a quick stop at the grocery store. S
he grabbed everything she needed to make all the appetizers for the reception tonight.
Forty minutes after leaving Chase’s house, she returned home, finishing off the final bite of the warm croissant she bought at the store, ready to begin cooking. She placed the grocery bags on the counter by the stove, thoughts of last night a constant tease replaying in her mind. Chase’s hot body grinding against her. Those deep, low moans. Yes, all of that was right there in her thoughts, but then there was so much more. Most of all, how he craved her and needed her. Heat flooded between her thighs as if Chase were right there kissing her, readying her for him. She had liked being in his bed when he got home last night. In fact, if she was being honest with herself, she wanted every night to be just like that.
One day, that’s all they had left. It didn’t seem fair. It wasn’t long enough. Why had time gone so fast?
Knowing she would get nowhere if she kept thinking about him and all that happened between them last night, she focused on the task ahead of her. She took out what she needed from the grocery bags and got started.
An hour later, lost in her work and with the radio turned on low, the rock station keeping her entertained, she placed the final pieces of the basil on top of the bruschetta. She was shaking her hips to the beat, belting out the chorus of the song, when she realized she wasn’t alone.
A quick look over her shoulder revealed Emma standing in the doorway of the kitchen, her hair in a ponytail.
“I am your sous chef; put me to work,” said Emma, entering the kitchen holding two paper coffee cups in her hands. “But be prepared for me to ruin your beautiful food with my shitty cooking.” She offered Harper a paper cup and smiled. “Caramel latte, your favorite.”
“I could kiss you right now.” Harper grabbed the tea towel off the counter, wiping her hands, then accepted the cup. “Thank you.” She took a sip, her eyes fluttering closed at the sweet frothy milk and the sugary syrup. “You have no idea how much I needed this right now.”
“Late night?” Emma asked, waggling her eyebrows.
“You could say that.” Harper licked the frothy milk off her top lip.
Emma laughed, obviously reading between the lines. She placed her coffee cup down by the sink. “What can I help with?”
Harper took another sip of her latte, examining the remaining items on the counter. “Honestly, there isn’t too much to do. Since Brody and Faith are getting married at sunset tonight, they’re not doing much food-wise. They didn’t ask for anything specific, so I thought things like cheeses, meats, breads, nuts, fruits, fig jam, and all that yummy snacky-type stuff would work best for tonight.”
Emma glanced at the items on the counter and then rolled her eyes. “I love how simple you made that all sound.”
“It is simple.” Harper frowned.
Emma pointed to the bruschetta. “When I make bruschetta, it looks like tomatoes piled on toast. You might need to instruct me on this art you call bruschetta.”