Page 138 of The Truth of Us

Harper took a sip and then said, “I know you can’t stay here forever, but I…”

I cut her off quickly, “I can stay as long as you want me to, Harper.”

She looked up at me, seeming so young and vulnerable, “But…”

I kissed her nose quickly because that wasn’t too fast, right? Silencing her before reaffirming, “No buts, I can work from here and if not it is only a few hours' commute on your daddy’s plane.”

Harper laughed, and I wanted to hear that sound more. She took another sip and then passed the wine to me, saying, “I think we should date each other.”

I cocked my eyebrow in question, because we had gone on several dates, but Harper kept going, “For real this time. No agenda or PR schedule. We date to get to know each other and all the crazy baggage we both carry. We have a real relationship like normal people do.”

And I could see it then, the need for her to feel like a real, normal person and not this media personality that everyone either wanted to see put on a pedestal or torn down. She wanted a real, everyday relationship.

I smiled at her, and she looked a little nervous. She should. I was about to date the shit out of her.

36

HARPER

To say that my emotions were taking me on a rollercoaster journey would not be an ‌exaggeration. Elliot didn't just show up… he SHOWED up ready to get me to listen to him, to apologize, to be seen and heard.

I knew my family's history held a lot of weight in how I reacted, so I was trying really hard since hearing Elliot’s side of things to listen first without judgement, without running.

Sometimes Elliot took you on a journey when he got into his feelings, and I needed to hear him out fully before reacting. I was also working on being more upfront about the stuff that bothered me, without the fear of being judged or seen.

That died with Harper Lane.

When I told Elliot I wanted us to date like regular people, the grin he gave me sent an electric shock right to my clit, but also made me just a little nervous. Because I knew I had fallen for Elliot when he wasn’t trying, but this new, honest, feelings forward Elliot with that determination that shone in his eyes when I told him I needed us to feel real, well that was the look of a man going all in.

The week that followed was beautiful and felt so domestic. Like Elliot and I had lived together for a long time and happily existed in the same space together, moving with each other. We still slept in separate rooms, and I would be a liar if I said I wasn’t tempted to go into his room and slip into his bed. But I knew we had chemistry, that we were drawn to each other. What I needed to see was that we could be a together in all the ways that mattered and not just when the cameras were out or when we were having sex.

Elliot had been in contact with my father, working with the security team for what he had planned over the weekend.

Saturday morning, I was in the kitchen sipping ‌my coffee when Elliot came looking for me.

“Hey baby, do you think you can be ready to go in an hour?”

The rasp of his morning voice had me clenching my thighs together; my hormones were not on board with taking it slow. And when I turned to look at him, I actually groaned, which made Elliot grin, and I had missed that cocky, oh so Elliot, confident grin. Normally something I wouldn’t say out loud, but he was trying, so I needed to as well.

I walked over to him, passed him my coffee, and wrapped my hands around the back of his neck and pulled him down to kiss me.

“I missed this.” I whispered into his lips.

I could feel Elliot smile, so I pulled back, rubbing one of my thumbs across the perfectly curated stubble of his sharp jaw.

“What did you miss?” he asked, and I could see the vulnerability in his eyes.

So I answered honestly, “I missed your charm…” Elliot looked at me like he wasn’t sure he believed that, so I added, “Your real charm, not the practised bullshit.”

At that he chuckled and took a sip of my coffee, and I continued saying, “I miss how you look at me, the intensity of what I feel for you, I missed…” I laughed and continued, “I missed your brand of crazy Elliot.”

He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to my lips, saying, “I missed the me that I was with you, too.”

I stepped back and took in what he was wearing, and I needed a cold shower if I was going to get through our day together. Elliot was wearing dark jeans that looked like they were molded to his muscular form, a white shirt, and an old man cardigan. If he threw on reading glasses, I think I would spontaneously become pregnant. That thought had my heart racing, the idea of having mini versions of us, like Elliot described.

Deciding I must be ovulating, I stepped back from Elliot and asked, “What should I wear?”

He smiled at me, answering, “Something casual, comfortable. We will be out all day, and the weather looks like it might be all over the place.”