I hadn’t realized how much I missed him until now. The way he makes me feel, the way he kisses me, it’s like he’s claiming me. This is not the adventurous Harrison opening my world on his motorcycle; this is not the sensitive Harrison who makes every cell in my body dance with his touch. No, this is primal Harrison. Domineering, animalistic. This is the rockstar telling me that I am his. I can truly understand what Josie means when she tells us about ‘Liam Page’. This version of Harrison is my own personal bad boy rocker.
He excites me.
He satisfies me.
He makes me want to beg for more.
I want him.
I need him.
My body is eager for him.
I want him in every way possible.
I slip my hand into the top of his jeans and flick the top button open. It creates enough space for me to slide my hand in. He growls. My legs rest on his hips. I bunch his shirt in my hand, trying with all my might to rip it away from his body. I palm his hard on, desperate to touch him. He hisses as he slams me against the wall, his casted arm pressing painfully against my back.
“Fuck, I’m sorry,” he says heavily, his lips barely leaving mine. He pulls back, much to my dismay. I whimper when we’re no longer connected. My chest heaves, pushing my breasts closer to his mouth. He pulls the top of my dress down, freeing them. He takes one in his mouth and kneads the other. His tongue swirls over my taut nipple, biting it gently. I move against him, lifting my dress so I can be closer to him. Pressing against him does nothing to ease the ache that I feel.
I tug again at his shirt. He takes it off with one hand, only breaking contact with me for a brief moment. I squeeze my legs tighter around his hips so I can work to free him from the confines of his jeans. My eager mouth attaches to nipple ring. I pull, knowing that he loves the way it feels. It urges him on. He moves against me, building the friction between our clothed bodies.
His fingers dig into my legs as he holds me against the wall. His mouth sears into my skin, leaving a path of burning kisses on my neck. He bites my earlobe, pulling and sucking it into his mouth.
I free him from his captor, sliding my hand up and down his shaft. He pulls back and looks at me. His green eyes bore into mine, daring me to stop this before it goes too far. What he doesn’t know is that I want this. I want him. Now, tomorrow and forever.
He moves my panties aside and guides me to his ready cock. I arch against the wall, as he grips the door casing for leverage. He pulls back and thrusts. I scream out, not in pain, but in pure unadulterated pleasure.
He watches me. He takes stock in knowing that I’m coming undone by his touch. He pushes harder. My body slams against the wall. The way he keeps control, the way he keeps his rhythm, it’s like I’m the beat of his drum and he’s playing me with every ounce of energy he has.
He bunches my dress in his hand and watches as he pulls out. “Fuck,” he hisses as he buries himself into me again and again. I pull him to my mouth, my hands woven in his hair as I reach my peak. I give him everything.
My heart.
My body.
My soul.
My life.
Harrison comes hard, grunting and pushing himself deeper. The clarity of this moment makes me realize that I am his, and he is mine.
He kisses me softly, his mouth lingering over mine. My breath catches when he moves away from me. He holds me in his hands until my feet are planted on the ground. I look down at myself and shake my head. I move to right myself, but he bats my hands way. He adjusts my dress, placing small kisses along my cleavage. He bends and in one fell swoop has me in his arms.
My arm wraps around his neck. My fingers play with the back of his hair. He walks faster, once we reach the top of the stairs, his feet shuffling. I look at him, confused.
“I forgot to button my jeans,” he explains as he tries not to laugh.
My heart sinks when I look around his room. Boxes line the walls, ready to be moved back to Los Angeles. He sits me on his bed. I can’t look at him for fear he’ll see the heartbreak. Am I enough to keep him here?
Harrison uses his finger and thumb to lift my chin. His thumb caresses my lower lip. My tongue reaches out to taste him.
“Ask me,” he demands.
“Stay,” I say quietly. “Stay here and be with me. Stay and be a family.” I stand so were body to body. I take his hand in mine and press it to my heart. “Stay and love me, love us.”
He captures my lips with his with such urgency I have to grab onto his shoulders for fear I’m going to fall. He picks me up and lays me on the bed gracefully. He hovers over me, his eyes boring into mine.
