Page 56 of One Night in Paris

I climbed in beside her, giving her some space. The jets hit me in the small of my back, massaging the area, helping to loosen tight muscles and relieve tension in my whole body.

“This is amazing,” Harper said, sinking down so that the water came up to her chin. Her hair was already wet, slicked back, making her look like a mermaid emerging from the water. “I had no idea this was here.”

“It’s just one of my many secrets.” I winked at her, and she laughed. Then, she closed her eyes and tipped her head back, relishing the feel of the calming water moving around her.

After a few moments of silence, just enjoying the hot tub, Harper floated over to the bench and sat down next to me, her leg brushing mine beneath the surface. “Thank you for today.” She turned and looked at me, her brown eyes soft. “I never would’ve had the courage to do that if it weren’t for you.”

“It was no big deal,” I assured her. “You did the same for me with bungee jumping.”

“True, but still, I do appreciate it. I’m glad to say that I did it, and I’m happy I didn’t ruin the trip for everyone else, but I meant it when I said I’m never doing that again.”

Snickering, I said, “I believe you.” Placing my hand on her shoulder, I rubbed little circles along her damp skin, not sure what to say. I wanted to know more about her, but I didn’t want to pry. Posing the question in a nonchalant way, I asked, “Why do you think you were so scared?”

“I’m not sure.” Harper shrugged. “All I could think about was my mom, how awful she would feel if something happened tome, if I died. She would be all alone, with no one to take care of her.”

That made sense to me. Harper had been taking care of her mother for years apparently. It was almost like the parent-child relationship had flip-flopped since her mom became ill. “How long has she been sick?”

“A long time,” Harper replied, her eyes focused on something in the distance. “The first time I went to college, she found out she had cancer, so I dropped out to work and take care of her. She got better after a few years, and we were hopeful that the cancer was gone for good. I’d even gone back to school to study nursing. But then it came back. The second time, it was more aggressive, spreading to different organs. Mom was so tired all the time. It took a huge toll on her body. She’s been fighting for so long.” Turning to look at me, she shook her head slowly, tears glistening in her eyes. “It’s just not fair. My mom is such a good person, and I love her so much. She doesn’t deserve to have to go through something like this.”

Brushing a tear away from her eye, I said, “I’m so sorry Harper. I can’t even imagine what this must be like for all of you. Clearly, you love your mother very much. She’s lucky to have you.”

“She’s been my best friend my entire life,” she replied, sniffling in order to stop crying. “I’d do anything for her.”

Pulling her close, I held her tight, and Harper nestled her head against my chest. “Are you going to tell her you jumped out of an airplane?”

“Hell no!”

We both laughed. My parents knew I did lots of things they’d consider to be reckless, but my mom didn’t know about this. She worried about me, too.

“Your heart is racing,” Harper murmured, running a hand down my arm beneath the water.

“It’s adrenaline. From the jump.”

Looking up at me, her eyes were wide, and her lips were pursed, as if she were contemplating something. “My heart is racing, too.”

Slowly, she moved toward me, pressing her warm lips against mine. Unable to hold back, I wrapped my arms around her waist, turning her to face me. Harper’s legs came down on either side of my hips. Deepening the kiss, I felt myself twitching against her. I wanted her so badly now, I didn’t think I’d be able to stop myself unless she told me no.

Luckily, everything about Harper was saying yes—her kiss, the way she moved against me, her pounding heart. Lifting a hand, I cupped her chin and took my time exploring her mouth with my tongue.

Harper felt so good pressed against me. She would feel even better wrapped around me.

30

HARPER

Seeing Logan in his swim trunks had ignited a fire deep in my belly. It burned with a passion I couldn’t explain. Seeing him completely naked was one thing, but watching his body flex as he stared out the window, not knowing I was approaching behind him, had been unbelievably sexy. I’d wanted him so badly from that moment. Now, with water swirling around him, his pecs and biceps outlined with drops of water, I wanted him even more.

He’d been so kind and helpful to me today. Not just while we were skydiving, but also when he’d asked about my mom. Logan was more than an exceptionally hot dude in a pair of board shorts. He was kind, considerate, and thoughtful.

And I wanted him.

His arms were wrapped around me tightly as I positioned my knees on either side of his hips. The texture of the hot tub seat cut into my skin a little bit, but it was a good sting. I welcomed it, knowing that the more it hurt, the better it would feel elsewhere. The pain simply meant I was getting closer to Logan.

Kylee’s bikini was too small for me, leaving my breasts pushed up and overflowing. Logan seemed to like that, though.I’d never wear something like this on a public beach, but just for him, I liked having him look at my body with lust in his eyes. It reminded me of our first night together in Paris when I’d worn that expensive designer lingerie and he simply couldn’t get enough of me.

Judging by the hardness of his cock pressed against my pussy, I would say that he still couldn’t. His tongue probed into my mouth, swirling and exploring, the taste of cinnamon filling me. Taking my time, I slid up and down, rubbing against his erection while his hands slipped down my back to cup my ass, pulling me even more tightly against him.

Releasing my lips, Logan muttered, “God, Harper, you feel so fucking good.”

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