Page 277 of New York Love Stories: Vol. 1

“I can imagine since you’re into all that stuff.”

“I was going to add, but believable.” I bend down and tuck them back in his pocket. I didn’t actually care if he was stealing them. I just wanted in on one of his dirty little secrets. “Your honesty kind of took the fun out of it.”

“You are so kinky, Devreux. Now get your ass in this bed, and let’s binge-watch a show.”

The covers are lifted for me when I approach. I climb under and snuggle against his side, resting my hand on his abdomen. “Binge-watching a show together is next level, right after hanging out.”

“Is that so?” He bends his neck to the side to look into my eyes. “I’m ready. Are you?”

When his arm tightens around me, holding me so close that I may never want to leave this cocoon, I reply, “So ready.”

At some point . . . I’m guessing three hours into our bingeing, the food arrives. Harrison springs from the bed to answer the door while I starfish on the mattress. It feels much too big and lonely without him in it.

A buzz on the nightstand has me rolling to my stomach and reaching for my phone, but then I pause when I realize it’s his phone. It would be rude and violate his privacy to read his text messages, but the fool doesn’t have a password on it. A fingerprint isn’t even required to unlock it, so what’s a person to do?

I lift on my elbows and spy the name—Natalie Christiansen—on the screen. Why is my best friend texting the guy I’m having intimate relations with?

No time like the present to find out and satisfy my curiosity.

Taking the phone in hand, I swipe to open the message and read:Is everything okay? We didn’t hear from you, and I’m worried.

Why would she be worried?

Maybe because he hasn’t come back from his mission to save me. I type:Having a great time. Tatum is amazing.

I put a smiley face and then erase it, thinking Harrison wouldn’t use that. He probably uses frogs and the death face in his texts.

A return text from her arrives:Really?

Really, Natalie? My fingers fly across the screen:Really. She’s incredible. Great in bed, funny, an excellent cook. I couldn’t dream of meeting a woman so complex and intelligent. I’m so grateful to have her in my life.

My phone buzzes this time, but it’s a call. I snatch it and roll onto my back. “Hello?” I answer as innocently as I can.

“Nice try, but what’d you do with the body?”

“Wow, no faith.”

“Plenty of faith. I absolutely believe you’d get away with murder.”

“I don’t know if I should be proud or insulted.”

She replies, “Proud.” Her laughter echoes, and then she starts to tell Nick what we said.

“Helloooooo, I’m still here, Nat.”

Harrison saunters in, holding two plates on top of a pizza box.A welcome distraction.Setting it down at the end of the mattress, he says, “Dinner is served.” He goes into the bathroom and returns with a towel that he neatly places under the box.

He’s a keeper.

He took care of me, and now he’s taking care of my duvet.God, that’s something Nick would do for Nat.He just keeps surprising me.

“Who are you talking to?” he asks.

“Natalie.”

In my ear, Natalie says, “Ask him to report in.”

“She said to report in.” I laugh because this is so ridiculous.

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