Page 103 of Beautiful Chaos

Dumb ass.

She told me she’d be done in fifteen minutes, about ten minutes back, so I was hanging tight for another five. After that, though, all bets were off.

It had been two days since she had that flashback, and neither of us had spoken of it. I figured if she needed to talk she would. In the meantime, there was no reason to bring it up and put her back through the torture. I didn’t realize she was holding so much inside.

Holding things in causes more damage than good, I’m a prime example of that. I set up an appointment for her to see a therapist on Tuesday. I haven’t told her yet but I’m hoping she will go. I feel it will be good for her. I just can’t sit back and watch her blame herself anytime she struggles with her trauma.

Dr. Reed is one of the best in her field. She is highly recommended. She specializes in childhood trauma and PTSD. I planned to tell Harper on the flight home after our trip. There was no sense in upsetting her and potentially ruining the trip for her either.

A smile tugged at my lips when I suddenly remembered the fashion show, well more like a strip tease Harper put on for me last night. She tried on every single piece of lingerie from the boutique I sent her to on Tuesday while Max and I were away. Per my request, tried them on, and let me rate them one to five. One was fucking incredible and five was fucking irresistible. From what I could tell they were all fives but maybe it was more so the woman underneath. Her curves were on display in each set. I was a good boy, I just watched, each agonizing taunt, causing my restraint to slip a little more, but once I was given the okay, I showed her how beautiful she was in more ways than I could count.

I was pleasantly pulled away from my fantastic memories by the sound of Harper’s laptop closing

“There, all done.” She stood up and walked toward me. I sat up and once she was within reach, I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down on my lap. With a huff from her lips, she obeyed.

she put her hands on my cheeks and pulled me into a kiss with so much passion It made me wonder what exactly she was writing about.

Since Harper started writing her novel, there have been many nights that she used our bedroom for research.

“Why won’t you let me read any of your work?” I’ve tried to peek, and without a moment’s notice, I got whacked across the chest and warned. An angry Harper is not one to be reckoned with, that’s for sure. So, like everyone else, I’ll have to wait until it’s complete.

“It’s not ready.” She kissed the tip of my nose. I scrunched my face in disdain, even though I secretly fucking love her little tender endearments.

“Fine, I’ll keep out of your little piece of ‘Cliterature’ in progress, but I want to be the first to read it when it’s done,” I demanded, even though I have no real power over her decision. She smiled a sweet smile and nodded her head.

“I promise you will be the first.” She laid her head in the crook of my neck, and breathed in my scent she peppered kisses in the sensitive spot near my ear.

“But I do have a scene I’m struggling with. Care to help me out?” She pulled away to waggle her eyebrows.

Such a little temptress.

I stood up from the couch taking her with me, as she wrapped her legs around my waist.

Chapter 73

HARPER

“Ihave zero idea what to pack for this thing.” I threw a handful of dresses onto the bed, and stormed into the closet to pull more from their hangers.

“It won’t matter, I’m sure the activities you partake in most of the stay won’t require any of these, or clothing in general.” Aster chuckled through the last part.

“Excuse me but Jasper and I have a relationship that is built on way more than giving in to our physical desires, unlike anything you’d know about, our relationship is much deeper than sex.” I snatched the maxi dress she currently held in front of her, while she stood in front of the oversized mirror Jasper insisted, we have in the bedroom.

“Oh, I bet,” she teased, pointing in the direction of an incredibly risqué piece of lingerie laid out on the bed, where moments ago, I was trying to decide which outfit, if you could call it that, to bring with me. She waggled her eyebrows and snatched the Maxi dress back from my tight grip playfully.

“This little number here would make your ass look great.”

“So, what’s the latest with you and Max? Any chemistry there since you guys have been teaming up to snag that recording from Prestyn?” I couldn’t help but ask. Deep down, I’m convinced they’re destined to be together. They click, you know? Honestly, imagining them married with kids really gets me pumped –picture our kids being little buddies and all of us sharing one big, happy home. Like one big happy family, something I never got as a child but something I always wanted.

“No and stop trying to force that. He doesn’t like me like that.” She said more of a question than a statement.

Jasper slipped up a few nights ago when I asked if Max was into Aster. He said Max had been into Aster since before he saw her. Max did a background check on me and Aster when Jasper became interested in me. It was real stalker vibes, but I’ve gotten past that. I understood why he did things the way he did, and it worked out for the best. I would never allow him to pull some stupid shit like that again, but I looked past it and I couldn’t be happier that I did.

“Oh, come on Aster you are a freaking catch. He’d be lucky to have a babe like you,”

“Well, we will see. Not everyone gets the fairy tale story like you did.”

I scoffed at her statement.