Make Me (Sterling Shore Series #10)(25)

DALE



"You have it bad," Rain says, smiling as I check my phone again.

Harley's plane landed late, so she assured me I should head on without her, and she'd have George drop her off at Tag's as long as I gave her the address. But I expected her here already. 

"Mm?" I ask, forgetting what Rain asked as I put my phone away. Again.

She just smiles bigger. "I like this look on you. It was always missing with Fiona, but now … I can't wait to meet Harley."

Maverick snorts, and I shake my head. "You don't speak to her." I point a finger in her face as though that will make my order stick.

"I was only mean to Fiona because she … was a cunt sprayer. As proven," Rain decides to point out.

"Cunt sprayer doesn't sound like an insult. It sounds more like bragging rights," Maverick decides to point out, but we ignore him.

"I mean it. Stay away from her," I caution, knowing damn well she won't listen.

"Listen, I get your concerns, but I also think it would probably be good for Harley to find some friends. She's new, and I remember how tough on her high school was," she goes on, sounding sincere. "She doesn't have old friends to call up and hang out with."

I bristle as my mind goes back to exactly how tough it was on Harley.

"When I was miserable, insecure, and throwing constant pity parties, the girls called me a whiny bitch. Now that I'm happy, confident, and stick up for myself, I'm an annoying bitch. It's a tough world out there in the sea of women with razor sharp claws," she adds.

"I'm aware," Maverick says, shuddering. "Vicious."

"I know the feeling," I decide to say, smirking. "Act too mature and you're boring. Act too immature, and you're … Maverick."

"I'm standing right here," Maverick says dryly, feigning indignation.

I roll my eyes, and Rain goes on. "My point is, Harley is a woman in power, and not a lot of people have nice things to say about her. She could use people at her back. And you know we're good friends to have."

"Just last week you were telling me to stay away," I remind her.

"That's when you were telling me she was out for blood. Without telling me her name, by the way. Anyway, you're the one who gave us all the 'See what happens when you have an adult conversation about something in question? You get answers instead of annoying miscommunications,' speech just three days ago when you were telling us you two cleared the air."

Maverick, the dick, is gloating right now as he grins at me.

"I'm being an adult too," Rain goes on.

"Can we talk about this later?" I ask, worried Harley is going to walk up on this conversation.

Rain sashays away, and Maverick laughs as he nudges me with his elbow. "No worries. Harley will pass inspection. Any girl willing to bend over and let you spank her will prove to Rain she has it bad."

My hand flies up and connects with the back of his head, and he laughs. There are some things I wish Maverick didn't know.

"Just be careful," Maverick says, sobering and looking serious when he faces me. "A girl who admits she wanted revenge for something that happened years ago is admitting she's crazy enough to go that far. Crazy girls are usually the hottest in bed, but you'll also find your name tattooed on their boobs and their shit subtly showing up in your closet. Try to kick them out, and you wake up tied to a bed. It's not as sexy as it sounds."

He nods like that's the most insightful thing he's ever said, but I go back to checking my phone again. He takes the hint and walks away, and I look up to see another cousin making his way toward me.

"Where's Britt?" I ask Dane as he nears.

"She had something else to do."

"Something else? That's vague," I muse.



       
         
       
        

He shrugs, running a hand through his hair. "Britt won't lie to me, but if she evades giving me a direct answer, it means she doesn't want to tell me something. I try not to press. She's eighteen with her own place now. Rain says that if I smother and hover too much, Britt could very well rebel."

I try not to smile. Britt wouldn't rebel. But she would tell him the honest truth about far too many personal details, and that's the real reason he isn't pressing.

Finally, after what seems like forever, my eyes dart over as a flash of blonde captures my attention.

My cock gets painfully hard when I see the black leather pants, the hot pink high heels, and the hot pink shirt that hangs loosely past her hips.

Her hair looks blonder than it did before she left, highlighting the smooth tan she has. My eyes soak in the sight of her as she smiles over at me, staying on the paved path in the backyard.

