Chapter Ten
Mason
I laid Harper gently down on my bed, watching her sink into the large pillows with a giggle. I climbed in next to her, kissing her forehead affectionately, wrapping my arms tight around her. Outside, peeping through the dark curtains of the room, the mid-afternoon sun shone high above the beautiful view.
I held her tight in my arms, occasionally stroking her silky smooth hair with my fingertips. Though we were both fully dressed up in business clothes, I could feel her eyes close involuntarily. Her familiar warmth, touch, and scent overcame me and threatened to make me drowsy almost instantly.
“I want to go someplace exotic,” I said suddenly, giving her a squeeze. “Maybe someplace with lots of mountains.”
She yawned, splaying her hand across my chest, unbuttoning a few buttons so she could feel the skin beneath. Stretching her body up against my own, she wrapped a leg around me, pressing in tighter. I could feel her warmth beneath the thin fabric of her dress.
“We aren’t really in any position to travel right now, Mason. What with all these mixers coming up and all these new clients—”
I moved my leg up, pressing it in-between her thighs, holding it there as she rubbed herself against the fabric of my dress pants. I tightened my hands around her lower back, admiring the way the small of her back fit perfectly between my fingers.
“You’re such a worrier. Natalie can take care of things here, and we...”
Harper’s mouth found mine, her body pressing up as tightly as it could against my leg. Her hands worked at the other buttons on my shirt.
“What happened to ‘love comes first?’” She asked, nibbling at my ear, finally undoing the last button of my shirt and opening it, pressing her clothed body up against me.
“Love does come first.” I retorted, my hands traveling down to her ass, giving it a firm squeeze. I felt her giggle against my neck. “That includes our love, though. You know you’d like to travel with me, admit it.”
She pulled back a little so I could see her grin. She didn’t admit it.
“Your loss,” I growled, my hands still firmly planted on her ass as I rolled her over, placing myself between her legs. Warmth spread through my body, focused on an area much lower than my heart.
The thin, silky material of her dress gave me easy access to her soft, pliable thighs. I pried them open, running my hand along the black lace of her underwear. She propped herself up on her elbows, watching me, her hair falling in front of her face slightly.
“What do you think about a mountain hike now, Miss Browning?”
She shrugged. “I still don’t feel comfortable leaving everything in Natalie’s hands, Mr. Asher.”
“Hmm.” I moved my face a little closer, running my cheek along her inner thigh. I could feel her body shiver beneath my fingertips as they traveled up and down her legs, reaching to stroke the flat of her stomach. “How about now?”
My teeth tugged at her panties. I watched her expression. She was trying to hold out, but a soft, almost inaudible gasp escaped her lips. “Now?”
“I think...”
I grabbed the flimsy material of her underwear and slid them off her legs, pushing up her skirt so I could see her completely. Bringing my lips in for a taste, I let her juices coat my chin. “Want to go on a mountain hike, Harper?”
“Yes—yes, that sounds fine.”
I went to work with a grin, licking, sucking, and teasing as she squirmed beneath me, body hardly able to stand the pleasure. She looked absolutely beautiful as she tilted her head back, lips parting a little as she took in more air, trying hard not to let go completely and spoil the fun. I felt her thighs tighten around my head, and I shivered, feeling the strength in her legs as she begged me for more.
“Not yet, sweetheart.” I pulled my lips away from teasing her sweet spot, giving her a grin as she groaned in frustration. I slipped two fingers inside of her easily, feeling her depths convulse against them.
“Mason...”
“I know, baby.”
Harper sunk her fingers into my shoulders, tugging me toward her, wrapping her legs around my hips so I couldn’t escape. I grabbed her hips, feeling her moan against me as I slid inside of her, muscles tight.
I leaned down, still inside of her, wrapping my arms around her, just wanting to feel close. Her hands were playing at the nape of my neck as she peppered kisses across my chin, her tongue occasionally making its way over my skin.
I loved her. I knew I loved her, especially after these last months we had spent together, working together, sort of living together. I loved her not only physically, but for her spunk, her intelligence, her capable logic and mind. She was my partner, my lover, my friend. I had never felt so close to anyone, never felt that I needed someone as much as they needed me. We were mutual, completely equal. I reveled in the feeling that I had desired for so long.
Propping myself up to gaze into her milky blue eyes, I felt as if I could remain this way forever within her grasp, being smothered by her love. She said my name, pulling me from my thoughts and back into glorious reality.
“Where did you go?” She asked me, her fingers trailing down my cheek.
“Home.” I replied. “I went home.”
Harper was my home, now. She meant the world to me.
I tangled my fingers in her hair, kissing her soundly as I thrust into her, her gasp telling me that I had taken her by surprise. Her hips rocked with mine, our movements growing more desperate, more passionate.
I filled her as she convulsed around me, her face hidden by her hair as she buried her face in a pillow so she could scream, letting out all the tension and pleasure she felt. I grabbed her, gathering her in my arms as she came back down from her high, our bodies spent.
* * * *
We woke to the sound of Natalie knocking on the door.
“Harper, Asher? Are you in there? Your two o’clock appointment is here.”
Harper yawned, sitting up. “Yes,” she yelled back. The two had gotten much friendlier with each other over the past months. I knew that Harper had begun to charm Natalie with her friendly, bubbly personality. Although Natalie was still reserved around her, I could tell that she was beginning to like the love of my life.
I stayed on the bed, buttoning up my shirt as I watched her get up and go to the mirror, straightening her dress and fixing her makeup.
“Don’t be nervous.”
She turned toward me, grinning. “Nervous? Me?”
I laughed. “Well, this will be your first time interviewing someone. There’s no reason to be intimidated.”
She grinned, picking up my tie from the ground and motioning for me to sit up. I complied, watching as she tied it around my neck skillfully.
“Ready?”
Harper nodded, grabbing my hand and giving me a smile as we made our way out into the foyer to meet Avery, our new client.