Chapter Five
Hipster Fantasies
Harlow
“Wake up, Zuul.”
“No. No Zuul. No one here but us mice,” I mumbled, pulling the blanket over my head. When Kase yanked it away, I gripped the fitted sheet and rolled, taking it with me.
“You can sleep all you want, no need to trash my room.”
“I’m a rock star.”
“I thought you were a mouse.”
“Right now I’m feeling more like a burrito.” Kicking the sheet off, I sat up and rubbed my eyes. “Maybe a sushi roll.”
Leaning down, Kase put his fists to the bed on either side of me. His dreads slid across his shoulders to hang down. “You always this difficult to wake up in the morning?”
Not wanting to breathe my morning breath funk in his face, I just shook my head.
I might not enjoy getting up, but the longer I stayed in bed, the more chaotic the morning became at my house.
Plus, my bed didn’t feel like a cloud.
Kase smirked. “You always this cute?”
Once again, I shook my head.
“Awful fuckin’ liar.” Standing, he grabbed the t-shirt he’d set on the bed and pulled it on over his undershirt.
I really should steal a shirt during one these sleepovers.
Maybe all of them.
“If you want coffee, you’d better get going.”
Needing no further incentive, I hopped up and hauled ass to the bathroom.
*******
The car ride was blissfully quiet on our way for coffee. Once I got some caffeine into me and became human again, the silence began to feel a little less blissful and a lot more awkward.
What kind of conversation do you start with someone that you’ve slept with twice?
‘Hey, sorry I keep passing out as soon as my head hits your pillow, but I hope we can sleep together in a totally different way soon.’
Hmm, maybe too subtle.
“Living on the beach has to be pretty awesome,” I said instead.
Kase turned down the music. “Yeah. Ya know, minus the occasional polar bear escapee.”
“Ha. Ha,” I deadpanned. “I bet the dogs do love all that open space and water.”
“Sometimes too much.”
“How so?”
“Like Boba making me chase him down the beach in my underwear. Or Chewy scaring the shit out of drunk trespassers.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” I shifted to look at Kase. “Let’s back up to you in your underwear.”
Kase’s lips tipped up. “How’d I know you’d wanna focus on that? Should I describe the boxers so you can properly picture it?”
I rolled my eyes. “The story. I just wanna hear the story.”
Though this visual is far from bad.
“Last summer, Boba got out and I had to chase after him. But the more I ran, the more he thought it was a game. So he’s weaving in and out of the water, turning around to look at me before jetting off again. His fuckin’ tail was wagging so hard, I swear, it was propelling him. Finally he tires out and I catch up with him, but not until we’re way the fuck down at the public part of the beach. The place is packed, and I’m in my boxers with a fluffy fuckin’ dog.”
“Oh my God.” Laughing hard, I set my coffee down so I didn’t give myself third degree burns.
“No.” Kase shook his head, his expression somber. “That’s not the worst part.”
“There’s more?”
“He stops in the middle of this huge picnic, and they’re all wearing matching shirts with the name of their church.”
My response was somewhere between a laugh and a snort.
“Still, not the worst of it.”
I hiccupped as I tried to breathe. “What could be worse?”
“Boba is a runner. Poms are active dogs, and this wasn’t the first time he’d taken off. I don’t like it, and I do what I can to get him back in, but I don’t usually chase him.”
“Why did you?”
“‘Cause before he took off through the doggy door, he’d decided to grab a strip of condoms from my room. And since he also likes to chew on things, I couldn’t risk him eating them.” He shook his head, grinning. “Here’s this nice church group thinking they’ll enjoy a picnic at the beach. And instead their party is crashed by an inked up man in his boxers chasing a fluffy dog that’s dragging a strip of condoms. Which, of course, he decides to drop right as I’m approaching.”
“Okay, okay, you’ve gotta stop.” Wiping at my eyes, I tried to deep breathe.
When Kase didn’t respond, I looked over and saw him studying me as we stopped at a red light.
“So which laugh is this?” he asked.
I shook my head, my lips turning down in a slight frown. “What?”
