Page 29 of Your Heart & Mine

"Tell me to stop, and I will," he rasped, forcing himself to pull back and meet her eyes.

Eyes dark with desire, she shook her head. "I don't want you to stop."

Permission granted, he captured her lips again this time with more ferocity. She responded in kind, hands tangling in his curls. He swept her into his arms, carrying her to the bedroom, their lips never leaving the others.

In short order, clothes fell away, and he gazed at her lying on the quilt. Her breasts were heaving with her panting breaths, her skin flushed with desire. He couldn't remember ever seeing her more beautiful."

"You're perfect, Harper. I've missed you so much."

"I missed you, too," she whispered, reaching her arms up to him in silent supplication.

He worshipped every inch of her, hands and mouth kindling desire until she writhed and pleaded wordlessly. Only then did he join their bodies, groaning as her heat surrounded and tightened around him.

Moving slowly, he watched her fall apart before letting go and finding his own powerful release. After, they lay entwined, her head on his chest as he stroked her hair.

"Stay with me tonight," he implored softly.

She nodded and he was gratified that it was without hesitation. He gathered her close, wanting to remain in the moment forever.

As dawn's light filled the room, Harper stirred, momentarily disoriented. She wasn't in her own four-poster bed. Then she remembered. Wyck. The cabin. Last night.

His chest rose and fell steadily beneath her cheek. Turning her head, she studied his relaxed face. Though faint creases marked his skin that hadn't been there before, in sleep, he resembled the boy she had known even more. He looked at peace, free of the weight that seemed to hang on him when he was awake. Her heart constricted. Once, she'd known every line of that handsome face. This one had a new map to learn.

Careful not to wake him, she slipped from his embrace. Finding his dress shirt on the floor, she shrugged it on and made her way to the kitchen. She texted her sisters so they wouldn't worry:

Harper: All is well. Stayed over with a friend last night. See you later today.

They didn't need to know that 'friend' was Wyck. They would figure it out soon enough. For now, she simply wanted to keep this small secret to herself.

As she started coffee, strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

"Good morning," Wyck rumbled in her ear.

She leaned back into him with a smile. "Morning."

Over coffee at the small dining table, sunlight warming their bare skin, Harper found the courage to come clean. She didn't want this small deception between them any more.

"Cam isn't my boyfriend, you know."

Wyck's head jerked up at the unexpected segue. "No?"

She shook her head, wrapping her hands around the mug. "Just my best friend. He's like a brother to me. And he's gay."

Her lips tipped up behind the rim of her cup as she watched the play of emotions roll across Wyck's face. Finally, relief won and she was rewarded with a smile. He reached over to squeeze her hand. "I'm glad you told me. I'm sorry I was such an ass about him. Now I feel like a fool."

"You're not a fool. I let you believe it. I'm sorry, too." There was still so much to discuss, but for now, this small understanding was enough.

Eventually, reluctantly, Wyck drove her home. After a lingering kiss in the Range Rover, she walked up to face her family, still surrounded by his scent.

As she closed the front door and leaned against it, footsteps pounded down the stairs. As expected, her sisters immediately cornered her.

"What the hell, Harper?" Elizabeth demanded, her arms crossed. "Stayed with a friend? Is there any doubt of who that friend is?"

She tried to hedge at first, then seeing they had no hope of escaping, admitted the truth.

"Fine. I spent the night with Wyck." She attempted to push past her sisters to get to the stairs, but Elizabeth grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing, Harper?" Elizabeth asked, her voice full of censure.

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