“Your mom left your dad after a million years of marriage?” Ben asked, his face unable to register what I just told him.

“Honestly, man. She should have done it years ago. The man’s been a dick to her for as long as I’ve known him.” It was true. I spent many hours pondering why my mother stayed with such a grumpy bastard.

“I can’t even comprehend that. Are you okay?” Ben asked and nudged my shoulder. He was a good friend. I could have gone home half an hour ago, but right then, I needed a drink and to unload on someone who wasn’t Harper. She’d been so busy taking care of my mom, Ava, and me that she didn’t need to listen to me whine.

“Yeah, he’s been out of my life for years. There’s no love lost between us,” I said, sloshing the amber liquid in my glass, causing the ice to clink.

“Since he kicked you out?” he asked, and I nodded. Ben remembered my story, no need to rehash. “Damn, sometimes I wish my dad would stay out of my business. Actually, make that my whole family,” he said and threw his arms up, the bar towel flapping in his fist. “They’re all a bunch of nosy bastards.” We laughed because it was true. Ben’s family poked their collective noses into his life whenever and wherever they pleased. Much to his dismay.

“They love you, man. It must be great to have such a big family,” I told him, envious of the craziness, noise, and love he was born into. Many times I’d joined his gatherings and get-togethers, and I’d never laughed so much in my life.

“Yeah, a great big pain in my ass.” He smirked, and I laughed again. “So, how are things going with that hot piece you picked up in here a while back?” he asked, eyebrows waggling. “Haven’t seen you in here much since then. I figured you were busy.”

“She’s Harper, and she’s not a piece. And yeah, things are going great,” I told him with a tone of warning in my voice.

The jerk grinned. “You lock that shit down yet, man?” he inquired as he leaned on his elbows over the bar.

I chuckled at his forwardness. “Haven’t known her that long yet, buddy.” I tossed back the rest of my drink. The burn as it flowed down my throat did nothing to abate my restlessness. Ben immediately poured another finger or two for me, not waiting to be asked. “Don’t want to scare her away too quickly. But, yeah, I’ve got her locked down as much as she’ll let me at the moment.”

“Damn!” He threw his towel onto the counter. “I fuckin’ knew it. I’ve never seen you so eager to impress a chick before. I’m happy for you, man,” he said and slapped me so hard on the arm my drink spilled. “You guys livin’ together?”

“Close. But not officially yet.” We spent every night together, but she hadn’t exactly asked me to move in. Not even offered me a drawer yet. My shit was just wherever I could fit it.

“I bet she likes the penthouse. Now that’s a babe magnet,” he said, laughing as he wiped up the few drops of spilled liquid. I tossed back what was left of my whiskey.

“She hates it.” The empty glass thumped on the bar. Ben motioned to fill it, but I stopped him. “We sleep at her place ninety-nine percent of the time.”

The look of surprise on his face was hilarious. “Her place is better than yours?”

“Nope. Tiny two-bedroom postage stamp. Original cupboards and countertops,” I told him and he stared at me, his head cocked to the side. “Original about forty years ago.”

He threw his head back and laughed so hard everyone around us turned to stare. “What the hell are you doing there?”

“A very hot, spunky blonde,” I replied with a devilish grin and eyebrows raised.

“Great fuckin’ point, mi hermano. Great fuckin’ point.”

I had no problem trading in my penthouse suite for a poorly aged, poorly lit, poorly furnished apartment. Truth was, I’d live in a cardboard box if it meant I woke up with Harper’s ass pressed up against my crotch every morning.

I pulled up to Harper’s place just after midnight. The lamp was on in the living room—the one she left on for me every night that she went to sleep before me, which unfortunately was nearly every night.

Throwing my clothes onto the floor, I walked as silently as I could to the bathroom to shower. There was no getting around it. If you spent as much time in a kitchen as I did, you had to wash that shit off before going to bed. Harper always rewarded me. She loved how I smelled fresh from the shower, so it was no sacrifice.

After a half-assed attempt at drying off, I padded into the bedroom and slid in beside my woman. Her e-reader had fallen on the bed beside her. I smiled and picked it up before pulling her to me.

Just like every night, she rolled over and asked, “How was work?” I brushed the soft hair away from her face.

“Shh, go back to sleep,” I whispered against her lips and kissed her chastely. My body wanted to do a whole lot more, but she was dead to the world. She’d been doing so much for my family and me, by bedtime it was lights-out immediately.

“Are you all right?” she muttered, half in this world and half in dreamland. She was still worried about me, even though she was the one doing the bigger share of work.

“I am now. Sleep,” I repeated, and she shifted to my chest, her golden locks covering me. She smelled good, but she felt fucking phenomenal. Her warm tits pressed up against me, her leg thrown over mine, and her soft hand on my abs were paradise.

Kissing her forehead was the last thing I remembered doing before drifting off to sleep. Well, that and thinking what a lucky bastard I was to trap this woman.