Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 99967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
And when I pull back, I tuck her hair behind her ear.
“I have to shower,” I whisper. “And then I’ll make you dinner.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She presses her lips together, then licks them as if she’s searching for my taste. It almost makes me kiss her again.
But I really do need a shower.
So I grab the groceries from the back of the car, then lead her inside through the mudroom off the garage.
“This is a nice neighborhood,” she says as she follows me in and kicks her shoes off by the door as if she’s settling in to stay a while.
Fuck yes, get cozy, sweetheart.
“I like it,” I reply, leading her into the kitchen. “Most of my neighbors are older, so it’s really quiet. I don’t mind kids, but it is nice when I have to sleep during the day, and there isn’t a bunch of yelling outside in the summer.”
She nods. “I get it. Xander’s house is super quiet, too. Here, let me unload, and you go get in the shower.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. It’ll also give me time to snoop around your house.”
I smirk, kiss her cheek, and wrap my arms around her chest from behind so I can hold her against me. “Snoop away, sugar. I don’t have any secrets.”
“I was kidding.”
“I’m not.” I press my lips to her head and breathe her in. “Nothing is off-limits. Open drawers, look under the bed, and check out the closets. Whatever you want. Oh, don’t judge me if you find some dust bunnies.”
She looks around and then cranes her neck to look up at me. “It’s spotless in here, Blake.”
“The housekeeper does an excellent job.” I let her go and walk through the kitchen. “I’ll be twenty minutes.”
“Take your time.”
I’d invite her to join me, but I haven’t had her naked and writhing since Thanksgiving, and I want to take my time with her.
I want to fucking savor her.
Just fifteen minutes later, I walk out and find Harper curled up at the end of my sofa, a book in her hands, chewing on the cuticle of her thumb, crying.
The fuck? Absolutely not.
“What’s wrong?”
Her gaze jumps up to mine, startled, and she laughs and wipes her eyes. “Oh, it’s fiction. Stupid books make me cry sometimes. I went to one book club meeting and got hooked. I’m reading this for the next one, and I’m a mess.”
“What is it?” I ask her as I squat in front of her and wipe the tears from her soft cheek.
“It’s called Camera Shy by Kay Cove, and it’s just so good.” She sighs, tucks the bookmark in to hold her place, and sets the book aside. “Okay, how can I help? What do you need?”
“Just the pleasure of your company.” Taking her hand, I pull her to her feet and lead her to the kitchen. “Have a seat. This won’t take long.”
I get a pot filled with water on the stove to boil and pull ingredients out of the fridge and pantry. When I turn back, Harper’s leaning on the counter, her chin in her hand.
“Who taught you to cook?” she asks.
“My mom. She’s an excellent teacher, and I paid attention. Actually, all of us can hold our own in the kitchen. How about you?”
“I just figured it out with time.” She shrugs. “I was pretty young when I started cooking, actually.”
The reminder of how she started out in life makes me frown. I hate that she had shitty parents who didn’t take care of her the way she should have been.
My phone rings, and my eyes meet hers as I reach for it.
“Déjà vu,” she says with half a smile.
I glance down and see that it’s my sister.
Rather than answer, I shoot her a text.
Me: Emergency?
The dots dance on the screen as she answers.
“It’s my sister,” I tell her. “Just making sure it’s not urgent.”
Harper grins.
Billie: Nope. Just wondering if you want to come over for dinner on Sunday. Dani’s comfortable bringing Bryce for everyone to meet and celebrate.
Me: I’ll be there.
With that, I power off the phone and set it on the opposite end of the kitchen, on the charger.
“Did you just turn your phone off?” Harper asks, her eyebrows raised in surprise.
“Yes. I refuse to be interrupted tonight. I’m not on call, and my family is fine. I want time with you, sugar.”
She watches me for a moment, then pulls her phone out of her pocket, powers it off, and sets it next to mine on the counter, making me smile.
“Deal.”
“Okay, now I’m embarrassed,” Harper says after she finishes eating and pushes her plate away.
“Why?”
“Because you made me something I would get in a Michelin-rated restaurant, and I made you a breakfast burrito. What was I thinking?”
She covers her face with her hands, and I laugh as I take one of her hands and pull her over into my lap.