“Well you’ve got the fake laugh I see you give the customers at the club. Then the one you give your friends ‘cause you’re either too tired to really laugh, or you were too distracted to hear what they said. So which one is this?”
I narrowed my eyes, all of my good mood fleeing. “For someone that thinks he’s so smart, you really don’t know anything.”
Making a quick right turn, Kase pulled off onto a quiet side street before twisting to face me. “Know you like to lie to avoid talking about shit. What I’m surprised about is that you’re lying to yourself, too.”
“I’m not. Can we get going? I have—”
“A lot to do. Yeah, I got that. Is it taking care of the sister no one knows you have? Or the mom no one knows about? David? School? Internship? Work?”
“Okay, I get it. I’m a shitty friend, a shitty liar, blah blah blah.”
Kase’s face softened, and it killed me to see it because he was right.
He was also wrong.
When I was with him, I wasn’t so distracted. My laugh was real, and the weight seemed to ease.
I forgot.
For whole minutes, hours, whatever bit of time, I forgot my life.
“Ipo, I’m sorry, that was—”
“It’s okay. I really do have to go.” When Kase made no move to start driving again, I shared, just a little. “I usually miss Hadley in the morning, but I like to leave notes in her backpack.”
Jerking his chin up, Kase started driving, though he did it silently.
This is for the best.
It is.
I really am a bad liar.
*******
“Low Low, wanna play outside with me?” Hadley yelled as she climbed onto my bed Sunday afternoon.
Putting my head up, I looked around, disoriented. “What?”
Abbey, Hadley’s nanny, moved into the doorway, her hands on her hips. “I told you to let your sister sleep.”
“But she was reading.” Hadley pointed down at the textbook.
The open pages were crumpled, including a smear of makeup and a possible spot of drool.
Well, that’s just embarrassing. I’m betting I’ve got indents all over the side of my face, too.
“Reading with her eyes closed?” Abbey asked.
“I don’t know!” Hadley said, throwing her hands up in the air. “I’m five. I don’t even know how to read.”
Abbey shook her head. “Sorry, Harlow.”
Somewhere in her thirties, Abbey had been working part-time since Hadley was born. When her hours started increasing, she left the other families she worked for so she could be here when needed.
No one had asked her to, but that didn’t mean we weren’t all grateful. Mom loved the company and, though she hated to admit it, she needed the help.
Stretching, I waved away her apology. “It’s fine. I’m supposed to be studying anyway.”
“Are you coming out?” Hadley asked.
“Isn’t it freezing?”
“No, the sun’s out and it’s warm. Abbey said I still have to wear a coat, though.”
“I can’t play, but I can read outside while you do.”
“Yippee!” She ran from the room.
“No running in the house!” Abbey called after her.
“Why don’t you take the rest of the night off?” I asked as I gathered my books and put on a hoodie.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Go see your husband before you forget what he looks like.”
“He doesn’t come home from work until later, but that would give me time to surprise him with dinner.” I could almost see her planning her shopping list and menu as she headed out the door. “Thanks, Harlow. I’m going to go say bye to your mom first.”
Going outside, I sprawled out on the hammock in the backyard while Hadley played. The book was boring enough to put me back to sleep, but the frigid air kept me alert.
I knew my study time was coming to an end when Hadley ran toward the fence, squealing her little heart out.
“Kase!”
“How’s my favorite redhead?” Reaching over the wood, Kase unlatched the gate and entered the yard.
“No, that’s cool. Make yourself at home,” I called to him as I sat up.
“Nice glasses, hipster.”
I pushed my thick black framed glasses up on top of my head. “Shut up, I’ve had these since before they were in.”
“And that’s exactly what a hipster would say.” Stopping at the hammock, he crouched down and tucked my hair behind my ear. His eyes were brighter in the sun, the blue more dazzling. When his gaze dropped to my lips, my head tilted back without my consent, my breath catching.
My body is a traitor.
The moment was lost when Hadley started wiggling the hammock as she climbed up to sit with me. “What’re you doing here?”
“I came to take Low Low out to dinner. Wanna come with us?”
