Six
Ian
“Do you need help getting that back to your apartment?” Collette asks, the interested expression she’s had on her face all morning even brighter.
Collette Weaver is about as close to a friend as I’ve allowed myself to have. She and her husband have been with me since I started Strong Enterprises, right out of college.
“I think I can manage it,” I tell her, struggling to keep all the bags I’ve pulled from my trunk from toppling to the ground. “My driver will take you back to the office.”
Collette pulls her dark copper hair back into a messy bun and grabs some of the bags from me. “You need to accept help every once in a while,” she tells me as we make our way to the elevator.
“I don’t like help. I can’t trust people to do things the way I want them to be done, or get them done at all.”
“You trust me, don’t you?” Collette asks, already knowing the answer.
When I booked my flight to go to New York, Collette was the first and only person I called. She and her husband hopped on a plane right after me, and have been instrumental in getting the new office going.
“You know I trust you.” The elevator dings, signaling we’ve reached my floor.
“And maybe you trust this Harbor a little too?” Collette is not as sneaky as she thinks she is.
I roll my eyes at her attempt to get more information from me. When I woke up early this morning, Harbor was still asleep. I listened to her toss and turn, trying to get comfortable all night last night, and for the first time in a long time my heart panged and I didn’t override that pull with a stern lecture to myself. The dark circles under vibrant blue eyes made me want to fix everything in her life for her.
Seeing that she was finally in a deep slumber, I decided to do something nice for her and get her a few things to make her more comfortable. On a whim, I called Collette to ask her what essentials a twenty-one-year-old woman with nothing would need.
After hours in the stores spending a small fortune, Collette deemed our mission a success. The whole time we were shopping, Collette tried to wheedle information out of me about Harbor, but I was able to sidestep her questions.
The thing about it was, I didn’t know what to tell her about Harbor. When I see her, I get this unexplainable need to protect her, to give her whatever she needs, whatever makes her happy. Even when Vanessa and I were dating I didn’t have the pull I feel toward Harbor. The feelings she is pulling out of me scare me to death, but at the same time, I can’t deny them.
“I can take them from here,” I tell Collette when we reach my door.
I don’t know if Harbor’s out of bed or if maybe she’s napping. I don’t want to wake her, and if I’m being honest, I want to keep her to myself for as long as I can.
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” Collette snorts from behind, bumping me when I don’t open the door right away.
When we step in, my focus goes straight to Harbor. She’s sitting in her wheelchair, looking out at the expansive view the wall-sized window gives, brushing her wet hair. Her back is to us and she hasn’t heard us come in, so I have time to study her. She’s humming to herself, the lighter skin of her neck showing between strands of hair, and all I want to do is run my tongue up that long line of delicious-looking skin. My dick jumps against my zipper and I will it to behave, but it’s been a long time. My mind flashes to Harbor naked in the shower and visions of her walking around my penthouse naked take over.
Collette puts her bags on the floor harder than necessary, startling Harbor and breaking into my fantasy of naked-apartment-time.
“Oh, I didn’t hear you come in.” Harbor turns around and smiles at me. The smile falters when she sees Collette and I can’t help wondering if she’s jealous.
I haven’t told Harbor anything about me besides the surface stuff. Now that I think about it, I haven’t told her if I have a girlfriend or not. Seeing her struggle to get her smile back on her face makes both my dick and my ego jump to attention.
“You were sleeping and I didn’t want to wake you up. Last night when you told me the muggers took everything from you, I decided to go out and get you a few things.”
“And I told him a girl who has just had her life stolen from her needs more than a few things,” Collette adds, walking over to Harbor and hugging her.
“Ian, you didn’t have to do that. I told you I was going to look for a job.” Harbor is stumbling over her words and I’m not sure if her discomfort comes from Collette hugging her unexpectedly or from the piles of stuff now sitting on my marble floor.
“Stop, he has enough money to buy you this and more. Now let’s go try on what I picked out for you to see if it fits.” Collette wheels Harbor out of the room, throwing back a glance that says I need to get moving. When I don’t, she stops and plants a fist on her hip saying, “Can you get those bags there, Ian?” then heads for the room Harbor points out.
I shake my head and stack everything in my arms, following the sound of female chatter. As soon as I deposit everything on the bed, Collette pushes me out of Harbor’s room and shuts the door in my face.
I walk aimlessly around the house, Collette and Harbor laughing and doing god knows what in her room. After my fifth loop around the apartment, I drop on the couch and put on some random sports show, getting comfortable because from the sound of it they are going to be in there a long time.
It hits me that this is the first time I’ve felt content in this city, and it’s all because of Harbor. Before I hit her with my car, I was contemplating booking a ticket and jetting out of this hellhole, but now I don’t seem to be in such a hurry.
I didn’t realize how much I was going to hate New York until I was stuck in my new office, staring at what really was a concrete jungle. To me, New York is stifling and it’s difficult to find my creative edge, as if the city itself is sucking the life out of me.
Today was the first time I actually enjoyed being here. Sure, I would rather’ve had Harbor next to me instead of Collette but I didn’t feel the nagging urge to escape the city.
A loud, boisterous laugh comes from Harbor’s room and happiness flutters through me. She is an amazing woman. After everything she has been through, she’s still held onto her bubbly personality. It’s obvious she has a big heart and a strong sense of independence.
I don’t have one doubt that Harbor will find a job and place to stay as soon as she hits the streets. The thing is, I don’t want her to move out. She needs someone to lean on, to depend on while she gets her life together after having everything taken from her, and I want to be the guy who helps her do that. No, I am going to be that guy for her.
