Page 9 of Caramel Apple Cupcake

His little lawyer had him tied up in knots, and he was almost to his breaking point. She never shared what she had bought earlier that day, but he had a good idea. Now, he just needed to make sure she never wore it for anyone but him. Just then, the entrance opened, and he saw a vision that stopped him in his tracks.

His Harper.

As she walked closer, an intense feeling of need came over him. He was tired of playing this game of cat and mouse with her. He wanted his woman, even if she didn’t realize she belonged to him.

The skirt she was wearing hugged her hips, ending just above her knees. Black ankle boots covered her feet. The blouse she wore was a myriad of colors, including red, blue, and yellow. Those long braids he couldn’t wait to twist in his hands as he pounded her from behind, were twisted in a loose updo. In a nutshell, she looked extra fuckable tonight.

“Hey. I didn’t expect to see you here tonight.” Anders watched as she smiled up at him and sat down in her usual seat.

“I changed my mind about staying in tonight.” He didn’t know it, but tonight, Harper had a plan. Nothing would stop her from putting it into motion. “Figured I would head out tonight. Someone I’ve been talking to asked me out to dinner. SinceI wasn’t doing anything else…” she trailed off, shrugging her shoulder.

Anders saw red.What did she mean by that? A date? Nah, not this shit again. Tonight would not go the way she thought.

“Didn’t you already have an experience a few weeks ago? Is that something you really want to do again? Going out with these guys you meet online is not good.”

Inside, Harper was giddy with excitement. The only thought running through her head was, “Got ‘em.” She leaned closer and crooked a finger at Anders to draw him closer. Once he leaned in, she gazed into his eyes. “Well, who else is going to give me what I want? I’m lonely, Anders. Since you don’t want me, it’s time for me to find someone who does.”

And the bomb was dropped.

Curious to know how he would respond to her statement, Harper leaned back. Anders continued to stare at her with an incredulous look on his face. She could see a tic in his jaw as he clenched his teeth. Good. Maybe he would finally give her what she wanted most.

Him.

Anders was shocked at her words, but also happy. Now that he knew how she felt about him, there was no reason for him to wait any longer. He was free to do what he’d been thinking about for a while. Without saying another word, he turned away from Harper and called out to Cassie. “Hey, can you cover things tonight?”

Cassie nodded before she looked up and noticed Harper sitting at the end of the bar. “Yeah, boss. I got you. Take the night. It’s about time you do something for yourself.”

He nodded before walking out from the back toward Harper. Once he reached her, he put out one hand, taking the first step. “Let’s go.”

She smirked at him. “Where are we going?”

Of course, Harper knew where she wanted to go, but would let him take the lead. At least for the moment.

He smiled down at her before tilting his head. “Your place, sweetheart. It’s closer. I can always take you to my house, but I don’t plan to let you out of bed for a while. You would probably be more comfortable in your own space.” He lifted a hand and tugged on a braid hanging down from her updo. “We can order dinner if you want. But trust me, you’ll definitely need your energy.”

After she placed her hand in his, he pulled her close. The hand holding hers pulled her close. The other lifted to caress the soft skin of her face. Something melted inside him as he looked into her brown eyes. “Do you have any idea what you do to me? For months, I’ve wanted you. And I’ll be damned if you leave here tonight and go out with another man.”

In one swift movement, he leaned down to capture her lips with his. The kiss wasn’t long, but it was filled with so much promise. His cock hardened behind his jeans. As her lips moved against his, his head filled with visions of everything he wanted to do to her. Lick her. Suck her. Fuck her. Fill her with his babies. But putting a ring on her finger would be a part of that process.

All he wanted in this moment, and the next, was to be with her. Wake up next to her every morning. Crawl home to her each night. If he had never been forgiven for the things he’d done while in the military serving his country, then he knew this was his redemption. Her. Harper. Because he must have done something right in his life to have this chance with her.

The kiss lasted a few more seconds, and he heard Harper moan. Hands clenched his t-shirt as she pressed tighter against him.

Harper was ravenous and didn’t care who was watching them. With every second that passed, she wanted to wrap her legs around him and pull him close. But then the clappingstarted, breaking them apart. Everyone in the bar was staring at them. Their eyes remained locked on each other, not daring to look away. Harper was dazed, and a bit confused by the intensity of the emotions flowing through her from the contact.

After a few seconds of standing close to each other and breathing the same air, Anders clasped her hand tighter. “Sweetheart, I’m gonna break your fucking headboard,” he growled. He turned them toward the door and walked through the crowd staring at them. Some faces held smiles. Others shock. As they made their way through the crowd, he lifted one hand and waved to his staff. As they left the restaurant, their steps didn’t falter one bit. They had some place to be, and Anders was not stopping for anything. Destination: Harper’s apartment.

As he led the way, she almost giggled out loud. Something that was completely unlike her. Being this free and fun was a hidden part of herself that she rarely showed to others. Growing up in her family, she had no choice but to stay out of the way. Hidden from the sibling rivalry of her mean-spirited brother. She stayed under the radar just far enough so her mother and father would almost forget she was there. But with that, she also learned how to understand what made other people tick. What their triggers were.

Of course, she knew telling Anders she had a date tonight would garner a response. What she got was exactly what she had hoped for.

Neither spoke as they quickly made their way to her apartment. Words were unnecessary. They both knew what this was about. Need and desire had formed an undeniable connection between the two of them. Harper had come into his bar because she needed something different. A place to call her own when things became too tough with her family.

But she found something so much more. Six feet, four inches of man. Blond. Blue eyes. Sexy as fuck and all hers.

They made it to the apartment in record time. Opening the door, she walked in first, and Anders followed. She placed the keys in a bowl on the table. “Want something to drink?”

“No. I want something else.” He pressed up against her, his hands gripping her waist tightly. Leaning down, his lips devoured hers. His tongue, hot and demanding, thrust inside her mouth and tasted her sweet, unforgettable flavor. Anders was hooked.

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