Chapter Eight

“Why are you so quiet this morning?”

Harper looked up from the water, where her feet dangled in, to meet Tucker’s gaze. “I’m not.”

He smiled. “You are. You’re usually a morning person. It’s absolutely disgusting, so I can tell something is bothering you.”

She shrugged a shoulder. “It’s nothing. I guess I’m just tired.” She was also a bit cranky, though she had no right to be. Just because she’d gotten accustomed to having breakfast with Bennet didn’t give her the right to feel annoyed that he had chosen to eat with his siblings that morning without telling her first.

She’d shown up in his room at the usual time, prepared to eat before they started working. Tucker had greeted her in the hallway with the news that Bennet had risen early and decided to join his siblings for breakfast. When he had suggested they dine by the pool, she had acquiesced. Somehow, that had transitioned to sitting on the side with her feet dangling in the water, and not a bit of food in sight.

“I didn’t realize how much I’d missed you until I saw you again,” said Tucker. As he spoke, he reached for her hand and folded it in his. His dark skin was a complementary contrast to her lighter golden brown—tanned that color courtesy of the Montrovian sun and time spent by the pool.

She couldn’t explain why, but she felt uncomfortable holding his hand. It wasn’t that Tucker himself had done anything, but it felt wrong to her. It didn’t take hours of contemplation to realize why. Bennet. She was getting closer to him, and sitting this close to someone else and holding their hand felt a bit like the edge of cheating despite her innocent intentions, and her certainty that Tucker meant nothing by it. He’d always been an affectionate person, which had never bothered her until now. She gently tugged away her hand, softening the motion with a small smile. “I’ve missed you too. Emails and Skype just aren’t the same.

He let out a small sigh. “Why didn’t we work out?”

She shrugged. “You left, and I was okay with that. That says enough right there, doesn’t it?”

“Maybe we made a mistake.” As he said the words, he leaned forward to brush his lips against hers.

She was shocked enough by the gesture for a moment to remain still, but quickly pulled away and scooted a few inches to the left to put some distance between them. “I don’t think we did. Do you remember one thing we were lacking?”

He looked regretful. “Chemistry.”

She nodded, recalling the few times they had made love. It had never felt quite right, and it was only after their engagement broke up that she realized their relationship had lacked the necessary component of passion to keep them together.

If she had loved him the way she was supposed to, and had been drawn to him the way she was to Bennet, she never would’ve allowed him to just walk away. She would have moved heaven and earth to find a way to go with him when he worked with Doctors Without Borders, or she would have implored him to stay until she finished training, and they could go together. Instead, she had been a little melancholy at his departure, but not heartbroken.

He patted her leg before leaning his hand on his lap. “Sorry, but I guess I needed to be sure.”

She arched a brow at his strange tone. “Sure that we’re over?”

He snorted as he laughed, then looked embarrassed. “No, I’m sure about that. I guess I was just grasping at straws and hoping to avoid facing something else.”

“What’s that?”

“I think I’ve fallen in love despite my best efforts not to. I don’t even know how it happened, or how it’s possible. She’s so awful and completely opposite of me. Rigid and conforming. The only time I’ve ever seen her worked up or passionate is when she’s spewing direct quotes from the decorum manual.”

Harper clapped her hand over her mouth as she started to get an inkling of who he was talking about. “No way,” she said, her words muffled by her palm. She dropped it to her lap and repeated them. “You can’t mean that.”

He looked a little bit nauseated. “That’s what I keep telling myself. It makes no sense at all, does it?”

She shook her head. “Are you even involved in any fashion?”

“Not unless you count verbal sparring. I think she hates me, and she’s clearly offended by the fact that I have a room in the family’s private wing. How could this be?” He scratched his short hair in a thoughtful way. “It’s crazy, isn’t it?”

She was tempted to giggle for a moment at the thought of the two of them together, but quickly reined in the impulse. “Maybe it’s crazy, but maybe it’s not impossible?” She needed to believe that for herself just as much as for Tucker and his unexpected love interest. “Do you think she feels the same way at all?”

“I’m not sure she feels anything except the stick wedged up her ass.” His expression turned rueful. “I’m starting to think even that’s adorable. I have it bad, Harper.”

She laid her head on his shoulder and patted his knee. “It’s the worst, isn’t it?”

He stiffened slightly, his tone only mildly curious when he asked, “Are you speaking from experience?”

She shrugged her other shoulder, the one that wasn’t leaning against him. “I can’t say just yet.”

He pulled away, and she lifted her head so that they were looking at each other. There were only a few inches between them, so they were able to whisper quietly.

“If you mean what I think you mean, you need to be careful. I don’t need to tell you what’s at stake.”

