Page 74 of In the Net
She had good taste in books. What can I say?
I roll my eyes. After they’ve arced around my sockets in frustration, by coincidence, they settle right on Harper.
She’s standing on the little back porch by the open sliding glass window, talking with her roommates. With Bryce coming up to visit, we decided to throw a house party, and this is the biggest of the year so far.
The air is crisp tonight but not biting. Harper’s wearing a pair of jeans and a sweater, nothing fancy, nothing out of the ordinary, but my cock won’t stop twitching every time I look at her. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and every glimpse of her smooth, pale neck makes my mouth water.
I think about wrapping that ponytail around my fist, and arousal crackles through me. But this isn’t the place or time toindulge in those thoughts, which I’ve been doing far too often lately in my bed or in the shower. I yank my attention back to the conversation we’re having, which has thankfully moved past Bryce’s unflattering reminiscences.
An hour or so later, the party just getting into full swing, I’m in the kitchen grabbing another beer. I turn around and find Harper in front of me.
She’s wearing a big smile, and my heart immediately clenches, a melty feeling spilling through my chest.
She’s so pretty. At this point, even when I’m stone-cold sober I can’t bring myself to deny it anymore. When I’m feeling this buzz, I don’t have a chance.
“Hey,” she says.
Why does her just sayingheyto me, with that smile on her lips and an inviting glimmer in her eyes, do this thing to my chest?
“Hey,” I answer. “Enjoying the party?”
She nods. “Yeah. It’s really great to see Bryce again. It’s great to see you guys together again.”
A comfortable warmth swirls through me.
“So many people don’t take that step to repair a relationship that means something to them, that they wish they could have back,” Harper continues. “And, well … I just wanted to say, I’m proud of you for that.”
Her simple words stun me. My heart pulses.
Harper’s cheeks tinge pink with self-consciousness after that unexpected compliment. She reaches past me to grab a couple of seltzers. “Need to bring these back to the girls,” she explains, while an intense thrum is still rolling through me from her words. “Enjoy the party.”
The rest of the party is a great time. Hanging out with Bryce, seeing him getting along with my friends and teammates,enjoying a classic Black Bears house party in the last year I’ll be able to.
But all night long, nothing feels better than when Harper told me she was proud of me.
It’s almostthree in the morning, and the last embers of the party are dying out.
The last gaggle of guests just left the house, and Jamie is closing the door and locking it behind them. I’m picking up a couple discarded bottles that are on the floor, but for the most part we’re saving the cleaning job for tomorrow.
Or maybe the day after, depending on tomorrow’s hangover situation. I didn’t really drink that much, but Felix and Carter were throwing them back. Speaking of which, I have no idea where those two are.
I shrug. They’ll turn up somewhere tomorrow.
Bryce is passed out on the couch. He’ll just sleep there tonight.
Harper is dozing on the reclining chair in the living room. She’s the last one of her roommates here. Maddie and Scarlett left early, Jasmine left a little later, but Harper hung around.
I spend a couple beats just standing here, looking at her. She looks so peaceful. But I’m not about to let her spend the night on that old recliner that’s been in this house before I even moved in.
I scoop her up in my arms to carry her upstairs to my room. She can have my bed tonight. I’ll sleep on the floor.
She feels so damn good in my arms as I climb up the stairs. Heat stirs low in my abdomen.
My bedroom door creaks as I push it open with my foot. Harper rustles in my arms.
“Sebastian?” she asks, voice small and raspy with sleep. Something about it makes that heat low in my belly sharpen.
“Yeah, Sleepy?” The words feel so cheesy on my lips, but at the same time they set off a warm flicker in my chest.
