CHAPTER 18
Harper couldn’t stop the grin that kept creeping across her face. True to form, Jasper had inundated her phone with texts, but they’d ended up with one main goal.
Call me back.
It wasn’t surprising, as much as he blew up her phone. He hated tapping out long messages. So, as Sterling drove her home, she’d called her brother to find out what he wanted.
Turned out, there had been an emergency on one of the ranches, and he was probably going to be out all night with Kessed. No big deal, but he was as caring as he was annoying, so he wanted her to know so she wouldn’t go home to an unexpectedly empty house.
Harper sighed contentedly, soaking up the idea of belonging to someone. As Sterling made the drive back to her home, she thought back over his words.
Someday, you’ll be mine.
His words echoed deep in her soul, feeding a need she didn’t know she had vacant.
When they pulled into the house, Sterling turned off the car and reached for her hand as she walked to the front porch. “I had a great time today,” he started conventionally.
Harper laughed, the anticlimactic statement the understatement of the year. “That’s all you’ve got?”
“Need to up my game, huh?” He grinned, his eyes crinkling at the edges, his shadow of a beard giving him a rugged appearance in the semidarkness. She caressed his face with her gaze, trying to remember when she’d felt like this.
Never.
“You want to come in?” Harper asked as they paused in front of the door toe to toe. She stretched up and playfully nipped at his lips.
“Hell yes.” Sterling emphasized his answer with a kiss that left her breathless and scrambling for the doorknob. She almost tripped over the threshold, but Sterling’s arms corrected her, and they shared a laugh at their eagerness.
Tugging on his arm playfully, she led him to her room, fleetingly thinking about how she had left that afternoon a different person than she was now. Sterling’s hands pulled at her clothes as his lips first nibbled at hers, then diving and devouring like his hands as they mapped her body while she stripped down.
Unlike last time, there was no tentative movements, no fear. Harper surrendered winningly, and in turn, Sterling found himself having to give up control when she took command.
And when she couldn’t hold on, Sterling’s name was on her lips; it was her litany, her prayer.
Sterling followed her in his own release, and she gloried in the sound of hearing her name.
The silence that followed was almost holy, and Harper closed her eyes, resting in the sensation of being thoroughly loved. She rolled from her position over him and snuggled into his embrace as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He held her close, her head over his heart. The mad rhythm was soothing, comforting, safe.
Safe.
“I think I’m going to fall asleep,” Harper mumbled, not wanting to move and having the sensation of being a jellyfish.
Sterling chuckled, but the sound was strained slightly, and she glanced up at him. “You all right?”
A slight sheen of sweat dotted his forehead, and he nodded once. “Yeah, I just showed up to my A-game with the B-squad.” He nodded toward his leg.
“Does it hurt?” Harper asked, concerned.
Sterling took a deep breath. “Not bad. It’s part of life, at least now.”
Harper nodded and relaxed when he kissed her forehead tenderly.
“I’m going to clean up.”
She gave a wolf whistle when he stood from the bed and walked to the door, gorgeously naked.
“I’m...going to get dressed here. I know Jasper is gone and all, but...” Sterling gave a chagrined glance to Harper.
“Weak,” she taunted.
“Pain in the ass,” Sterling grumbled and picked up his clothes. With a narrowed glance, he accepted her challenge and walked into the hall toward the bathroom, albeit rather quickly.
She noted his limp and wondered if maybe he was in more pain than he let on.
But she didn’t dwell on it; rather, she lay in her bed, languid, satisfied, and wanting to fall asleep.
But not alone.
Damn it.
Taking a deep breath, she stood and wrapped her bathrobe around her body just as Sterling walked into her room, his smile wide, welcoming.
Home.
Harper kissed him on the cheek.
“Harper I’m going to leave before I talk myself into staying, or rather let you talk me into staying.”
She giggled at the statement; it wasn’t far from the truth.
“But can I see you tomorrow? It’s Monday, so I don’t know what you have planned....”
“I work tomorrow. Mondays are usually busy with paperwork since Jasper will probably have had emergency calls over the weekend, but I’m free after five. Can I see you then?”
“I’ll be here waiting.” Sterling kissed her lips, lingering then growling as he pulled away. “You’re addictive, Harper.” He shook his head.
“I kinda like you too,” she answered.
“Tomorrow.” He whispered the word like a promise.
“I can’t wait.”
With one more kiss, he headed toward the door and disappeared into the night.
Grinning widely, Harper padded to the bathroom and started the shower. After time in the hot water, she toweled off and pulled the tube of toothpaste from the cabinet. Her gaze flickered around the familiar arrangement, landing on her prescription. In a bold move, she picked up the bottle to toss it in the trash.
But there wasn’t the rattle of the few pills she’d left inside.
After twisting the cap off, she realized it was empty.
Had she taken them? She frowned as she thought. No, she hadn’t.
She used the restroom and padded back to her bed, her brow pinched as she tried to solve the mystery. Tossing in bed, she came up with several different scenarios. Maybe Jasper had finally thrown them out, and if so, it was for the best. But usually he told her when he did stuff like that. He might be bossy, but he was always honest.
It was only a few pills anyway. Who would even know what they were? Her heart froze mid-beat then picked up double time.
Surely Sterling wouldn’t...
No. He wouldn’t.
Not after knowing how hard it was for her to trust him, to trust anyone.
Not after promising her brother that he wouldn’t break her heart.
No.
Yet the smallest voice asked her... What if?
Her heart fractured a little at the thought, and she dismissed it, silencing the question.
It was too hard to even consider after everything they’d shared.
With a resolute mind, she tried to force herself to sleep and was successful for a few hours, but as the night wore on, she gave up and went to the barn.
As she patted down Spartan, she thought of a plan.
She’d just ask.
After all, Sterling promised he’d never lie, right?
Which sounded exactly like something a liar would say.
Which meant one thing.
She’d been screwed.
Again.
She wrapped her arms around Spartan’s neck and wept.