Hadley’s face lit up, her smile growing so huge I thought her chubby cheeks would crack. “Really?”
“As long as your ma and Low Low say it’s okay.”
She whipped around to look at me. “Can I?”
“Go ask Mom, Hadley Freckle Face Cooper,” I said, though she was already running across the lawn.
“That’s not my name!” she yelled over her shoulder, her red hair flying in the wind.
As the back door slammed shut, Kase turned to me. “How’s it going, ipo?”
“Why are you here?”
“To see you.”
“Why?” I pushed, watching him through narrowed eyes. Though I was crazy happy to see him, I was also more than a little suspicious of his motives.
Without answering, Kase grabbed my hands and stood, pulling me up with him. Instead of moving back, he slid his grip to my hips and held me close. “We’ll talk about that later.”
“I can’t sleep with you,” I blurted out. My cheeks heated and I scrunched up my face. “I mean, I can’t spend the night with you. In a platonic way. As in no more sleepovers.”
“I know.”
My eyes widened. “You do?”
“Yup. Part of our later conversation.”
“Oh.”
This is exactly what I wanted. I’ve got enough on my plate and I can’t have him mucking up the works.
Yup, totally happy.
You know, under the crushing disappointment.
Before I could say anything else, the back door slammed open and Hadley came racing out.
“Come on, Mama! He’s here and they’re hugging!”
“Balls,” I muttered. I could hear and feel Kase’s low chuckle. “This isn’t funny.”
“It’s pretty fuckin’ funny.”
I tried to shift away, but Kase kept an arm wrapped tight around my waist.
“Mama said I can come with you,” Hadley said, grinning huge.
Kase returned her grin. “That’s good news.”
My mom cleared her throat.
Reluctantly, I looked at her. “Mom, this is Kase. Kase, this is my mom.”
He stretched his hand out. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Cooper.”
I tensed as I watched Mom closely, only relaxing when her mood didn’t change.
I’m a flippin’ idiot.
“Actually, it’s Ganes,” she said, taking his hand. “And, please, call me Helena.” Her smile went crooked, a mischievous expression taking over her face. “So, you’re the one that’s been keeping my daughter out all night.”
“Mom. Oh my God, no. Just… no.”
“Well, it’s not like I blame you. His eyes really are Queen Elsa pretty.”
“I didn’t say that!” I whipped around to look at Kase, frantically shaking my head. “I didn’t say that.”
Kase’s grin was amused. “Ipo, I have no clue who that is.”
“Oh, then I envy you,” Mom said, pretending to look earnest. “I truly do.”
“What’s a poo?” Hadley asked.
“Ipo,” Kase corrected patiently. “It’s means sweetheart in Hawaiian.”
“Is Low Low your sweetheart?”
“We’ve gotta get going,” I blurted, not wanting to hear his answer. Actually, I desperately wanted to.
I just couldn’t allow myself to.
Peeking up at him, his eyes were on me, lit with humor and warmth. Mostly hidden by his beard, a small smile pulled at his lips.
At least one of us finds this entertaining.
“What’re you hungry for?” I asked Hadley, swooping her up. As soon as I got her into my arms, she lunged for Kase.
He caught her easily, tossing her up in the air, much to her joy.
Thankfully, his super ninja instincts are sharp as ever.
*******
“You’re coming back to my place,” Kase whispered.
“Nope,” I answered as if he’d asked me.
Yeah, like that happens.
“You owe me a conversation, starting with why your ma has a different last name.”
“Definitely nope. And you don’t have to whisper.” I jerked my head toward the backseat. “Once Hadley is out, she is out. After two slices of pizza, a giant cookie, and three hours at the arcade, she’ll sleep straight through to the morning.”
“Then it works out perfect that you’re spending the night.”
Since arguing anymore would do exactly nothing, I changed the subject. “You’re really good with her. Do you have kids or siblings?”
Surprise, followed by something I couldn’t decipher, flashed across his face. “No.”
“What was with that look?”
“Just the first time you’ve really asked anything about me. You’re warming up to me, huh?”
