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I push down the surge of anger and frustration and let determination take its place. I won’t let him win.
He won’t touch Harper again—no matter what it takes, no matter what it costs.
I step back into the bedroom, easing silently onto the bed.
Harper shifts, reaching for me, and I move close. My chest eases when she settles against me; her presence grounds me, as usual.
“Everything okay?” she mutters.
“It will be,” I whisper, pressing a light kiss into her hair, holding her tighter. I close my eyes, breathing her in.
“Mmm. You’re a dream come true,” she whispers with a happy sigh.
“You are too.” I kiss her forehead, knowing things are about to change.
23
HARPER
Iblink awake slowly, awareness trickling in with comforting warmth. Brody’s arms are still wrapped around me. I let my eyes drift shut again, savoring the feeling of him—solid, safe, mine.
I breathe him in, inhaling the familiar scent of his skin—woodsy and clean, mingled with something that’s uniquely him. Carefully, I lift my head, leaning back just enough to study his peaceful face. Even in sleep, he has a strength etched in his chiseled jaw and the curve of his perfect lips. And in this quiet moment, there’s something rare he rarely lets anyone see.
I lift my fingertips to his face, tracing featherlight lines along his jawline. I take my time memorizing each rugged contour, enjoying the vulnerability in his neutral expression. My thumb grazes across his lower lip, and my pulse quickens as heat stirs within me, settling low in my belly.
My fingers move downward, tracing along his bare shoulder, feeling the muscles flex beneath my touch. Desire mixes with need, and I can’t help myself.
His eyelids flutter open slowly; blue eyes meet mine. He blinks, and his gaze slowly focuses on me.
“Morning again,” he whispers, voice gravelly, and it sends a delicious shiver down my spine.
“Morning again,” I reply, grinning, my heart skipping as he continues watching me with intensity. “We fell back asleep.”
“It’s good to catch up on rest,” he tells me as his hand moves to my waist, brushing over my naked skin beneath the sheets.
His gaze holds mine, and it’s filled with the same need that pumps through my veins. I lean in, capturing his lips.
Brody responds with a groan, pulling me closer, deepening our kiss with unhurried ease. His mouth is warm, his fingers wrap possessively around my hip, and I shift him onto his back, taking control as I remove his boxers.
“Harp,” he says, his voice rough, vulnerable.
The sound makes my heart race as desire tightens in my core.
“I want you,” I whisper against his throat, pressing kisses down his neck, feeling his pulse quicken beneath my lips. “Right now.”
He carefully lays me down on my back and slides his strong body between my legs. Our eyes lock as he exhales, waiting outside of my entrance. I’m so fucking wet and needy for him that the anticipation alone is too much for me to bear.
He grips my hip as he slowly guides himself into me. My breath hitches, pleasure rippling through me as our bodies slowly join. He goes slow, giving me time to adjust to him as he stretches me wide. His hands move to my waist.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
He gives me another inch and then another. My breathing grows ragged, and I feel as if he’ll rip me in two. I nod, and he moves until our ends completely meet, until we’re fully connected.
His eyes lock on to mine, heavy-lidded, blazing with unguarded emotion. “God, Harp,” he rasps, his voice a deep, hoarse whisper. “This is everything.”
My heart soars, body trembling as he slowly and carefully thrusts in and out. I gasp; the sensation almost overwhelms me as the intensity builds between us. He finds a slow, perfect rhythm; our bodies move effortlessly, instinctively.