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Hope blooms in my chest. “Yeah?”
Her nod is fast. “My resistance never stood a chance against you. I’m not sure how I held out this long, especially when Syd is at your side. You two are a compelling team.”
The laugh I release is loose, free of the jaded bumps the notes usually carry. “Does that mean you believe we can be good together again?”
Harper flutters her lashes. “Maybe.”
My gut threatens to plunge until I recall a piece of our conversation from Bent Pedal. “You’re giving me a maybe?”
“Do you know where that will lead me?”
A jerky nod is all I can manage at first. “I do.”
Lust builds at a speed that makes me dizzy. My palm smacks the edge of the bar to maintain balance. The visual of this woman tucked under my covers by midnight is more erotic than the lewdest fantasy my crude mind can conjure.
“Well then.” She plucks the locket from the velvet pillow. “Will you help me put this on?”
“Fuck, Pitch. You don’t even need to ask. It would be my honor.” The gruff edge in my tone is desperate to make a claim on her, even in the form of antique jewelry.
A blush stains her skin as she admires me for several silent beats. Then she turns and swipes her hair to the side. “You’re full of surprises.”
“And your response guarantees that there are many more to come,” I rasp.
My thick fingers fumble with the delicate chain, but I manage to secure the clasp at the base of her neck. The sight of her finally wearing the gift I’ve kept hidden for years does something indescribable to me. It’s a miracle my ass stays on the seat. In order to stay grounded, I dust kisses along her nape while cinching an arm around her waist.
“I look forward to it,” she says while swaying into me. Harper whirls to face me as her fingers drift across the gold pendant with reverence. “I’m not sure how you’ll top this. It’s very special, not to mention beautiful.”
“Only because it’s yours.”
Desire pools in her gaze. “Good grief, Juicy Jacob. Keep talking like that and I’ll be tempted to take a big bite.”
My throat tightens along with my jeans. “Wanna get outta here?”
Harper loops her arms around my shoulders and bends forward until our mouths almost touch. “I thought you’d never ask.”
The explicit consent is a better indicator to go ahead than every traffic light on Main Street flipping to green in unison. I stand in a hurry, which sends my stool toppling to the floor. The loud crash barely registers as I plot my next move. Meanwhile, Harper startles from the noise and stumbles backward. There isn’t a chance for her to recover before I’m scooping her into my arms and rushing for the exit.
“What’re you doing?” Her humorous tone bounces with my choppy stride.
I dip my face to brush our noses together. “Sweeping you off your feet like I should’ve done years ago.”
“Oh, my.” She presses the back of a palm to her forehead. “My panties are gonna melt right off at this rate.”
“Keep it together, woman.”
“Then stop being romantic. Your growly beast mode is hot enough without adding swoon. I’m about to spontaneously combust from the intoxicating blend.” She fans her face in warning.
“You better wait until we’re alone.” I toss a glare over my shoulder at Garrett and the two stragglers still slumped on the rail.
The bar’s owner whistles at our retreating forms. “It’s about damn time, in case you haven’t already heard it.”
I adjust Harper’s weight onto one arm for the sole purpose of flipping him off. “Go fuck your fist, Foster.”
His chuckle meets my rude gesture. “Screw a smile on his face for all our sakes, Harps.”
“I’ll do my best,” she hollers from my clutches.
“Don’t encourage him,” I grumble.
