Page 65 of His Gift
"And you're not dressed for the beach. Go change."
"You didn't tell me where we were going, so I don't have a swimsuit."
"You do." I point to the bed and she notices the bag.
"What…" Harper wanders over to the small shop bag like it's going to bite her if she doesn't pay attention. She picks it up and peers inside, her brow furrowed a little, and finally pulls out the bright red scrap of fabric.
"A bikini? I don't have the body for a—"
"Hush. Try it on. Please? If I'm wrong, you can order whatever you want."
She shrugs and closes herself in the bathroom, and when she comes out… holy shit.
"If I drop dead, don't worry, my life is complete."
Her cheeks go bright red. "You know how to make a girl blush."
"Am I wrong though?"
"No." It looks like it costs her admitting it, but she can't deny it either. I knew that the design would fit her like a glove. I just didn't know how it would affect me. I have plans for today. I want to stick to them. At the same time, I just want to lay her on the bed and ravage every single inch of that body.
"You can't keep spending your money on me like that."
"Can we talk about this particular issue at the end of our vacation? I will address the problem, and I promise we'll find a compromise you'll like. Deal?"
"I'm not sure I trust you, but deal."
"Good. Give me a second to bring our bags inside and change, and then we can hit the beach. We're lucky we're getting a break with the weather and we'll probably be able to swim too."
"I don't know how to swim."
"Then I'll teach you. And until you learn, you can stay wrapped around me. Actually… I don't think I'll teach you."
I head for the door, followed by her peel of laughter, and massaging my chest. My gift keeps my heart always on the verge of bursting out.
"This is what I'm talking about. Comfy? Full? Happy?" I take a deep breath and inhale my girl's scent. She smells like the sun and the ocean. I will teach her to swim, but today I've enjoyed having her tucked in my arms.
"All of the above. And tired." Harper stretches like the cutest cat and gives me a sleepy look as she sets down the book she was reading. And there goes my plan. Maybe it's for the better. I can keep it for our last night here. Yes. I think that's what I'll do.
"Want to go to bed, my gift?"
"Yes, please. This beach life is tiring." I snort and lead her to our bed. I can't yet pick her up and it pisses me off to no end. I'll have to go swimming on my own to get my arm back in shape. We strip quietly and slide underthe covers. The air is chillier at night, but I won't complain. It means Harper will stay close all night to seek my warmth. And that's what she does immediately. She curls up to me and that's one of the best things of my day, every day.
"This place… Thank you, I think I really needed this. Can we find a place close to the beach when we choose our final destination?"
"We can do whatever you want. Levy just wants us on the opposite coast from New York. Everything else is your choice."
She slurs a "That's good," and then she's gone. The easiness with which Harper falls asleep now is another sign she's getting better. She still wants the lights on. I don't think it'll ever change, but it grants me time to look at her in peace. What comes after is less pleasant. I keep dreaming the damn attack. I've never woken up like the first time, so Harper doesn't know. If I ever wanted to talk about it, she'd be the one I'd tell. I just want it to disappear, though. A small voice at the back of my head tells me it's the same that Harper did about her uncle, and it didn't work so well. I don't care. The important thing is that she wants to find a therapist when we'll have settled, and in the meantime she's using me as a sounding board, telling me little details she keeps remembering. I hug her if she wants to, but I keep my mouth shut. I have nothing to say that would help, and just the simple act of getting her thoughts out in the open seems to be enough for now.
fifty-one
Harper
Towel-wrapped, I emerge from the bathroom and glance around. The house is ready to be returned to its lawful owner. I'm a little sad about leaving, but I'm excited about what's coming. Conrad has looked at houses in Santa Barbara and I've selected a few I'd like to see in person before choosing. They're all on the beach, and Santa Barbara was green-lighted by Agent Levy. It feels like a fresh start; what I thought New York would be.
Conrad doesn't seem as thrilled. He went out to pack the car before I started showering and he looked on edge. Whether because I'm still trying to moderate his spending habits or because he's worried about the future, I don't know, but we need to talk about it. In fact, where the hell is he?
"Hey, my sweet girl." I look at him, surprised by his tone. He's not giving worried vibes now. He's giving I'm-going-to-blow-your-mind vibes.
