Are you busy tonight? I leave for New Hampshire tomorrow. I’d like to see you before I go. Pressing send, I let my head flop against the back of the couch. This rerun of Parks and Rec can’t even hold my interest, and I love that show. Come on Thor, give me something.
For three days, I’ve mulled over reasons why he ran out of the Y and has evaded my text messages with veiled excuses why he can’t (or doesn’t) want to see me.
I understand that life is complicated right now. I get it. But, I wish he’d let me in. He’s always so guarded, keeping me at arm’s length every time I ask him about what’s going on in his life.
It’s hard to keep my mind from traveling to darker thoughts. He can’t deal with your deafness, Harper. You’ve read too much into the way he feels about you. He’s not attracted to you. He’s ghosting you. It’s over.
My phone vibrates in my hand. Lifting my head, I glance down at the message. Thor: On my way over.
My heart shifts into overdrive. Holy shit! I wasn’t expecting him to actually come over. Giddy, I throw my classic car blanket off my legs and run to the bathroom. Flipping on the light, I stare at my reflection. My hair is sticking up in every direction—red curls with minds of their own. Under my eyes, mascara and eyeliner smudges set against my pale skin make me look like a corpse, or an extra on The Walking Dead. I’m a mess.
Turning on the water, I wash my face, brush my teeth, and try to tame my curls. Two out of three isn’t bad—Thor will just have to live with my hair channeling its inner Carrot Top.
Decent enough for a Thursday night at home, I go back to the living room and await Thor’s arrival. I’m surprised to see Chloe and Megan sitting on the couch. Chloe pulls on her knee-high black leather fuck-me boots.
“Where are you two going?” I gesture to Chloe’s outfit—a fitted black dress and killer boots that add at least six inches to her five-eleven frame. “You look stunning!”
Chloe pulls the zipper on her boot and stands, smoothing out the wrinkles from her dress. “Megan is in town visiting a friend. She asked me if I wanted to go clubbing with them. Want to come with us?”
I shake my head. “Thanks, but T-H-O-R is coming over.” I’m glad Megan’s here. Since Chloe and Trey broke up, all she does is bake and watch Netflix. Chloe needs her sister right now. “You and Megan have fun. Be safe.”
Megan stands up and holds her arms out wide. “It’s been a long time, Harper.” I read her lips.
“It has. Chloe’s missed you.” I see Chloe’s lips moving, interpreting my response, as I pull Megan in for a hug.
Stepping back, I ask, “What club are you headed to?”
“The Cave,” Megan says.
Chloe bites her lip. “Don’t freak out, okay?”
I cringe. “That place is rough.” I never did like going to The Cave. The place is aptly named, most of the guys that frequent that dive are cavemen. And it’s always in the news for all sorts of awful crap. A shiver runs up my spine at the thought. “Why are you going there?”
“To check out this new female alt-band, S-W-Z-Z-I-L-E S-T-I-X. Heard of them? They’re really great.”
I shake my head. The only band on my radar at the moment is Mine Shaft, and whatever the hell is going on with their lead guitarist. “Why would an all-girl band want to open at The Cave? I hate that place.”
Megan taps my shoulder. “Chlo and I will stick together, Harper. Don’t worry.”
I move my hand up and down, pointing out their gorgeous outfits, impeccable makeup, and beautifully curled hair. “I do worry. You’re both too gorgeous for that place.”
Chloe grabs my arm, yanking me close. “We’ll be fine.” With a quick, tight hug, she lets go and grabs her black clutch off the couch. “I’ll text if we need anything.”
“I’m not going to pretend that I like this, and you better text me if anything goes wrong. Please, be careful.” Chloe and her love of new bands is going to get her into trouble one day. The Cave is the last place two women should be going to alone. It sucks that the world is like that, and it worries me that Chloe isn’t more responsible when it comes to self-preservation.
In my peripheral vision, the LED light above the front door flashes, and I pull away, looking over my shoulder. Bobby runs to the door, sniffing and pawing, tail waving like a white flag.
Chloe taps my shoulder and spells, “T-H-O-R?”
I nod.
“Finally got ahold of him?” Her eyebrow quirks up in question.
“Yeah. But I still don’t know what’s going on with him. Hoping we can resolve things before I leave in the morning.”
The light blinks again.
