Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

HARPER

A fter showering again after a couple of rounds of hot sex, we’re on the couch. I’m cradling a tub of ice cream as I sit in only his hoodie. He sits there in just his sweats, dipping his spoon into the tub and taking a bit.

“Hey, this is mine.”

“Maybe, but you’re mine, which means I get half of everything.” He says and I laugh, holding the tub of chocolatey goodness out to him.

He uses the ice cream to pull me close until I’m on his lap, and he smirks. “You told me to never stop touching you, Harper, which means you sit on my lap whenever you can.”

I roll my eyes playfully, but secretly, I love it. “Oh, you’re one of those guys, right?”

“One of what guys?”

“Possessive.”

“You bet your hot little ass I am.”

“Oh, goody.” I laugh.

“You love it—we both know it.”

“You got me.”

He leans forward, kissing me, his thumb on my chin and angling my head toward him as he lightly holds me. “And now I’m never letting you go.”

I smile, pretty sure I’m blushing.

“When you were getting changed, I got a call from Jax. We found out that tomorrow there’s going to be a meeting. Like seven to eight of them have confirmed. Nate’s gonna text us the location.”

“So, what’s our next move?”

“I was thinking we could have a bonfire….”

“Sounds kinda romantic.”

“Oh yeah, me, you, the sounds of those fuckers burning alive.”

“Are you trying to get me worked up?” I smirk and he laughs.

“Not the way I would usually go about it.”

I shrug, “I mean, you wouldn’t have to try very hard.”

He shakes his head as he chuckles before he gets serious again. “But listen, there’s a catch. To do this, we need all of us. We can’t do it alone. There’s too many of them, and if something goes wrong…”

I nod, “It’s time anyway. I don’t know why, but I feel it. The only thing really that was stopping me from moving forward was the anger, and I don’t know, but it feels like it’s gone. I mean, not fully, I feel it still when I think of those guys, but it’s not consuming me anymore.”

He smiles at me, his fingers lightly caressing my cheek.

“That makes me really happy, baby.”

“I know I still have a lot to work through, but I know now that with you by my side, I can do this. But I do miss her, and I think it’s time I forgive her. I get it now. I was so blinded by the fact she lied to me, I didn’t really see her point of view. Now things between us are in a good place I can see it.”

“What do you mean?” he asks me curiously. I smile, looking into his eyes that, for once, don’t seem as sad anymore. I feel like he’s starting to forgive himself, and honestly, that makes me really happy.

“I would do anything for you, Ash. Anything it took to protect you. And I understand keeping this secret is a way to protect the people I love. You most of all. What happened to me—none of you could have foreseen that. I love you and I would do anything you needed of me.”

“Harper.”

“Wait, Asher, I spent this year being so angry with you for not letting me in, and then I got to see how truly lonely this must have been for you. I know how much you hated yourself for doing that to me. I saw how much you were punishing yourself for what happened to me, for everything. I just wanted to make this clear, the same way I did with Nate. I don’t want you to carry that blame and guilt anymore. I want this. I want us. I don’t care what comes our way because I know we have each other, and between us and our friends, we will get through this.”

“You’re really something, you know. I’ve been awful to you. I used you to bring me a little happiness, then pushed you away when you got to close. I paraded an endless amount of girls in front of you and you got hurt because of me. Yet, you’re the one sitting here making a declaration to me, telling me to forgive myself.” He shakes his head at me, astounded.

I shrug. “I guess I wanted you to know how I felt. You were right before we hold too much back from each other and if we keep doing that, then all that’s gonna follow is more pain for both of us.”

“I’m meant to be the older and, therefore, the wiser one in our relationship. You’re putting me to shame here.”

“Maybe, but I think with everything that’s happened, I guess I look at things differently now.”

He leans forward, giving me a slow, sensual kiss, one where I get goosebumps all over me because all I see and feel is him.

“Harper, you are perfect, and I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how I feel about you. I promise that I’ll give you the life you deserve.”

I nod, smiling. “I know you will, and I’ll do the same for you. I should go see Brooke and Chase.” He frowns, “What’s wrong?”

“That means you have to get up and I don’t want that, not yet. It means we leave here and then the rest of the day is everything else. I never thought I’d find peace, Little Demon, but right now, this is it. Just give me five more minutes of this.”

I lean forward, placing the ice cream on the table, before curling up into him. “I’ll give you ten.”

“Ten is good,” he whispers into my hair as he wraps his arms around me. And he’s right—here in his arms is where I’ll always find peace too. I lay my head on his chest, hearing his heart beating slowly, his chest rising and falling with each breath. Time for a while stands still. We just take this moment of peace for each of us. I can’t help but smile because even though I went through hell to get here, I know this is what me and Ash were meant to be. We were meant to belong to each other, to help each other heal and start to live rather than just survive.

He lifts his arm, checking his watch. “Okay, it’s been twenty minutes,” he groans, “We should probably move. I’ll message Chase—let him know we’re coming over.”

I look up, pouting at him. “That went way too quickly.”

He chuckles. “I know. Now go get your hot ass dressed because if you don’t, I’m gonna lock you in this house with me forever.”

I smirk, “We’ll see. That doesn’t seem like a bad idea to me…” I shift myself, straddling him, taking his hands and pinning them on either side of his head. I lean forward, running my tongue up his neck before kissing it, biting it playfully as he groans. I can already feel his cock stirring underneath me. “Fuck, I love that you get so horny for me,” I whisper in his ear.

“You’re playing with fire right now, Little Demon.”

I love this new nickname of his. It makes me feel more powerful and it suits the new me. “Oh, Boss Man, you have no idea how much I want that.” My tongue dances across his earlobe before I pull it between my lips, sucking on it.

He growls and I swear my pussy melts right there. “Harper, I’m trying so fucking hard to be gentle with you right now, but if you keep grinding on my lap, teasing me, I can’t promise I won’t lose control.”

“Who says I want you to be gentle with me?”

“Harper.” His voice is low, domineering, raspy, and fuck, it turns me on. I wondered if I would ever be able to connect with someone intimately after everything. The truth is, if it was anyone else but Ash, I don’t think I would be able to, but here I am, desperate for him again.

We’ve fucked and made love so many times in the last twenty-four hours. He’s made me orgasm each fucking time making sure I’m taken care of. Ash is in no way a selfish lover. He likes to bring me pleasure—it feeds into his.

And hearing him today talking about wanting to fuck my mouth and warning me about not being so gentle, well honestly, my pussy pulsed with desire. Rough, passionate sex with Asher…yes, please. But he’s right, maybe I’m not ready for that yet. I’m still working my way through everything, and he knows something could trigger me and not only is it not right for me, but it also wouldn’t be fair on him.

I pull back, “Fine, fine.” I smile. “Just put some boxers on or something. You in gray sweats is too fucking hot to resist.” I let go of his hands, kissing his nose before jumping off him and darting upstairs.