Page 36 of Maybe, Probably (Love Me, Maybe #1)

Chapter Twenty Tw o

Xavier

I watch Harper walk away in defeat. There’s only one explanation as to what happened, and I need answers.

I need them right now. I spin in the other direction, zeroing in on Chloe and Derek.

Chloe looks fucking pleased with herself.

I take slow and methodical steps toward them, like a predator approaching prey.

“I don’t know what the fuck you said to her,” I growl out.

“But so fucking help me, if I hear anything else out of either of your mouths, it will be the last thing you do.” I’m up in Deke’s face, a sneer on my lips.

This guy may have some muscle to him, but it’s nothing compared to mine.

Moments pass before Dalton backs down, dipping his head.

“Pathetic.” Spinning around, I take off in Harper’s direction.

It doesn’t take long to catch up to her. Her pace is brisk, with her shoulders slumped and head down. I don’t need to spin her around to know she’s crying. My suspicion is confirmed when I hear a sniffle and see her hand move toward her face before falling down to her side.

“Harps!” She jumps at the sound of her name, but the sound of my voice only makes her walk faster. I adjust my pace to match hers. It doesn’t take me long to close the distance, and I place my hand on her elbow to stop her.

“Hey, I was calling you.” She pulls her arm out of my grasp.

“Just leave me alone Xavier.” The trembling in her voice fucking kills me. I look around where we are quickly, spotting the sauna a few feet ahead. I place my hand on her lower back. “Come on, in here. ”

The saunas a decent space. There are two layers of cedar benches that are in an L shape.

The oven that holds the coals is directly across the space from the door.

Harper goes to the far side of the sauna, although the room isn’t big, so she doesn’t go far.

I step toward her, but she doesn’t look up at me.

She’s staring at her feet, wiggling her toes as if to keep her focused.

I reach down, placing my pointer finger and middle finger under her chin, and lift her face until her eyes lock with mine.

My chest seizes as I see her emerald eyes filled with tears, and I die a bit more inside as they begin to stream down her face.

She tries to pull her face away but I add my thumb to hold her still.

“Enough.” I say sternly. Her eyes dilate slightly, a hint of lust shining in them before it disappears. Her bottom lip begins to tremble.

“What’s going on, babydoll?”

Another tear tracks down her cheek. I cup her face in my hands, kissing her cheek gently. The taste of her tears will be my ruin. “Talk to me. Please.” Desperation is heavy in my voice, and despite reminding myself I shouldn’t be here, I can’t bring myself to walk away.

Harper makes all logic fly out the window.

When she was working during the week, I found myself needing to know what she’s doing.

It started with texting her a few times, but I easily learned that when she’s in the zone working, she doesn’t answer personal messages.

I started bringing her lunch. The next day when I brought her lunch, I ended up staying and we talked.

There have been days I pretend to answer emails on my phone, when in reality, I was watching her the whole time through my peripherals.

The silence continues before she finally gives me something, “It’s not something I’m not used to.

” She takes a deep breath before continuing.

“I’ve always been the big girl. I own it, I’m not ashamed.

But,” her voice breaks, “that doesn’t mean the words still don't hurt, you know?” Tears are streaming down her face.

I keep kissing each tear. Her hands run up my forearms, and she holds on to my wrists as her eyes close.

I place my lips softly onto hers. As soon as they connect, Harper begins pushing forward, deepening the kiss .

I pull away before I get too carried away. “I want you to tell me what they said, babydoll.” I look deep into her eyes and try to portray how I need to hear this right now.

“Like I said, it’s nothing I haven’t heard before.”

“Doesn’t matter. What. Did. They. Say. Harper.” I say through clenched teeth. The thought of them tearing her down enrages me, especially after I’ve seen how much more comfortable she’s been in her own skin this past week. My heart is thundering in my chest as I wait for her to say the words.

I take a deep breath. “Now, Harper, or I can’t be held responsible for what I do if I have to leave this room to find out for myself.” Her grip tightens on my wrists.