She nodded. “Everything I’ve worked so hard for, but somehow, it doesn’t seem as important as it used to.”

He seemed like he wanted to say something more, then he sighed. “I’m certainly not one to give advice on steering away from toxic relationships. Not that I think that yours would be toxic, but it could cause you great harm.”

“So could yours.” She chose to take a teasing track to lighten the mood. “You might end up with your own stick.”

His expression was one of mock horror. “Anything but that.”

With a laugh, she shook her head and got to her feet as she heard wheels moving forward on the concrete. “You’re incorrigible, and I have to get to work.”

He reached out and took her hand for a moment, squeezing it in a tender way. “Thank you.”

“And the same to you for not being Judgey McJudger.”

He looked morose as he turned his attention back to the water in the pool. “I’m the last person who should be judging anyone’s relationship.”

With a small word of parting, she turned her attention to Bennet, frowning when she saw his stark expression. “Are you ready to get to work?”

Without a word to her, he spun his chair and rolled back inside, not waiting for her to join him or keep up. With a frown, she followed behind him, wondering if he had somehow acquired his own stick.

***

Instead of continuing onto the therapy room, Bennet veered into his private suite. He heard her calling him, but didn’t wait for her. As soon as he cleared the door, he started to slam it shut. He rolled forward, irritated when the lack of slamming of the door against the jamb indicated she intercepted it before it could close. A moment later, he heard the door close far more quietly than it should have, but he refused to turn to look at her as she walked across the floor behind him. When she put her hand on his shoulder, he tensed and tried to shrug it off.

“What’s wrong, Bennet?”

He let out a snort. “As if you don’t know.”

Her hand moved from his shoulder, but only because she was coming to stand in front of him instead of behind. He turned his head away as she knelt down to be at his level, trying to ignore her fingers on his chin as she tried to coax him to look at her. He held out, but just barely.

“Please tell me what’s wrong. I don’t know how to fix it if I don’t know what the problem is.”

At those words, his head turned without his permission so he could glare at her. “You lied to me.”

She frowned, and her ragged inhalation was audible even from a few feet away. “How did I lie to you? I’ve never done that.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, angling his chin out of her hand to avoid her touch. He didn’t need her proximity distracting him. “You told me you were through with Tucker, and there was nothing left. You stood there and promised that you didn’t cheat either. It’s obvious you lied to me. How involved with him are you? Is it still just emotional, or have you resumed a physical relationship?”

She simply laughed, which only heightened his anger. He clutched the arms of his wheelchair to keep from screaming at her. “You think it’s funny? I trusted you, and you’ve betrayed me. I feel so much for you, much more than I ever wanted to, and you think it’s okay to—”

She put her fingers against his lips, which had the effect of silencing him immediately despite his urge to resist. It wasn’t as strong as the compulsion to be gentle with her even with how she’d hurt him.

“I’m assuming you saw Tucker kiss me?” At his jerky nod, she stroked her fingers across his lips. “He kissed me, not the other way around, but it was a last-ditch effort on his part. He was trying to avoid something, and he’d hoped he’d find a way with me. All the kiss did was remind him of one of the main reasons our relationship didn’t last. We have no chemistry, and our attraction wasn’t strong enough to overcome even the mildest of obstacles. He’s one of my best friends, but that’s it.”

“I don’t go around kissing my best friends.” He squirmed slightly in his chair, not willing to admit to her that only males comprised his best friends circle, and there were only a few among them. He could honestly say he’d never had any attraction to any of them.

“Neither do I. I also didn’t see the need to overreact and shove him into the pool or something. I was startled by his kiss, but I wasn’t moved by it in any fashion. And then when he explained why he did it…” She started giggling.

He arched a brow. “What’s so funny?”

She leaned closer, and his body didn’t stiffen in resistance at her touch this time, and he wasn’t sure he wanted it to anyway. She seemed so calm about the situation, and not at all guilty. Either she was a consummate liar and the world’s best actress, or there was truly no reason to be concerned about the brief moment between her and Tucker.

“He’s trying desperately not to love someone.”

He frowned. “Who? He hardly ever leaves the palace, especially since my accident. Is it someone on staff?”

She nodded, lips twitching as she clearly tried to control herself. “Fiona.”

His mouth dropped open, and a startled laugh escaped him. “That’s insane. She hates him.”

“I know, and I think he knows it too. You could see why he’s desperate to find a way out, but he quickly realized that wasn’t with me.”

He shook his head. “How is anyone able to fall in love with her? That requires some real fortitude.”

“It sure does. It would take more tenacity than I could ever hope to achieve.” Her amusement slowly faded, and her expression became serious. “I need love to be easier than that, and most importantly, reciprocal.”

