Page 78 of Ship Happens

“We make a good team,” she says with a small smile. “Even when publicly confessing to our complicated relationship.”

Outside the studio, my driver waits with the car. As we settle into the back seat, I allow myself to relax, loosening my tie with a sigh of relief.

“So,” I say as the car pulls into Manhattan traffic, “we’re officially official.”

“But is it on Facebook?” Harper checks her phone, which has been buzzing since we left the studio. “Zoe has already sent seventeen texts, ranging from congratulatory to mildly scandalized. My publisher wants a meeting tomorrow to discuss ‘leveraging the revelation for maximum marketing impact,’ which sounds ominous.”

“Alex says that Cole Tech’s stock is up two points,” I say, checking my own messages. “Apparently, the market approves of me having a girlfriend.”

“Of course it does,” Harper says with an eye roll that doesn’t quite hide her amusement. “Everything ultimately serves the corporate interests.”

“Not everything,” I correct her gently, taking her hand now that we’re in private. “Some things exist outside of stock prices and corporate strategy.”

The look she gives me contains a warmth that makes my chest tighten. “Such as?”

“Such as this,” I say. “Us.”

Her phone buzzes again, interrupting the moment. She glances at it and sighs. “My department chair. Probably wondering about the professional implications of dating a corporate CEO I’ve bashed for years.”

“Any regrets yet?”

“None,” she says.

The car pulls up outside my apartment building. “Stay with me tonight?” I ask, though Harper has spent more nights at my place than her own in recent weeks. “We can order in, avoid the social media, and news.”

“Avoidance doesn’t seem like your usual game plan,” she teases.

The moment the elevator doors close, I pull her against me, her arms winding around my neck as she rises on tiptoes to meet my kiss.

She silences me with a kiss that goes from playful to heated, her hands pushing my shirt off impatiently. I match her urgency, making quick work of her blouse and the sensible bra beneath, eager to feel her skin against mine.

There’s a particular pleasure in knowing how to touch her to elicit that sharp intake of breath, precisely where to kiss to make her fingers tighten in my hair, just how much pressure makes her whisper my name in that tone that drives me wild.

“Bed,” she gasps as my mouth finds the sensitive spot just below her ear. “Now, Ethan.”

I listen, backing her toward the mattress without breaking contact. When her knees hit the edge, she pulls me down with her. Clothes disappear until there are no barriers between us.

“I need you,” she breathes against my mouth, legs parting in invitation.

“So, demanding,” I tease, though I’m already positioning myself between her thighs. She’s so wet, and ready, I push forward, watching her face as I fill her completely.

The sight of Harper beneath my—lips parted, cheeks flushed with desire—never fails to take my breath away. For a suspended moment, we are still, connected in the most intimate way possible.

“Move,” she commands, hips rising to emphasize her point.

I obey with a laugh that transforms into a groan as she tightens around me.

Our rhythm builds quickly, urgency overtaking finesse after the buildup of the interview and publicly claiming her as mine. Harper’s legs wrap around my waist, changing the angle in a way that makes us both moan. Her fingers dig into my shoulders, urging me deeper, faster.

“Ethan,” she breathes, the sound of my name on her lips pushing me closer to the edge. “Right there—don’t stop?—”

“You feel so good,” I say, reaching between us to where our bodies join, finding her clit, knowing how sensitive she is. “Come for me, Harper.”

She does, back arching, my name a cry on her lips as she tightens around me. The sight of her release triggers my own, pleasure jolting through me as I follow her over the edge. “I love you.” I say.

Then I wait, heart hammering in my chest, giving her space to process and respond.

“I love you too,” she says finally. “Which is ridiculous given our history and professional complications, yet undeniable.”

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