Page 85 of When You Blush

Tears come to my eyes, and I press my lips together.

“Because it was my mess to fix.” The first tear falls hot on my cheek. “And I was embarrassed.”

“Never again,” Greg says. His voice is deep and hard,the way it always was when we were kids in trouble. “You’llneverlet any asshole speak to you like that again. You’remydaughter. You’re my baby. No one speaks to or treats you with anything other than respect and love ever again, or they don’t get to exist anymore, pumpkin.”

“Are you going to bury them somewhere on the ranch?”

He simply stares at me, and for the first time in my life, I think Greg might be a little scary.

“We’ve got your back,” Tucker says, “just like you’ve got ours. You always take care of us. You always come through. You need to let us do the same for you because we love you, Harper. Always have. Always will. You’re stuck with us.”

My throat works as I try to keep the tears at bay.God, I love them all so much.

“Okay,” I whisper. “But Blake isnothinglike before.”

Ava circles the table and wraps her arms around my chest from behind, kissing the top of my head. “Love you.”

“You’re the best of us, Harps,” Easton says. “And you deserve the world.”

“I also deserve not to cry anymore. Can we have dessert now?”

“Let’s have dessert,” Greg says with a glassy smile for me.

Chapter Nineteen

BLAKE

She’s a sight for sore eyes. Christ, how does she get more beautiful every time I look at her? Those eyes get me right in the heart every single fucking time.

Harper and I have had stolen moments here and there over the past three days. I pop into her work, or she stops by mine, but those moments are fleeting because we’re both so fucking busy. But now, she’s rolling a small suitcase behind her as she walks out of Xander’s house. She grins at me as I climb the stairs to help her.

“Thanks,” she says when I take the handle from her. “Also, hold on.”

She props her hands on her hips and frowns up at me.

“Really?” She looks … I don’t even know.

“What? What did I do? I haven’t even seen you.”

She shakes her head and points at my head, where I’m wearing a hat.

“Blake, you’re in a backward baseball hat.”

“Is that a crime? If so, handcuff me, sugar.” I wink at her, and she presses her lips together so she doesn’t burst out laughing.

“It absolutely should be illegal for you to look like that. Are youtryingto make my ovaries explode? Because it’s working. I’m pretty sure they’re doing a happy dance right now.”

“Yourovariesare dancing? That’s talent.”

I stow her bag in the back of the car with mine, then pull my girl into my arms and lean down to kiss her. She even smells like sugar. So sweet and tempting.

And I love that she likes what she sees when she looks at me. Because God knows that I’m obsessed with every fucking inch of this woman.

“I’ve missed you,” I murmur against her lips. “A few minutes here and there is almost torture.”

She runs her hands over my stomach, up to my chest, and that perfect smile slips over her mouth.

“I know. But we get three whole days again now, so let’s make the most of them.”