“It should be effortless.”

She shook her head at his words. “It’s never effortless. Love requires work, and keeping a relationship together can be hard, but it should be worth the effort. I wouldn’t even try if I weren’t sure of that.”

“That makes sense, but sometimes you stumble into a relationship without ever intending to fall in love.”

She nodded. “Those are either the best or the worst kind. They have the potential to be amazing, but it could also completely destroy you.”

“If the other person feels the same way, they’re taking the same risk.” Tentatively, he reached out for her hand and brought it to his mouth to press his lips to her palm. “If you’re both taking the risk, it cuts it in half, right?”

She closed her eyes as his lips moved over her hand, letting out nothing more than a small moan for a long moment. Finally, she opened her eyes and said, “I’m ready.”

He frowned. “Ready for what?”

She didn’t answer directly. “I know we have an agreement that mornings are for physical therapy, and afternoons or evenings are for us, but do you think would be all right if we made an exception today?”

He could feel his brows creeping upward. “What kind of an exception, and for what?”

She moved closer, cupping his face between her palms after pulling free of his hold. Her lips brushed against his in a feathery kiss before she whispered, “I’m ready to make love with you.”

“Really?” At her nod of confirmation, he leaned forward as far as he could so he could lift her onto his lap, and her arms went around his neck, anchoring him to her. He put his hands on the chair wheels and started pushing forward. He had no hesitation, and she didn’t seem to either. It was finally time, and his arms pumped furiously to cross the distance from the sitting room to his bedroom.

***

As she clung to him, Harper probed deeply in her emotions, ensuring she felt not even a spark of doubt about what she was undertaking. There was nothing there except excitement and contentment. She was definitely ready, and she had committed to seeing through what happened with Bennet, whether it completely destroyed her or made her whole.

He reached his room in what seemed like record time, and she slid off his lap onto the bed and rolled over so he could transition from the chair to the bed to join her. When he was on his back, she climbed on top of him, perched on his thighs for a moment as she grasped the hem of her T-shirt and peeled it up over her head before tossing it behind her without looking. Her bra followed a moment later, and his ragged exhalation was gratifying. He could still appreciate the sight he’d seen many times, though perhaps not from this vantage point.

“You’re absolutely beautiful.”

She trailed finger down his chest. “So are you.”

“I can’t wait to touch and taste you.” As he spoke, he reached for her hips to bring her closer. She didn’t need verbal instructions to know he wanted her to bend at the waist, and she did, which brought her nipple to his mouth. Harper balled her hands into fists as she leaned forward, pressing more into his mouth as he started to suck.

At first, his tongue was little more than a swipe occasionally making contact with her rigid nipple, and she squirmed in her need. She wanted more, but he denied her that for a long moment as he teased her with glancing licks that did nothing more than taunt. There was no satisfaction in it, but it was certainly enough to increase her desire.

When he finally sucked firmly on the breast again, his tongue swirling forcefully around her nipple, she cried out her pleasure and opened her palms to support her weight as weakness flooded her. It was the weakness of sensual surrender, and she was happy to give in to it. It didn’t diminish her in any way to acknowledge the effect he had on her.

He switched his attention to her other breast, repeating his teasing motions before finally giving her more of what she needed. She whimpered when his mouth moved away to settle in the valley between her breasts.

“Scoot up.” Those two words told her everything she needed to know, and she hurried to comply. She was trembling with excitement and need as she repositioned herself so that her knees rested at his sides, and his fingers could easily access the button and zipper of her shorts.

“You need to throw away all of these. Why don’t you get waistbands that are easy to get into?” he grumbled as he finally conquered her shorts and dragged them down to mid-thigh.

“I’ll definitely consider that.”

He cursed as he wrestled with the denim until he was so frustrated that he ripped it. It was still an impressive feat. It also left her without anything to wear on her lower half when she left his room later, but she’d worry about that at a different time.

There was ferocity in his movements when he cupped her buttocks and pulled her down to meet his mouth. She bit back a small shriek as she clutched the headboard while his mouth moved over her, roughly exploring her for a moment, as though he was in desperate need of what she had to offer.

She was sensitive, and it was almost too much, especially when he ran the broadside of his tongue firmly over her clit and down her slit, but before she could protest—or orgasm—his touch gentled, and he lightened his pressure. As he carefully and gently explored her with the tip of his tongue, as though she was something fragile and breakable, she arched against him and pressed downward, almost wishing he was as rough as he had been the moment before. His teasing strokes were too reminiscent of the way his tongue had moved over her breast before finally giving her enough stimulation, and she pressed against him harder, silently demanding more.

