“Ross, I need you to calm down and trust me, okay?”

Harper’s brother had called me the day I bought the house when he received news his time and service had been miscalculated, and his contract was up. He was given the option of signing a new contract, receiving a sizable bonus, or parting ways with United States military. He chose option B.

“But dude, I don’t want this to be as fucked up as when you went home. Pissing off all the girls in your world and making my father doubt you.”

 Sitting down to breakfast with Bruce has been one of the easier things I’ve had to endure.  In the end, we both agreed we had a common thread, both of us love Harper and wanted what’s best for her. We disagreed slightly on whether or not that was me. Not surprisingly, he wanted to see how I treated her. He would make up his mind when, as he called it, I was squeezed.  In other words, when I was put in the position where my looks, money and family name would do nothing to help me. “Character is who we are in the dark,” he told me, “let’s see who you are on the inside.”

“Listen, I’ve got it. You make sure your ass is on that plane, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Ross and I devised a plan where we would use the ruse of my house warming party as a way to surprise his wife and sister. I had invited everyone we knew, every member of my team and even some of the guys I would be working with. I wanted to introduce my old life to my new one, meshing the two together into one cohesive unit.  Harper was a seasoned military family member, she would understand my need to disappear from time to time to help my brothers and the new missions we accepted. Ross included.

“Dude, I fucking owe you one.”

“Yes, you do, and I know just how you can pay me back.”

“Name it, man.”

“Go to this fucking Khaki Ball for me.”

I half teased, knowing full well we couldn’t pull that bullshit off.  It was my fault, I’ve been too wrapped up with all the shit in my world, thinking I was practically bulletproof and wouldn’t have to follow the rules once I got back to the states. But the cocksucker of a new Captain I had, needed to have his rank stroked and put out the official order, all senior active duty would be in attendance. Which meant I had no choice in the matter.

“I thought you jumped at the chance to go with my sister.”

“I would love to go with your sister, but she’s already RSVP’d to a wedding.”

“Still not seeing an issue, go to the fucking wedding.”

“Can’t, ball and wedding are on the same damn day.”

“Logan, for a smart man you are pretty stupid right now.”

“Fuck you, I’m trying to be helpful, and you’re making fun of me.”

I was half tempted to leave his ass at the airport, or let the word slip out he was packing it in and coming home. But I wanted to see Harper’s face and let her thank me personally for the joy of her brother being home.

“Listen, man, I got a plan.”

“Yeah, motherfucker. So did General Custer, and we all know how that shit turned out.”

Early the next morning, using the advice Ross had given me last night, I phoned Harper's shop and asked to speak with Sarah. She nervously gave me the information I needed and made me promise I wasn’t going to hurt anyone. I needed her on my side, so I told her as much of the story as I could and still keep my word to Ross. I reminded her of the party and how much I wanted her and Mitch to attend. She assured me they would both be there, as they wanted to see what was going to happen.

Ross’s plane was due to land in fifteen minutes. I had turned down a home cooked meal from Harper in order to be standing here helping her brother. She was under the impression I was meeting up with an old friend who would only be in town one night. I didn’t want to lie to her, but I knew she would forgive me when she saw her brother’s face.

I had to laugh as I watched Ross walk down the jet way, his sea bag thrown over his shoulder and a day's worth of good scruff on his face. He looks like some hippy on the pilgrimage across the country, instead of the trained killer he was.

“Never thought I would ever say this to you,” extending out his hand to shake mine. “But you’re a fucking sight for sore eyes.”

After assuring him a multitude of times that his wife and sister were clueless to his arrival, and a firm and definite no to his begging of letting him drive my car, we hit the road. Where Harper was not impressed with the sports car I had shipped down, Ross was about to lick my leather seats.

“Dude, come on, it’s your payment for letting you date my sister.”

“Um, that would go to your father and not to you. And the answer would still be no.”

Our first stop was the gym, where he stood like a kid in the candy store, touching and testing out every piece of machinery we had. Finally, he noticed the salmon ladder in the back of the room, and jumped over the ellipticals as if they were sawhorses.

“Come on, man. I’ll race you.”

The look on Harper’s face hadn’t escaped me as she watched me tackle this particular piece of torture the other day. First time I used one of these bastards, I thought I would throw up. But after a few attempts, I found I enjoyed how it made my upper chest look and the amount of strength it gave me. I’m not ashamed to admit, my dick got a little hard what I saw the lust in her eyes.

“You’re on fucker, but I’ve been making it my bitch since I had it installed.”

Competing with Ross was like having the brother my parents failed to give me. He knew which buttons to push and how hard to push them. But he would be there if I needed him, and I would return the favor. When I stomped his ass at climbing the ladder, I offered to make him feel better by buying him a beer. As we wandered down the twisty road leading to my new house, he mentioned how he dated a girl who lived back here. I told him of his sister’s excitement and her story of a girlfriend with a horse.  He and I laughed as he admitted the girl was one in the same, the pair keeping the relationship a secret from Harper.

“Logan, man, if my sister doesn’t want to shack up with you out here, I sure as fuck do.”  Ross accepted the beer I handed him, giving him permission to drink as much as he wants.

“Sorry, man, she’s a fuck ton prettier than you.”

Shortly after I moved in, I found the fire pit was remote-controlled. I called around and found a company who came out and made my house Bluetooth compatible. Now instead of keeping up with remotes, I tell a computer to turn things off and on.

“Don’t tell her I said this, but she’s fucking smarter than me too.”

“Trust me, Ross, she already knows.”

“You get everything set up like I told you?”

“Yes I did, I made a phone call and with a little persuasion, managed to get what I needed.”