“Please don’t.” Her eyes search mine. “Stay.” She takes a deep breath. “I’ll tell you, just – give me a moment okay?” I nod my head in understanding. She goes up on the tips of her toes to give me another kiss, which I eagerly accept.

“When I was at the market with your mom, Chloe appeared. She apparently was invited the whole time, but needed a nap or something, so she didn’t leave the house with us.

” Her hands begin to twist in each other, and then she tucks her loose hair behind her ear.

“I was buying something for a gift, and she made a comment about it. I told her off– obviously. But then, she talked about how you must be delusional for wanting me, period.” My whole body stiffens.

“What?” I say, with a calm death would envy.

Harper’s lip begins to tremble again, and I can’t stand it.

“You are fucking beautiful. You have had me obsessed since the moment you fell into my lap– literally.” A sharp inhale comes from her. “Is there anything else?”

She sighs, pausing briefly. “Well, after we got back to the house, I decided to clear my head and go for a swim. The feel of just floating in the water calms me, you know?” She begins to readjust her bathing suit bottoms, wrapping one arm around her midsection.

“When Chloe and Dalton came into the pool, I decided to ignore them at first. But I wasn’t really enjoying the water anymore, so I wanted to go inside and shower before settling in with a book.

As I was getting out of the pool– well– Chloe moo’d at me.

” Harper licks her lips. “Like I said, it's nothing. Shit like this doesn’t normally get to me. I think it did this time because I already had a confrontation with her earlier today, and I was still processing what happened. But when she did that, something in me cracked, and I just needed to get out of there. And here we are.” She shrugs her shoulders as she finishes.

“You listen to me, babydoll, and you listen to me carefully.” I pause to make sure she understands what I’m asking. When she gives me a quick nod, I continue.

“I can’t stop thinking about you. I can’t stop wanting more. Fuck I can’t breathe without knowing when I’m going to see you, touch you…taste you. I never thought I’d feel like this about anyone ever again, but you came in here, and you obliterated it. And I don’t ever want to go back.”

I watch as Harper's eyes dilate with lust, internally smirking at how her breathing has increased.

An idea hits me. I bend down and wrap my hands underneath her knees, lifting her up.

She squeals, wrapping her thighs around my body.

Her arms loop around my shoulders, holding tight.

She pulls back slightly before her mouth crashes into mine.

Our lips move together frantically as the urgency of our need begins to increase. This isn’t what I have planned. So I quickly move forward until I place her juicy ass on the top bench, and pull away. A whimper leaves her lips as I retreat, and she actually pouts.

A deep chuckle leaves my throat, my eyes trailing the length of her body.

Feasting on the sight of her, and her swollen lips, I’d be a fool not to dive in for more.

Her chest lifts and falls in quick succession.

Under my stare, she begins to squirm, thighs clenching together trying to ease the need.

“Can you be a good girl for me, Harps?”

Harper nods her head fast as her bottom lip pinches between her teeth .

“Both feet up, and spread those legs for me, babydoll.” She goes to do what I say, but I tsk.

Harper stops, confusion on her face. “I wasn't finished. Now, take those bottoms off before I rip them off your body. I mean, unless you want to walk out of here without bathing suit bottoms?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.

She quickly stands up, whipping them down her thighs and leaving them on the floor.

She takes a deep breath and sits back, taking her time to rest her hands on the bench behind her, and placing both feet on the edge of the bench.

My body ignites the moment she spreads wide for me.

I groan. “Such a good fucking girl. Look how pretty your pussy looks up there, on display for me.” I begin to rub at my hardened cock. I’ve been hard since before I picked her up, but the way she looks right now is fucking devastating. God, she is beautiful.

Her eyes flick down as she watches the movement of my hands. I see that her eyes are blown wide with lust. I move my hands to my side, refusing to touch myself further.

“Touch yourself.” My demand is rough, but I will not allow her to shrink herself.

Her eyes connect with mine as her hand starts moving up her inner thigh.

A slow and torturous pace that brings a low growl rumbling out of my chest. When her hand reaches the apex of her thighs, she begins to spread her glistening pink lips.

Not once do her eyes leave mine, not even as she swirls a finger around her swollen clit. I hear her breath hitch.