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“I know I do the latter. I crave attention and validation. Even though, deep down, I know I need to love myself before I can expect anyone else to love me. Classic daddy issues.”
“That’s not—”
“Yeah, it is.” Harper’s expression guttered. “I’ve tried so much to be less, but I always end up right back at square one. This is who I am, Mason. I’m not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I wear my heart on my sleeve, I’m honest, and I’m a good person. I—”
“Stop,” I said, hating to hear her talk about herself like that. I got it—her father’s rejection had deeply affected her. Molded and shaped her.
A lot of things made sense now, but I still couldn’t move past the part where her old man had practically disowned her.
“I’m a mess.” Strangled laughter spilled from her lips. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offload like that.”
“Shh.” I brushed my thumb against her bottom lip, chasing it with my mouth. “I wanted to know. I want to know everything about you.”
“You don’t have time for a relationship.” She reminded me.
“You make time for the things that are important to you.” I gazed at her, really looked at her, and I couldn’t deny the truth any longer.
I wanted her.
I wanted Harper, and not only in my bed. I wanted her by my side and in my life.
“Why did you bring me to the ice rink, Mason?”
“Because I knew if I didn’t get you out of your dorm room, I’d end up buried deep inside you again, and I wanted us to talk first. I wanted to be really clear that this means something to me.” I brushed the hair from her eyes, my thumb lingering on the pillow of her mouth. “You mean something to me, Harper.”
“So why aren’t you kissing me?”
A smile curled on my lips as I closed the distance between us, hovering my mouth over hers. I’d kissed her already, but this felt different. It was a promise to everything I’d just confessed. But it felt nothing but right as our mouths crashed, our tongues slicking together.
“Fuck,” I hissed, my body burning with need. I grabbed her ass, pushing us into the boards, needing to be closer.
Needing to be—
“Slow down, hotshot,” she chuckled, running her fingers through my hair and down the back of my neck. “We have time.”
“Time, yeah…” My lips pursed as I tried to get a hold of myself.
“Come skate with me.” Harper took my hand, tugging gently, but I held firm, still not over the kiss.
Her.
Everything that had transpired between us.
“Mason.” It came out soft and pleading, her megawatt smile fisting my heart.
I’d spent so fucking long keeping people at arm’s length. But I wanted to pull her in. Gravitate around her warmth.
“Fine,” she huffed when I still made no effort to move. “But if you let me go, you’ve got to catch me.”
I pulled away, smirking as her hand fell to her side.
“Oh, it’s like that, huh?”
“Better run, blondie,” I said. “Because once I catch you, I’m never letting go.”
* * *
I hadn’t had this much fun in a long time. After I chased Harper around the rink and finally pulled her into my arms, we played a little one-on-one. She was good, not good enough to get past me, but there had been something sexy as fuck watching her wield a hockey stick.