“No. I just figured since you’re gonna keep showing up and bossing me around, I might as well ask some questions. You know, the whole know-your-enemy thing.”
His smile turned cocky. Or, in his case, cockier. He patted my hand. “Yeah, you’re crazy about me.”
Time for a clever retort.
Whenever you’re ready.
“You wish,” I mumbled.
Smooth. So smooth.
Any chance of further wittiness was lost when his hand stayed on mine, his index finger drawing random patterns. His darker skin and colorful tattoos contrasted with the paleness of mine.
Not for the first time, I wondered how we’d look with nothing between us.
No clothes to cover us, or space between us.
Just skin against skin.
“Where’s your head at, Harlow?”
I jumped. “What?”
“I asked what time you had class tomorrow. Now I’m more interested in knowing what you were thinking about.”
“Just planning what I’ve gotta do.”
His naked body is on my to-do list now?
Awesome.
No, bad. Very bad. Super naughty…
Rolling my eyes at myself, I sighed and looked out the window as we turned onto my street. “Class is at eight tomorrow and I have a lot of work to catch up on before then.”
“Do it at my house.”
“Uh, no.”
Kase pulled into my driveway and parked. “Why not?”
Rather than going into extensive details about all the various ways being in the same house with him would distract me, I threw open the door and got out. When I turned to get Hadley, Kase was already there, lifting her easily.
“Your hair is soft,” she mumbled to Kase sleepily, putting her head on his shoulder and falling right back to sleep.
“Why not?” he repeated to me, grabbing the booster in his other hand and heading up the walkway.
Left empty handed, I followed after him. “I have a lot to do.”
“Yeah, you’ve already said that.”
Before I could reply, the front door swung open. I knew my mom must have been standing there waiting for us.
“How was dinner?” she asked, taking the booster first and setting it inside.
“It was good,” I said. “We—”
“Probably want some time alone, got it.” Snagging Hadley from Kase, she picked up some bags and handed them to him.
I reached out. “No—”
“I packed your school stuff, plus a few changes of clothes. See you tomorrow. Or in a couple days. Just shoot me a text, you know I worry. Okay, bye!” she said through the already closing the door.
I stood and stared at the closed door.
The lock audibly slid into place.
Slowly, I dropped my outstretched arm. “I think my mom just locked me out.”
Kase wrapped his arm around me. “Looks that way.”
“She wants me to go home with you.”
“Her and I both.”
I lowered my voice, scrunching my face. “I think she thinks we’re doing it.”
He smiled, using his hold to turn me toward his car. “Then she must see the future.”
I rolled my eyes and shook my head, even as my body heated at the thought. “You seriously have a ridiculous amount of confidence.”
“Yeah, Edge said you and Ray were talking about that.”
“You’re all a bunch of gossips and perverts.”
“This coming from the chick who had a ten minute discussion about whether the plural of penis was penises or peni.” Kase opened the trunk and put my bags in.
“Hey, that was a very valid and scholarly discussion.”
“Scholarly?”
“Yeah, it was about grammar and anatomy. You were paying attention to that?”
Kase’s smile faded. “I pay attention to everything you say.”
At the surge of intensity between us, my instinct to run and escape kicked into overdrive. Breaking eye contact, I looked into the window. “What’re the chances you’ll give me my bags back?”
“About the same as getting your mom to open the door for you.”
“Yeah, that’s what I figured.” Getting into the car, I waited until Kase was heading to his side before I grinned.
*******
This was a bad idea.
No, this was a stupid idea.
When we got to Kase’s, I was surprised he was actually cool with me working. After connecting my laptop to his Wi-Fi, he left me alone at the semi-cleared off table.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t make my mind focus on anything but him. I was acutely aware of him taking the dogs out and watching a ballgame, though he kept the sound low. Every once in a while he’d ninja sneak by to refill my water bottle.
He was considerate and thoughtful.
I hated it.
Okay, I loved it, but I didn’t want to. The added layer of awesomeness made him all the more irresistible.
“Don’t feel like you have to stay up,” I said when he picked up my cup again. “I still have half a PowerPoint to finish.”
