Page 46 of Fool Me (Timberline Peak #1)
CHAPTER
THIRTY-THREE
ATLAS
She isn’t just under my skin, she’s in my marrow, right down to my DNA. With her, I’m not the same person I was when I moved here. She’s opened me up to what’s possible in a way I didn’t think I was capable of. Last night cemented that.
I’m falling for my brother’s ex.
And not softly, like a feather; hard and unstoppable, like a rockslide.
The cost of being with her when this was fake and we had an exit strategy was low. But now, that cost is higher. Is the permanent rift being with her will cause my family worth it? Avoiding my parents now will cause more damage than when I was in another state.
Who the hell am I kidding? There’s no question—I’m already in too deep with Harlowe, and I know if it came down to it, I’d pick her every damn time. That is just something my parents will have to deal with. My brother, on the other hand, can go fuck all the way off.
But it isn’t just about me. My parents will be forced to choose, because I’m never going to put Harlowe in the position where being with me means proximity to my brother. Deciding how to navigate that with her and my parents is already weighing on me.
If luck is on our side, she’ll get the job and Canyon will leave, tail tucked between his legs. If he doesn’t, we’ll figure it out together.
It feels too soon to tell her all of this when she’s sleeping, looking completely content and at peace in my arms after our first night together.
It’s a state she’s rarely in, with her potential promotion and the general stress of her job.
Since I met her, she’s always had something on her plate to worry about.
Vivi and the baby, work, Canyon, her dad, Morgan and everything that came after.
I hope I get to see her like this more now that things are settling, and not just when she’s asleep or high off a fresh orgasm.
My family drama can wait until being new isn’t so fresh. Or until she hears about the job and we know what’s happening with my brother.
“If you’re going to think so early in the morning, do it quieter,” she murmurs, snuggling deeper into my chest.
“Are you trying to burrow inside of me, woman?” I tease.
“That sounds warm and cozy.” She kisses my shoulder, her eyes still closed. “But no, just need more sleep.”
“Did I wear you out last night?”
She laughs and the husky timbre wraps around my heart. “Never.”
“Maybe next time, instead of waking you up with my loud thoughts, I’ll fuck you awake.”
Her hips shift, and her leg snakes around me.
“You like that, don’t you?”
“You know I do.” It’s not the first time the topic has come up. She alluded to it back in California. Her words have been playing on repeat in my head since she said them.
“You can touch me anytime you want.”
“I’ll give you anything you want, but only if you let me keep you safe.”
She’s wide awake now, suddenly not so interested in sleep.
“When was the last time you were tested?”
“Why?” she croaks.
“Because if you’re mine to have any time, I think condoms are going to get in the way.”
“Six months ago, and I haven’t been with anyone else since. You?”
“Right before I moved—everything was clear.”
“Same. And I’m on birth control.” She rocks against me, dragging her center over my hard cock.
This is a serious conversation and maybe I should stop her, but just talking about it is turning me on. “What’s off limits?’ I ask.
“Nothing public. What we did in the barrel room was fine, but nothing where we could realistically get caught.”
Yeah, I’m not interested in that either.
“Anything else?”
“Just check in with me first. I’m open to trying things, but don’t surprise me with knife play or anything.”
That makes me chuckle because it’s so random and not all where my mind was heading. “What parts of you can I take, Harlowe?”
“Oh.” She blushes. “Anything, just with prep.” She’s so damn cute the way she says it, nose scrunched like it’s a question.
“Are you shy about anal?”
“Maybe? I just want to enjoy it.”
“Fuck, darling. You’ll come for me every fucking time. Anything we do, even if it’s me taking you when you don’t expect it—I’ll always make sure you enjoy it. Otherwise, what the hell are we doing this for?”
“What about you? Does this apply to you too? If I want something, can I take it?”
“Fucking yes!” I practically scream, my new good boy kink sitting up and taking notice.
“Any limits?”
“Please don’t flog me. I’m not into pain.”
“Got it. Anything else?” She raises an eyebrow, asking silently.
“Are you asking me about butt stuff?”
She tries to hide her face in my chest, but I hook a finger under her chin. “I’m up here, darling.”
“Would you let me?”
I think about it for a second and that’s all it takes because I trust she wants to make me feel good as much as I want to make her feel good. “Same rules apply. If you make sure I’m prepped, it’s on the table.”
“Do we need a safe word?”
I nod. “That’s the only way I’ll do any of this with you.”
“Donkey,” she tries.
“Nope.”
Her lips push out in a dramatic pout.
“Just, no.”
“Fireworks,” she says more seriously this time.
“I can work with that.”
My phone rings from the small pouf-y thing she’s got next to her bed. I frown at the caller ID.
“Is Mr. Franklin back on the road?”
“It would seem so.”
She rests her head on my chest, and I answer the call. It’s a fairly simple concern, and I’m able to calm Mrs. Franklin without needing to leave the bed. Harlowe falls back asleep and I spend a few extra minutes asking about Marilyn’s Fourth of July and her plans for Founder’s Day.