Page 98 of Tides That Bind

“Harper?”

She takes a step closer to me, leaning her forehead against my chest. I jump slightly, but don’t move away. I ball my fists at my side. “Are you okay?”

Harper takes a deep breath and then steps back, holding out her arms. “Aren’t I always?”

I frown. “Did something happen?”

“You know, I don’t really feel like talking about it.” Harper drops her arms. “Nothing happened. Everything is as it was before. I don’t meanbefore-before. I mean before, like…this morning.”

She hiccups.

“Maybe you should go to bed.”

“I hate going to bed alone.” I immediately look away, but my eyes are called back to her when she lifts her arms up, stretching. The sliver of her stomach looks so smooth. “And it’ssolonely. I know Lucas is sleeping. But…I miss Tides. I never thought I’d actually miss him, but I do.”

She sighs and hiccups again before cocking her head to the side. “Do you want to have some fun?”

“Fun?”

“Have you ever seenDirty Dancing?”

“A million years ago under duress I imagine.”

Harper smirks and then backs up slowly.

“Harper…”

“It’s kind of like practice.”

“We also kind of suck at practice. But you do land on water there.”

She giggles. “Then we should practice more. We didn’t today. Are you ready?”

“No. Please don’t.”

Harper doesn’t listen. She begins to run and fuck I know this is a bad idea and not only because she’s drunk. So I decide, in a split second, I’ll keep her on the ground. Before she gets close enough I step toward her, circling her waist and pulling her back to me. I have to spin around to slow down and she’s in hysterics as we go round and round, littering the air with her laughter.

Fuck. That laugh might be my favorite sound on earth.

I slow us down enough that we don’t topple over, but keep her back pressed against my chest as she sways, my face tucked into her now messy hair.

“That wasn’t what I was going for.” Harper’s hands clutch my forearms, her nails scratching and sifting through the hair. “But it was fun.”

Noneof this is what I was going for. But here I am, holdingHarper from behind, her tight ass in these little yoga shorts pooling all my body’s blood right to my groin.

I hold my breath because I’m afraid I’ll inhale more of her scent which is so sweet, even with the hint of grass, I swear I can taste it.

Harper can’t see how I lick my lips. I want to taste her—every inch of her.

Enough is enough, Riley.

I can’t let this go on. Especially now when she’s had too much to drink.

I go to drop my arms.

“Wait,” Harper whispers. She clutches me tighter.

I don’t pull back again, but I don’t really hold her either. It’s Harper who’s keeping my arms around her.

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