“I’m good.”
“The games over, though.” I twisted in my seat, grimacing as a pain shot through my lower back before it numbed again.
“Those chairs are hard, do you wanna work on the couch?”
I turned to eye the oversized, plush couch longingly. “Will I be in your way?”
“Never,” he said, the word weighty with more meaning than a discussion on comfort called for.
I looked at him, knowing my response held the same emphasis. “Good.”
As seconds ticked past, neither of us moved until my computer dinged with a message, breaking the moment.
I stood and grabbed my stuff as Kase stepped forward. Turning quickly, I kept the laptop between us. “I’m going to get set up.”
He smiled at my buffer attempt. Pushing forward, he pressed his lips to my head. The bitter scent of beer on his breath made his kiss even more appealing. “Want another water?”
“Can I have a beer?”
“Yeah. Go turn the TV off, I’ve gotta take the boys back out.”
I shook my head, reaching into my bag for a set of headphones. “I’ll just listen to music. I can’t do it while I write ‘cause I end up typing lyrics into my paper. But I’m just piecing together the presentation.”
His hands trailed down my sides. The pads of his thumbs skimmed along the line of exposed stomach where my shirt had slid up. Just as quickly, he let go and headed into the kitchen. “Porter, IPA, or stout?”
“Stout,” I called to his retreating back, though my voice was breathy.
Gathering everything, I got set up on the couch, popping on my headphones and stretching out my legs. Immediately, several flaws in my plan became apparent.
As uncomfortable as working at a table had been, the numb butt and back were helping to keep me awake. As I sank further into the couch, my eyes immediately got heavy.
And I thought his bed was a cloud. There’s a chance I’m never, ever leaving this couch.
The problem I was finding most distracting was that the couch smelled like him. There was the stronger scent of his soap, something crisp and clean. But laced with that, far more subtle, was the smell of the garage and of him.
I found myself wondering if he’d ever been on the couch naked.
Because the likely answer was yes, my pervy brain kept picturing him, adding me on top.
“Here,” Kase said, pulling me from my naughty thoughts as he handed me the beer.
Needing to cool my overheating body and mind, I took a few long gulps.
He grabbed my ankles and lifted them. Sitting, he stretched my legs back over his.
Turning on my music, I got back to work. It was a good thing most of the actual assignment was done, because sitting on the couch was an even worse idea than I’d originally thought.
Kase’s hands stayed on my legs, his thumb sweeping absentmindedly. I’d never thought of my calf as an erogenous zone, but he was proving just that.
Stop being a perv and focus. The sooner you get this work done, the sooner you can climb into that ridiculously comfy bed.
With him.
Possibly a shirtless him.
Scrunching up my face, I sighed. When Kase shook my leg, I slid my headphones off.
“Where are your hipster glasses?”
“What?”
He tapped near his eyes. “You keep squinting.”
“No, I was just trying to, uh, refocus.”
“You squint. It’s cute and all, but you need your glasses.”
“They’re in my bag.” I started to sit up, but Kase beat me to it, grabbing my empty cup as he went.
He returned a minute later with a refilled drink and my purse.
“You could’ve just grabbed them out,” I said, putting them on.
“Even if I wanted to, I doubt I’d have found them in that thing.” Holding his shoulder, he rotated his arm around, the action making his muscles flex. “Think I tore something just picking it up.”
I tossed my bag back at him, aiming for his head.
He caught it easily, flipping it back onto the chair behind him. “How much more work do you have?”
Crossing my legs, I leaned over to look at my notes. “Not much. Like I said, don’t feel like you have to stay up.”
“I’m a night owl.” Grabbing his beer, he sat close to me.
Putting my headphones back on, I worked and drank, thinking maybe, just maybe, my plan wasn’t so flawed after all.
*******
Kase
There goes that plan.
After taking the dogs out, I’d come upstairs to find Harlow passed out. Like, arm hanging off the bed, head not even on the pillow, o-u-t, out.
I wanted to talk.
I wanted to do a fuck of a lot more than that.
Just looking at her long ass legs, my dick got hard.