“I love you.”
“I love you, Harrison.”
My skin pebbles as his fingers map out their destination. I think he’s touched every inch of my body, some places more than once. But who’s keeping track? I’m not. I lay in his bed, surrounded by him. His naked body is pressed to my side as he writes his name on my stomach.
“When did you know?” he asks.
“Know what?”
“That you loved me?”
“The night I came to pick up the girls, they were coloring on you and it’s what Peyton said and the way you were with them. I knew my heart was yours even if I was having a hard time letting it go.”
He pulls me closer to him, burying his face in my hair.
“The movers will be here soon,” he says in a whisper.
I roll over and face him, my hand cupping his cheek. “Move in with me.”
His grin grows as my words sink in. “Your house is too small and so is this one. I’ll buy us a new one.”
I shake my head. “My father-in-law he…” I take a deep breath. I know Harrison will never ask me to stop loving Mason. I respect him for that. But will he be able to live in a house where my husband grew up? That I don’t know. “He wants to travel and can’t take care of his house. It’s big enough for the five of us. The girls were born there and Mason grew up there. I know it might be difficult for you—“
“Do you want us there?”
“I do, so much and so does my father-in-law.”
“He does?”
“Yes, he thought… He knows about us and he thought we could live there as a family.”
Harrison pulls me to him and kisses me hard. “You’ll be okay with us living there, even though there’s a history?”
“I love that house, I always have. Wait until you see it. The basement is finished so you could put your drums down there or have a space to get away. The wrap around porch is perfect for sitting out on a hot summer night and watching the sun go down. There are four bedrooms so each of the kids can have their own space. I think you and Quinn will fit in just perfectly.”
“Can we talk about a few things first?”
“Sure,” I try to sound confident, but I’m not going to lie, my insides are shaking.
Harrison rests his head on his hand and looks at me. “Moving in is a big step toward a serious commitment and that’s something I’m ready and willing to do, but I want us on the same page. I spent so much time trying to woo you that I bypassed a lot of the getting to know you crap that a normal dating couple figures out early on; like do they want kids and what are their views on marriage.”
“Do you want more kids?”
Harrison shrugs. “I don’t know. I can see myself happy with our three and if another one came along, I’d be happy with that as well.”
A part of me feels relief, because having twins is a lot of work and I can’t imagine adding another one, but another part of me longs to give him a child. I just don’t know which part is stronger right now. “I can live with that.”
“Good.” He leans forward and brushes his lips against mine. “Now, marriage.”
I feel my heart drop.
“I’m in love with you, Katelyn, and if you said you wanted to get married, I’d do it, but I’d like for you to think of something first and that’s the girls. I’ve told you that I respect your love for Mason and I’ll never ask you to stop loving him, and that includes changing your name. I don’t need some piece of paper to tell me that you’re mine, what I need is for you to love me, that’s all I ask. What I need is for Peyton and Elle to know their father and to know that I’m there for them when he can’t be. It’s important to me for them to decide how they want me around. If they come to me, years from now and say they want me to adopt them, I’ll do it, but it has to be their decision.
“This doesn’t mean I won’t marry you, I will, you just tell me when you’re ready, but I think we both know that you might not ever get there. I have no doubt in my mind that you’re a one wedding bride, and I’m more than okay with that. I respect that and love you more for it. I know we can have a long and happy life, standing side-by-side, watching our children grow up.
“I know Liam has been taking care of your bills. I know he paid off your house, but I want to take care of you now. I don’t want you to work, unless you want to. I know you like being home when the kids get out of school and I want that for you. Let me provide for you, Peyton and Elle.”
Tears pool in my eyes. How he knows me the way he does is beyond me. I move closer and nuzzle into the crook of his neck. His arms encase me, holding me to his body.
“I think if I was someone different, I’d be kicking you out of bed for saying we’re never getting married.”
Harrison laughs. “Baby, if you were someone else, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
“No?”
“No,” he says leaning back to look at me. “I only have eyes for Katelyn Powell.”