But she goes to the pier when she needs to think.
I'll be very angry at a lot of women if they drove her to the pier.
When I pull up at the pier, though, all I see are several couples, and my brow furrows. No Harley.
We spent the entire night talking or not talking, but sleep was barely there. I'm not even sure how she woke up in time to leave, but now I feel uneasy that she left without waking me.
Especially since she's not answering and I can't find her.
Rain answers when I call, and I can't keep the suspicion out of my tone.
"Where's Harley?"
"I don't know. We left the restaurant hours ago. She was the first to leave because she had a meeting."
Harley said she was free all day after lunch, so I grow more suspicious.
"Rain, so help me, if you-"
"I really like you getting all alpha and possessive, even threatening. It makes you more human," she muses, but this isn't funny. At all. "But I like Harley, Dale. She's not Fiona. I could see it in her eyes that she's head-over-heels for you. And I love that. So no, no one said anything." She pauses. "Well … "
She lets the words trail off, and my brow furrows.
"Well what?" I prompt impatiently.
"Raya did disclose that Vivica was her cousin."
"In front of everyone?" I growl.
"You know Raya, Dale. She wasn't trying to make anyone uncomfortable. She felt guilty as hell for ever having said anything, and wanted to apologize in front of everyone because, well, you know we knew. She sort of panicked and blurted it out. Though Raya knew all of us were informed on what happened, I don't think Harley knew we knew. She was like a deer caught in headlights. You should have told her everything. It's not fair to demand honesty from her and then keep your own secrets."
I blow out a breath, hating her a little for being right. And I feel like an ass. I need to tell Harley everything, but I'm not so sure she'd like me as much if I did.
Unfair double standard, I know. But I am fucking human. And a little crazy right now.
Blame Harley.
"Any idea where she'd be?"
"Have you tried her office?"
"No but-"
"I'll have Raya call Vivica and see. Even though Raya is extremely terrified of what Vivica may do in retribution of betraying some sort of Drivel family code. That family is … weirdly intriguing. But she wants to make it up to Harley, and she'll call."
"Thanks," I tell her before putting my phone away and driving toward Harley's office, which doesn't take long.
There are a few cars in the parking lot, but when I try to open the doors, they're locked.
So I drive home, call her again, get her voicemail again, and stare at my damn phone for what seems like hours. Raya texts, letting me know she can't reach Vivica.
Which means I have to continue to wait.
Finally, there's a knock at my door, and I jog to answer it. I almost crash in relief when I see Harley standing there with wide eyes.
"I'm so sorry. We had plans, and I let time get away from me, and I have no idea where my phone is. I'm sure it's at the office somewhere but-"
"Your office?" I ask in confusion, and unbidden sense of suspicion rising in me as she stands there, looking at me with an arched brow.
"I had an idea stall out the other day, but today I figured out how to make it work. So I called in a team of my creative designers," she says, practically glowing.
The excitement rolling off her is palpable, and I tilt my head, realizing I haven't seen her this giddy.
"I stopped by your building. It was locked."
Her eyebrows arch, and a frown settles over her lips. "You think I'm lying?"
I shrug. I hate the doubt lurking, but Fiona lied so easily, and as observant as I was, I never caught on. Until she made an ass of me.
"Saturday isn't on the normally scheduled hours. There was no receptionist called in, nor was there any security. We locked the doors to keep anyone from walking in while we were on the second floor and knee-deep in code."
The cars in the parking lot register in my mind, and I grimace. "Sorry," I say, blowing out a breath.
She shakes her head while walking in like it's no big deal, but I see the hurt in her eyes that she tries to hide.
"Harley," I groan, scratching the back of my neck uncomfortably as I shut the door and follow her. "I spent a long time with someone who deceived me too easily."
"And I came back to Sterling Shore with the intent to deceive you," she says quietly. "I get it."
She still won't face me as she sighs and drops her purse to my couch.
"It'll take me a minute to trust you. It would help if you answered your phone when I called," I say with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood. "I'd hate to have to punish you."