Thank god I didn’t notify my company back on the West Coast that I was throwing in the towel, or worse, make a public announcement that my time in New York was over. Harbor literally running into my car came at the perfect moment. Any later, and I would have already been in the air, flying toward the sunny beaches of California.
I shake my head when the word fate flashes in neon lights behind my eyes. I gave up on fate the night I walked in on my fiancé and my brother.
Whatever it was that brought Harbor into my life, I am grateful for. Now I just need to convince her that there is no need to find another place to stay, because if she moves out and moves on there really will be nothing keeping me here.
I sit up straight when I hear Harbor’s door open. Collette is pushing her into the living room and makes eye contact with me, shooting me a smile and nodding, giving me her approval without Harbor knowing. My heart squeezes, I’m happy Collette likes Harbor. Collette hated Vanessa, said she didn’t trust her from the time I introduced them. Harbor getting the green light from my business-driven associate is huge.
Collette gives Harbor then me a hug before saying, “I have a meeting, but I’ll come by soon, Harbor. I’m sure you’re tired of being stuck inside. We’ll go see some of the sights I’m sure you’ve been wanting to visit.”
Harbor’s hair is dry now and flowing around her face. She’s wearing a new tank top and short set we bought for her today. It hugs her ample curves and my dick is once again ready for action. Harbor gives me a shy smile and I realize I’m standing in front of her staring like an idiot.
“Do you want to go out to dinner tonight?” I ask.
Collette’s words made sense, Harbor has been stuck inside since being at the hospital, only outside when my driver drove us to my apartment. Fear that she is going to get antsy and leave, or worse, find someone to take her out grips me. “Let me make reservations. I know this Italian place…”
“Ian,” Harbor cuts me off. “You are doing too much for me. I can’t even think of when I can pay you back for letting me stay here, and now you bought me so many wonderful things.” She lifts her hands up as if she’s at a loss for words.
My heart beats faster. She really is all that is good in the world and I’m not going to let her get away. “Harbor, it’s okay. Like Collette said, I have the money. You’ve been through so much, I just want to make it up to you, and this is the easiest way for me. Please, don’t even think about paying me back, because I won’t take it. The only thing I need to know is if you like Italian food or not?”
Harbor stares at me for a long time and I just smile at her like a fool. I can see the moment she relents before she opens her mouth to say, “Thank you, Ian. And yes, I like Italian food.”
I nod and grab my phone so I can make reservations, and to keep from leaning in and kissing her senseless.
When Harbor wheels out of her room wearing a tiny red dress I had to buy her today, my cock decides I want more than just a kiss. Shopping with Collette, I kept my purchases chaste, making sure she didn’t pick up on the extent of my feelings for Harbor, but when I saw the red dress I couldn’t resist getting it—she’d been wearing one like it in one of my fantasies. Even the small smirk Collette sent me didn’t sway me from buying it. To see Harbor’s lightly tanned skin encased in red, I would have endured a lot more.
“You look amazing,” I stammer, making sure I swallow before opening my mouth so I don’t drool down my chin. She does look amazing. Harbor is a gorgeous woman even banged up and bandaged—it didn’t do a thing to diminish her good looks—but with her hair done up in an intricate twist and a light sweep of makeup, she’s perfect.
“Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.”
My cheeks feel flush and I’m surprised she’s able to make me to blush—I haven’t blushed I think since my freshman year of high school—but I should expect the unexpected from Harbor.
“Shall we go?” I ask, walking behind her and giving her a hand out the door. My eyes are drawn to the smooth expanse of Harbor’s neck and shoulders and want to stay there. At the elevator, pinkness has begun highlighting her skin. I’m busted. She’s noticed I can’t control my urges around her.
When we get to the restaurant, we are swept away to our table as soon as I announce my name. I knew it would be that way here, I want to impress Harbor, hoping she will stay.
“I’m thinking about making some calls tomorrow to try and find a new agent,” Harbor says while the waiter pours the wine.
Red-hot anger surges through me thinking of her agent, Mitch Southerland, and how he left her alone in New York City on her first day. The only thing that cools my temper is knowing Harbor is safe with me now.
“I can make some calls for you, if you want. I don’t know any agents here, but I’m sure I know someone with a hookup.”
Harbor’s face lights up before she schools her expression back to normal. She’s a good actress but she’s not that good.
“Thank you, but hold off. I have a few leads I found on the internet today and I want to see if any of those pan out.”
She’s lying. I can tell by the way her baby blues refuse to look at me. I let it go for now. Her pride has taken a huge hit and I don’t want to push her too fast. I make a mental note to have Collette ask around, just in case Harbor needs some help. I’m not in too big of a hurry for her to find an agent to represent her yet anyway. She needs to heal and I like having her depend on me.
We keep the talk light, not delving into anything deep, which is fine by me. Harbor tells me about her friends back home and what it was like growing up in Kentucky. I tell her about California, keeping away from any talk of family.
The problem with idle chatter is I can’t stop thinking about what I want to do to Harbor as she sips her wine and moans occasionally when some morsel of food is extraordinarily delicious. My fingers twitch, wanting to know if her skin is just as soft as I imagine it to be, and what it would feel like to run my hands up her thighs. I have to make myself concentrate on our conversation.
When dinner is over and Harbor is safely in bed, I head straight to the shower, needing to cool off. My soapy hands find my shaft and I work it with the image of Harbor firmly in place. The picture of her mouth surrounding me, her silky tongue lapping the head of my cock, her lips gliding up and down as she sucks. When I empty myself down the drain Harbor’s name tears from my lips.