Chloe walks to the door and bends down to pick up Bobby before pulling it open. Thor’s on the porch, hands shoved in the pockets of his dark jeans. Chloe waves him inside and turns around, depositing a wriggling Bobby in my arms. Megan walks over and stands next to her sister, not even hiding the fact that she’s checking Thor out. Both girls’ eyes flick to mine; Chloe’s are wary. She mouths, “Good luck,” giving me the “be careful” look we’ve perfected over the years. Megan’s eyes scream, Yum!
With a tight grip on the dog, I flash Chloe the same look as she grabs her sister’s hand and drags her out the door.
Thor waves to Megan and Chloe on their way out, then turns his attention to me. Lifting his hand, he makes a fist, circling it over his chest—a silent apology. He takes two steps and scratches Bobby behind the ears before putting his hands on the backs of my arms, staring into my eyes.
More than anything, I want to step into him, snuggle up to his warmth. But, my heart is too invested at this point and I need to guard it. Taking a step backward, I set Bobby on the floor and grab my phone off the end table beside the couch. Thor crouches down to pet Bobby while I type. When I’m finished, I hold out the phone.
Grabbing it he reads as he stands. Thought you might have wanted to end things.
Thor’s eyes land back on me, ice-blue and intense. His shoulders move up and down with each breath and he shakes his head, stepping closer, he invades my personal bubble. Both hands on my cheeks, he leans down and kisses me, hard.
My eyes widen, caught off guard, but the second Thor pushes his tongue into my mouth, every nerve ending in my body blazes to life. I close my eyes, throw my arms around his neck, and kiss him back.
Wild, our lips move in a frenzy as our hands grope one another. Raking my short fingernails over his close-cropped scalp, Thor bites my bottom lip, drawing blood. A metallic tang lingers in my mouth and his tongue roams deeper. He cups my ass, pressing me against his hard-on. I want to climb him, meld my body to his.
Unrelenting in his desire, still caught up in his touch, he walks me toward the couch and we collapse together. I open my legs to accommodate his body, wrapping them around the backs of his thighs, locking him to me.
Thor tears his mouth from mine, licking and kissing his way over my cheek…along my jawline…my neck. Goose bumps rise on my skin when the tip of his tongue glides over my skin, leaving a cold trail in the wake of his hot breath. I shiver, feeling a vibration on his mouth, humming over the skin on my collarbone. I love that, the hum in his throat, sending those vibrations up to his mouth and over my skin.
Oh God, Thor, don’t stop. I lift my hips, a hint that I want so much more.
He moves his nose along the path of kisses he just left on my neck, working his way back up. His tongue laps at my earlobe before he sucks it into his mouth with a sharp nip. My hips buck beneath him, and I exhale.
Thor captures my breath with his mouth, tightening his lips over mine, and I spiral into a haze of lust. Our bodies move in sync, a blessed rhythm. I meet him thrust for thrust as he grinds his hardness between my legs like we’re naked, not fully clothed. And I can’t help mourn the fact that we are fully clothed, goddammit!
Tugging at the hem of his shirt, I take the initiative to put an end to the “fully clothed” conundrum. My fingertips meet skin and I sigh, opening my mouth wider. Thor takes advantage, his tongue stroking mine, drinking me.
Yanking the shirt higher, I pull hard, wanting it gone. Catching my drift, Thor breaks his mouth away, rips the shirt over his head, and crashes his lips back on mine. He doesn’t miss a beat and my hands revel in the feel of hot, sweaty flesh and rippling muscles beneath my fingers.
Thor kisses me like I’m air—greedy, wanting, and strong, like each kiss is another infusion of life-preserving oxygen. Running my hands down his spine, I reach the small of his back, working my fingers under the waistband of his pants. Thank God his belt isn’t very tight, both of my hands slip inside. I keep going, working my way downward, sliding my hands along his skin…under his boxers…caressing his ass.
Squeezing, guiding his rocking hips, I tilt my head, offering my neck to him again.
I’m waiting, panting, anticipating the next bite or suck, but nothing happens. He stops grinding.
Oh my God. Why did he stop? My eyes flick open. Thor’s looking down at me, his mouth pink and swollen, but smiling. He brushes my hair off my cheek and tilts his head.
Drawing my brows together, I mouth, “What’s wrong?” along with the signs.
He shakes his head, his eyes thinning to narrow slits, scrutinizing me even more. Adjusting himself so that his weight is held in his hands, he pushes up, forcing my hands out of his pants. Thor sits up, pulling me with him.
Looking around the room, he points to something on the floor and gets up to retrieve it. Turning around, he holds up his phone, and flops back down on the couch. Unlocking the screen, he opens the Notes app.