He complied, his tongue going firm again as he lashed her clit with strokes that should’ve hurt, but simply made her entire body tremble. Each flick of his tongue against her sensitive flesh was like a small electric shock, but far more pleasurable. It seemed like no time at all passed before she orgasmed, and his tongue stopped moving during the height of the onslaught.

Afterward, she sagged slightly and started to pull away, but his hands tightened on her buttocks, and he brought her flesh more firmly against his mouth. Once again, he feasted from her, his touch a combination of gentle and firm that alternated with no particular pattern that she could discern. She was simply at his mercy and almost felt like she endured two more orgasms before he finally allowed her to slip away and take a deep breath.

She slid off him and sagged against the bed, her shoulder against the headboard for support as she tried to breathe deeply. “Wow,” she managed to croak in a scratchy voice.

He seemed satisfied with himself as he gave her a Cheshire Cat smile. “There’s more where that came from.”

“Not right now.” She held up a hand. “I can’t take anymore.”

He frowned. “That bad?”

With a small laugh, she shook her head. “No, that good.” She licked her lips and darted her gaze to the hard bulge visible through his light linen pants. He must’ve dressed up for breakfast with his siblings, because he also wore a light button-down shirt. “I think it’s your turn.”

He didn’t argue as she moved over to him again, straddling him once more as she started unbuttoning the shirt that hid her view of his body. She wanted to be as slow and torturous with him as he had been with her, but she didn’t have the patience. In the end, she ended up ripping the last few buttons, and it was only as she heard the fabric tear that she thought about how much the shirt had probably cost and winced.

The thought quickly fled, and she lowered her head to trace her tongue around one of his nipples before sliding to the other, keeping her tongue out the entire time. He moaned and arched his back, and when her mouth drifted farther south, his hand clamped into her hair. She assumed he was anchoring himself, so it was a surprise when he gently tugged her head up instead of allowing her to dip her tongue under the waistband of his pants. She frowned at him. “Don’t you want…?”

He shook his head. “Later, but now I just want to be inside you.”

She couldn’t argue with that, and she was amused to find his pants as difficult to take off as hers had been for him. It must be something about the eagerness and excitement filling her, because they were otherwise easy to remove. Finally, her clumsy hands managed the task, and he was able to lift his hips to allow her to slide them down.

She inched down his body, removing his shoes and socks before tugging his trousers the rest of the way off and throwing them haphazardly across the room. Then she was sliding up his body again, positioning herself near his shaft. “Do you have any condoms?”

He nodded and gestured toward the nightstand. She leaned across to get one, making the head of his cock rub against her wet slit in the process, and they both groaned. It took every ounce of willpower she had to force herself to move backward to apply the condom instead of just pushing down and taking him inside her.

With gritted teeth, she managed to maintain control long enough to rip open the packet and enrobe his cock with the condom. His breath hissed between his teeth as she moved it over him, and when she finally had him wrapped up and ready, he let out a harsh cry as she aligned her opening and slowly sank down his thick length.

A cry of her own escaped her as he filled her, making her feel overly full for a moment, until she adjusted to his size. When she was seated fully on him, and he was buried as deeply inside her as he could go, she didn’t move for a moment.

She reached down to take his hands, and their gazes locked just as much as their hands entwined before she started arching against him. She wanted to be slow and drawn out, but neither one of them had the patience for that. He’d clearly been waiting for this for a while, and despite the three orgasms she’d had, she was quickly ready for more.

Clinging to him, she thrust against him as he arched upward, and their gazes remained focused on each other throughout. His every contour was a point of stimulation, and her walls conformed perfectly to fit him. As he filled her before withdrawing, and then repeating the cycle again, she was certain they were made to fit together.

There seemed something fated about the match, though that was likely just the passion of the moment inspiring the fantastical thought. She didn’t believe in fate or karma, or any of that, but for the moment, she had a glimpse of it and could see why people did.

When he stiffened inside her, the first twitching of his shaft indicating he had found release, it triggered her own. She clung even tighter to him, afraid she was probably digging her nails into his flesh, but unable to stop in the throes of her climax. Instead, she could only buck against him as her sheath convulsed around him, drawing out the last bit of pleasure from him to heighten her own. Finally, as the world disintegrated around her before reforming with a bright flash, she collapsed against him.

She laid her head against his chest, conscious of them both breathing harshly, and his heartbeat racing against her ear. Surely, her pulse rate matched, but she couldn’t hear it with his thundering in her ear. Slowly, it faded to a more sedate level, as did hers, and their breathing was slow and deep again. Neither one of them moved nor spoke. There was no need for words in the moment, and no desire to break the bond between them.