Her pink lips only smile bigger as she nears. That lipstick is going to be a mess later. We'll have to discuss her never wearing it again.

In two steps, I finally move and meet her, and drag her to me by her waist before crushing my lips to hers.

I spent so long with Fiona, yet went weeks without seeing her or missing her when business came around. But after barely getting to know Harley, I spent four days in withdrawal.

Obviously this is a problem I should sort out soon, but for now, I just want to get lost in her. Tonight.

Fuck delayed gratification. I'm not really a damn Dom.

At least I finally understand what Fiona meant when she said she wanted-needed-passion. I thought it was just an excuse. Now that I've had a taste, I get what all the fucking hype is about.

"Whenever you come up for air, maybe you could introduce us," Ash says from somewhere close by, sounding very amused.

I bat a hand in her general direction, trying to resume the kiss, but Harley is smiling against my lips now. At least she's not shy about public displays of affection-which is new for me.

Now I get why Wren was suddenly so into it.

Great.

I'm so fucked if I'm comparing myself to Wren.

A loud, obnoxious throat clearing is the final straw to break the kiss, since Harley is giggling now. She darts a gaze at my eyes, while I groan and turn to face the group that is surely all staring at us.

Yep. All eyes are on us.

You'd think we were about to blow fire out of our asses or something.

First time I've been on the receiving end of this look.

Harley leans against my side as I put my arm around her. I narrow my eyes at everyone still gawking at us, absently noting that not one speck of Harley's lipstick is smeared, which hopefully means my lips aren't a girly shade of pink. 

If that lipstick is going to stay put, then I might let her wear it.

"Harley, everyone. Everyone, Harley," I say by way of introductions.

"Why are you so prickly?" Rain asks as she steps forward, a mocking grin on her lips.

"I'm not prickly." I sound like a damn five-year-old.

"Harley?" Tria asks, her eyes wide as she nears.

Harley's smile breaks across her face as Tria rakes her eyes over her.

"You look amazing," Tria goes on, then they hug. Harley doesn't look comfortable, but Tria sort of jumped her and gave her no option.

Harley's eyes dart to me for help, but I just smirk. I'm still pissed she had a meeting with Finn Collier. And she wouldn't even give me details.

She likes making me jealous a little too much.

Sheesh. It's been just over a week since I started talking to her and I'm already a barbarian.

I drink the beer in my hand a little quicker.

From there, everyone just acts like it's the first time they've ever met her. It's just the five of us Sterlings, Rain and Tria, then Tag and Ash tonight, so it's not overwhelming.

Since it's the first time Ash has actually met her, they fall into easy conversation. I finally track them down near the pool as Ash is filling her in on Fall-the latest addition to their family.

Before I can ask Harley if she's ready to get the hell out of here, Rain joins them, smirking at me.

"So, we usually try to get together every other Saturday. Just for lunch. Girls only," Rain is saying despite my glower. "I was wondering if you wanted to join us tomorrow."

I cast a glare at Dane that says, "I'm about to kill your wife."

He just smirks back, silently saying, "Good luck with that."

"Sure," Harley says, even though I can see how fake her smile is.

"Great," Rain says, oblivious to Harley's discomfort as she smiles genuinely.

"We were just heading out," I say, reaching for Harley's hand.

The relief in her eyes has me hating myself for inviting her out tonight. I should have just canceled and went to her house instead.

Her fingers thread through mine, and I guide her out without speaking to anyone else along the way.

"Sorry about that," I say on a sigh. "We should have just skipped it."

"It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," she says with a shrug.

Since she's honest with me, I decide to relax.

"But I'm also happy to have you to myself for the rest of the night," she says, smirking at me as I open the passenger door to my car.

I eye her ass in the leather as she gets in, and I walk around, climbing into the driver's seat.

"How close are you with Rain and Tria?" she asks as I start driving us toward my house.

"Tria is still warming up to all of us. She's hard to get close to. Rain is like our sister. Well, not Dane's sister. But you know."

"I mean you personally. Not the others," she says, smiling over at me.