While he types, I rearrange my disheveled clothes, twisting my shirt back into place. Bobby, being the good boy he is, has curled up in his bed on the other side of the living room, oblivious to what Thor and I had been doing. Out of the corner of my eye, Thor’s shirtless torso captures my interest. I enjoy the view, taking in all his sexy ink.
Thor passes me the phone. Red, I’m really sorry I ran out on you the other day and that my messages have been so vague. I’ve just been dealing with some family shit. I didn’t mean to worry you.
I write: What happened? Is your mom okay? What can I do to help? I hand Thor the phone. While he reads and types his response, I resume my perusal of the artwork covering his skin. I’ve seen his arms on plenty of occasions, but the artwork on his chest is something I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing yet. I can’t help but stare, taking in all of his body art.
The dark lines of the ink on his arms swirls and blends, morphing into handfuls of timepieces. Some large, others are small, each bearing a different time. The largest one, the one I traced with my finger on our first date is set at 4:27.
Still typing, he flexes, drawing my attention to the ink covering his left pectoral muscle, along with the silver gleam of a nipple piercing.
I glimpsed the flash of something shiny when he stood up earlier, but couldn’t make out what it was. Up close, I can see it’s at the center of some sort of circle with eight tangents radiating outward, each line ending with a symbol, all under a giant hammer.
His body is a study in Thorin Kline hieroglyphics. I wish I knew what each pictograph meant. Why he chose to have these images etched onto his skin forever. What is the significance of 4:27? Why an eight-pointed star? None of these tattoos are something someone would get on a whim. I want to know this part of Thor.
He passes the phone back to me. There was a disturbance at her place. Had to make sure she was all right. She’s fine. Everything’s good.
I write back: Glad she’s all right. Anything I can do?
Taking a second to glance at the screen, he cranes his neck in my direction and lifts an eyebrow. “I’m sure I can think of something for you to do.”
I didn’t catch all of that, but enough to understand his innuendo. A smirk tugs at my corners of my lips. “Oh, Really?” I mouth.
He nods, abandoning the phone on the cushion beside him, and shifting his body in my direction.
I did want a better look at that piercing but I’m not close enough, yet.
Angling my body, I throw my leg over his lap, straddling him. Moving my hands to his chest, I trace the outer circle of the tattoo, working my way to one of the lines, stopping before I reach the silver barb. I’ve never seen a nipple piercing. It looks good on him…really good.
Thor’s chest moves up and down, as I caress the tines of each fork radiating out from the center of the star. He watches my finger as I draw over the next ray, still too shy to touch his nipple. What if it hurts?
He breathes in. And out. Faster and faster.
I match my breaths to his, inching my finger closer to the center of the circle…closer to the piercing. He shifts his hips, pressing the hard bulge in his pants against my apex.
Gasping, I hold his gaze. Our eyes locked together, I bend down and flick his nipple with my tongue.
“Fuck.” I lip-read the word as he bites down on his lip, staring at me.
I lick again, enjoying each reaction my roaming tongue elicits. I love the way the hard metal feels in contrast to his warm flesh.
Wrapping my mouth around his whole nipple, I lick and suck at the piercing. Thor’s heart pounds inside his chest. His head falls back against the couch, while his hands work at my waist, balling the fabric of my shirt in his strong grasp.
Pumping his hips, I bounce on his lap as he removes my T-shirt, forcing me off him.
Eyes locked again, both of us catch our breath. He is so friggin’ sexy. His stormy eyes push me over the edge. I want him now. Can’t wait.
Standing up, I grab his hand and pull him off the couch, leading him toward my bedroom.
Inside my room, I don’t waste a second, crushing my mouth to his as I kick the door shut. He doesn’t hold back, kissing me hard. Touching his chest, I finger both of his nipples. I can’t keep my hands off his piercing; it’s such a turn-on. Oh my God!
Thor flips the hooks on my bra and it drops to the floor. He spins us around, pushing me onto the bed. Stalking toward me, he forces my legs wider with his knee, covering my body with his. Bending over, he licks across my nipple, just like I had done to him, and a wicked grin spreads across his face. With a playful bite, he sucks me into his mouth.
And I’m dead.
A wave of desire crashes over me, igniting a blaze of wanting between my legs. My head falls back, absorbing the sensation of each nip and suck. No one has ever made me feel like this. I’ve wanted this since the night we met.
I give myself over to him, welcoming the release building inside me.