"It's somewhere in the clutter at the office, and it was dead. I'll find it," she says, finally turning to face me with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "But if you feel you must punish me … "
She lets the words trail off as a blush paints her cheeks. My cock jumps in response, and I wonder exactly how far I've dropped into this fake role I took on. Because that sounds …
"Get naked," I tell her, watching as she bites back a grin.
"Here, sir?" she asks, a hint of a teasing lilt to her voice.
"You know where," I say, trying my damnedest to keep a straight face and not smile.
She giggles while stripping, tossing off each article of clothing on her way to the most fun room in the house. I adjust myself in my jeans before tugging my shirt off.
Careful not to smile, I step into the room to see her bare and standing, grinning over at me. I saw one video where the chick was on her knees with her legs spread and her hands resting on her upper thighs.
As much as I'd like for Harley to be waiting for me like that, I'd probably embarrass myself by proving how very little control over my dick I actually have. By getting off in my pants.
Maybe my dick is punishing me for leaving it without action for so long.
"Can … I try the swing?" she asks, biting down on her lip while gesturing to the odd contraption hanging from my ceiling.
I knew she liked it.
But I have no freaking clue how to use it.
"Strap in."
Please, let her know how to do it. Please let her know how to do it.
"Y-Yes, sir," she stutters.
For a second, she looks a little timid, but then a look of determination crosses her eyes before she turns, giving me a view of that naked, glorious ass once more. She awkwardly tries to navigate the straps and stuff, and I watch, stopping myself from attempting to help and outing myself as the novice I truly am.
After a few minutes, she has her legs and arms in something, but a harsh breath leaves my lips when she squeals and flips, landing awkwardly on the side of her face as her legs stay up in the air.
I'm torn between laughing and freaking out as I rush over to help her.
"On second thought, no swing," she mumbles under her breath, wincing as she touches the side of her face as I get her upright.
She's still in the unstable swing, two straps across her thighs and gripping one handle, while the handle dangles loosely from above.
Her eyes meet mine, and I smirk as I slide my hand lower, cupping her bare ass and drawing her closer. With the movement, the straps drag her legs wider, and lift them off the floor completely.
Her eyes widen fractionally, and I wrap one arm around her to keep her steady.
She releases the handle, trusting me to hold her balance, and reaches between us, unfastening my jeans.
"You're only with me?" she asks, her voice timid.
I arch an eyebrow, unsure if I should be allowing her to talk or not while in here.
"Yes," I decide to say.
"I'm on birth control and definitely … um … clean," she blurts out, her cheeks reddening.
Inwardly I groan while remaining an exterior picture of composure. No condom? Is she trying to shatter all my sanity?
Chapter 27
HARLEY
He hesitates to answer, and my fingers hover over the button to his jeans for a brief second before I finally undo them one-handed. Then I go so far as to shove his boxers down, setting free the hardest part of his body.
I try to clench my thighs together as the familiar ache instantly stirs, but he's standing between my legs, making that bit of relief impossible.
My eyes come up to meet his. His jaw is tight, his eyes are unreadable, and he feels tense against me.
"You're trying to unravel all my control," he groans before he jerks me to him, holding me steady with one arm clamped around my waist. If he lets me go, I'll be flipping again.
His other hand slips between us, testing just how wet I am. Which is definitely not an issue. I've been turned on since I walked in and saw him.
His lips come down on mine, frenzied and hungry at first, but then the kiss becomes savoring.
He doesn't answer my unspoken question, but I know Dale wouldn't go farther if he wasn't confident-
"I'm clean," he says against my lips, interrupting my thoughts.
And with that confession, he sinks into me, using his arm around me to thrust me forward as he slams into at the same time. It's just shy of painful, but the hint of pain fades quickly as he pulls back and thrusts in again.
My hands go to his shoulders as I ignore the straps hanging down for them. His eyes stay fixed where he's disappearing in and out of me, and I watch with the same lusty desire to see proof this is happening.