But she needed to sleep.
I wasn’t sure how she did it. Waking up at the crack ass of dawn and staying up as late as she did couldn’t have been healthy. More than once, I’d had to crash on the couch at Hyde during the day because I was fucking wiped.
Stripping down, I tucked my hard-on into the waistband of my boxers and climbed into bed. Waiting to make sure Harlow stayed asleep, I adjusted my dick again before the band cut off all circulation.
When I inhaled my relief, all I could smell was her and the citrus shampoo she used. My dick jumped.
Fuck. Now I’m gonna get wood every time I see a lime.
I turned away from her and tried to sleep, but all I could think about was waking her with my hands and mouth.
I give up.
Staying as quiet as possible, not that it seemed to matter, I got up and headed to the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I didn’t bother turning on the light.
I leaned against the tile wall, the coolness a jolt against my naked back. Sliding one hand into my boxers, I wrapped my fingers around my cock. It jerked in response, pushing against the fabric. Hooking my other thumb in the waistband, I pulled them down, freeing myself.
Gliding up and down the length, my muscles tightened. I squeezed harder, pumping myself as an image of Harlow formed in my mind.
Feeling like a fuckin’ skeeze, I slowed my movements and tried to clear my thoughts. Instead, the picture became more vivid, my dick getting harder.
Down on her knees, she takes me in her mouth. Her full lips surround my cock, working me as she sucks, all of her bouncy energy going into it. Her hand goes between her legs, sliding into her shorts.
No longer caring that I was a skeevy fuckin’ perv, I closed my eyes and gave in to the fantasy. My fist tightened around myself as I stroked. Harder. Faster.
Pulling her hair, I control her movements as she looks up at me, the dazed, playfulness in her eyes letting me know she’s getting off on it as much as I am.
At that visual, my balls tightened and my head shot back. All thoughts blanked as I came hard, the warmth hitting my stomach and floor as I kept stroking.
When I finished, I reached out for the sink, leaning on it for support as I caught my breath. Grabbing a washcloth, I wet it and cleaned up, flicking the light on long enough to check that I got everything.
My still hard dick refused to go all the way down, but it wasn’t as bad. Readjusting, I tucked it back into my boxers. I tossed the cloth into the hamper and headed to bed.
A bed that had a fuck hot redhead waiting for me.
I’m a sick, sick man.
*******
Harlow
I’m dreaming.
Though I could’ve sworn my eyes were open, I was unsure if I was truly awake, or just hovering in that moment between sleep and full consciousness. Watching Kase, I knew I must have been asleep.
In only his boxers, he crossed the room toward the bed. That sight alone was what dreams were made of. When my gaze dropped lower, I knew I was wrong.
It was what fantasies were made of.
His hard cock was tucked up into the waistband of his boxers, as if he were trying to hide it. If that was his intent, it wasn’t working since a few inches and the head were sticking out.
“Go back to sleep, Harlow,” Kase ordered, his voice a low rumble as he startled me from my hazy in-between.
Trying to orient myself, I widened my eyes.
Annnd, I’m still looking at his hard-on.
Now I’m staring.
Look away. Look away, perv!
“Harlow,” he said, his voice a rough warning.
Scrunching up my face, I sat up. “What time is it?”
“You still got over an hour to sleep.”
I flopped back down. “Thank God.”
When Kase climbed back into bed, my body tensed. I waited, wondering if he’d do something. While it wasn’t the first time we’d slept in the same bed, it was the first time I’d been awake without having to haul ass.
I jumped as Kase reached for me, but he only curled my body into his. I rested my cheek on his shoulder and threw my leg over his. My breath caught when his hand settled on my thigh.
He pressed his lips to the top of my head. “Relax, ipo.”
The tips of his fingers ran along my spine, teasing the sensitive skin. My anticipation grew as I waited for him to dip his hand lower.
When his pattern remained the same, I contemplated making the first move. Before I could, the soothing strokes made my eyes too heavy to even open.
Drifting off, my thoughts were whirling with a muddled confusion.
And an undeniable sense of disappointment.