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“The meals will help.” Chase pondered the tasks ahead of him. Six sets of stairs and a few toilets needed to be aligned. Suddenly, his thoughts went to Harper. How would she fit into all this?
He wanted more time with her, not less.
A sudden bark snapped him from his thoughts. When he glanced into deep green eyes, he realized a bigger problem on his hands now. “Actually,” he said, looking at his brother. “There is one thing you can do for me that would help a lot.”
“Name it.”
Chase gestured at Houdini. “Take care of my dog during the day, so he’s not stuck in these cabins with nothing to do.”
Shep’s brows shot up. “Your dog?”
Chase picked up Houdini, who was climbing at his legs to get up. Houdini walked in circles on Chase’s lap, finally plopping down on the file folder and giving a big sigh. “Harper and I took him to meet a foster family today, and then somehow I ended up walking out with him.”
“Why?”
Chase lifted his gaze to Shep’s. “Harper looked sad. Houdini looked sad. And I just felt like shit.”
Shep’s mouth twitched. “I see.” He rose, taking a sleepy Houdini off Chase’s lap, tucking the puppy in his arms. “I’ll take him home with me until after dinner tonight, then I’ll bring him back. All right?”
“That’s perfect. You’ll have to drop by my house and grab his food. One scoop at five o’clock. He’s all good for insulin until tomorrow, and I can handle that.” But none of this felt good. He had only just decided to keep Houdini. Off-loading him was the last thing he wanted to do.
Obviously unaware of Chase’s sinking mood, Shep nodded. “Perfect. See ya later.”
When Shep turned, heading toward his truck, curiosity got the better of Chase. “By the way, what did you mean by ‘I see’?” he called.
Shep stopped in his tracks, glanced over his shoulder, and grinned from ear to ear. “It means that instead of telling Harper you’re in love with her and don’t want her to go, you’re clinging onto something you two had together.” He held up Houdini. “This guy.”
Chase frowned. “He’s grown on me, that’s all.”
“Keep telling yourself that, brother. You seem very good at lying to yourself lately.” Without waiting for a reply, he continued on toward his truck.
Chase did the only thing he could do in his defense. “You don’t know shit,” he called out.
Shep waved his hand, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
* * *
The clock on the bedside table read three o’clock in the morning when Harper woke to the heat and hardness of Chase’s body sliding against her while he climbed into bed. He smelled of rain and soap, and all the things that made her happy. She had meant to stay awake like she had last night, planning to be laid out in bed naked for him, welcoming him home to the warmth of her body. Now, she realized she must have fallen asleep after her long day of packing. She slowly opened her eyes, staring out at the dark night, the bright moon visible through the window.
“I need you,” he murmured, pressing his warm lips against her pulse point.
She sensed the strain in his muscles and heard the tension in his voice before she turned over to face him. He slid his hand over her hip as his lips met hers. Their tongues swirled in a kiss that brought heat and pleasure and the desire for so much more. His groan brushed over her when his hand slid down past her stomach, finding her naked, wet flesh available to him.
He broke the kiss, and she opened her eyes, but the room was bathed in darkness, only his shadow visible hovering above her. The only light at all was the moonlight from the window casting a white line across his chest, but that was all she needed to see.
This man—he was her dream come true.
She moaned when he widened her thighs with his, running his hands up her arms until he had her arms above her head, his fingers tangled with hers. Excitement surged through her when she felt the latex on his cock caress her inner thigh. Urgency filled her when she closed her eyes as his mouth moved to her neck. Then she moaned again when he began kissing down her chest until he reached her breasts. He sucked on both nipples, and she lifted her hips, grinding against him, wanting him deep inside.
Tonight, though, she sensed he would not be hurried along. His lips on her neck never changed speed. And the longer that passed, the more she felt the rawness in his kiss, the desperation. Because in the darkness, there was the two of them. No distractions. No obstacles in the way. Just two souls fighting to be together in an impossible situation.
By the time he entered her, she sensed that, for once, Chase was allowing himself to want her. Fully. Completely. Without restraint.
She saw nothing but shadows around her, and yet she felt everything so much more. She heard nothing but her moans and his groans, and it was like she heard all she needed to hear. She felt every slide of his cock rubbing against her inner muscles. She listened to every breath by her ear, raising goose bumps across her flesh. She snuck her hands out of his and explored him, running her fingers over the strength of his forearms to his shoulder, feeling every muscle flex as he thrust forward. The weight of his body against her chest made her feel safe, protected, and cherished—things she had never felt before.
For the first time, her heart opened in ways she had never allowed. She belonged right here. Her breath hitched, and her heart rate seemed to slow. “Chase—”
“Don’t say it, Harper.” In the darkness, he slowly withdrew, only to enter her again, his low voice brushing against her ear. “You don’t need to say it.” She arched her back as his cock slid in and out so very slowly, allowing her to feel every spectacular inch of him. “I already know.” His thrusts began picking up, and he moved his mouth right over hers. He tasted like sin and happiness. “And you know too, don’t you?” he asked.