We talked and drank until the wee hours of the morning, stopping long enough for me to call Harper and tell her good night. She questioned if I was having fun with my friend and I said it was boring as fuck. She giggled and said I must be having a little fun as my words were slurred. She made me promise to be careful and that she would see me tomorrow night at my party.

* * *

 The caterers arrived mid morning, setting up three full bars and several food stations. Harper called and asked if I needed any help, but I told her I was headed to the gym in just a few minutes. Ross came downstairs looking like death warmed over. Being in the desert for so long, he wasn’t used to drinking as much as he had.

“Hey, Doc, any magic cure for a fucking hangover?”

He grumbled as he took a seat at the bar, accepting the fresh cup of coffee I poured for him.

“Yeah, avoid getting drunk.” I teased, receiving his middle finger back as a thank you. He closed his eyes as he savored the hot liquid, leaning back and staring out into the open field.

“Promise me something, Logan.”

“Sure.”

“My wife never hears about how drunk I was.”

“Sure, bro, what happens here stays here.”

The plan was for Ross to stay upstairs until a particular song came on over the speakers. I planned the party early enough so the kids can enjoy their dad and he and Amanda could go home and enjoy each other once they were asleep.

With the relatively short notice, none of my team had been able to get away to come. However, this morning I had received an invitation to Zack and Kennedy’s wedding, and everyone confirmed by text they would be there. I needed Harper to meet them, show her the caliber of men I would be surrounding myself with. There was time for all that, I still have a few months left in my contract with the military, but as soon as it was over, I was joining my team.

“Logan you ordered plenty of food, right?”

My mother was the first to arrive, pulling into my driveway shortly after I got off the phone with Harper. She had her design friend in tow. Jacques had been a big help when picking out fabrics for the house, but I drew the line at touching anything associated with this party.

“You can always send the extras to the homeless shelter.” My mother fails to remember how I have attended more than my fair share of her parties where there’s more food than people invited.

“Yes, ma’am,” kissing her cheek, showing her the respect she was unquestionably due. “After all, I learned from the best.”

“Would you listen to that, my little boy is developing a southern accent.”

“Give it a rest, Mom. The military taught me ‘ma’am’, not the state of Virginia.”

Her attention was soon captured by the staff, who was setting up the bars to close together in her opinion. While she was correcting them, I made my way back upstairs to get ready. Harper called me as soon as she left her house, making sure I didn’t need her to stop anywhere and grab anything. I wanted to get this party over as quick as possible, getting these people out of my house and a few hours alone with my girl.

By the time I made it back downstairs, my party was in full swing. I hadn’t realized how many people my mother had invited until it became difficult to walk around, even with the massive size of my house.  Not surprising, the guys I invited from my new unit had all congregated on my deck, taking full advantage of the stocked bar out there.

“Hey, handsome.”

Harper’s soft voice called to me, as I was about to step onto the deck. Her radiant smile and mischief-laden eyes made my heart skip a beat, and I wasted no time separating the distance between us.

“I’m so glad you’re here, beautiful,” Pulling her in as close as I could, not wanting a fraction of a centimeter to separate us. She was my world, and I wanted to celebrate everything about her, show her all the many ways I wanted to love her. “I have a surprise for you.”

With a tremendous amount of self-control, I pulled away from Harper, the smile at the corner for lips dropping slightly in confusion. Knowing the sooner I got Ross and his family united, the quicker I could get Harper upstairs and in my bed.

“Alexia, play song three.”

A heavy beat filled the air as I turned Harper around to face the stairs. Planting my face into the area between her neck and shoulder, losing myself in the smell of her perfume. I wanted to worship her neck; kiss, lick, and bite every square fucking inch of it.  I wanted to bathe in the moans, which I knew I could elicit from her.

“Logan?”

My name came out in a wanton whisper, her ass grinding into my pelvis, kneading the rock hard erection I had waiting for her. One of her hands grips they hair at the nape of my neck, pulling just enough to coax a sliver of pain, which travels directly to my now aching cock. Sliding my hands around her waist, my thumbs brush the edge of her firm breasts. Just as I’m about to capture her earlobe between my teeth and her soft mound in my hand, I hear the words that act like a bucket of ice water being doused over the top of my head.

“I’m home, bitches!”

Ross practically dances down the stairs. Amanda’s scream is enough to shatter all the glass in my house, but as he picks her up and twirls her around, the smile on Harper’s face makes it all better. “Did you do this?” She spins in my arms, taking my face between her palms.

“Yes, this was my friend I told you about. I didn’t want to lie to you, Harper, but Ross is my friend, and he wanted to surprise you and Amanda. But I will tell you, he’s home for good.”

Ross had such a charisma about him, meaning even people who had never met him were laughing and joining in on his antics. I introduced Harper to everyone I recognized, and she returns the favor for the ones she found familiar. I wasn’t ready to unleash the men I would work with on her just yet, saving that for a time when I knew more of what to expect from them.

I’ve never seen Harper as happy as she was, surrounded by her family. Playing with her nephews and cuddling with the baby, which admittedly, created a few ideas in my head. This was how life was meant to be, surrounded by those you loved and planning for the future.

Harper was safe within these four walls, surrounded by those who cared the most about her, but I knew of the evil that lurks in the shadows outside. Those who took great pleasure in the pain of those they inflicted it upon. I would destroy those people, do anything to hear the laughter that made my heart sore, to keep the girl who owned my heart right where she belonged.

As I bid goodnight to the last guest to leave, I found Harper asleep on one of the deck chairs. My original plans of loving her until she forgot her name were temporarily placed on hold. As I carried her upstairs, being careful not to wake her, I pondered what it would be like when the girl was much smaller and a product of the love I wanted to share with her mother. I wanted a family with Harper, with as many children as she would bless me with.

With the surprise of bringing her brother back to her complete, I couldn’t wait to see her face when I showed her what I had in store for her next.